The practice of prosecuting child maltreatment: Results of an online survey of prosecutors

Cross, Theodore P.; Whitcomb, Debra

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.04.007

Cited by 32 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Despite its serious impact, the prosecution of CSA cases is often complicated because legal cases often hinge solely on the testimony of a child victim. Often, no objective forensic evidence (e.g., photographs, physical traces) is available and triers of fact have to base legal decision-making on what a child victim remembers about the abusive event(s) (Cross et al 1994;Cross and Whitcomb 2017;Herman and Freitas 2010;Otgaar et al 2017). In addition, many alleged CSA victims are reluctant to report abuse when interviewed in a forensic context, even when there is clear and objective evidence of abuse (Hershkowitz et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Quality of Forensic Child Interviewing in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Indonesia

Sumampouw

Otgaar

Rooy

et al. 2019

J Police Crim Psych

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Most of the foregoing research on child investigative interviewing has focused on interview practices in Western countries, thus potentially limiting the generalizability and application of the findings to improve interview practices in non-Western countries. The current studies are the first to examine police interviewing practices involving alleged child sexual abuse (CSA) victims in Indonesia which has marked cultural differences compared with Western countries. In Study 1, we presented Indonesian police child interviewers (N = 26) with a sexual abuse case vignette concerning a 7-year-old girl. Police interviewers were asked to write down the questions they would pose to the child. We categorized questions into four types: open-prompts, directives, optionposing, and suggestive. In Study 2, we examined Indonesian police files (N = 24) containing child sexual abuse interviews and also scored the type of questions used as per the first study. We compared our data with those obtained in Western countries. The consistent finding in both studies is that Indonesian police interviewers rarely used open-prompts, asked more directive and option-posing questions. Consistent with findings from Western countries, our studies provide indirect evidence that openprompts may be infrequently used by forensic child interviewers in Indonesia.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Quality of Forensic Child Interviewing in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Indonesia

Sumampouw

Otgaar

Rooy

et al. 2019

J Police Crim Psych

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“…Videotaped forensic interviews sometimes are allowed to be introduced into court as hearsay testimonial evidence, however, since the 2006 U.S. Supreme Court ruling of Crawford v. Washington it has generally been required that the defendant be able to confront the accuser in court; yet, extensive legal argument is also made that the perpetrator has relinquished the right to confront the young vulnerable victim ( 12 , 13 ). The forensic interviewer is not allowed to do anything that would lead a child to a certain conclusion, express sympathy, or provide comfort through a touch or voice ( 14 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Job-Related Stress in Forensic Interviewers of Children with Use of Therapy Dogs Compared with Facility Dogs or No Dogs

Walsh

Yamamoto

Willits³

et al. 2018

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Sexually abused children providing essential testimony regarding crimes in forensic interviews now sometimes are provided facility dogs or therapy dogs for comfort. Facility dogs are extensively trained to work with forensic interviewers; when using therapy dogs in interviews, volunteers are the dog handlers. Interviews can impact child welfare workers’ mental health causing secondary traumatic stress (STS). To investigate this stress, first data were gathered on stress retrospectively for when interviewers initially started the job prior to working with a dog, and then currently, from forensic interviewers using a facility dog, a therapy or pet dog, or no dog. These retrospective and secondary traumatic stress scale (STSS) data compared job stress among interviewers of children using: a certified, workplace facility dog (n = 16), a volunteer’s trained therapy dog or the interviewer’s pet dog (n = 13/3), or no dog (n = 198). Retrospective scores of therapy dog and no dog interviewers’ stress were highest for the first interviewing year 1 and then declined. Extremely or very stressful retrospective scores differed among the three groups in year 1 (p < 0.038), and were significantly elevated for the therapy dog group as compared with the facility dog group (p < 0.035). All interviewing groups had elevated STSS scores; when compared with other healthcare groups that have been studied, sub-scores were especially high for Avoidance: a psychological coping mechanism to avoid dealing with a stressor. STSS scores differed among groups (p < 0.016), primarily due to Avoidance sub-scores (p < 0.009), reflecting higher Avoidance scores for therapy dog users than no dog users (p < 0.009). Facility dog users more consistently used dogs during interviews and conducted more interviews than therapy/pet dog users; both groups favored using dogs. Interviewers currently working with therapy dogs accompanied by their volunteers reported they had experienced heightened stress when they began their jobs; their high stress levels still persisted, indicating lower inherent coping skills and perhaps greater empathy among interviewers who later self-selected to work with therapy dogs. Results reveal extreme avoidant stress for interviewers witnessing children who are suffering and their differing coping approaches.

