Goodman G S, Tobey A E, Batterman-Faunce J M, Orcutt H, Thomas S, Shapiro C, Sachsenmaier T
University of California, Davis, USA.
Law Hum Behav. 1998 Apr;22(2):165-203. doi: 10.1023/a:1025742119977.
The present study was designed to examine effects of closed-circuit technology on children's testimony and jurors' perceptions of child witnesses. For the study, a series of elaborately staged mock trials was held. First, 5- to 6-year-old and 8- to 9-year-old children individually participated in a play session with an unfamiliar male confederate. Approximately 2 weeks later, children individually testified about the event at downtown city courtroom. Mock juries composed of community recruits viewed the trials, with the child's testimony presented either live in open court or over closed-circuit television. Mock jurors made ratings concerning the child witness and the defendant, and deliberated to reach a verdict. Results indicated that overall, older children were more accurate witnesses than younger children. However, older, not younger children produced more inaccurate information in free recall. Compared to live testimony in open court, use of closed-circuit technology led to decreased suggestibility for younger children. Testifying in open court was also associated with children experiencing greater pretrial anxiety. Closed-circuit technology did not diminish fact finders' abilities to discriminate accurate from inaccurate child testimony, nor did it directly bias jurors against the defendant. However, closed-circuit testimony biased jurors against child witnesses. Moreover, jurors tended to base their impressions of witness credibility on perceived confidence and consistency. Implications for the use of closed-circuit technology when children testify are discussed.
本研究旨在考察闭路电视技术对儿童证词以及陪审员对儿童证人看法的影响。在该研究中，进行了一系列精心编排的模拟审判。首先，5至6岁以及8至9岁的儿童分别与一名陌生的男性同谋参与一场游戏环节。大约两周后，儿童在市中心的城市法庭就该事件进行单独作证。由社区招募人员组成的模拟陪审团观看审判，儿童的证词通过在公开法庭上现场呈现或通过闭路电视播放。模拟陪审员对儿童证人和被告进行评分，并进行审议以达成裁决。结果表明，总体而言，年龄较大的儿童比年龄较小的儿童是更准确的证人。然而，年龄较大而非较小的儿童在自由回忆中产生了更多不准确的信息。与在公开法庭上的现场证词相比，闭路电视技术的使用降低了年幼儿童的易受暗示性。在公开法庭作证也与儿童在审前经历更大的焦虑有关。闭路电视技术并没有削弱事实认定者区分儿童准确与不准确证词的能力，也没有直接使陪审员对被告产生偏见。然而，闭路电视证词使陪审员对儿童证人产生偏见。此外，陪审员倾向于根据感知到的自信和一致性来形成对证人可信度的印象。文中讨论了儿童作证时使用闭路电视技术的影响。
