Legal Issues in Child Sexual Abuse: Criminal Cases and Neglect and Dependency Cases (From Handbook on Sexual Abuse of Children: Assessment and Treatment Issues, P 137-151, 1988, Lenore E A Walker, ed. -- See NCJ-113856)

• NCJ Number: 113859
• Author(s): G F Long
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 15 pages
• Sale Source: Springer Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Almost 90 percent of child sexual abuse cases do not go to prosecution, often because of problems involving the rights of the accused, the child's competency to testify, and the trauma that testifying can cause the child.

Abstract

Expert witness testimony by health professionals of the behavior of abused children is being recognized by some courts as a method of corroborating the child's testimony. Additionally, health professionals are sometimes called upon to interpret the statements of abused children to third parties. This exception to the hearsay rule for presenting evidence is discussed in detail. The article concludes with advice to health professionals who would function as expert witnesses. 33 references.