The reliability of children's testimony in alleged-abuse cases depends on many factors but there is no question the testimony should be used, says Gail Goodman, a UC Davis psychology professor and leading researcher in child-witness testimony. Even specific questions that may be considered leading in a court of law can be useful, depending on a child's age, Goodman says, noting that the debate over accuracy focuses on the youngest children. "The 3- and 4-year-olds are the most susceptible to these leading questions but they're also less likely to offer up their experiences," through open-ended questions, Goodman says. She recommends that officials ask open-ended questions in child-abuse cases to build rapport and then decide if a case warrants asking leading questions. The problem is that techniques involved in this questioning may be useful in uncovering actual abuse but they also can lead to some false reports. "Society needs to make a decision about how to balance the need to protect children from abuse and the need to protect innocent adults," Goodman says.