Sl. Sporer et Se. Bursch, CHILDREN BEFORE COURT - COGNITIVE AND SOC IAL DETERMINANTS OF CHILDRENS STATEMENTS, Psychologische Rundschau, 48(3), 1997, pp. 141-162
Children as witnesses before courts of law have recently become the ce
nter of public and psychological attention around the world. Legal asp
ects include the reliability and credibility of children's statements
as well as special needs for protection of children against secondary
traumatization by court proceedings. This review focuses on cognitive
and social determinants of children's eyewitness statements. In partic
ular, we discuss age-related trends, the suggestibility of children, t
he use of anatomical dolls at interrogation as well as children's know
ledge about the court system. Special attention is paid to methods for
improving witnesses' statements and to child appropriate interrogatio
n methods.