Note: please note that this page should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you. 

• Link here to the overview page:  Certification of Juvenile Judges 

Scope of the Problem  factual statements on the extent of the problem in the past, current, or future

• How is the problem defined today?

  During their teen years, 41% of students have contact with the courts.  In the 80's the family dynamics changed when drugs and crime increased. Parents left their children behind in order to care for themselves.  This caused an overload in the foster care system.  In response, the foster care system started to privatize with other agencies. Today children continue to be lost in the system, as some of the professionals, specifically juvenile judges are inadequately trained to serve this young population and their families.^[1][2]

• Unequal justice persists: 

• Unequal justice persists with racial disparities

•          Compared to white youth, African American teens commit slightly more violent crimes, similar amounts of property crime and less drug crime. However, African American youth are arrested more than their white counterparts.^[3]

• Minority youth in comparison to white youth, are more frequently tried as adults and make up 75% of all youth sentenced to adult prisons.^[4]

• "Since 1988, the federal government has required states to study and address racial disparities in their juvenile justice systems."⁴  

• Five major areas affecting juvenile court judges are:

• How judicial appointments are made

  Judges' caseload size

  Training and education available for judges

  Judicial retention policies

  Judges lack of familiarity with the facilities to which they commit youth and the communities in which youth live

• What is the future outlook for this issue?

  Additional real-world training is necessary for the judges and professional working with juveniles and their families.  

Past Policy  key legislation and milestones including significant policy and funding shifts, major studies, etc.

• In the late 1960s, early 1970s the Supreme Court ordered that juvenille offenders be afforded the same rights as adult offenders.⁴ 

• 1967- Gault decision rules that juvenile defendants are entitled to legal counsel, just like adults.⁴ 

Current Policy  summary of current policies in the form of legislation, programs, and funding

• Colorado RPC training - attorneys are required to obtain at least 10 hours of continuing legal eduaction during each three year legal education period. "Practicing attorneys in Colorado are required to complete a total of 45 continuing legal education (CLE) credits within a three-year period. Of the 45 credits, 7 must be ethics credits.^[5]

• "Many children still fail to receive effective legal representation" and "In some cases jurdictioins, children regulary appear in delinquency proceedings with no attorney at all"^[6]

•  Several national conferences are available for people working with juvenile justice issues to attend. They include, but are not limited to:

• National Conference on Juvenile and Family Law - This annual conference is led by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. They address: alchol and drug issues, bullying, detention, disabilities, influence of family, teen dating violence, discussions on after care and transition programs as well as other juvenile justice issues. 

Key Organizations/Individuals   contacts for public and private organizations and key individuals

• Government
• OJJDP: Department of Defense
• Non-Profit - Service Providing
• National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) is a 501c3 that provides conferences for people working on juvenile justice issues to attend. 
• Non-Profit - Advocacy/Membership/Network
• Programs such as CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) have been successful as mediators between the child and the sometimes confusing court system. The juvenile judge assigns CASA volunteers one or two court cases at a time. Once appointed, CASA volunteers gather information, review printed records and reports, interview parents, therapists, teachers, neighbors and other parties that have significant influence in the child's life.  
• Foundation
•  The Juvenile Court Judges' Commission has established an extensive list of standards for the juvenile court system in Pennsylvania. In addition to developing standards, they offer a Master of Science in Administration of Justice with a specialization in Juvenile Justice targeting juvenile probation officers. The actual content of the courses is not specified on the website, however, Stephen Bishop, of the Graduate Education Program is listed as the contact. He may be contacted at: (717) 477-1294. http://www.jcjc.state.pa.us/
• The Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (TCJFCJ) has for forty years provided training and support for people, including judges working in the juvenile court system. They have a number of various trainings listed. Elvira Newcomb appears to be the contact person for all these events. Her contact information is: 615.741.2687 or Elvira.Newcomb@tncourts.gov. http://www.state.tn.us/tcjfcj/index.html

• The Juvenile Justice Trainers Association serves to provide training to people working in juvenile justice. Barbara A. Collins, M.S. is the Project Manager in Columbia, MD, 443-472-0268, jjtainfo@jjta.org.

• Other
•  

Bibliography   web sites, reports, articles, and other reference material 

Footnotes

1. Statistics from www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/children.htm, ▲
2. National Center for Juvenile Justice ▲
3. Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book ▲
4. Choice #3: Rights or wrongs; Protecting the civil rights of court-involved youth (2003). Annie E. Casey Foundation. ▲
5. Respondent Parents Council Task Force Statewide Needs Assessment: Final Report (2007). National Center for State Courts. ▲
6. American Bar Association (ABA) and two juvenile law advocacy groups (1995) as cited in Choice #3: Rights or wrongs: Protecting civil rights of court-involved youth (2003). Annie E. Casey Foundation. ▲