A Decade of International Reform to Accommodate Child Witnesses

The past decade has witnessed significant reform of the legal system to accommodate child witnesses. This article describes reforms in the following areas: investigative interviewing, preparing children to testify, admissibility of children's hearsay statements, competence of children to testif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Criminal justice and behavior 1996-06, Vol.23 (2), p.402-422
Main Author: MYERS, JOHN E. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abused children
Criminal law
Criminal trials
Reforms
Western countries
Witnesses
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Summary:The past decade has witnessed significant reform of the legal system to accommodate child witnesses. This article describes reforms in the following areas: investigative interviewing, preparing children to testify, admissibility of children's hearsay statements, competence of children to testify in court, altering the courtroom to accommodate child witnesses, judicial control of the proceedings and questioning, support persons for child witnesses, exclusion of witnesses during a child's testimony, closing the courtroom to the public and the press, video link technology and other modifications that effect the accused's right to confront the child, counsel or guardian ad litem for a child witness, the corroboration requirement, and jury instructions regarding child witnesses.
ISSN:0093-8548
1552-3594
DOI:10.1177/0093854896023002009