CHILDREN BEFORE COURT - COGNITIVE AND SOC IAL DETERMINANTS OF CHILDRENS STATEMENTS

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.