STRIKING A BALANCE: A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO CONFRONT WITNESSES VERSUS THE RISK OF RE-TRAUMATIZING CHILD VICTIMS.

The article considers the balance courts have taken to ensure a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses and constitutional rights with the potential risk of re-traumatizing child victims. Topics discussed include Confrontation Clause equivalents in state constitutions, differences in how courts handle cases involving the Sixth Amendment, historical origins and rationales of federal and state confrontation clauses, and psychological and emotional risks faced by child witnesses.