1. Say whether the following statements are true (t) or false (f). Explain why.

1. It is unlawful to punish children by smacking and beating.

to smack - to hit someone or sth forcefully with the flat inside part of your hand, producing a short loud noise, especially as a way of punishing a child

to beat - to hit repeatedly

2. Judges and police officers who deal with child abuse have special training.

3. In England and Wales a child can be a witness since he or she is 4.

4. In youth courts the jury has to decide what action to take if a young person is charged with a very serious crime.

5. Unmarried couples can not adopt children.

2. Answer the questions about the text.

1. What does the notion ‘the child’s welfare’ mean?

2. What legal actions are provided by the law for such cases when a child who is under 10 has committed a crime?

3. Who can be ‘the appropriate adult’? What are his or her functions?

4. What is the ‘cautioning panel’?

5. What’s the difference between an informal warning and a formal caution?

6. What does ‘a community sentence’ mean?

7. What are young offender’s parents allowed to do in court?

8. What does a construction ‘Her Majesty’s pleasure’ mean?

9. What does the notion ‘child abuse’ include?

10. Could you find and name the reasons why corporal punishment or physical chastising of a child has not been outlawed yet?

11. What protection agencies for any child at risk of abuse are known in England?

12. Who is included into child protection teams?

13. What are the steps of interviewing the child who is a victim of crime?

14. What planned delays with a specific purpose may there be in dealing with a case concerning a child?

15. What is included into monitoring of the child’s progress by a trained social worker?

16. When can decisions made by the court that are concerned with child’s welfare be changed?

17. Who are independent experts who know all about the child’s welfare checklist?

18. What special care do disabled children have the right to?

19. What is included into the notion ‘a standard of living’?

20. Are girls allowed to join the armed forces in Britain?

III. Draw up the plan for rendering the text and then summarize it.

IV. Find the information on the Internet on the following themes and make presentations in class.

1. The most recent public inquiries about child abuse in: a) England, b) America and c) Russia.

2. Children as witnesses in: a) England, b) America and c) Russia.

3. New Adoption Laws in: a) England, b) America and c) Russia.

4. Adoption by gay (homosexual) parents in America and Britain. Gaybies.

gayby (plural gaybies) - 1. a baby with 2 parents of the same gender; 2. a baby belonging to gays; a gay baby; 3. the baby of a gay parent or parents [www.urbandictionary.com] - 1. ребёнок двух однополых родителей; 2. ребёнок, принадлежащий геям; 3. ребёнок родителя-гея или родителей-геев.

5. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

V. Discuss the following issues. (Points for discussion)

1. The extract is taken from ‘Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law’ [V. 1, p. 15]. Read this extract and answer the questions.

“When people in the United States think of children’s rights they usually think of children in third world countries who are victims of abusive child labour practices or insurmountable poverty. They may not realize that the rights of children are violated in the United States as well. Even though child labour laws were passed decades ago prohibiting employment of underage youngsters, pockets of oppressive child labour exist, literally, on American soil; child farm labourers work long hours in squalid conditions and often receive half the standard minimum wage”.

• Why do not people in the United States realize, according to the extract, that the rights of children are violated in the United States?

• What is known about abusive child labour practices, oppressive child labour in Britain, America and Russia?

• What new child labour laws concerning employment of underage youngsters have recently been passed in Britain, America and Russia?

2. The extract is taken from ‘Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law’ [V. 1, p. 153]. Read this extract and contemplate on suggested topics.

‘The United States did sign the Convention in 1995 but it was never submitted to the Senate for ratification. Although the government has stated that it has no intention of ratifying the Convention, it has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to children’s rights.

Among the reasons the United States has failed to ratify the Convention is the fact that the Convention clearly states that anyone under the age of 18 is a child.

The US government has reservations about how that would affect matters when a 16- or 17-year old commits a crime; currently, in certain instances that a child can be tried as an adult.’

- Express your ideas about the fact that the Convention was not ratified in the US.

- Consider all the pros and cons of ratification and non-ratification of the Convention in the US.

Listening and watching videos

Exercises

1. On the site ‘Parliament TV on demand’ (www.inthehouse.co.nz) watch the following videos and discuss the issues considered there:

1. www.inthehouse.co.nz/node/4119

Question 7: Rahui Katene to the Minister of Justice (Hon Simon Power) (2 min 29 sec) 

Will the Government adopt a zero tolerance to liquor outlets selling to underage minors, in line with the zero tolerance policy they intend to adopt towards youth drink drivers; if not, why not?

2. inthehouse.co.nz/node/1070

Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Youth Courts Jurisdiction and Orders) Amendment Bill - Part 13 (8 min 08 sec)

Todd McClay’s speech, National-Rotorua

younger people who are being driven towards crime and those who are committing crime are not getting protection from the government

2. On the site www.youtube.com watch the following videos and express your opinion on the topics considered there:

a) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzo6Uwd1Pk8

Warren pleads guilty in murder/child abuse cases (3 min 19 sec)

b) www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRJhEnGAH0U&feature=related

Trial of trio who starved children (9 min 12 sec)

children as witnesses

The testimony of Jasmine and David, the two children who were held captive and starved for five years by their grandmother, mother, and stepfather. Video courtesy Channel 2 News Reno.

3. Watch the video “When do children become criminally responsible?” on www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10831155 (02 min 54 sec) and express your opinion on the topic.

1 August 2010

Following a series of high-profile cases involving young defendents, the question of the age of criminal responsibility in the UK has been raised. Some child experts argue that children who commit offences needed to be treated differently from adult criminals. In March, the UK government rejected plans to raise the age in England and Wales from 10, one of the youngest in Europe. In Scotland there are plans to raise the age from eight to 12. (Richard Slee report)

4. Watch the video “David Starkey bemoans Britain's 'feral children'” on www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/question_time/8576036 (01 min 03 sec) and express your opinion on the topic.

Historian David Starkey has hit out at Britain's youth, saying that roughly 25% are "feral children", coming from lone or no parent families. This, he argues, creates problems with discipline in schools and with the extent of juvenile crime.

He also said that the Children's Commissioner for England, Maggie Atkinson, should be sacked and never replaced for suggesting an increase in the age of criminal responsibility.

She had said the killers of James Bulger - Jon Venables and Robert Thompson - should not have been prosecuted because children under 12 did not fully understand their actions. She later apologised to the mother of James Bulger.