Loading...
Publication
As especificidades do testemunho de crianças: perceções dos profissionais de justiça
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A participação judicial das crianças revela-se fundamental atendendo a que o seu
testemunho é, não raras vezes, a única prova existente do crime em questão. Assim, a
perceção que os atores judiciais têm sobre esta participação torna-se numa questão
importante, uma vez que são os mesmos que lidam com as crianças nestes contextos e
que tomam decisões tendo por base o seu testemunho.
A presente dissertação é constituída por dois artigos científicos, correspondendo
o primeiro a uma revisão sistemática da literatura, onde foram analisados 16 artigos
científicos que procuram estudar a perceção que os adultos no geral têm sobre o
testemunho das crianças e todas as especificidades associadas (e.g., preparação dos
profissionais para recolher o testemunho). Através deste trabalho foi possível concluir
que as características das testemunhas (e.g., desenvolvimento da linguagem, género),
dos adultos (e.g., ter experiência com crianças, género) e do testemunho em si (e.g.,
consistência) podem alterar a qualidade do testemunho e consequentemente a perceção
dos adultos sobre esse mesmo testemunho.
O segundo artigo científico versa sobre o estudo empírico, no qual se procura
analisar a perceção que os profissionais do sistema de justiça português têm sobre o
testemunho das crianças em tribunal . Neste estudo, de caráter qualitativo e de cariz
descritivo e exploratório, recorreu-se a uma amostra de 17 participantes, com idades
compreendidas entre os 25 e os 56 anos (M=39.06; DP=10.40), a quem foi administrado
o guião de entrevista semiestruturado, construído para o efeito do presente estudo. Neste
estudo, os profissionais demonstraram alguma ambiguidade no que diz respeito à
perceção sobre o testemunho da criança, pois enquanto alguns a valorizam a
participação das mesmas enquanto testemunhas, outros desvalorizam, por vezes devido
às consequências que pode trazer para as mesmas (e.g., destabilização emocional). Para além disso apontaram alguns fatores que interferem com o testemunho (e.g., problemas
de compreensão, vulnerabilidade à sugestionabilidade) e por isso, os aspetos a que
devem atender quando realizam uma avaliação sobre a credibilidade (e.g.,
comportamento não verbal).
A presente dissertação permitiu assim conhecer a perceção dos profissionais
sobre o testemunho da criança, bem como reconhecer quais as lacunas ainda existentes
no sistema de justiça, e as recomendações que podem contribuir para um melhor
funcionamento do mesmo.
Judicial participation of children is fundamental since their testimony is often the only existing evidence of the crime. Thus, the perception that judicial actors have on this participation becomes an important issue, since they are the same ones that deal with children in these contexts and make decisions based on their testimony. This work consists in two papers, corresponding the first to a systematic literature review, which analysed 16 scientific articles that seek to study the perception that adults in general have on the testimony of children and all the features associated (e.g., training of professionals to collect testimony). Through this work it was concluded that the characteristics of the witnesses (e.g., language development, gender), adults (e.g., have experience with children, sex) and the testimony itself (e.g., consistency) can alter the quality of the testimony and consequently the perception of adults on the same testimony. The second scientific article focuses on the empirical study, which analyses the perception that professionals of the portuguese justice system have on the testimony of children in court. In this qualitative study, with a descriptive and exploratory nature, a sample of 17 participants aged between 25 and 56 years (M=39.06; SD=10.40) was used, and have been given the semistructured interview script, built for the purpose of the present study. In this study, the professionals showed some ambiguity regarding the perception on the testimony of the child, because while some value their participation as witnesses, others undervalue it, sometimes because of the consequences that it can bring to them (e.g., emotional destabilization). Also they pointed out some factors that interfere with the testimony (e.g., understanding problems, vulnerability to suggestibility) and therefore aspects that professionals must take into account when assessment the credibility (e.g., non-verbal behavior). This work allowed to understand the perception of professionals on the testimony of child, as well as recognizing that gaps still exist in the justice system, as wells as recommendations that can contribute to a better functioning.
Judicial participation of children is fundamental since their testimony is often the only existing evidence of the crime. Thus, the perception that judicial actors have on this participation becomes an important issue, since they are the same ones that deal with children in these contexts and make decisions based on their testimony. This work consists in two papers, corresponding the first to a systematic literature review, which analysed 16 scientific articles that seek to study the perception that adults in general have on the testimony of children and all the features associated (e.g., training of professionals to collect testimony). Through this work it was concluded that the characteristics of the witnesses (e.g., language development, gender), adults (e.g., have experience with children, sex) and the testimony itself (e.g., consistency) can alter the quality of the testimony and consequently the perception of adults on the same testimony. The second scientific article focuses on the empirical study, which analyses the perception that professionals of the portuguese justice system have on the testimony of children in court. In this qualitative study, with a descriptive and exploratory nature, a sample of 17 participants aged between 25 and 56 years (M=39.06; SD=10.40) was used, and have been given the semistructured interview script, built for the purpose of the present study. In this study, the professionals showed some ambiguity regarding the perception on the testimony of the child, because while some value their participation as witnesses, others undervalue it, sometimes because of the consequences that it can bring to them (e.g., emotional destabilization). Also they pointed out some factors that interfere with the testimony (e.g., understanding problems, vulnerability to suggestibility) and therefore aspects that professionals must take into account when assessment the credibility (e.g., non-verbal behavior). This work allowed to understand the perception of professionals on the testimony of child, as well as recognizing that gaps still exist in the justice system, as wells as recommendations that can contribute to a better functioning.
Description
Keywords
Perceções Profissionais de justiça Testemunho infantil Perceptions Justice professionals Child’s testimony