English Translation

210.o5, since children and young people often withhold the statement in the presence of third parties - above all persons of respect. The legitimate interest of the above mentioned in the knowledge of the situation must be granted on request by subsequent notification of the result of the interrogation — consultation — insofar as this is compatible with the criminalistic concerns. For the interrogations of child witnesses, age limits play no role, even the statements of the smallest children can be full. In the interest of truth-finding, a repeated questioning of the child-like and youthful witnesses must be avoided as far as possible. Therefore, the first questioning must be carefully pre-empted and made to the fullest extent possible. Before the discussion of the matter begins, the children and young people must be made to speak in such a way by appropriate questioning after harmless experiences that also an impression is gained about their mental abilities (readability, expressiveness, fantasy, etc.). In cases of morality, care must be taken not to extend the interrogations further than strictly necessary, without compromising the thoroughness of the discussion of the facts; the young people must not be encouraged, if necessary, to think about things beyond what is actually necessary. The record of the testimony of children (up to 14 years of age) is generally to be taken as that of any other interrogation, but is to be omitted from the signature of the children. The interviewing official guarantees with her signature only for the correctness of the record of statements made. In simple cases a report of the statement suffices. In a supplementary note to the file, the perceptions of the behaviour of the young people and of the impression they feel should be laid down. In principle, the comparison of children and female juvenile witnesses with an accused person must be carried out jointly by officials of the male and female departments, unless they can be avoided at all. Complement 1941.