Are Children Reliable Witnesses?

1 Introduction.- The Scope of Children in the Legal System.- An Introduction to the Book Chapters.- 2 The Witch Hunts.- The Salem Witch Trials.- Day Care Sexual Abuse Panic.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 3 An Introduction to Suggestibility.- Case Study.- Suggestibility.- Historic Views of Suggestibility.- Binet.- Modern Views of Suggestibility.- Source Monitoring.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 4 Memory Mechanisms and Developmental Factors of Suggestibility.- Memory.- Externally Driven and Internally Driven False Memories.- Case Study.- Henry Otgaar's Argument.- Age-Related Differences in Memory.- Knowledge Differences.- Language Differences.- Theory of Mind.- Own-Age Bias.- Social Influences.- Other Influences.- Children's Ability to Lie.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 5 True Cases of Child Eyewitnesses.- Nevis Nursery Case.- Devil's Dyke Rape Case.- Case of Jimmy Guard.- Poland Abduction Case.- Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.- Murder of Courtney Smith.- Disappearance of Maria Ridulph.- Conclusions.- 6 Children's Describing and Identifying Capabilities.- Are Children Capable Witnesses?.- Everyday Conversations with Children.- Children Answering Nonsensical Questions.- Forensically Relevant Conversations with Children.- Accuracy of Child Eyewitnesses at Describing.- Accuracy of Child Eyewitnesses at Identifying.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 7 External Factors of Suggestibility.- Question Types.- Question Repetition.- Delay and Repeated Interviews.- Interviewer Bias.- Stereotype Induction.- Interviewer Status.- Emotional Tone.- Current Interviewing Formats.- Case Study.- Case Study: Analysis.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 8 Individual Differences Relating to Suggestibility.- Interview Extract One-Child A.- Interview Extract Two-Child B.- Age.- Gender.- Socioeconomic Status.- Cognitive Factors.- Temperament.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 9 Juror Perceptions.- Case Study.- Case Study: Analysis.- Effects of Witness Age.- Effects of Interviewing Technique.- Effects of Witness Confidence and Shyness.- Juror Gender.- Juror Age.- Juror Personality.- Prosecution of Alleged Child Sexual Abuse.- Conclusions.- Suggested Further Reading.- 10 Conclusion.