Donated model courtroom helps children prepare for court in 4th Judicial District

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Testifying in court can be intimidating - especially for children. That's why the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office is working to make navigating the complexities of the court system easier for kids.

The DA's Office recently partnered with Safe Passage, a nationally accredited Children's Advocacy Center (CAC), to host a demonstration with a recently donated model courtroom.

The hope is to show children the inside of a courtroom in a nonthreatening setting where the child feels much more in control. This will also prepare children to testify in court and better prepare for what can be a stressful and even traumatic experience.

The play-scale courtroom, provided by Imagination Dollhouses for Children, was provided at no cost to CAC. It will help prepare young children to testify about the abuse they might've experienced in court.

Josef Soper, the builder and creator of Imagination Dollhouses for Children, worked in the criminal justice system for 40 years according to the DA's Office. He started by making dollhouses for his granddaughter before making them for CAC.

“Real courtrooms intimidate adults. Imagine how a child feels,” said Soper in a press release. “Children’s Advocacy Centers are doing tremendous work to move children from the first report of abuse to justice and healing. These models help kids feel bigger than the courtroom."

Soper has created custom PlayScale Courtroom dollhouses for other states.

After receiving dollhouses from Soper, CAC asked him to make a courtroom that would help children who've experienced abuse and neglect.