Citation

Annu. Rev. Popul. Law 1988; 15: 124-125.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Harvard Law School Library)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12289174

Abstract

This UK Act does the following, among other things: 1) facilitates the conviction of alleged child abusers by allowing evidence to be given through a television link by a witness under the age of 14 in cases involving assault, abuse, or sexual misconduct; 2) limits the calling of witnesses under the age of 14 in certain committal hearings for persons accused of committing the above offenses; 3) abolishes the requirement that unsworn evidence given by children be corroborated and that sworn evidence given by children be accompanied by a warning if not corroborated; 4) increases the maximum term of imprisonment for cruelty to children and young persons from two to 10 years; 5) puts the existing Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme on a statutory basis, giving claimants a right to compensation in certain cases, and creating, in addition to a payment for having been the victim of rape, a new payment of 5000 pounds payable to such a victim who becomes pregnant, gives birth to a child, and intends to keep the child; and 6) creates a new offense of possession of an indecent photograph of a child (i.e., a person under the age of 16); previously possession of such a photograph, per se, was not illegal.

Language: en