Source: http://www.childrenslegalrightsjournal.com/childrenslegalrightsjournal/volume_36_issue_1?pg=10
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 08:36:50+00:00

Document:
eleven. 44 The definition of “reasonable” is assumed to be at the discretion of the state or the prosecuting attorney, as seen in West Virginia. 45 Florida and Ohio also include limitations on the number of interviews for intellectually disabled victims and witnesses in their statutes. 46 Ohio sets the age limit at twenty-one, 47 Florida removes the age restriction altogether along with directly mentioning concern over psychological damage resulting from repeated interviews. 48 Due to differences in maturity level of children and adolescents, state statutes should provide for limiting interviews for any minor witnesses/victims.
The dearth of state statutes addressing this issue is surprising given the number of high profile cases that have resulted from over-interviewing children ( i.e. the Little Rascals Day Care case). 49 An abundance of research has been conducted supporting the contention that children are more suggestible than adults, 50 with suggestibility increasing as time passes between an abusive incident and when the child is interviewed. 51 When asking a child the same question multiple times, the child will eventually think that his or her answer is wrong and will, therefore, try and figure out what the interviewer wants them to say. 52 The Little Rascals Day Care case is a notable example of this behavior but it is not a rarity.
child. Research is scarce on the topic of speedy trials in cases involving child witnesses or victims.
44W. VA. CODE ANN. § 61-8B- 14 (West 2015).
45W. VA. CODE ANN. § 61-8C-5 (West 2015).
46OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 2151.421 (West 2015); FLA. STAT. ANN. § 914 (West 2015).
47OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 2151.421 (West 2015).
48FLA. STAT. ANN. § 914.16 (West 2015).
49CECI & BRUCK, supra note 6, at 121.
5318 U.S.C. § 3509 (2012).

References: § 61
 § 61
 § 2151
 § 914
 § 2151
 § 914
 § 3509