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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:42 am
Time: 11:42 am
Results for child witnesses
8 results foundAuthor: Crime Victim Conmensation and Support Authority, Sweden Title: Child Victims in the Union - Rights and Empowerment CURE. A report of the CURE Project 2009-2010 Summary: Child victims in the Union – Rights and Empowerment, CURE, has been a project on the situation of victimised children in the criminal justice system. It has had the ultimate aim to provide recommendations for an improved position of child victims in the European Union. The CURE project was initiated and run by the Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority in Sweden during 2009-2010. Child victims are identified as a vulnerable group of victims in the legislation of many Member States. Over the last couple of years, the legislative activity on issues related to certain groups of child victims and witnesses has been high. This has led to the establishment of a number of procedural safeguards aimed to protect the child victim from hardship in the criminal justice process. These are primarily concerned with how the child victim is interviewed and with ways to avoid that the child victim is confronted with the suspect. The CURE project concludes that criminal justice policies do not provide sufficient holistic support for child victims as called for in the UN Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime. Improving the circumstances of child victims in the justice system requires binding legislation and mechanisms which cater to the specific needs of children. Details: Umea, Sweden: Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, 2010. 184p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/rcpp/assets/attachments/1151_Cure_report_for_web__original.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://s3.amazonaws.com/rcpp/assets/attachments/1151_Cure_report_for_web__original.pdf Shelf Number: 120331 Keywords: Child WitnessesChildren, Crimes AgainstVictims of Crime, Children |
Author: Save the Children (Spain) Title: Children Witnesses of Gender Violence in the Domestic Context Summary: This study evaluates the change in the institutional response to the situation of children of gender-based domestic violence victims, considering these children as victims of this type of violence. The results of this research show that, despite political and social awareness regarding the circumstances of the children of women victims of gender-based domestic violence, much remains to be done in practice to give an appropriate response and protection to these children. Details: Madrid, Spain: Save the Children, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2011 at: http://images.savethechildren.it/f/download/Advocacy/re/report-europeo.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://images.savethechildren.it/f/download/Advocacy/re/report-europeo.pdf Shelf Number: 123214 Keywords: Child WitnessesDomestic Violence (Europe)Family Violence |
Author: Pilnik, Lisa Title: Victimization and Trauma Experienced by Children and Youth: Implications for Legal Advocates Summary: The Safe Start Center, ABA Center on Children and the Law, and the Child and Family Policy Associates recently released a new resource, Victimization and Trauma Experienced by Children and Youth: Implications for Legal Advocates. In this resource, you'll find: Information about the prevalence and impact of victimization and exposure to violence; Practice tips for juvenile defenders, children's attorneys and GALs, judges, and CASAs; Explanations of traumatic stress symptoms and trauma-related assessments and treatments; Descriptions of promising local and state initiatives to address trauma; and, Guidance on policy reforms and other considerations for trauma-informed advocacy. Details: North Bethesda, MD: Safe Start Center, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 2012. Source: Moving From Evidence to Action: The Safe Start Center Series on Children Exposed to Violence, Issue Brief #7: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 126509 Keywords: Child WelfareChild WitnessesChildren and ViolenceExposure to ViolenceJuvenile VictimsVictimizationViolence |
Author: European Commission. Directorate General for Justice Title: Summary of contextual overviews on children's involvement in criminal judicial proceedings in the 28 Member States of the European Union Summary: The promotion and protection of the rights of the child is one of the objectives of the EU on which the Treaty of Lisbon has put further emphasis. This report is part of a study 'to collect data on children's involvement in judicial proceedings in the EU' which supports the implementation of the Commission Communication of 15 February 2011 'An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child', that identified the lack of reliable, comparable and official data on the situation of children in the Member States (MS). This deficiency is a serious obstacle to the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and is particularly evident in the context of child friendly justice and the protection of children in vulnerable situations. Making the justice system more child friendly in Europe is a key action of the EU Agenda. It is an area of high practical relevance where the EU has, under the Treaties, competences to turn the rights of the child into reality by means of EU legislation. Improved data is crucial to the framing of such legislation. This report describes the main findings of the 29 contextual overviews produced and information collected in the phase of the study to collect data on children's involvement in criminal judicial proceedings in the role of suspects/offenders, victims and witnesses. Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2014. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/summary-of-contextual-overviews-on-children-s-involvement-in-criminal-judicial-proceedings-in-the-28-member-states-of-the-european-union-pbDS0313659/ Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/summary-of-contextual-overviews-on-children-s-involvement-in-criminal-judicial-proceedings-in-the-28-member-states-of-the-european-union-pbDS0313659/ Shelf Number: 133181 Keywords: Child Protection (Europe)Child WitnessesChildren, Crime AgainstJuvenile Offenders (Europe) |
