NCJ Number
112705
Date Published
1988
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This illustrated booklet describes the general sessions court, its purpose, and procedures for child witnesses in physical or sexual abuse and kidnapping cases.
Abstract
The types of crimes against children that may be heard by the court are described, and the process of criminal investigation and arrest is outlined. The roles and responsibilities of the persons who will be at court are discussed, including the judge, the court reporter, the clerk of the court, the solicitor, the police, the defendant, the defendant's lawyer, the witness, and the jury. The procedures during the trial then are described, including jury selection, opening arguments, witness examination and cross-examination, closing arguments, charging, and jury deliberation and verdict. The rights of the accused are discussed. The victim impact statement is described, and the importance of child victim-witness being truthful is emphasized. The consequences of guilty and not-guilty verdicts are noted, and possible dispositions are described. Appropriate behavior by the child in court is delineated, and the types of information that may be solicited from the child witness are illustrated. Questions throughout the text provide an opportunity for the child witness to express his/her feelings about the information provided and enter details about the specific case and persons involved. A word list also is included.