NCJ Number
209870
Date Published
January 2003
Length
52 pages
Annotation
These guidelines--which were composed by the International Bureau for Children's Rights (IBCR) as part of its ongoing project on Justice for Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime--are intended to guide professionals who work with child victims and witnesses of crime in their practice and assist in the review of laws, procedures, and practices pertinent to child victims/witnesses.
Abstract
These guidelines are based on the consensus of contemporary knowledge and relevant international and regional norms, standards, and principles. Each of 10 general guidelines is accompanied by commentary on how the guideline is to be applied in the context of criminal justice case processing. The rights for the child victim/witness are to be treated with dignity and compassion, to be protected from discrimination, to be informed, to express views and concerns and to be heard, to effective assistance, to privacy, to be protected from justice process hardship, to safety, to reparation, and to special preventive measures. Suggestions are also offered on how to implement the guidelines. First, professionals should be trained in the content and intent of the guidelines so they may be prepared to deal effectively and sensitively with child victims and witnesses. Second, professionals should cooperate with one another in the implementation of the guidelines, so there will be a uniform application of the guidelines for the benefit of child victims and witnesses. Finally, the implementation of the guidelines should be monitored to ensure that they are achieving the intended objectives.