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ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6207
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Smith, Winsley, Hale, Long, Schow, Roach, Kohl, Prentice and Heavey)
Read first time 02/02/96.
AN ACT Relating to investigative interviews of child victim witnesses; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that there is a continuing need to improve the treatment of children in legal proceedings and investigations concerning sexual abuse. The legislature finds that interview protocols and training standards for child sexual abuse interviewers should be developed and made available for law enforcement agencies in order to:
(1) Eliminate unnecessary repetitive interviews and investigations of child victim witnesses;
(2) Streamline and improve investigative practices and procedures involving child victim witnesses;
(3) Improve the truth-finding process in cases involving child victim witnesses; and
(4) Protect the rights of child victims, their families, and the accused.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The Washington state institute for public policy shall collect data and information from jurisdictions within the state of Washington and outside the state of Washington, including other nations, which have experience with developing protocols and training standards for investigating child sexual abuse. The Washington state institute for public policy shall study and evaluate the data and information for the purpose of establishing protocols and training standards for use by law enforcement agencies and others who investigate child sexual abuse and interview child sexual abuse victims. The protocols and training standards should have as goals and objectives:
(a) Reducing the number of interviews, interview settings, and medical examinations for child victim witnesses in suspected sexual abuse cases;
(b) Developing interagency cooperation and agreements for interviewing child victim witnesses;
(c) Improving the qualifications, selection process, and training of child victim witness interviewers;
(d) Improving the reliability of child interviews in suspected child sexual abuse cases; and
(e) Protecting the rights of child victims, their families, and the accused.
(2) Not later than December 1, 1996, the Washington state institute for public policy shall report to the legislature on the results of this study. The report shall include model protocols and training standards for law enforcement agencies and an evaluation as to whether or not the protocols should be required or encouraged on a state-wide basis, and how any expenses related to the adoption of these protocols and standards could be financed. The report shall include any recommended changes in the law.
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