"A Full and Candid Account" Using Special Accommodations and Testimonial Aids to Facilitate the Testimony of Children Overview of Issues Related to Child Testimony Alison Cunningham & Pamela Hurley (2007)

The first of the seven handbooks, introducing the reader to the Child Witness Project, features of the legal process which are stressful for children, currently available testimonial aids and other accommodations, tips for questioning children, and a brief summary of the five principal components of pre-court preparation services for children: education, role playing, relaxation training and anxiety management, court orientation and support and debriefing and follow-up. All seven handbooks in the series A Full and Candid Account help prosecutors, victim-support workers, judges and others understand and meet the needs of children who testify in court. This is an initiative of the Child Witness Project undertaken with funding from the Department of Justice Canada.

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Overview of Issues Related to Child Testimony (663 KB)

Table of Contents

• About the Handbook Series
• Acknowledgements
• Emily, age 11
• Software versus Hardware
• Features of These Handbooks
• The Child Witness Project
• System Stressors for Children
• Child Witness Project Statement of Basic Principles of Justice for Child Witnesses
• Bill C-2 and Testimonial Aids
• Overview of Accommodations for Child Witnesses in Canada
• "What was the Full Totality of your Understanding of the Events that Transpired on July 11th?
• Tips for Questioning Children as New English Speakers
• Common Testimony-related Worries in Children and Teenagers
• Components of Pre-court Preparation and Support for Children
• Component 1: Education
• Component 2: Role Playing
• Component 3: Relaxation Training and Anxiety Management
• Component 4: Court Orientation and Support
• Component 5: Debriefing and Follow-up
• Good Practice Principles for Communities
• Aboriginal Families and Court Testimony
• Glossary of Terms
• Further Readings

Resources Referenced

The What I think About Testifying in Court is a questionnaire for children to assess their testimony-related worries. It is in the final stages of pilot testing and review and will be posted here for download when finished.

To measure the post-court attitudes of parents and teenagers, you are welcome to use the My Day in Court questionnaires developed with funding from the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario.

En français

Disponible également en français sous le titre « Un récit complet et franc » / Recours à des arrangements spéciaux et aux aides au témoignage pour faciliter le témoignage des enfants.

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