Witness Screens

• NCJ Number: 222118
• Author(s): Alison Cunningham M.A.; Pamela Hurley M.Ed.
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 26 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Department of Justice
• Corporate Author: Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System
• Sale Source: Centre for Children and Families in the Justice System
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Handbook
• Language: French; English
• Country: Canada
• Note: This is book 3 of a seven handbook series. See NCJ-222119-122 and NCJ-222116-117 for additional handbooks in the series.

Annotation

The intent of this handbook is to describe the use of the witness screens in the shielding of testifying children from the accused and aid frontline justice professionals who use special accommodations and testimonial aids for young witnesses in criminal proceedings.

Abstract

A witness screen is a device positioned to shield a testifying child from seeing the accused in the courtroom. The most common device is the one-way screen, illustrated on the cover of the handbook. The witness sees only the screen itself. Less commonly found is other screening arrangements and courtroom configurations using physical barriers to block the child’s view of the accused. This arrangement for the courtroom designed with children in mind is also described in the handbook. As in all handbooks in this series, the goal is to help court personnel support children to provide a complete and accurate account of evidence to the Court. The other six handbooks in this series on using special accommodations and testimonial aids to facilitate the testimony of children are entitled: Overview of Issues Related to Child Testimony, Testimony Outside the Courtroom, Video-recorded Evidence, Designated Support Person, Hearsay Evidence and Children, and Children and Teenagers Testifying in Domestic Violence Cases. Figures