Witnesses' Hesitance to Police Investigation and Court Trial /

Title

Author(s)

Mondido, Nilo T.

Call Number

T M74 2011

Abstract

The Study was conducted to determine the factors that affect witness hesitance to police investigation and court trial. This includes problems experienced by witnesses’ of crime as perceived by themselves, the law offenders, and police investigators. Further, the study tried to determine the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, marital status, educational background and nature of work. Data were gathered though the use of a self-constructed questionnaire which was distributed to the respondents. This study was composed of sixty (60) respondents.
This study used percentage and ratios to determine the proportion of the profile of the respondents, the weighted means for the identified factors that made the witnesses hesitant to become witnesses, and for the problems experienced by these witnesses’. Factors and problems were interpreted in terms of mean ranges.
The findings have led the researcher to conclude that possible witnesses’ were afraid to submit for police investigation and refused to appear in court during trial because of the experiences they encountered with the people involved. Foremost among these were the threats on their lives and for their self protection. It is recommended that the Local Government Unit should conduct a training and seminar to educate witnesses. The Department of Justice should review the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article III, Bill of Rights, section 17, which says that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. A local separate office of the Witness Protection Program must be in place and benefits must be given to the beneficiaries through the Municipality or City. Each Local Government Unit should also provide a budget intended for the witnesses who voluntarily help in investigating criminal cases.

Number of Pages

iv, 84 leaves :

Publications

Cebu City, Philippines : University of Cebu, 2011

Branch Library

Graduate School Library

Shelving Location

ANNEX

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