NCJ Number
181504
Date Published
2000
Length
0 pages
Annotation
The prosecution of cases involving children who have been traumatized by exposure to violent crimes is a special challenge and, as depicted in this videotape, innovative approaches for working with community partners to support child witnesses and victims can lead to successful case outcomes.
Abstract
One in a series of videotapes for criminal justice professionals, community practitioners, and policymakers concerned about children exposed to violence, the videotape focuses on programs in Arizona, Virginia, and Washington. The Children's Help Center of Arizona recognizes that most children do not report their victimization and that a good child abuse investigation is essential. The center is designed to be a one-stop facility for child abuse investigations and includes provision for medical examinations and counseling training. The center works with the county attorney's office, encourages interviews with children in a fact-finding, non-biased manner, prepares children for court, helps children learn to trust adults again, and assigns one detective to handle a case from beginning to end. In Prince William County, Virginia, police officers are trained in interviewing children in sexual and physical abuse cases. The training encourages police officers to understand children, to be sensitive to their needs, and to use the language of children in the course of interviewing. The King County, Washington, Kid's Court prepares children for court by bringing them to the court prior to the case to familiarize them and to talk about court rules and the importance of telling the truth. The group session in the court involves role-playing and is designed to make children feel they are not alone. Children talk about their fears and anxieties; efforts to reduce their stresses are intended to produce more accurate child witnesses.