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MISSOURI VIEW: New law helps protect children

By The Joplin Globe, via The Associated Press

Published: Thursday, July 16, 2009 2:33 PM CDT

Last week Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law a bill that, in our view, makes major inroads in protecting children particularly those who have been abused during the court process.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, came out of a 2007 child-abuse conference held in Dixon's hometown. It establishes the Child Witness Protection Act that applies to children 14 years or younger who are testifying in any court case. ...

The Globe's editorial board earlier this year learned that many child-abuse cases, particularly those involving sexual abuse, never make it into the courtroom because parents and victim advocates don't want to put the child through even more trauma. In essence, the child becomes a victim a second time.

The new legislation -- especially the provisions giving children access to a support person and allowing for proceedings outside of a formal courtroom -- will go a long way toward lessening the trauma for a child.

Now, we would encourage legislators to strengthen current Missouri law that requires for speedy process in child-abuse cases. A better definition of speedy is needed. We believe most cases should be brought to trial within nine months. Unfortunately we more often see cases involving children dragging on for three and four years.


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