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Collegium antropologicum, Vol. 34 supplement 2 No. 2, 2010.

Professional paper

Obtaining the Child Testimony in the Criminal Proceedings

Dunja Marinović ; Juvenile Correctional Institution, Rijeka, Croatia
Tija Žarković Palijan ; Neuropsychiatric Hospital »Dr. Ivan Barbot«, Popovača, Croati
Marin Marinović ; Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Milena Gašparović Krpina ; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Iva Piglić ; Juvenile Correctional Institution, Rijeka, Croatia
Harry Nikolić ; Department of Surgery, Children Hospital, Rijeka, Croatia

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page 253-256

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Abstract

Children fall under the special category of vulnerable witnesses. Children’s vulnerability is the reason that we must approach obtaining the child’s testimony in the criminal proceedings with special attention. It is important to take the child’s testimony as soon as possible and to avoid the repetition of interrogation. The criminal proceedings law and the juvenile court law enable children interrogation through the professional person without the presence of other parties in the procedure and enable the recording of such interrogation by audio-video link which considerably diminish the secondary victimization. The professionals who obtain the testimony must be well acquainted with children’s psychological development. Knowledge of psychological development is of major importance in order to make the quality arrangements for interrogation and to interrogate the child and to achieve positive social contact between the examiner and the examinee and it is also of great importance for the credibility evaluation of the child’s testimony. The adequate way of children interrogation will enable the child to say the correct information and to recognize the perpetrator. The forensic interview is well elaborated and child adapted technique of interrogation. Respecting the rules of forensic interview will enable the child’s testimony on court to be relevant evidence.

Keywords

child; witness; psyhological development of children; taking child’s testimony; credibility of the child’s testimony

Hrčak ID:

51669

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/51669

Publication date:

20.4.2010.

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