Children Victimology: Issues in the Criminal Justice System - Term Paper Example

Children Victimology: Issues in the Criminal Justice System In the United s, reports have indicated that children have confronted more cases of victimization, as compared with adults in the country. In the country, a serious sexual assault has been confronted by more than 1.9 million children out of 22.4 million children in the age group of 12-17 years, which is a huge percentage, and requires urgent consideration from the concerned authorities. (Poyer, pp. 11-14) Moreover, serious violence is witnessed by approximately 9.2 million children, which has resulted in interaction of millions of children with criminal justice process. In the year 2001, more than three million reports related to child abuse were investigated by different child-related agencies, which indicated that enforcement agencies are informed of more than 2,000 children got missing during their process in the criminal justice system. (Gibson, pp. 23-25) Studies have indicated that behavioral and academic problems are usually confronted by victimized children of any crime or violence. Moreover, it has been reported that a significant percentage of adults involved in criminal activities were engaged with criminal justice process in their childhood. Furthermore, parents have reported psychological, as well as, physical problems in children that interact with officials of criminal justice system, which indicated that the criminal justice process’s confrontation has adverse effects on children, and thus, effective steps should be taken to minimize the negative effects of the system. It is observed that children that encounter criminal justice system are already vulnerable to trauma and threats, and such vulnerability results in a painful experience with criminal justice system. It should be noted that the special needs of children were not considered during the designing and development of criminal justice system, and therefore, children confront a number of issues, such as child abuse, sex assaults, etc. In addition, researches have shown that a number of professionals of criminal justice system confront problems while dealing with victimized children, and mostly, they do not have a significant solution to their problems. Children are often taken as flexible by officials of the criminal justice system, which results in ignorance of issues faced by children during the process. In this regard, a number of issues are faced by victimized children during their interaction with criminal justice system, and services and program strategies should be planned in such a manner that may deal effectively with the suffering of child victimization. (Larson, pp. 48-51) It is observed that professionals of law enforcement agencies are unaware of responses that may come from children who were missing or abducted from their families. In the result, insufficient knowledge and skills to deal children result in enhancement of psychological trauma in the victimized children. Moreover, these children confront serious issues when they are again victimized during the criminal justice process. In the year 2000, hundreds of cases were registered against the professionals of criminal justice system that abused victimized children physically. (Wilson, pp. 63-64) It is an observation that some professionals often take ignore vulnerable conditions of victimized children during the justice process, which deteriorate their conditions, rather than resolving it. Parents often report shaking, injuries, and bruises imposed on their children during the criminal justice process, which are categorized as non-accidental injuries. Reports have indicated that officials mostly shake children unintentionally to get an answer, as victimized children are more likely to remain quiet during interrogation process. (Neubauer, pp. 29-32) In the result, permanent disability, and death in extreme cases can be some of the consequences of physical abuse with children. Furthermore, another major issue confronted by victimized children during their criminal justice process is emotional abuse. Investigations have indicated that children are maltreated emotionally unintentionally by officers of criminal justice system, as specific behavior of victimized children is not promoted by the officials that are not trained for dealing in an emotional manner. Moreover, inappropriate decisions are often taken by officers that mostly result in increment in emotional worsening of victimized children. In addition, appropriate support and attention is often not given by officers that continue the emotional abuse during the process. Children, and particularly, victimized children require extra care and affection from their surroundings; however, incapability and inefficiency of the officers to deal emotionally results in emotional and psychological problems faced by children. Additionally, a victimized child is often dealt collectively with other victimized children that swell the emotional distress and harassment, as victimized children are more likely to get better, when their emotional problems are resolved privately, rather than discussing them in groups. In the result, emotional and psychological development of victimized children often becomes impaired and diagnosis of such children becomes complicated due to such unprofessional attitude of officials during the criminal justice process. (Crisp, pp. 57-60) Another major issue confronted by victimized children or child witnesses during the criminal justice process that some reported cases are often closed due to unavailability of concrete evidence according to the laws. However, children who have witnessed a violent and criminal event do not understand the lawful considerations of legal system, and closed files result in psychological and emotional trauma in subconscious minds of such children. In brief, trials usually end without evidences, as assailants cannot be identified by children. Moreover, children cannot distinguish between the criminal offense and unaccepted social discipline, which often results in misunderstandings, and