NCJ Number
88186
Date Published
1982
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the impact of the District of Columbia criminal justice system on the victims of child sexual abuse.
Abstract
In addition to the trauma of victimization itself, mental health professionals have been increasingly concerned about the potential for secondary victimization of sexually abused children as a result of societal intervention efforts, particularly those of the criminal justice system. Examination of court processing of child sexual abuse cases in the District of Columbia, however, would suggest that the realities of criminal justice handling of these cases are not nearly as bleak or detrimental as often portrayed. Cases handled by the Special Unit of the Child Protection Center of Children's Hospital National Medical Center since early 1978 have been followed as they progress within the legal/judicial system. Preliminary results indicate that while criminal justice involvement may ultimately result in exposure of the child victim to the full impact of an adversary judicial system, such exposure is in fact rare. Based on 1978 case data analyzed, it was determined that the victim of sexual abuse must face a grand jury in less than 1 in 8 cases, testify at trial in less than 1 in 20, and testify in an open criminal trial in less than 2 cases in 100. For those children who do testify, the experience can be traumatic; however, some States have instituted procedural changes in the trial process to address the problem, such as allowing the videotaping of the child victim's testimony for later replaying in the court. Five notes and 20 references are provided.