Taking Up the Gauntlet
Taking up the gauntlet means to accept a challenge – to undertake the defense of a person. Interviewing and preparing children to be witnesses in court ALWAYS involves accepting unique challenges. Along with compassion, officers, children’s protective service workers, counselors, medical personnel, and prosecutors must arm themselves with competence in interviewing children as victims and witnesses of crimes and in preparing them for the rigors of the courtroom arena. This seminar begins taking up that gauntlet.
Participants will master:
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How age and gender of the child witness effects juror’s perceptions of their credibility.
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What we can do about juror’s perceptions of children’s credibility.
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Bomb proofing the child’s interview against attack.
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Children’s understanding of court and how it impacts their credibility.
While being challenged, “enter~trained,” motivated, and inspired.