PSYC 268 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Language Shift, Teddy Bear, Free Recall
4 Apr 2016
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Untrained interviewers who use shockingly biased techniques can induce children to report events that are complex , detailed, emoionally charged and false. There were no writen laws prohibiing children from tesifying in criminal court. Unil 1983, recent complaint doctrine was in efect in canada. Profound impact on prosecuions involving child sexual abuse: up to two thirds of children delay reporing their sexual abuse. Unil 1988, requirement that courts be warned of the dangers on the uncorroborated evidence of an unsworn child. Unsworn child is one who tesiies on a promise to tell the truth rather than on an oath or airmaion. Strict and required an acquital if there was no independent corroboraing evidence. Oppressive for child sexual assault vicims as there is oten no corroboraive evidence in such cases. Today, children under the age of 14 tesify as unsworn witnesses in criminal court. Pervasive belief that the evidence of children was inherently unreliable.
