Effects of Legal Involvement on Child Victims: A 10-Year Follow-Up

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9602125 Goodman This study tests hypotheses concerning long-term consequences of criminal justice involvement for victims of child sexual abuse. Participation in criminal prosecutions, especially testifying in court, may results in emotional harm and negative attitudes. In the proposed prospective-longitudinal study, 218 children and their caretakers will be followed up 10 years after they participated in criminal prosecutions for which the children were alleged victims of sex crimes. The original study gathered detailed information about the abuse, the legal case, courtroom testimony, children's and caretakers' emotional well being, and children's and caretakers' reactions to the legal system. In this study, former participants and their caretakers will be reinterviewed concerning present mental health, victimization, criminal behavior, memory, and attitudes about the legal system. A matched comparison group of adolescents and adults with no known history of child abuse or legal intervention and their caretakers will also be interviewed. Data will be analyzed in relation to earlier indices of mental health, characteristics of the sexual assault, and specific legal experiences (e.g., whether or not the child testified, case outcome). Factors contributing to or mediating negative psychological consequences will be identified. Results will provide important scientific information about the impact of laws and legal experience on former victims of child sexual abuse. %%%%