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    One step forward and two steps back? The “20 Principles” for questioning vulnerable witnesses and the lack of an evidence-based approach

    Cooper, Penelope and Dando, C.J. and Ormerod, T. and Mattison, M. and Marchant, R. and Milne, R. and Bull, R. (2018) One step forward and two steps back? The “20 Principles” for questioning vulnerable witnesses and the lack of an evidence-based approach. The International Journal of Evidence & Proof , ISSN 1365-7127.

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    Abstract

    It is a widely held belief that questioning vulnerable witnesses is a specialist skill. In England and Wales vulnerable witness advocacy training built around ‘20 Principles’ has been developed and is being delivered. The 20 Principles do not cite a tested theoretical framework(s) or empirical evidence in support. This paper considers whether the 20 Principles are underpinned by research evidence. It is submitted that advocacy training and the approach to questioning witnesses in the courtroom should take into account the already available research evidence. The authors make recommendations for revision of the training and for a wider review of the approach taken to the handling of witness evidence.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): advocacy, questioning, training, vulnerable, witnesses
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences
    Research Centres and Institutes: Crime & Justice Policy Research, Institute for
    Depositing User: Penny Cooper
    Date Deposited: 21 Aug 2018 09:18
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:43
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/23645

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