In 2007, the Ministry of Justice and the Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę Foundation (formerly the Nobody’s Children Foundation), in cooperation with the Coalition for Friendly Interrogation of Children, formulated standards for the place of interrogation of children, which the Friendly Interrogation Room for Children should meet. These standards specify the premises and technical requirements, and take into account the psychological needs of the child and the requirements of the judiciary related to the procedure for conducting hearings. Rooms that meet these standards are certified by the Ministry of Justice and the Nobody’s Children Foundation.

The main purpose of developing and popularizing standards for interrogation rooms for minor witnesses ( so-called blue rooms, blue rooms) is to provide children, who are most often victims of abuse and violence, with friendly interrogation conditions. Such conditions that will minimize the child’s stress and gather reliable evidence. The so-called. The blue room allows children to be interrogated in an almost home-like environment. There are no bars or desks in it, but there are toys, books and a table where children can sit and talk quietly.

Friendly interrogation room

constitute, in fact, two rooms. In the first, an interview is conducted with the child (or adult) with the participation of a psychologist and a judge. In the second room, the so-called. technical, there may be other persons involved in the procedure, such as a lawyer or prosecutor, and possibly. A technician operating the audio-video recording apparatus, microphone and speakers for the hearing.
A Venetian mirror can be installed between the rooms. However, it is not required if (for example, on a TV screen) it is possible to observe from the technical room what is happening in the interrogation room.

The equipment installed by our company in the friendly interrogation room (blue room, blue room) is characterized by a high level of discretion. At first glance, such a room looks like any other. But it is actually equipped with advanced electronic devices.

The technical equipment of the interrogation rooms are:

• cameras recording the interrogation (the entire interrogation room and a record of the child’s gestures, facial expressions and movements);
• microphones;
• Equipment that allows audio and video recording of the hearing on two media;
• headphones for the judge and the expert psychologist;
• Microphones for those in the technical room;
• equipment to record the questions of the participants in the procedural activity who are in the technical room

Cameras and microphones, contrary to general opinion, are not particularly hidden. Experience shows that children quickly become accustomed to the presence of these objects in the room and stop paying attention to them. Thus, it is unnecessary and even inadvisable to hide cameras or microphones. The recorded interrogation can be easily and quickly recorded on any storage medium and included as evidence in the case.

Room two is for adults who participate in the legal procedure. It is adequately illuminated and equipped with audio-visual apparatus.
Observation of the interrogation is carried out through high-quality cameras, so that even the slightest reaction can be seen. In addition, the system allows two-way communication between the interviewers and those in the technical room. To allow those in the room to ask questions, the interrogator has a microphone in his ear where he can hear questions and suggestions from observers.

The interrogation viewing and recording system ensures high intelligibility of speech (sounds) and good resolution of the recorded image. The format in which the audio and visual material is recorded is compatible with the equipment available in the courtrooms. Recording is done on two different media.

Information about the existence and need for friendly hearing rooms ( blue rooms, blue rooms),should be widespread in the legal world. Both prosecutors and attorneys should strive to ensure that procedural activities especially involving children take place only in such premises. Such measures mean less stress for the child, as well as impartial and reliable evidence.

Standards of the place of interrogation of children that the Friendly Children’s Interrogation Room should meet

The main purpose of developing and popularizing standards for children’s interrogation rooms is to provide child victims of abuse and violence with friendly interrogation conditions that will minimize the child’s stress and gather reliable evidence. The basic conditions that institutions and facilities must meet in order for the hearing rooms they run to be considered a child-friendly hearing room are adequate, child-friendly premises adapted to the needs of the justice system, and the provision of support and information on psychological, medical and legal assistance to the child and his guardians.

Such premises must meet the following conditions:

1 Organizational capacity: The children’s hearing room is run by an incorporated entity that provides for its administration.

2 Child-friendly room: the unit has a comfortable, privacy-providing premises equipped according to the needs of the child to ensure children’s physical and psychological safety during interrogation.

In particular, the premises:

• Ensures that the interrogation of the child is conducted exclusively by the judge with the participation of a psychologist, while allowing other persons (the prosecutor, the defendant’s lawyer, the auxiliary prosecutor and others) to participate in the interrogation, staying in a separate room. This capability is provided by a venetian glass between rooms and/or direct transmission of the interrogation and a communication system between rooms;
• It provides an opportunity for the child to wait for the hearing in a friendly place where the accused is not allowed to enter. The waiting room is equipped to provide the child with the opportunity for active waiting time (toys, books, magazines, crayons, etc.). What it doesn’t have, however, are educational and informational materials on violence and sexual abuse;
• Provides intimacy for the child by muting the door between the interview room and other room(s);
• It is maintained in muted pastel colors;
• It is furnished in a way that makes it comfortable for younger and older children (tables and chairs in two sizes, sofa or armchair, soft carpeting);
• It is equipped with materials and equipment to help get information from the child (crayons, paper, puppets, pacemakers, etc.), which are not directly accessible to the child.

3 Interrogation for justice: It is possible to record the interrogation in the room so that its course can be replayed at the main hearing. It is also ensured that those participating in the interrogation (the prosecutor, the defendant’s lawyer) can communicate with the judge and the psychologist to convey to them the questions to be asked of the child.

In order to ensure the implementation of the above. The needs of the justice system, the interrogation room should be equipped with:

• Camera(s) recording the interrogation (entire room + child’s behaviors and reactions);
• Audio recording microphone(s);
• Equipment that allows audio-video recording of the hearing on two media;
• Microphone in the room adjacent to the room where the child is being questioned and
• Headphones for judge and psychologist.

