CHILD AND THE FAMILY DURING THE COURT PROCESS (FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS, 1978 BY A W BURGESS, A N GROTH, L L HOLMSTROM, AND S M SGROI SEE NCJ-45153)

• NCJ Number: 45166
• Author(s): A W BURGESS; L L HOLMSTROM
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 26 pages
• Corporate Author: Lexington Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EXPERIENCES OF CHILD ASSAULT VICTIMS AND THEIR PARENTS DURING TRIAL PREPARATION AND IN THE COURTROOM ARE DISCUSSED, AND WAYS IN WHICH VICTIM COUNSELORS CAN HELP CLIENTS THROUGH THE TRIAL PROCESS ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE PREPARATION OF A CASE BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE COURTROOM EVENTS DURING THE TRIAL, AND COUNSELING TECHNIQUES THAT CAN REDUCE STRESS FOR THE CHILD VICTIM AND HIS OR HER FAMILY. VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL STYLES OF DISTRICT ATTORNEYS (INDIFFERENT, TASK-ORIENTED, HUMANISTIC) ARE DESCRIBED AND ILLUSTRATED IN CASE EXAMPLES OF ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND CHILD VICTIMS. DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ARE URGED TO SHOW CONCERN AND UNDERSTANDING WITH REGARD TO THE VICTIM AND THE TRAUMATIC NATURE OF THE RAPE EXPERIENCE. THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ARE LIKELY TO ASK VICTIM COUNSELORS ARE ALSO NOTED. TACTICS OFTEN USED BY DEFENSE COUNSEL TO GAIN INFORMATION FROM VICTIMS AND FROM COUNSELORS ARE NOTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE VICTIM THAT MAY RESULT FROM QUESTIONING BY DEFENSE COUNSEL. OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE BEHAVIOR OF VICTIMS IN COURT, REACTIONS BY VICTIMS AND BY PARENTS TO THE TRIAL, AND TASKS THAT CAN BE PERFORMED BY PARENTS DURING THE TRIAL ARE NOTED. COUNSELING TECHNIQUES OF USE IN PREPARING THE CHILD FOR THE COURT PROCESS AND IN DECREASING THE STRESS GENERATED BY HAVING TO GO TO COURT AND TALK ABOUT THE SEXUAL ASSAULT ARE SUGGESTED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.