NCJ Number
123692
Date Published
1988
Length
235 pages
Annotation
An advisory committee established by the California legislature in 1986 studied the State's investigative and judicial practices and procedures related to child victims and witnesses, with emphasis on the special problems of intrafamilial child abuse victims and the coordination of the related criminal and civil proceedings.
Abstract
The committee focused particularly on ways to reduce unnecessary repetitive interviews and court appearances for these children, to improve investigative and judicial procedures, and to design a pilot project related to child victims as witnesses in legal proceedings. The committee concluded that the State needs to make major reforms based on the following three principles: (1) the humane treatment of child victim witnesses; (2) improving the truth-finding process; and (3) protecting the rights of the children, their families, and the accused. The committee's 53 recommendations thus focus on five areas: investigations, the judicial process, child advocacy, evidence and procedures, and pilot and demonstration projects. Dissenting and concurring statements, figures, glossary, lists of committee members and sources, and attached State law and sample procedures and programs from several California jurisdictions.