Perfect Targets: From Custodial Abuse to Courtroom Justice for Victims in Care
Children in institutional custody or state care are acutely vulnerable to exploitation, creating complex investigative and trial challenges for MDTs. This workshop provides practical strategies for managing behavioral and ACE-related issues, limiting improper defense attacks through pretrial motions, and countering jury bias in these high-risk cases.
Suggested Audience: Prosecutors & law enforcement
Full Description: Children placed in vulnerable situations, particularly those residing in institutional custody or under state care, represent a population acutely targeted by predators. This workshop by a seasoned former prosecutor addresses the challenges faced by multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) when investigating and prosecuting these complex cases.
This session provides practical guidance on overcoming significant obstacles presented by victims struggling with problematic behaviors, behavioral issues, and other acute manifestations of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The discussion includes a focused segment on leveraging pretrial motions to effectively limit defense questioning regarding the victim's sensitive personal history, including previous abuse, mental health history, and clinical reports, alongside critical strategies for identifying and defeating inherent jury bias.
Learning Objectives:
Examine the unique obstacles to prosecution involving child victims struggling with problematic behaviors and manifestations of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
Utilize pre-trial motions to strategically limit defense questioning on a child victim's background and history.
Implement concrete strategies to overcome inherent jury bias and ensure a fair consideration of the case.
Speaker(s): Kathleen Nolan
