Testimony and Interrogation of Minors: Assumptions About Maturity and Morality

This article examines the legal history and social contexts of testimony and interrogation involving young people, developmental research on suggestibility and judgment, interactions between development and legal/sociological contexts, and the reasoning behind how young people are treated in different legal contexts. The authors argue (a) that young witnesses, victims, and suspects alike possess youthful characteristics that influence their ability to validly inform legal processes, and (b) that consideration should be given to reforming current practices in the context of interrogation practices involving young people.