HD 300 1st Edition Lecture 18 Outline of Last Lecture I History of Reporting II State Laws III What if you do not report IV When and Where to Report V What to Report VI Professional VII Decision to Report VIII Costs and Benefits of Reporting IX Responding to Disclosure X In Sum XI Recognizing Physical Abuse XII Recognizing Physical Neglect XIII Recognizing Sexual Abuse XIV Recognizing Emotional Abuse Outline of Current Lecture I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI Introduction a 2 arguments Reviewing the research Suggestibility Memory Social Factors Affecting Memory Questioning Use of anatomically correct dolls Concerns of anatomically correct dolls Courtroom procedures Highly publicized cases Summary These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Current Lecture If you want extra credit for term paper need to turn it in by Friday at 7 am If you want extra credit for plagiarism activity need to turn it in by Friday at 7am Unit 15 Child Witnesses I Introduction a Children s credibility and suggestibility have been of interest since the turn of the century b Research generally falls into 2 categories i Children are reliable and tell the truth ii Children are highly suggestible II Reviewing the research a Children are reliable argument i Children are highly resistant to suggestion ii Children are unlikely to lie iii Children are as reliable as adult witnesses b Children are suggestible argument i Have difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy ii Susceptible to coaching from an authority figure iii Potentially less reliable than adult witnesses c More research in the past 2 decades than the entire rest of the 20 th century d Broadening of admissibility of expert testimony e Social scientists are applying their training issues concerning the rights and protection of children f Studies focusing on eyewitness testimony of adult have spilled over into child witness literature g The legal community has shown intense interest in behavioral science data dealing with child witnesses III Suggestibility a Focus has shifted from are children suggestible to under what conditions are children suggestible b Another question whether or not developmental changes influence c Research i Mixed results evidence of age related changes under some conditions but not others younger children appear to be more susceptible to suggestions compared to older children research has not resolved the difference instead it has fueled the debates IV Memory a Research issues i To what extent does post event information interfere with original memory ii To what extent does a suggestion about something that did NOT happen alter memory of original event V Social Factors Affecting Memory VI VII VIII IX X a Children view adults as credible and competent sources of information may try to conform to make their answers fit what they think the questioner wants when asked a question more than once Questioning a Children are questioned an average of 11 times often with different interviewers b Often the questioner is fishing which plants ideas in the child s mind c If the child trusts the questioner they are more likely to be forthcoming with information d Interviewers may use a variety of strategies to get the information by using leading questions emotional tone or disposition praising or chastising the child e Interviewers may have a vested interest in the report f Interviewers may have inaccurate or incomplete information may be asking questions about something that didn t happen Use of anatomically correct dolls a Approximately 90 of field investigators use them in their interviews b Expert testimony is often based on observations of children s interactions with the dolls c Rationale allow children to manipulate objects reminiscent of the even and thought to overcome problems of shyness and embarrassment Concerns of Anatomically Correct Dolls a The dolls are suggestive and encourage the child to engage in sexual play even if they have not been abused b No comparative information on non abused children s play with the dolls c No standardized method for using the dolls Courtroom procedures a Until recently the courts were reluctant to accept the uncorroborated statements of child witnesses b Since the 1980 s more children are being admitted as witnesses c The legal system has been forced to change some of its rules concerning the admissibility of child witnesses testimony d More children have been allowed to provide uncorroborated testimony leading courts to turn to psychological research e Courtroom procedures have had to be modified to address the issue of children being admitted as witnesses f Courts tend to rely on the testimony of Expert witnesses g Courts need to recognize that pre school children are more vulnerable to suggestion children can indeed be lead to make false or inaccurate reports about very crucial events Highly publicized cases a Shared elements i The witnesses were pre schoolers at the time of abuse ii The children did not disclose the information immediately after the alleged abuse it came after a long delay XI iii Intensive interviewing by various people often proceeded the disclosures iv The children were the ONLY witnesses v Corroborative physical evidence was lacking vi None of the defendants ever made a confession they maintained their innocence Summary a Children are often the only witnesses to their abuse b Because of the tendency to believe children some adults have been falsely accused c expert witnesses often do not have the background or experience necessary to testify appropriately i Research can help inform the courts