Children & the Law: Courtroom Research Basics for Busy Practitioners

Creator(s)

Michelle Cowley-Cunningham

Organisation(s)

Dublin City University

Discipline(s)

Health and Welfare, journalism and information,

Topic(s)

Accessibility & Inclusion, Digital Learning, Open Education, Professional Development

License

CC BY

Media Format

PDF

Date Submitted

Submitted by

Export Resource Data

Description

The research literature on children’s testimony in the courtroom, and the factors that either help or hinder consistent and accurate accounts, is a vast one. This short booklet, will benefit child services training and self study.

Benefit of this resource and how to make the best use of it

This short booklet takes a look at landmark findings on the subject of children’s disclosure of abuse and procedural factors that affect their testimony. The research findings, from the psychology of law literature, are detailed for the reader in a light and accessible way.

The booklet attends to key behavioural research findings on the following:

1. Case in point: Telling in abuse cases
2. Disclosing abuse: Some findings about why children tell and why they remain silent
3. Non-disclosure and disclosure delay
4. Disclosing abuse: A model of children’s disclosure
5. Factors associated with delay of disclosure (Goodman-Browne et al. 2003)
6. Age and gender: Some criticisms
7. Intrafamilial v. extrafamilial abuse
8. Fear of negative consequences
9. Perceptions of responsibility
10. Testimonial procedures and the reluctance to come forward
11. Improving child witnesses’ memory and minimising the reluctance to testify
12. Testifying via CCTV
13. The presence of a support person

Finally, the booklet ends with a critical evaluation of the topic, and tags notes of reference for further supplementary reading.

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)

This work is licensed under a CC BY license, allowing sharing and adaptation with proper attribution.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
? This citation is automatically generated and may require adjustment. Always verify it against your style guide.
Cowley-Cunningham, M. (28/01/2024). Children & the law: courtroom research basics for busy practitioners. National Resource Hub (Ireland). Retrieved from: https://hub.teachingandlearning.ie/resource/children-the-law-courtroom-research-basics-for-busy-practitioners/ License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY).

Adapting this resource? Share your version!

If you have modified or adopted this resource, share your version here. Tracking adaptations helps us measure impact and connects others with useful updates.

Related OER

This playlist showcases real-world insights from BIS graduates, students, and employers, highlighting career paths, work placement experiences, and industry connections. Designed for prospective and current students, it offers an authentic look at how MTU’s BIS programme supports career development and professional growth.

It is with great pleasure that we present the proceedings from the
“Enhancing Academic Integrity: From Ideas to Action” conference, hosted
by CCT College Dublin on 3rd and 4th September 2024. This collection
represents the culmination of thoughtful discourse, innovative research, and
collaborative spirit that defined our gathering.

The VISIEN Framework Document is a strategic guide for integrating immersive technologies (AR, VR, MR, XR) into higher education. It offers practical guidance on curriculum integration, accessibility, collaboration, skill development, institutional readiness, and more to support transformative teaching, learning, and research.

Report an Issue

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.