Assessing Korean children’s comprehension of legal terms and roles across age groups

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigates the comprehension of legal terminology among children aged 6–12, focusing on terms frequently encountered in court proceedings. By presenting 13 legal terms to 26 participants, the research aimed to assess their familiarity and understanding. Findings indicate a general awareness of terms such as “police,” “judge,” and “prison,” whereas “evidence” and “prosecution” were less understood, highlighting a gap in children’s legal vocabulary. Misconceptions regarding the roles of legal professionals, notably lawyers and statement assistants, were also observed, with comprehension varying across different age groups. These results underscore the necessity for criminal justice officials to adapt their questioning methods to accommodate the developmental stages of children, ensuring more effective communication during legal processes. Although the study’s scope was limited to children without direct legal system experiences, its insights contribute valuable knowledge to the body of research on children’s legal understanding, advocating for informed approaches in legal interactions with minors.