Child Witnesses in Twentieth Century Australian Courtrooms

Robyn Blewer is Lecturer at the Griffith University Law School in Queensland, Australia, and the Director of the Griffith University Innocence Project. She holds a Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice and completed her doctoral thesis as a member of the Australian Research Council’s Laureate research project, ‘The Prosecution Project’.

“‘Child Witnesses in Twentieth Century Australian Courtrooms’ is a book that can entice a wide interdisciplinary audience. Scholars and students from criminology, sociology, legal studies, forensic studies, and psychology can all benefit from the critical reflection this book offers.” (Michelle N. Eliasson, Internet Journal of Criminology, September, 2021)

• 1 Introduction.- 2 The child witness and the English legal system.- Part 2: Getting into Court.- 3 ‘Those troublesome men in blue’: Police and child witnesses.- 4 ‘If the law doesn’t get you, the Lord will’: Competency and Capacity.- Part 3: Giving Evidence.- 5 ‘Making kiddies at home’: The courtroom environment.- 6 ‘What the Nipper Said Was True’ - Examination.- 7 ‘Trying to bend the law to fit’: Corroboration.- 8 The role of the judicial officer.- Part 4: Reflections and Conclusions.- 9 The influence of women and women’s philanthropic/community organisations.- 10 Understanding and recognising children.- 11 ‘Changes in law were full of danger’: Conclusion.