The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries
Witness Protection Programs are indispensable tools in the fight against organized crime, designed to safeguard individuals whose testimonies are crucial for justice. While these programs have demonstrated remarkable success in ensuring the physical safety of adult witnesses, the profound and often...
| Published in: | Global Pediatrics |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667009725000466 |
| _version_ | 1849313174303539200 |
|---|---|
| author | Pietro Ferrara Margherita Zona Ignazio Cammisa Ida Giardino Maria Pastore Mehmet Vural Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani Francesca Scaltrito Clara Pettoello-Mantovani |
| author_facet | Pietro Ferrara Margherita Zona Ignazio Cammisa Ida Giardino Maria Pastore Mehmet Vural Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani Francesca Scaltrito Clara Pettoello-Mantovani |
| author_sort | Pietro Ferrara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| container_title | Global Pediatrics |
| description | Witness Protection Programs are indispensable tools in the fight against organized crime, designed to safeguard individuals whose testimonies are crucial for justice. While these programs have demonstrated remarkable success in ensuring the physical safety of adult witnesses, the profound and often unaddressed challenges faced by accompanying children and adolescents represent a critical oversight. This article examines the multifaceted psychosocial, familial, educational, and societal hurdles encountered by children and adolescents relocated within western witness protection programs, focusing in particular on Europe and the US. Drawing upon existing literature, this report elucidates the cumulative trauma, identity disruption, social isolation, and educational instability inherent in their experiences. The analysis reveals a historical underestimation of children's unique vulnerabilities and rights within these programs. Recommendations emphasize the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards child-centric and family-focused western witness protection programs, advocating for holistic assessment, integrated mental health services, prioritized educational continuity, proactive social integration strategies, community engagement, enhanced professional training, and robust long-term research to ensure the comprehensive well-being of this exceptionally vulnerable population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4491c1c388d4aaf86614804f337f482 |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Journals |
| issn | 2667-0097 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4491c1c388d4aaf86614804f337f4822025-09-03T08:03:40ZengElsevierGlobal Pediatrics2667-00972025-12-011410028810.1016/j.gpeds.2025.100288The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countriesPietro Ferrara0Margherita Zona1Ignazio Cammisa2Ida Giardino3Maria Pastore4Mehmet Vural5Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani6Francesca Scaltrito7Clara Pettoello-Mantovani8Department of Medicine and Surgery, University Campus Bio-Medico, Roma, Italy; Operative Research Unit of Pediatrics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy; Italian Academy of Pediatrics, Milan, Italy; European Pediatric Association, Union of National European Pediatric Societies and Associations. Belin, GermanyInstitute of Pediatrics, Catholic University, Rome, ItalyInstitute of Pediatrics, Catholic University, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Medical Sciences and Residency program in Pediatrics, Scientific Institute ''Casa Sollievo'', University of Foggia, Italy; Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Foggia, ItalyDepartment of Medical Sciences and Residency program in Pediatrics, Scientific Institute ''Casa Sollievo'', University of Foggia, ItalyEuropean Pediatric Association, Union of National European Pediatric Societies and Associations. Belin, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cerrapasha, Istanbul, TurkeyItalian Academy of Pediatrics, Milan, Italy; European Pediatric Association, Union of National European Pediatric Societies and Associations. Belin, Germany; Department of Medical Sciences and Residency program in Pediatrics, Scientific Institute ''Casa Sollievo'', University of Foggia, Italy; Corresponding author at: Department of Pediatrics, Scientific Institute “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.European Pediatric Association, Union of National European Pediatric Societies and Associations. Belin, Germany; Department of Medical Sciences and Residency program in Pediatrics, Scientific Institute ''Casa Sollievo'', University of Foggia, ItalyCasa & Ass, Law firm, Vicenza, ItalyWitness Protection Programs are indispensable tools in the fight against organized crime, designed to safeguard individuals whose testimonies are crucial for justice. While these programs have demonstrated remarkable success in ensuring the physical safety of adult witnesses, the profound and often unaddressed challenges faced by accompanying children and adolescents represent a critical oversight. This article examines the multifaceted psychosocial, familial, educational, and societal hurdles encountered by children and adolescents relocated within western witness protection programs, focusing in particular on Europe and the US. Drawing upon existing literature, this report elucidates the cumulative trauma, identity disruption, social isolation, and educational instability inherent in their experiences. The analysis reveals a historical underestimation of children's unique vulnerabilities and rights within these programs. Recommendations emphasize the urgent need for a paradigm shift towards child-centric and family-focused western witness protection programs, advocating for holistic assessment, integrated mental health services, prioritized educational continuity, proactive social integration strategies, community engagement, enhanced professional training, and robust long-term research to ensure the comprehensive well-being of this exceptionally vulnerable population.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667009725000466CrimeLawSecret |
| spellingShingle | Pietro Ferrara Margherita Zona Ignazio Cammisa Ida Giardino Maria Pastore Mehmet Vural Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani Francesca Scaltrito Clara Pettoello-Mantovani The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries Crime Law Secret |
| title | The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| title_full | The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| title_fullStr | The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| title_full_unstemmed | The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| title_short | The unseen burden: Challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| title_sort | unseen burden challenges by children and adolescents in witness protection programs in western countries |
| topic | Crime Law Secret |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667009725000466 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pietroferrara theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT margheritazona theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT ignaziocammisa theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT idagiardino theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT mariapastore theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT mehmetvural theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT massimopettoellomantovani theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT francescascaltrito theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT clarapettoellomantovani theunseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT pietroferrara unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT margheritazona unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT ignaziocammisa unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT idagiardino unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT mariapastore unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT mehmetvural unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT massimopettoellomantovani unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT francescascaltrito unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries AT clarapettoellomantovani unseenburdenchallengesbychildrenandadolescentsinwitnessprotectionprogramsinwesterncountries |