This essay will attempt to explain a watershed moment using the Sarah’s Law as an example. The main objective will be to observe how this law improved society using academic research and what improvements that can be provided with the law to help in the future towards treatments of victims and witnesses. This essay will highlight how Sarah’s Law was created and how it made a huge impact in the criminal justice system, as well as, the ways the law helped victims and witnesses in society today. The term ‘watershed’ moment is defined as a mark that points toward an event, which has modified an important moment which makes people do and think about something differently (Merriam Webster, 2017). In relation to Sarah’s law (also known as the …show more content…
Sarah’s Law is an improvement of the U.S. version and modifying the flaws in that law to make the U.K. law extremely more effective and reinforcing the objective of the scheme to protect the children (NSPCC, 2017). As reported by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), the official statistics indicated that around 1 in 20 children in the U.K. have been subjected to sexual abuse; and the Home Office in 2007 discovered that around 75% of the victims knew their offenders. Therefore, the scheme needs to be open about the facts and figures surrounding this particular type of offence in order to make the public more aware and educated of the risks. What is more, the possible situations that these offences that takes place in (Penny, 2014). However, the biggest problem resulting with statistics is that most cases are not reported or disclosed. Majority of the sexual abuse are not reported, prosecuted or detected, and the vast majority of the children do not tell anyone about their encounter of sexual abuse. In addition, this particular crime is generally witnessed amongst the abuser and the victim (NSPCC, 2017; Radford et al., 2011: p. 8). The process of how the disclosure scheme is constructed, by whether the decision has been made to produce as to whom it is necessary to disclose the information to the person. The disclosure should only be given to those who need the information to be able to safeguard the child from
The purpose of this report is to discuss the matter The Queen V Bayley, which took place on the 29th of September 2012. Adrian bailey (serial rapist) was found guilty on charges of murder and rape, this report will discuss in detail the court proceedings that lead up to the imprisonment of Adrian Bayley and also the events prior to the kidnapping of Jill Meagher. The purpose of this report is to discuss the purpose of law in our society and how it applies to people who commit crimes in our community. As well as the purpose of criminal law in our community.
The current child protection system is based on the Children Act 1989, which was introduced in an effort to reform and clarify the existing laws affecting children. The Children Act 1989 gave every child the right to protection from abuse and exploitation and the right to inquiries to safeguard their welfare. Its central tenet was that children are usually best looked after within their family. The act came into force in England and Wales in 1991 and - with some differences - in Northern Ireland in 1996. The key principle
Many believed that there was no reason to report an abuse because the police or authorities would not believe them. However, they did not believe many until proven truthful, anyone can say someone sexually assaulted them, but they did not. This was to take precautions amongst both the victim and the accused perpetrator. In the article, there were many aspects that explained that the woman felt more victimized because of the courts decision to believe the abuser until proved he/she is guilt. Also, many children blamed themselves for the rape, so they would not tell their parents. To add, as we read throughout the article, we can distinguish that many abused individuals are scared and embarrassed about the sexual harassment. Many factors were brought to attention: youth and woman fell under the micro-level individual factors, and the community and police did not want to really intervene. These factors result in many victims maybe later on abusing others because they were abused, which should not happen. So, therefore, there was a lot of valuable information presented throughout this
A proposed new serious crime bill recommend stronger laws to protect vulnerable children in the UK, this so called Cinderella law would make it illegal to emotionally abuse children. A young girl at a school I worked (lets name her Claire) was showing much attention seeking behaviour and real concern and aggression towards teachers and peers. Her parents broke up and Claire lived with her mum and step-father. Mum left Claire’s biological father when she was 7 and after initially living with father and two brothers she went to live with mum and step dad at the age of 12. The contrast could not be bigger.
