A 1990 assessment of the cognitive abilities of children and the variables affecting memory.

This Element addresses the factors that influence children's accuracy in reporting on events and draws implications for children's ability to serve as reliable eyewitnesses. The following topics are covered: short- and long-term memory for event details; memory for stressful events; memory for the temporal order of events; memory for the spatial location of events; the ways poorly worded questions or intervening events interfere with memory; and individual differences in language development, understanding right from wrong and emotions, and cognitive processes. In addition, this Element considers how potential jurors perceive children as eyewitnesses and how the findings of the research on children's event memory inform best practices for interviewing children.

Why would a child invent a memory of something that never happened? How reliable can a memory be when it is recalled years after the event? Child Forensic Psychology tackles the controversial questions that lie between forensic and developmental psychology. By examining the issues that surround children's status as eyewitnesses and victims, the book relates current theory to real-life examples drawn from criminal and family courts. Breaking down the ways in which psychologists deal with these difficult issues, the book will be a vital resource for students and practitioners alike. Key features of Child Forensic Psychology: - Topical case studies, taken from the UK and around the world - Coverage of the very latest theories and research - Unique chapter investigating the psychology of missing and abducted children Written by a collection of leading researchers and practitioners, Child Forensic Psychology is an indispensable guide that shines a light on the psychology of children in the courtroom.

Perspectives on Children's Testimony presents current empirical research on the factors which influence adults' perceptions of the child witness. This volume provides researchers in both the psychological and the criminal justice communities with knowledge about adult beliefs regarding child witnesses, how these beliefs may influence jury verdicts, and the relationship of these perceptions to the credibility and accuracy of children's testimony. A variety of new techniques are employed in assessing adult views of child witnesses. Special features of the volume include: an in-depth treatment of techniques of interviewing child victims of sexual abuse, an examination of children's perceptions and knowledge of the legal system, and critical and theoretical integrations of the original, empirical papers.