Author: Gilad, Michal Title: The Young and the Helpless: Re-Defining the Term 'Child Victim of Crime' Summary: Children are the most highly victimized segments of our society. The victimization of children is estimated to be the most costly public health and public safety problem today. Despite the urgency of the problem, and the proliferation of literature and policy proposals pertinent to childhood victimization, thus far, no significant efforts have been made to design a coherent definition to the term 'child victim of crime.' Existing definitions fail to account for the distinct developmental needs of children, and the unique effect of crime on children. The result of this lacuna is a colossal failure of our legal system to protect the most vulnerable and impressionable group, our children. It also leads to wasteful and inefficient utilization of public funds, and compromises public safety. This article provides a comprehensive framework, that bridges theory and practice, to develop an innovative evidence-based definition to the term 'child victim of crime'. Implementation of the proposed definition will enable the protection and treatment of millions of children crippled by crime, who currently fall beyond the boundaries of narrow policies designed for adults and unsuitable for children. It will also help improve public safely, and save invaluable public resources. Details: Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania School of Law, 2014. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: U of Penn Law School, Public Law Research Paper No. 14-23 : Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=2467182 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=2467182 Shelf Number: 133322 Keywords: Child ProtectionChild VictimizationChild Victims (U.S.)Child WitnessesChildren Exposed to Violence |
Author: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) Title: Child-friendly justice - Perspectives and experiences of professionals on children's participation in civil and criminal judicial proceedings in 10 EU Member States Summary: All European Union (EU) Member States have a duty to ensure that children's best interests are the primary consideration in any action that affects them. This consideration is of particular importance when children are involved in criminal and civil judicial proceedings. Such proceedings can be stressful for anyone. Even more so for children, who may become traumatised if the procedures are not child friendly, the settings unsuitable and the professionals involved inadequately trained. Thousands of children are affected. Data show that in 11 EU Member States alone, around 74,000 children were victims of crime and 495,000 were affected by parental divorce in 2010. The treatment of children in judicial proceedings is an important fundamental rights concern, addressed by the United Nations in its Convention on the Rights of the Child, which all EU Member States have ratified and which celebrated its 25th anniversary in November 2014. The EU further shows its commitment to this issue by promoting the Council of Europe's 2010 Guidelines on child-friendly justice and helping its Member States improve the protection of child rights in their judicial systems. These Council of Europe guidelines promote children's rights to be heard, to be informed, to be protected and to nondiscrimination. To determine the extent to which these rights are respected and fulfilled in practice, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), in cooperation with the European Commission, collected and analysed data through interviews with professionals and children who experienced judicial proceedings. The present report, which is the first part of this work, examines the responses of 570 judges, prosecutors, lawyers, court staff, psychologists, social workers and police officers interviewed in 10 EU Member States. These professionals are in daily contact with children going through judicial proceedings. The evidence they provided shows that there is a long way to go to make justice more child-friendly across the EU. The second report of this FRA research will concentrate on the responses of the children who were interviewed. Practices of child participation in criminal and civil judicial proceedings vary considerably not just across, but also within Member States, pointing to a need for clear and consistent standards and guidelines and the systematic monitoring of their implementation. Children are not sufficiently supported when participating in a criminal or civil proceeding, court settings that can be intimidating for children are not always adjusted to their needs. Concrete measures, such as preventing a child from directly confronting defendants or witnesses in court or ensuring that a child is informed about and understands the proceedings, are not yet common practice. The research also revealed, however, a number of promising practices, outlined in this report. Details: Vienna: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2015. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2015 at: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2015-child-friendly-justice-professionals_en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2015-child-friendly-justice-professionals_en.pdf Shelf Number: 135645 Keywords: Child ProtectionChild WitnessesJudicial ProceedingsJuvenile Justice Systems |
