T2: Lecture 7 Flashcards
What’s the child sexual abuse dilema?
- Children unwilling to disclose abuse
- Medical/physical evidence rarely present
- Absence of eye witness
- Child witness controversy
Is recognition memory?
Yes
Early memories are limited by
- Short duration
- Context dependent
- Language competence
- Knowledge base
By what age do children have capacity to provide relevant info?
4.5-5 years
Free recall accounts give
Highly accurate but brief description
What happens as questions become more specific?
More detail is given but more errors are made
What is suggestibility?
Degree to which memory/recounting of an event is suggested by information/misinformation
What are the points to cognition driven by Suggestibiltiy?
- Children tend to have weaker memory traces
- Memory changes over time
What are the points to socially driven suggestibility?
- Social factors
- Power differential= adult/someone of authority
- Uncomfortable/formal environment
What system are NZ criminal cases heard under?
Adversarial system
What does the Adversarial system involve?
- Direct examination: interview by prosecuting lawyer
2. Cross examination: interview by accused lawyer
What are the four potential problems with Child Witnesses in Court?
- Lack of Legal Knowledge (vocab/procedure/their role)
- Confronting the Accused (especially if threatened)
- Courtroom environment
- Cross-Examination (detrimental to accuracy, most kids change an element of testimony)