later, psychological deterioration of such children. In this regard, a number of physical, emotional, and psychological issues are faced by victimized children or child witnessed during the criminal justice process, which require proper attention and effective steps that should be taken by governments and concerned authorities to overcome such problems in an effectual manner. In specific, following section of the paper will discuss some of the steps that can be taken to minimize the adverse effects of the system that are already discussed in this paper. During the criminal justice process, officials of law enforcement agencies should consult with medical and psychiatric teams and experts, in order to deal victimized children according to their psychological and medical conditions. Moreover, a two-way closed circuit camera can play a vital role in allowing children to testify easily, as children are mostly frightened while testifying in the court in public. (Mullings, pp. 20-21) It is likely that emotional and psychological trauma of children can be avoided by the provision of closed circuit televisions to children during the process. Examinations and evaluation procedures of criminal justice system, specifically, of the United States are created according to legal laws and proficiencies. In this regard, competency of such evaluation can be limited to allow children to testify according to their limited senses and capabilities. One of the imperative issues faced by children during the process is their privacy, which is mostly affronted, and therefore, privacy and protection of child victims and witnesses should be ensured by keeping children’s identity in confidentiality. (Karson, pp. 69-71) The criminal justice process will be effectively processed, if children feel safe physically, as well as, emotionally with the officers. Alternatively, a supportive adult should be allowed to accompany the child during the trial process. Moreover, lengthy time of trials can be minimized to overcome the problem of stress that is confronted by children during the criminal justice process. Additionally, situations can be recognized and dealt effectively by officers, if they are trained to deal children victims and witnesses according to multidisciplinary approach to child victimization. Required information and knowledge can be provided to police officers, as well as, prosecutors that can help them in interviewing children in an effectual manner. Law enforcement agencies have to often deal with children on crime scenes, and children are mostly very frightened at such times. (Karson, pp. 47-48) In this regard, proper information and training should be given to officials to deal children with care and affection, as ignorance may lead to psychological and emotional trauma, as earlier discussed in the paper. Formation of special units for child victims and witnesses can play a critical role in dealing children effectively during the process. Basic information of child development should be provided to prosecutors and law enforcement officers, so that limitations of different age groups can be considered during the interviewing and interrogation process. It is observed that cases related to children require more concentration and resources, as compared with usual cases, and therefore, proper resources should be provided to officials. In addition, a friendly and home environment should be created and provided to criminal justice organizations for dealing children victims and witnesses, which can be very effective, if implemented. It is indicated by researches that children that are mentally prepared before the interview are more likely to respond comfortably, as compared with children that are brought in the courts directly. In this regard, facilities should be provided for abovementioned purpose, and children related centers should be built to prepare children for trial procedures in a home and friendly environment. Studies have indicated that domestic assaults are often seen or heard by children, and injuries are often confronted by children while protecting the victim parent during the assault. However, children are mostly taken away from the view at the arrival of police officers. In this regard, absence of children at the crime scene should not be assumed by the police officers, and proper steps should be taken by the officers to interview children with care and affection. Nowadays, a number of similar laws and training programs have been adopted by many states in the United States, in order to overcome and minimize the negative effects of criminal justice process on child victims and witnesses. It is observed that competency requirements have been lowered by many courts in the country, and two-way cameras are installed at a number of courts to protect child during the process. Moreover, most of the criminal justice professionals and officers are being trained to deal with children through a multidisciplinary approach to child victimization. Conclusively, the paper has defined, discussed, and analyzed the different aspects of issues that are confronted by children victims and witnessed during the criminal justice process. Later, the paper recommended different steps that can be taken to minimize the adverse effects of criminal justice process on such children. It is hoped that the report will be beneficial for the students, teachers, experts, and nonprofessionals in better understanding of the topic. Works Cited Bryan Gibson. Introduction to the Criminal Justice Process. Waterside Press, 2002. Calvin J. Larson. Crime, Justice, and Society. Rowman Altamira, 1996. David W. Neubauer. America’s Courts and the Criminal Justice System. Thomson Wadsworth, 2004. Jane Crisp. Child Victims and Witnesses. DIANE Publishing, 2004. Janet L. Mullings. The Victimization of Children. Haworth Press, 2004. Kate Wilson. The Child Protection Handbook. Bailliere Tindall, 2001. Kimberly L. Poyer. Child Victims and Witnesses. U.S. Department of Justice, 1998. Michael Karson. Patterns of Child Abuse. Haworth Press, 2001. Word Count: 1679 Words Checked by Copyscape.com & Turnitin.com Read More