About Kids and Court
Mission Statement
To investigate current promising practices, procedures, and policies in the utilization of children witnesses in court and administrative proceedings for the purposes of:
- Recommending modifications and additions to those practices, procedures, and policies.
- Recommending Colorado statewide implementation of strategies so that the trauma of children's experiences in the court system is minimized.
Goals
(1) Investigate and collect promising practices that minimize the trauma for children witnesses in court and administrative proceedings.
(2) Make information about these promising practices available to attorneys who work with children witnesses.
(3) Identify additional resources that can enhance implementation of these promising practices.
(4) Explore statewide implementation of promising practices in Colorado.
The Need for Kids and Court
In FY 2003 there were 32,000 domestic relations filings and 36,000 juvenile filings in Colorado district courts. The children involved in these cases, many of whom are witnesses in the courtroom, face a number of challenges, ranging from physical obstacles (the children’s heads don’t reach the microphone) to psychological challenges (does the child understand the difference between truth and a lie?). They are involved in a system designed for adults.
Additional negative experiences for children witnesses include: multiple interviews, lack of child appropriate language, delays/continuances, lack of communication between professionals, fear of public exposure, sequestration of supporting witnesses, and often, face-to-face contact with someone who has abused them.
