The Child Witness: Legal Issues and Dilemmas Book

The recent onslaught of disclosures by children who report being sexually abused creates a dilemma for all of us, but especially for those who must make policy-orientated decisions about children. On the one hand one wants to trust children, on the other it is important to honour the rights of the accused. It is also important to protect those children who have been sexually abused from a further type of abuse if they testify in court. The Child Witness, written by two psychologists with legal training, is the first book oriented towards professionals who seek an integrated, up-to-date review of psychological research and recent court cases dealing with children as witnesses in court. It is organized around four issues: the competence of children as witnesses, the credibility of children, the rights of children and the rights of the accused. Child and adolescent development is reviewed from a psychological perspective. Recent research on issues of comprehension, memory and communication skills of children are described alongside the reactions of various audiences - lawyers, judges and jurors - to the children's credibility. Procedures designed to reduce the traumatization of children who testify in court, including various techniques which have already been employed, are described and evaluated.The book also includes some recommendations for policy; it will be of interest to all professionals from judges to social workers; it will also interest academic criminologists as it discusses the most up-to-date research.Read More