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A child's day in court

By Kim MacDonald

Angela is eight and facing her first day in court. She knows she just has to go in and tell the truth, but truthfully, she’s more than a little scared.

She is called into the courtroom, and enters through the main doors – the room looks so huge, and there are so many people there. She glances around and sees a few relatives, and many strangers. The judge sits high up at the front of the courtroom and the Crown prosecutor is at a desk on one side. On the other is her abuser. ”He turns in his seat to watch her progress to the front of the courtroom. She feels his eyes on her back as, head down, she takes the final few steps to the witness box. There she sits in a chair that is too tall for her feet to touch the ground, and tries to find a place to look where she won’t be able to see him in her line of vision, where she won’t feel his stare.

This could be one of any number of child witnesses called to give testimony in a criminal case. These children face the already stressful proposition of testifying as a small person in a large place, facing off against an adult who may be in a position of influence or trust.

To help make this process easier for young victims, Alberta Justice and Alberta Solicitor General opened the province’s first comprehensive child-friendly court facilities in Edmonton.

“Testifying in court can be a frightening and intimidating experience for anyone,” said Justice Minister Dave Hancock. “For children, who are among the most vulnerable of witnesses, it’s that much more difficult. We want to make the court process easier for them.”

“These are brave kids, but they are still victims and need as much support as we can give them,” added Solicitor General Heather Forsyth.

The new facilities provide children with their own waiting room, a private washroom, and a redesigned courtroom with a back entrance and a permanent screen, blocking the child’s view of the accused.

“Many child victims are clearly intimidated by having to face the accused,” said Crown prosecutor Diane Hollinshead, who has prosecuted many child abuse cases.

“They often can’t look up and find it extremely difficult to answer questions. These facilities should go a long way to help them through the court process.”

The modifications to the waiting room and courtroom came as a result of a $10,000 donation from the Edmonton Police Foundation and $24,000 of a $50,000 federal Victims Assistance Grant.

A similar project in the Court of Queen’s Bench is expected to be completed this spring.

Features of…
the waiting room

• Age-neutral setting.
• Self-contained with a washroom, sink and cupboard space, which greatly reduces the opportunity for the victim to run into the accused prior to testifying.
• Room is furnished, including a snack fridge.
• Stuffed animals, donated by the Edmonton Police Foundation, and toys made by offenders at the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre are in the room for younger children, and there is a computer for older children.
• Wired for two-way communication with the child-friendly courtroom for instances where a child is unable to testify in the courtroom.

The child-friendly courtroom

• Child is able to enter the courtroom through a secure corridor and proceed directly to an enclosed area near the bench that lets the child see only the judge.
• Two areas from where the victim can testify – a regular witness box and the screened area where the victim will be unable to see the accused.
• Cameras will allow the courtroom and the accused to see the victim on a 28” TV screen during testimony – whether the victim is testifying in court or from the waiting room.
• A second TV will show any pre-recorded evidence, such as a previously videotaped statement.
• A small television monitor in the screened-off area will allow the child to see counsel when they are asking questions. A second monitor will allow the child to view any pre-recorded evidence.

The waiting room is equipped with two-way communication with the courtroom.

These facilities are a result of a partnership between Alberta Justice, Alberta Solicitor General, the Edmonton Police Service, the Zebra Child Protection Centre and the John Howard Society’s Victims’ Assistance Program.

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