NCJ Number
152957
Journal
New York State Bar Journal Volume: 64 Issue: 4 Dated: (May/June 1992) Pages: 18-21
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines some of the difficulties involved in trying child sexual abuse cases and suggests measures to ease those difficulties.
Abstract
Much has been written about court proceedings in child sex abuse cases. However, those writings generally deal with family court proceedings and do not consider the difficulties of a criminal trial before a jury where the purpose is not to restore the family and rehabilitate the defendant, but to determine guilt and set punishment with rehabilitation as only one of several purposes. Some problems are caused by the normal administration of all criminal cases. Many are the result of a failure to make simple changes in the system. Following are some of the points which must be dealt with in any attempts to expedite the process of trying child sexual abuse cases: (1) prompt trial; (2) elimination of unnecessary charges; (3) need to educate jurors; (4) need to acclimate child; (5) attention to questioning; (6) swearability hearings for complainants under the age of 12; and (7) medical examination of the child. Footnotes