NCJ Number
139035
Date Published
1991
Length
435 pages
Annotation
This book intends to instruct the defense attorney in the relevance of psychological research and practice to the defense in child sexual abuse cases.
Abstract
A number of chapters address the means and factors in the obtaining of evidence in child sexual abuse cases. Among the topics addressed are the identification and reporting of child sexual abuse cases, research on the faculties of children as eyewitnesses, the competency of children as witnesses, the competency evaluation of 2- to 5-year-olds, the tainted child interview, and special techniques for obtaining evidentiary information from children. Other chapters address the psychologist as expert witness, hearsay and confrontation requirements of the sixth amendment, and the psychopathology of the sex offender. The author recommends the decriminalization of certain sex offenses wherein the offender and victim had a close personal relationship with many positive features; the victim was uninjured and was unable to recall the molestation; conviction would result in a prison sentence for a loved father or stepfather; brother-sister incest occurred while both were under 18 years old; and when one or more competent professions acknowledged they were unable to form an opinion about what happened. Other recommendations pertain to the maintenance of parent-child bonding during legal processes, compensation for innocent defendants, assurance of a fair trial, minimization of the amount and influence of tainted testimony, community safety, and the role of the insurance industry in child sexual abuse cases. Chapter references and a subject index