Child as a Witness

I am going to court - cover, Latvia

The activity book for children to help them in getting ready for witnessing in court. It is dedicated for younger children (5-12 years old) and should be filled in by a child under the supervision of a professional or a parent or a caregiver. By short and easy description it helps to understand the institution of court justice and the role and obligations of a little witness. The book was published in Poland in 2002.

When Child is a Witness

The Nobody's Children Foundation implemented the Child Victim Advocate programme since December 2005. The goal of the programme is to improve the situation of children who have been victimized and who participate in legal procedures, such as interviews and court trials.

The article written by Teresa Jaśkiewicz-Obydzińska presents the cognitive interview – a method of enhancing memory through facilitating the process of recall. This method is used for interviewing witnesses, including child witnesses. The authors present the principles of the cognitive interview of children and describe its phases.

In the article presented here Maria Keller-Hamela gives the basic rules and practical step-by-step advices how to conduct the interview with a child - victim of crime.