4 Information on the offer of assistance and support for the child-victim and his caregivers: guaranteeing the child’s caregivers comprehensive information on the possibility of obtaining specialized psychological, therapeutic, medical and legal assistance is an essential part of the offer of the Friendly Child Hearing Room. Such information refers to the offer of assistance provided by the unit that runs the hearing room or by other cooperating centers. The guardian of each questioned child is given written information on the following. such an offer.

Friendly Interrogation Rooms certified by the Ministry of Justice :

1. Center for Assistance to Alcohol Addicts and Their Families in Bytom.
2. Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights in Warsaw – LOST
3. District Family Assistance Center in Ropczyce
4. District Court in Chorzow
5. District Court for Łódź Śródmieście
6. District Court in Mysliborz
7. District Court in Sejny
8. District Police Headquarters in Lancut- LOST
9. Children’s Aid Center “Mazowiecka” in Warsaw
10. Child and Family Support Center in Ruda Śląska
11. District Police Headquarters in Sieradz
12. District Police Headquarters in Kościan
13. District Court in Gryfice – LOST
14. Swinoujscie City Police Station
15. District Police Headquarters in Lobez- LOST
16. Municipal Social Assistance Center – Crisis Intervention Center in Plock
17. District Court in Mielec
18. District Court in Strzelce Krajeńskie
19. District Police Headquarters in Gorlice – LOST
20. District Family Assistance Center in Olecko
21. Territorial Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights in Leszno
22. Crisis Intervention Center in Nowy Sacz
23. Suwałki District Police Headquarters
24. District Family Assistance Center in Giżycko
25. District Police Headquarters in Nakło nad Notecią
26. Municipal Police Headquarters in Lublin
27. District Family Assistance Center in Ostrzeszów
28. District Court in Jawor
29. District Police Headquarters in Lukow
30. Crisis Intervention Center at the Child and Family Support Center “Koło” in Warsaw
31. District Court Lublin-West in Lublin
32. Grudziadz Society for Helping Children and Families “Homini” in Grudziadz
33. District Court in Tarnobrzeg
34. Therapy Center for Children and Youth from Alcoholic Families PZOZ in Gdansk
35. District Police Headquarters in Żagań
36. District Family Assistance Center in New Town Lubawski
37. Area Committee for the Protection of Children’s Rights in Poznań
38. District Family Assistance Center- Crisis Intervention Center in Krotoszyn
39. District Police Headquarters in Lezajsk
40. Caritas Social Center in Stargard Szczeciński
41. District Court Szczecin Centrum
42. The Emergency Care Center named after him. Karol Olgierd Borchardt in Gdansk
43. District Court in Biała Podlaska
44. Family Diagnostic and Consultation Center in Chelm – LOST
45. District Court in Kłodzko
46. NON LICET Foundation in Wroclaw
47. District Court Katowice-Zachód
48. District Court in Slawno
49. District Court in Zgierz
50. Specialized Support Center for Victims of Family Violence in Bialogard
51. District Court in Łowicz
52. Specialized Support Center for Victims of Family Violence in Jaksice (Inowrocław)
53. District Court in Dzierżoniów
54. Crisis Intervention Center in Kalisz
55. Psychoeducation Center for Addiction Prevention and Family Support in Ilawa
56. District Court in Gliwice
57. District Court in Debica
58. District Court in Wolow
59. District Court in Stalowa Wola
60. VI Police Station in Krakow
61. AZYL” Association for Assistance to Women and Children Victims of Violence in Toruń
62. Radziejów District Court
63. District Family Assistance Center in Bartoszyce
64. District Court in Zielona Góra
65. District Court in Gryfice
66. District Court in Wyszków
67. District Court Poznań Nowe Miasto and Wilda
68. Goleniow District Court
69. District Court in Opole
70. District Court in Kęzierzyn-Koźle
71. District Family Assistance Center in Gryfino
72. Family Diagnostic and Consultation Center in Chelm
73. District Court in Lipno – Regional Division in Rypin
74. District Court in Łomża
75. VOLTA Medical Center
76. Sąd Rejonowt w BiałymstokuDom Dziecka w Łobzie
77. Psychological and Pedagogical Clinic in Nowy Tomysl
78. District Court in Słubice
79. District Court in Gorzow Wielkopolski
80. District Court in Grójec
81. Family Diagnostic and Consultation Center No. 2 in Warsaw
82. District Court in Lipno
83. Olkusz District Court
84. Olsztyn District Court
85. District Court in Radomsko
86. District Court in Ząbkowice Śląskie
87. District Court in Opoczno
88. Przemyśl District Court
89. District Court in Belchatow
90. Tarnów District Court
91. District Court in Slupsk
92. Regional Court in Slupsk
93. District Court in Łańcut
94. District Court in Kolobrzeg
95. District Court in Brzeg
96. Psychological and Pedagogical Clinic in Zabrze
97. District Court in Zabrze
98. District Court in Włocławek
99. District Court in Limanowa
100. District Court in Opole
101. District Prosecutor’s Office in Swinoujscie
102. District Court in Staszow
103. East Lodz District Police Station.
104. District Court in Trzcianka
105. District Court Poznań – Stare Miasto
106. Piła District Court
107. District Court of Koszalin
108. Koszalin District Court
109. Children’s Home in Chelmno
110. Chelm City Police Station

* sequence number corresponds to the Certificate number.