The NCJFCJ’s annual training for dependency court judges, the Child Abuse and Neglect Institute (CANI), provides instruction for new or experienced judges on the knowledge and skills necessary to preside over an effective child abuse…
Since 2011, the NCJFCJ has been publishing this Technical Assistance Bulletin (TAB) that identifies the disproportionality rates for children of color in foster care. With the public release of 2014 foster care data, new and…
In 2007, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, in partnership with Casey Family Programs, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention began the Courts Catalyzing Change: Achieving Equity and Fairness…
The zero tolerance policies that were adopted by many local and state education agencies in the 1990s had the unintended effect of unnecessarily introducing low-risk youth to the juvenile justice system for disruptive behaviors that…
Domestic child sex trafficking (DCST) is a growing and complex problem in the U.S. Juvenile and family court judges are in a unique position to assist victimized youth to ensure they receive necessary services to…
In partnership with the National Juvenile Defender Center, this information card highlights due process and the right to counsel; ethical standards; and key elements of ensuring meaningful access to counsel for juveniles at the initial…
All Juvenile Drug Courts (JDCs) need a process for determining how youth will get referred for consideration as participants and which youth will ultimately be accepted into the JDC program. There is no set of…
Understanding our roles and responsibilities is essential if a juvenile drug court (JDC) team wishes to reach a collaborative advantage! Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts discusses formal and informal roles for core JDC…
Determining what your juvenile drug court’s targeting and eligibility criteria can be a daunting task. However, if it is done in a systematic way, it increases the probability that the “right youth” are receiving the…
Alcohol is the most widely abused substance among America’s adolescents and its toll on youth, their families and communities is serious. There are a myriad of reasons that teens decide to drink (e.g., self-medicating, mental…
Juvenile Drug Courts (JDCs) often face important decisions when developing or revising their programs. These decisions affect JDC practices and can have far reaching implications for JDC youth. In this series, titled Seven Deadly Sins…
This model order is a tool designed to assist judges in drafting orders for the appointment of custody evaluators, particularly in cases where domestic violence is an issue. The order and companion commentary guide a…