Author: Reimer, J.K. Title: A System Just for Children: Voices of child victims and witnesses about their experiences Summary: Over the past two decades, Cambodia's justice system has improved markedly. More people are being processed through the system, with greater fairness and speed than ever before. More complaints are being investigated and perpetrators are more likely to be convicted and serve at least part of their sentence. Solid protocols and procedural documents governing the rights of children are firmly in place and frequently cited by high-ranking officials. However, implementation of "child-friendly justice" remains limited. This research is one of the first conducted in Cambodia to look in detail at the experience of child witnesses and victims who go through the Cambodian criminal justice system. It particularly aims to give voice to children's views in order to contribute to the development of criminal court procedures that more fully reflect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), especially Article 12. Details: Hagar, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, UNICEF, 2015. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2016 at: http://www.unicef.org/cambodia/A-System-Just-for-Children_FINAL_Jan-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Cambodia URL: http://www.unicef.org/cambodia/A-System-Just-for-Children_FINAL_Jan-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137839 Keywords: Child ProtectionChild VictimsChild WitnessesCriminal Justice SystemsJuvenile CourtJuvenile Justice Systems |
Author: rights4girls Title: Survivor Protection: Reducing the Risk of Trauma to Child Sexual trafficking Victims Summary: Domestic child sex trafficking is a persistent problem in the United States. Under federal law, child sex trafficking occurs any time a minor under the age of eighteen is induced to perform a commercial sex act. Historically, domestic victims have received gravely insufficient protection and support due to a lack of awareness about domestic trafficking and the hidden nature of this crime. When information about human trafficking first gained traction in the United States, it was commonly believed that sex trafficking victims in the U.S. were primarily foreign nationals. However, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, from January 2008 to June 2010, eighty-three percent of confirmed sex trafficking victims identified in the United States were U.S. citizens, and approximately fifty-four percent were minors under the age of eighteen. Despite these children being subjected to violence, manipulation, and torture, the public still viewed victims of domestic child sex trafficking as criminals willingly engaged in prostitution, rather than as victims of violence and exploitation. In recent years, advocates have been working to shift both the law and public perception to ensure that survivors of domestic child sex trafficking are understood to be victims of gender-based violence5 and child abuse, rather than seen as "child prostitutes." Congress has played a significant role in working to advance greater protections for victims of domestic sex trafficking and increasing public awareness about the plight of American victims, and particularly, U.S. born children. Between 2013 and 2015, Congress passed a number of federal laws aimed at protecting domestic victims and assisting them in accessing many of the services and resources available to other victims of trafficking and sexual violence. Although the federal law has long been clear that child sex trafficking should be viewed as a severe form of trafficking in persons, victims of child sex trafficking are still denied the full scope of protections afforded to other victims of violence, and specifically child abuse, including protections that prevent re-traumatizing children who cooperate as victim witnesses in criminal prosecutions. This paper will provide an overview of the legal justifications for extending existing protections for child abuse victim witnesses to domestic child sex trafficking victim witnesses, and highlight various states that have passed legislation to this effect. Although this paper focuses on the use of Closed Circuit Television as a protection mechanism, we also identify other methods that can and should be utilized to protect child victim witnesses in human trafficking cases. The scope and landscape of protections for survivors of child sex trafficking is broad, but ensuring protections during human trafficking prosecutions is an area that has received little attention outside of victim advocacy spaces. The goal of this paper is to describe the legal framework that justifies extending courtroom protections that are offered to other victim witnesses to survivors of child sex trafficking testifying in criminal prosecutions. We encourage all systems officials working with this population, including judges, legislators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and victim advocates to use the information provided to ensure that victims of child sex trafficking are afforded necessary protections, services, and support during trial. In doing so, the strength and success of prosecutions may improve. Most importantly, prioritizing the psychological, emotional, and physical protection of victim witnesses will bring us one step closer to achieving justice on behalf of survivors. Details: Washington, DC: rights4girls, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://rights4girls.org/wp-content/uploads/r4g/2018/01/Survivor-Protection.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://rights4girls.org/wp-content/uploads/r4g/2018/01/Survivor-Protection.pdf Shelf Number: 150071 Keywords: Child ProtectionsChild Sex TraffickingChild Sexual AbuseChild WitnessesVictims of Trafficking |