PSYC 268 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Language Shift, Structured Interview, Child Advocacy
22 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Before 1982, sexual offences involving children were virtually impossible to persecute to conviction. Attitude there was a pervasive belief that the evidence of children was inherently unreliable, particularly in allegations of sexual assault. In about the mid- 1980s there was a dramatic increase in the research of children entering criminal courts as witnesses. Ceci & bruck explain this as a consequence of several changes; A wider admissibility of expert psychological testimony on issues of eyewitness accuracy. (2). The sociopolitical zeitgeist of the late 1960s that encouraged social scientists to focus more on the application of their research-the need for applied research was particularly acute when it could help vulnerable members of society, such as children. (3). The sudden awareness of prevalence of crimes against children (4). The changes in law that made it possible for children to be witnesses in criminal court. Mid- to late 1980s there was a dramatic increase in studies on children"s suggestibility.
