CVIV.KARM.20.08.02 – Summarize the rediscovery of the plight of missing
children from the twentieth century to present times.
CVIV.KARM.20.08.08 – Identify child-centered legal reforms implemented in the
family court and criminal justice system.
The law provides for a child advocate to assist and support children victims of abuse,
called a guardian ad litem. Such individuals are either attorneys or volunteers, and they
can submit their recommendations to the court about what would be in the child’s best
interest. Another advancement is the perception of children as credible witnesses in the
cases against their abusers. A judge normally will make a determination whether a child
understands the difference between truth and lies, understands the seriousness of the
proceedings, and whether the child can remember the incident(s) in question. The trauma
that a court case can inflict on a child has also been recognized, as now courts make use of
technology like video recording and live closed-circuit television to provide for children to
testify from separate rooms so they do not have to confront their abusers directly. While
some argue that this is a violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights, the United States
Supreme Court has ruled that providing alternatives to direct confrontation is permissible
in certain circumstances. Interviewers of child victims have taken new approaches to
reduce harm. Some investigators now use dolls to facilitate their understanding of the case;
in other jurisdictions, they use drawings. Finally, rooms used to interview children are now
decorated playrooms, and criminal justice professionals take the time to orient the child to
the courthouse and courtrooms.