NCJ Number
146090
Date Published
1992
Length
26 pages
Annotation
The premise that the courtroom environment affects children's ability to testify was examined.
Abstract
In two studies, 8- to 10-year-olds participated in a mock child sexual abuse event in their classroom and were questioned about it 2 weeks later. Half were questioned in a simulated trial in a mock courtroom, and half in an informal setting. Memory performance, state of anxiety, perceptions of court-related stress, and heartrate patterns were compared. The courtroom children gave significantly more incorrect responses to the questions, including questions that were intentionally misleading. They also perceived certain court-related experiences as more stressful. Perceived anxiety was negatively correlated with correct free recall of the event. Broadly, children's ability to provide complete, accurate testimony may be affected by the psychological and physical setting in which evidence is elicited. Further, in real trials, with real pressures and complexities, the effects may be more extreme than indicated in these studies. 4 tables and 19 references