U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

B.J. Learns About Federal and Tribal Court: Instructors Guide

NCJ Number
183473
Author(s)
Brenda G. Meister; Linda A. Akers
Date Published
December 1996
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This instructor's guide accompanies a video designed to prepare Native American child victims and witnesses to testify in criminal courts.
Abstract
The video answers questions often asked about the courtroom, courtroom procedures, and the people who participate in court proceedings. It is anticipated that by learning what to expect in a trial setting, children will become more confident, leading to the alleviation of many of their fears about testifying. This booklet offers suggestions to the instructor regarding what to do before showing the video to promote active learning, such as asking the child questions that will be answered in the video, telling the child what he/she will see in the video, giving the child a task to do that relates to the video, and allowing the child to ask questions about the video. After a summary description of the video's contents, the instructor is given suggestions for follow-up questions and activities. Suggestions for follow-up include visiting an empty courtroom with the child, debriefing the child after he/she testifies, and referring the child to treatment or community intervention when appropriate. 5 suggested readings