§588-1  Children's justice program;
establishment, purpose.  (a)  There is established a children's justice
program within the judiciary.  The mission of the program is to provide for the
special needs of children as witnesses by promoting coordination for
appropriate investigation, treatment, and legal processes, thereby reducing and
preventing unnecessary trauma to children and ensuring justice for children and
their families.



(b)  The purpose of the program shall be to:



(1)  Develop, achieve, and maintain interagency and
interprofessional cooperation and coordination in the investigation of and case
management of intrafamilial and extrafamilial child sex abuse and serious
physical child abuse cases;



(2)  Facilitate in an impartial manner the professional
gathering of information by public and private agencies and their providers for
court proceedings involving child victims and witnesses;



(3)  Reduce to the absolute minimum the number of
interviews of child sex abuse victims so as to minimize revictimization of the
child;



(4)  Coordinate the therapeutic and treatment program
for child sex abuse victims and their families;



(5)  Provide for a multidisciplinary team and case
management approach which is focused first, on the alleged or suspected child
sex abuse victim's needs and conditions; second, on the family members who are
supportive of the child and whose interests are consistent with the best
interests of the child; and third, on law enforcement and prosecutorial needs;



(6)  Provide for the training and continuing education
of skilled professional interviewers of child sex abuse victims; and



(7)  Serve as the focus of information and referral
for child sex abuse programs. [L 1986, c 169, pt of §1; am L 2001, c 219, §3]