NCJ Number
224288
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 13 Issue: Part 2 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 257-277
Date Published
September 2008
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study examined judicial rulings of competence related to perceptions of credibility of child witnesses and adult defendants.
Abstract
Results found that a judicial declaration of competence that was targeted at the particular child sometimes increased the credibility ratings of the child and decreased those of the defendant, sometimes to levels beyond those observed in the adult conditions. These effects on credibility were not replicated when a general declaration of all children's competence was used. In fact, the general declaration sometimes resulted in more positive ratings of the defendant. These results were discussed in the context of recommendations for the use of competence evaluations and declarations of competence in court. Three studies were conducted to determine the effect of a judicial declaration of competence on perceptions of credibility towards a child witness and an adult defendant. The data in all three were derived from a group of undergraduate students who participated in the studies. Participants read vignettes about a 5 or a 13 year old child witness or an adult involved in either a sexual assault case or a motor vehicle accident case. In the child conditions, the case was either preceded by a declaration of the child's competence to testify, either specific or general declaration, or there was no mention of the competence of the child. Participants then rated the perceived credibility of both the complainant/witness and the defendant. Tables, references, appendix, and note