The Child Witness : Legal Issues and Dilemmas

Twenty years ago the issue of child sexual abuse was seldom discussed in the United States. Now reports of such abuses have become commonplace, and the arrests and trials of alleged abusers have become a staple of the evening television news reports. This recent onslaught of disclosures about children who report being sexually abused creates a dilemma for us all, but especially for social scientists and legal or service-delivery professionals who must make policy-oriented decisions concerning abused children. On the one hand we want to trust children; on the other, we must honor the rights of those accused of crimes. Furthermore, in our effort to protect children from subsequent abuse, we increasingly request that they testify in court about their traumatic experiences. What rights, if any, do children have to special treatment? Are they competent to testify? How will reliving their horrible experience in court affect their emotional well-being? And, how does the court balance the child′s needs with the right of the defendant to a fair trial? In The Child Witness Perry and Wrightsman provide an integrated, up-to-date review of social science research, legislation, and recent court decisions that relate to children as witnesses in court. Four central issues are addressed: children′s competence as witnesses, their credibility, the rights of children, and the rights of the accused. Recent research on issues of comprehension, memory, and the communication skills of children are evaluated as well as how different audiences--attorneys, judges, and jurors--perceive a child′s credibility. Replete with details from actual cases, The Child Witness provides policy recommendations and guidelines for judges, attorneys, and service-delivery professionals who work with children that are asked to testify in court. "The Child Witness is well organized and informative. Readers who seek basic skills in interviewing children will find that this book provides a window for understanding