Courting Judicial Excellence:
A Juvenile Justice Judicial Training Institute
Sponsored by the Council for State Governments and the NCJFCJ
Funding from the State Justice Institute
Hosted at the Embassy Suites by Hilton
Albuquerque, New Mexico
September 24 – 28, 2023
Register Here
WHY IS TRAINING NECESSARY?
Juvenile court judges are the most important public figures in the juvenile justice system — they decide whether hundreds of thousands of youth become court-involved each year and for how long, whether youth are involuntarily removed from their homes and communities, and which services they receive. Because of the important role that judges play in their communities, it is vital that they receive comprehensive training on juvenile justice issues.
However, based on a national study conducted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), many states lack specialized training, and many judges do not consistently receive the information and tools they need to make these critical decisions. To begin to address this gap, the CSG Justice Center and the NCJFCJ developed a first-of-its-kind judicial training institute: Courting Judicial Excellence: A Juvenile Justice Judicial Training Institute.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The institute is designed specifically for state and Tribal judicial officers who hear delinquency cases. The intended audience is judicial officers (judges, magistrates, referees, hearing officers) who hear delinquency cases as part of their general jurisdiction assignment. This includes experienced judicial officers, new judicial officers, those newly assigned to a juvenile delinquency rotation, those who hear all types of family law cases, or those who are returning to the juvenile delinquency bench after other assignments and desire a refresher course.*
*If you are a court administrator seeking to attend the institute, please contact Christina Gilbert at cgilbert@csg.org.
WHAT WILL THE INSTITUTE COVER?
The intensive and interactive in-person, 4.5-day program is designed to give participants increased knowledge, practical tools, and an essential foundation of best practices to use in delinquency cases. A strong faculty of current and former judicial officers, as well as content area experts from academic and applied settings, will share their insights about a wide variety of topics, including the following:
- Adolescent Development
- Screening and Assessment
- Youth and Family Engagement
- Judicial Ethics and Decision-Making
- Best Practices in Juvenile Justice
- Juvenile Justice and Trauma-Informed Decision-Making
- Mental Illnesses and Substance Use Disorder
- Judicial Leadership and the Role of the Judiciary in Systems Reform
Judicial officers will have a unique opportunity to meet and share with other bench officers around the country to facilitate professional connections and networks for continual learning.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The Courting Judicial Excellence Institute is free to attend. However, participants will be responsible for costs related to their travel, lodging, and meals while attending.
WHEN AND WHERE IS IT LOCATED?
September 24–28, 2023
Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque, NM
Rate: $128/night
Information regarding the hotel room block will be provided once your registration is confirmed.
HOW DO I REGISTER?
Space is limited to 50 judicial officers. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. However, to ensure diverse geographic representation, registration may be capped at a maximum of 5 participants from any state. Should your state wish to send more than 5 participants, please contact Jessica Pearce, senior site manager, at jpearce@ncjfcj.org to discuss ways to bring the training institute to your state.
All registrations are subject to approval by NCJFCJ. Completing a registration form does not mean you are registered for the conference. Should you meet the registration requirements and space is available, you will receive a registration approval email around June 1, 2023. Please do not make any travel arrangements without confirmation of registration approval!
Space is limited to 50 Judicial Officers. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.