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“…Günümüzde söz konusu ülkelerde mağdur çocuğa yaklaşım konusunda ilgili mevzuat, hem adalet sisteminde hem de adalet sistemi dışındaki diğer kurumlar arasında uyum ve koordinasyon ile tatbik edildiği görülmektedir. 15 Türk adalet sisteminde ise çocuklar ve çocuğun mağdur olduğu hâllere ilişkin hükümlerin dağınık bir şekilde olduğu, çocuğu koruyan mevzuat doğrultusunda yetki ve görevleri olan birçok kurum ve kuruluşun aralarında bir koordinasyonun sağlanamadığı görülmektedir. 1 Mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesinde uzman bulundurulmasına dair uygulamanın 10 yıllık bir geçmişi olmasına rağmen henüz yeni bir uygulama olduğu bilinmektedir.…”

Section: Tartişma Ve Sonuçunclassified

The Hearing of Child Victim: Investigation of the Perceptions of Various Public Personnels in Judicial System

Babayiğit¹,

Çalici²,

Ziyalar³

et al. 2019

Turkiye Klinikleri J Foren Sci Leg Med

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Çocukların yargılama safhalarında gerek şikâyetçi (mağdur) gerek sanık veya tanık olarak bulunmaları hâlinde, erişkinlere ilişkin usul ve yöntemlerle yargılamaya dâhil edilmeleri mümkün değildir. Çok özel bir konu olan çocuk yargılaması ve mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesinde klasik yargılama usullerinin yetersizliği bilinen bir gerçektir. Bu sebeple yeni çözüm modelleri olarak türlü yöntemler geliştirilmiştir. Ceza Muhakemesi Kanunu'nun 236. Maddesi'nde mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesine ilişkin usul düzenlenmiştir. Bu çalışma, mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesi sırasında uzman bulundurma zorunluluğuna ilişkin olarak yargılamanın değişik safhalarında görevli kamu personelinin, yasal düzenlemenin amacına matuf olarak uygulamayı ne oranda benimsediklerini ve konuya ilişkin mevcut mevzuatın çocuğun üstün yararı ilkesinin korunmasında yeterliliği hakkındaki görüş ve önerilerini öğrenmeyi amaçlamaktadır. G Ge er re eç ç v ve e Y Yö ön nt te em ml le er r: : Bu amaçla, 2015 yılında İstanbul Adliyelerinde çocuk adalet sisteminde görevli polis, savcı, hâkim, avukat ve uzman olarak görev yapan 30 katılımcı ile derinlemesine mülakatlar gerçekleştirilmiş, elde edilen bulgular içerik analizi yöntemi ile değerlendirilmiştir. B Bu ul lg gu ul la ar r: Araştırmanın bazı önemli bulgularına göre; katılımcılar mevzuatın yeterliliğine ilişkin çoğunlukla olumlu görüş bildirmekle birlikte, bir kısmı mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesi hususunda yeterli donanım ve hizmet içi eğitime sahip olmadıklarını beyan etmişlerdir. S So on nu uç ç: : Mağdur çocuğun dinlenmesinin mevzuat hükümlerince uygulanmasının adaletin tecellisinde önem arz ettiği düşünülmekte, çocuk adalet sisteminde görev yapanların ilgili eğitim ve farkındalık programlarına katılmaları önerilmektedir.

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The practice of prosecuting child maltreatment: Results of an online survey of prosecutors

Cited by 32 publications

References 23 publications

The Quality of Forensic Child Interviewing in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Indonesia

The Quality of Forensic Child Interviewing in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Indonesia

Job-Related Stress in Forensic Interviewers of Children with Use of Therapy Dogs Compared with Facility Dogs or No Dogs

The Hearing of Child Victim: Investigation of the Perceptions of Various Public Personnels in Judicial System

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