Attachment B: Videotaping of CA/N Victims
The decision to videotape a CA/N victim involves the Children’s Division (CD) consulting with the rest of the videotaping team, i.e., law enforcement, juvenile court and/or the prosecuting attorney. CD will not videotape a CA/N victim without consensus and cooperation from law enforcement, juvenile court, and/or the prosecuting attorney. The major reason to videotape a victim is to reduce trauma by reducing the number of interviews.
NOTE: This should not be confused with videotaping ordered by a criminal court judge in the course of a criminal court proceeding. Videotaping should primarily be used with victims of sexual abuse. Serious physical abuse can usually be documented with still photographs.
Videotaping protocol is as follows:
- CD will consult with law enforcement personnel, juvenile court personnel, and/or the prosecuting attorney regarding whether or not a victim should be videotaped.
- The videotaping team will carefully explain each step of the videotaping process to the parents and child.
- For children in CD custody, a court order from the jurisdictional court is needed before videotaping.
NOTE: For children in the custody of their own parents, a court order from the jurisdictional court will need to be requested if parental permission to videotape is denied, unless the legal authority of the other members of the team allows them to videotape without parental permission.
- CD will consult with law enforcement personnel, juvenile court personnel, and/or the prosecuting attorney regarding who will conduct the interview; when and where to videotape; and what questions should be included.
Appropriate procedures for videotaping are as follows:
- The interview should be conducted by a trained interviewer who is able to use props, if needed, i.e., anatomically correct dolls, victim drawings, etc.
- The date, time, and child’s name should be clearly marked on the videotape.
- The interviewer should audibly state the day of week, date and the time the interview begins.
- Everyone in the room, including the camera operator, should be audibly identified at the beginning of the videotape.
- Law enforcement personnel should be requested to explain what allegation is being investigated.
- No one should enter or exit the room while the interview and videotaping is in progress.
- There should be a large calendar and large clock with a second hand in the background in order to visually establish date and time.
- The interview should be conducted in such a way that viewers can understand what is being done. The interviewer should carefully explain each step of the interview throughout the videotape.
- If the videotape must be replaced, the operator will give the interviewer a pre-determined signal and the interviewer will audibly indicate that another videotape is needed.
- The interviewer should audibly state the time the interview ends.
- At the conclusion of the videotape, law enforcement personnel will take custody of the videotape for evidence.
- The Children’s Service Worker will document the results of the videotaping in the case record.
NOTE: Each local videotaping team will need to determine procedures for access to or copies of the original videotape for use by respective team members.