All people have the basic right to be kept safe from harm, especially children and young people. No-one deserves to suffer from any form of abuse – whether emotional, physical, sexual or subject to neglect. If children and young people are safeguarded; they are more likely to grow into confident well-rounded adults. As adults working with children and young people, it is important that we recognise signs of abuse, and are able where
In recent times safeguarding of children has once again come under spotlight with cases such as Madline McKan and the horrific murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. Prior to this the Children’s act of 1984 and updated 2004 version highlighted that all professionals have an obligation to report suspected abuse. There was a public inquiry in 2000 to address the failure of the law which was not upholding the protection of vulnerable children. There was changes to the legislation and the government set up The Every Child Maters (ECM) initiative. This works in line with current legislation Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 Act. This Act authorised guidance on how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. All organisations must have the succeeding policies and procedures:
All practitioners have a duty to ensure the safety of children in their care. Children (in most cases) are unable to tell anyone if they are being abused, either out of fear, shame or because they are too young. Some children may even not realise that what is happening to them is wrong or any different to what happens to everyone else. Three quarters of sexually abused children under the age of 16 do not tell anybody what was happening to them at the time and a third still had not
As William Blackstone, famous English jurist of the 18th century, said: it is "a universal maxim of the common law of England that no man is brought to jeopardy of his life or limb more than once for the same offence". The principle of double jeopardy that Blackstone refers to here has existed in the English law for over 800 years, and is based on two fundamental principles that are autrefois acquit and autrefois convict. Thus, the amendments brought by Part 10 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 are a huge innovation for the English (and Welsh) system of justice. This essay will consider the changes made to the principle of double jeopardy and question whether these new amendments have bettered our system of justice. In order to do so, it will first analyze the exact alterations that were made to the principle of double jeopardy. Then, it will examine why the Criminal Justice Act 2003 did not meet the government's objectives of "rebalancing" the criminal justice in favor of victims. Finally, we will consider how in reality, this Act did indeed improve the criminal justice system.
This assignment will discuss “Amie’s case study” and will explore some of the risks that she is exposed too and how they can have effect on her welfare. I will start by defining what is child safeguarding centred on the legislation framework of the Children Act 2004. I will also look on what is abuse and naming types of abuse, and establish the knowledge and understanding of Assessment Framework in Amie’s case. I will also look at multi-professional strategies that can provide help and protect Amie and her siblings according to legal legislation.
The current legislation is the result of the children’s Act 1989, which is used to ensure that all people who work with children are working together and are clear about their responsibilities and know how to act if allegations of child abuse are made. The children’s act 2004 is a legal framework for “Every Child Matters” and is a direct result of the Laming Report following the death of the Victoria Climbie case in the year 2000. Hereafter an independent inquiry highlighted so many problems with how the reports of neglect and child abuse was dealt with and that vulnerable people in society were not being properly safeguarded. The main points of the 2004 Children’s Act were that every local authority has a director of children’s services who is ultimately responsible for ensuring that children are safeguarded.
The golden age of the victim is a historical epoch during which victims had well-recognized rights, including a personal say in imposing punishments on apprehended offenders. In the ancient times victims were able to punish their attacker and they were able to obtain closure. Victims’ rights are the fundamental rights that all victims have to be equitably represented throughout the criminal justice
All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, race, faith, belief or sexual orientation. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents and carers is essential. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined has protection of children from maltreatment & preventing impairment of childrenâ€TMs health or development. Ensuring those children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have
Many of us were raised knowing the story of Daniel Morcombe, the thirteen year old boy snatched from a bus station found murdered with the intention of rape, 8 years laters. Before the murder of Daniel, Brent Peter Cowan was a known child sex offender who had two previous offences with minimal penalty. In an interview with police Cowan stated “I never got to molest him or anything like that. He panicked and I panicked and grabbed him around the throat and before I knew it he was dead.” Daniel is one of many innocent and trusting children who have fallen victim to these vicious repeat offenders. Outside of the family, the first people thought to be responsible when a child is murdered, raped or abducted tend to be sex offenders in the area, so why must a child endure such a heinous act before this information is revealed to the public? I firmly believe that communities should be notified if and when a known predator on the paedophile and sex offenders registry has entered their neighbourhood. (Quite engaging, with a strong contention.)
Safeguarding is the term that has replaced the term Child Protection. It includes promoting children’s safety and welfare as well as protecting children when abuse happens. It has only been developed in the past 50 years, and the need for improved legislation has been highlighted by cases such as Maria Colwell (1973) and Victoria Climbie (2000) as these cases showed weaknesses in procedures.
For the purpose of this essay I will be considering Nils Christie’s (1986) concept of the ‘ideal victim’. In considering this concept, I will discuss what is meant by an ‘ideal victim’ and will also be focusing on the high profile Australian criminal case of Anita Cobby in Blacktown on 2nd of February 1986. Anita Cobby was only 26 years old when she was abducted, brutally raped and murdered by four ‘ideal offenders’. This essay will also consider, the ways in which the media and criminal justice system have constructed Anita Cobby as an ‘ideal victim’.