Unfortunately, children are victims of physical and/or sexual abuse. If the crime occurred in Indian Country, a National Park, on a military base or other area where there is federal jurisdiction, these young victims may be called to testify in federal court as victims and witnesses in a criminal case. The process can be intimidating or frightening for children. A federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 3509, the Child Victims’ and Child Witnesses’ Rights statute, provides protections for child witnesses during the investigation and during court proceedings. This webinar will address the protections provided in the Child Victims’ and Child Witnesses’ Rights statute, the Crime Victims’ Rights Act and the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance.

This training is available to any interested federal, state, or tribal criminal justice or social service professional who works with child victims. There is no charge to attend this webinar. CLE will not be provided.

This training is a joint effort hosted by federal law enforcement agencies responding to violent crime in Indian Country. Sponsoring agencies include the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Indian Country Training Initiative, the United States Indian Police Academy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of the Interior’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security’s Victim Assistance Program.

If you have any questions, please contact at Lamesha Bowman at Lamesha.Bowman@usdoj.gov, Deborah Thomas at Deborah.Thomas@usdoj.gov or Leslie A. Hagen at Leslie.hagen3@usdoj.gov.