Child Victims : Crime, Impact, and Criminal Justice

Based on the testimony of over 200 children who have been victims of a wide range of crimes this book gives voice for the first time to their experiences, their views, and their needs. The authors contrast the treatment of children who are victims of sexual abuse with those who are victims of other crimes.

Child Victims explores the range and extent of crimes committed against children and assesses their impact. The testimony of over two hundred children gives voice, for the first time, to their experiences, their views, and their needs. It examines how children attain the status of `victims'' in the criminal justice system. Drawing on recent research findings, the authors examine each stage of the legal process that a child encounters, from the initial reporting of the offence, through police investigation, to the trial itself. They contrast the specialist response to victims of child sexual abuse with the experience of children who are victims of other crimes, thrust into an adult system which takes little account of their needs. Child Victims concludes by examining the role of support services and agencies dealing with child victims, and makes a number of key recommendations for future policy.