Assignment task: You are a guidance counselor working at a midsized suburban elementary school in New Hampshire. Seven-year-old Sarah was sent to your office after her teacher overheard Sarah telling one of her classmates that her mother's boyfriend, Steve, always gives her kisses on the lips and other places. Sarah lives at home with her mother, Susan, and her siblings, Samantha (age 2), Sophia (age 9), and Seth (6 months). The biological father of all the girls is incarcerated. Steve is the biological father of Seth. Steve does not work and is the caregiver for the children when Susan is working. Sarah tells you that Steve touches her private parts when her mother is at work. Sarah tells you that Steve told her it was a secret and that if she were to tell anyone, he would hurt her mommy. Sarah does not know if Steve touches anyone else, but her sister Sophia told her that Steve is a bad man.
Describe the experience of a child victim in the criminal justice system in Situation 1. Include the following in your description:
Q1. What is the child victim's experience immediately after the initial incident regarding the investigative process and victim assistance?
Q2. What is the child victim's post event experience regarding processing in the criminal justice system?
- What legal precautions are in place to protect a child victim?
- What happens to the child victim regarding courts, corrections, parole, and victim assistance?
- What is the process for the child victim being notified of the offender's parole status (in this case, a guardian)?