The greatest promise of international human rights law is in stimulating thoughtful self-examination by those who strive to do what is right. Perhaps more than any other instrument, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC; 1989) offers the opportunity to use a global moral consensus to transform life at the neighborhood level in order to…

Several Supreme Court decisions in the last 15 years have demonstrated expanding recognition of the rights of minors and other dependent groups. At the same time, these recent trends have engendered conflicts concerning minors' competence to make judgments, relationships between child and family autonomy, and differing interests in child advocacy.…

Discusses the conflict, both conceptual and practical, for mental health professionals who are expected to be involved in the investigation and adjudication of child sexual abuse claims rather than treating the victims and offenders. The author argues that these roles should be separated and suggests a few roles that mental health professionals…

Issues in child policy are often obscured by symbolic debates about the nature of child development and family life. There is a need for greater care in the identification of the interests at stake and articulation of the normative foundation for various policies and programs. The Convention on the Rights of the Child carries an implicit…

Reviews recent proposals for procedural reforms to protect child victims of crime in their role as witnesses. Focuses on the Supreme Court's decision in Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court. Argues that making the present system more responsive to the needs of child witnesses is more important than attempting major procedural changes. (Author/KH)

Child and family policy often has been based on myths of childhood and family life instead of on empirical evidence. As a result policy tends to reflect irrational bases and conflicting goals. Psychologists can act as advocates by clarifying these myths for policymakers in family law. (Author/VM)

Current presumptions about adolescents' incompetence as decision makers are largely unsupported by psychological research. There are psychological and social benefits in recognizing adolescents as autonomous persons with independent interests in liberty and privacy. Policymakers should consider adolescents' rights in decisions concerning…