Programmes 7 - 12 age group - Institute for Child Witness Research and Training

Programme For The 7 - 12 Age Group

The preparation programme aims to:

improve the child’s ability to answer questions in court in the most accurate, complete and truthful manner;
reduce the fear and trauma created by lack of knowledge and misconceptions regarding the child’s role in the legal process;
increase the child’s understanding of the serious nature of the legal process; and
increase the child’s understanding of his or her role in the legal proceedings, thereby empowering the child and making post-trial adjustment easier.

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTORY MODULE

The aims of this module are as follows:

to provide an introduction to the preparation programme;
to explain the reasons why people go to court;
to introduce the concept of rights;
to identify some of the rights pertaining to the accused;
to identify some of the rights pertaining to the child witness;
to help the children identify the stage they have reached in the criminal justice system;
to explain what happens when a person is accused of committing a crime;
to explain the concept of bail; and
to explore the feelings children may have about going to court.

MODULE 2: WHO’S WHO

The aims of this module are as follows:

MODULE 3: WHAT DO COURTS LOOK LIKE?

The aims of this module are as follows:

to introduce the children to the courtroom and its layout;
to show the children where the role-players are situated in the courtroom;
to give the children an idea of the atmosphere of the courtroom;
to ensure that when children go to court, the courtroom will no longer seem alien;
to introduce the children to the special courtroom;
to explain the purpose of the special courtroom;
to introduce the children to the layout of the special courtroom;
to introduce the children to the intermediary and his/her functions; and
to introduce the children to stress reduction techniques.

MODULE 4: WHAT HAPPENS IN COURT?

The aims of this module are as follows:

MODULE 5: COURT ROLE-PLAY

The aims of this module are as follows:

to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about the procedure followed in court;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about who the role-players in the courtroom are and what their jobs entail;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about the uniforms worn by some of the court role-players;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about where the role-players are placed in the courtroom;
to familiarise the children with the court experience through the process of play-acting; and
to introduce the children to stress reduction techniques.

MODULE 6: WHAT IS AN OATH?

The aims of this module are as follows:

MODULE 7: MY JOB IN COURT

The aims of this module are as follows:

MODULE 8: MY DAY IN COURT

The aims of this module are to prepare the child for his or her day in court, including:

MODULE 9: COURT VISIT

The aims of this module are as follows:

to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about the procedure followed in court;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about who the role-players in the courtroom are and what their jobs entail;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about the uniforms worn by some of the court role-players;
to re-inforce in a practical way the information the children have received about where the role-players are placed in the courtroom;
to familiarise the children with the court experience through the process of play-acting; and
to familiarise the children with the settings of the court building, the courtroom and the special courtroom

MODULE 10: AFTER COURT

The aims of this module are as follows:

to assist the children to explore their feelings about testifying;
to offer the children an opportunity to ask questions about their court experience; and
to provide the child with some form of closure in respect of their court experience.