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1 J. Child Sexual Abuse 143 (1992)
Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side of the River? The Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome in Indiana's Courts

handle is hein.journals/wcsa1 and id is 536 raw text is: Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side of the River? The Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome in Indiana's Courts Hon. Ruth D. Reichard It is ironic that a distance of only 2,000 feet (the approximate width of the Ohio River) can mean the difference between liberty and freedom for a defendant charged with child molestation, or between affirmation (and healing) and betrayal for a victim of child sexual abuse. Yet, after considering Judge Stewart's article, it seems that there is a huge difference between the policies of Ken- tucky and Indiana courts with respect to the admissibility of evi- dence concerning the child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (hereinafter CSAAS) in prosecutions for child molestation. The Kentucky courts apply a scientific reliability test to the admissibility of CSAAS evidence and exclude this type of evidence because the CSAAS is not a generally accepted medical concept, according to Judge Stewart. Further, the testimony about CSAAS has been unacceptable in Kentucky because it impermissibly bol- sters the complaining witness's credibility and invades the prov- Ruth D. Reichard received JD from the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, appointed Judge in the Marion County (Indianapolis)Municipal Courts, and then assigned to the criminal family violence court. Address correspondenceto the author at Municipal Courts of Marion County, 200 E. Washington Street, Suite T-441, Indianapolis, IN 46204-3341. The author thanks Terri Ross, Law Librarian, Marion County Courts, India- napolis, IN, The Indiana Department of Natural Resources for research support. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Vol. 1(4) 1992 0 1992 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 143