This report is intended as a guide to judges, prosecutors, legislators, and other involved professionals who are interested in implementing strategies or modifying existing practices to improve the treatment of child victims and witnesses in their jurisdictions. Part I of this document provides an overview of the literature and a preliminary explanation of the problems faced by child victims in the criminal justice system. The two chapters in this section show the current state of affairs and support the premise that child victims have special needs in the criminal justice system. Part II, Innovative Practice: Legal Issues and Practical Concerns, presents a discussion of popular techniques used to ameliorate some of these problems. The discussion of these innovations has been divided into topic areas, with separate chapters examining: (1) competency of child witnesses; (2) exclusion of spectators; (3) attempts to avoid direct confrontation; (4) videotaped depositions and statements; (5) special exceptions to hearsay; (6) use of expert witnesses; (7) the victim advocate; and (8) streamlining the adjudication process. Each of these chapters includes a discussion of the legal and practical concerns that arise from these innovations. Part II includes a state-by-state chart of current statutory provisions relevant to child victims and witnesses and a list of complete citations for the statutes analyzed. Part III contains conclusions and establishes the need for further research in the field. Appendices contain guidelines for interviewing child victims; conditions imposed on the use of videotaped presentations; and guidelines for videotaping a child's statements. (NB)