In the Mid-1980s, the Nation's Media Focused on the McMartin

question 58

Essay

In the mid-1980s, the nation's media focused on the McMartin preschool in Los Angeles, where children claimed to have been hung in trees, raped, and forced to eat feces. Although none of the children had shown symptoms or problems during their preschool experience, most of the accused teachers were sentenced to years in prison. What has research revealed about the accuracy of children's testimony in cases such as this? Under what conditions are children apt to be suggestible?

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Definitions:

Enterostomal Nurse

An enterostomal nurse is a specialized nurse who provides care for patients with stomas, incontinence, and wound care, often providing education and support for patients undergoing these treatments.

Tertiary Intention

A wound care strategy where a wound is intentionally left open to allow it to drain and then closed by secondary intention, often used for infected wounds.

Wound Healing

involves the physiologic processes of repairing damage to the skin and other tissues, often through four distinct phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling.

Evisceration

A severe medical condition where internal organs protrude through a wound or surgical incision, requiring immediate medical attention.