NCJ Number
118315
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A project funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is funding a research and development project in four jurisdictions to help reduce the psychological trauma that child witnesses in child sexual abuse cases experience and to increase the successful prosecution of offenders.
Abstract
The project involves work with law enforcement, social service agencies, the courts, and other criminal justice agencies to determine which court strategies work best when handling child victims. The four jurisdictions are Polk County (Iowa), Ramsey County (Minn.), Erie County (N.Y.), and San Diego County (Calif.). The project arose from the recognition that the criminal justice system is often badly suited to address the emotional, psychological, and physical needs of children. In addition, some experts believe that court intervention may damage child victims by intensifying existing problems, delaying the resolution of symptoms resulting from the abuse, or creating a new set of stressful circumstances. The research is focusing on such issues as the impact of innovative techniques on the outcome of the case prosecution and on the child's emotional trauma. These practices include coordinating investigative interviews, using dolls or other props to help the child communicate, assigning an advocate or guardian ad litem to support the child, accelerating case processing, and coordinating criminal and civil abuse and neglect proceedings. Descriptions of the strategies being used in each location and addresses from which to obtain more information are included.