Chief Judge Judith Kaye (left) and out-going NCJFCJ President Judge Patricia Macias

• Chief Judge Judith Kaye (ret.) of the New York Court of Appeals, provided the keynote address, entitled “On the Road to Change: Building Off-Ramps for At-Risk Adolescents,” which focused on how judges and system professionals can help at-risk youth avoid risks such as involvement in the justice system, unplanned pregnancy, and homelessness. You can read Chief Judge Kaye's remarks by clicking here.
  
• "Red Rover, Red Rover -- Our Youth are Cross-Over" examined how best to serve children involved in more than one justice system, including dependency, juvenile, child support, and family violence.
• "Engaging Fathers in the Child Protection Court Process: The Judicial Role" addressed why fathers are not involved in child protection proceedings and how judges can engage them in the process.
• "Childhood Exposure to Violence: Strengthening the Response of Communities and Leadership" discussed the risks and consequences of childhood exposure to violence, and initiatives underway in Chicago and around the country to help professionals understand and deal with the issue.
• "Understanding the Hip Hop Generation" examined this subculture, its influence and how to reach this generation.
• "DMC from a Community Perspective" examined the issue of disproportionate minority contact and the work of Cook County’s South Suburban Disproportionate Minority Confinement Forum on Youth Foundation in involving the community to combat inequity.
• "Why I Gotta Be So Hard: Understanding Girl Offenders’ Involvement in School Violence" explored how and why girls are using violence, and what processes are promoting such exchanges.
• "Domestic Violence Screening in a Court-Ordered Custody and Visitation Mediation Program" examined the issues surrounding custody cases involving domestic violence. 
• The Closing General Session featured motivational speaker and humorist John Riley who spoke about the importance of attitude in the challenging work of the juvenile and family courts. William Modzeleski, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education also spoke about the need for collaboration between education and juvenile justice agencies.

In addition to the installation of Judge Douglas Johnson of Omaha as NCJFCJ President for 2009-10, NCJFCJ passed several resolutions during the conference, including:

• Regarding the Adoption of Policy Statements and Practices Recommended in A Judicial Guide to Child Safety in Custody Cases;
• Regarding the American Bar Association’s Judicial Excellence in Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings: Principles and Standards for Court Organization, Judicial Selection and Assignment, Judicial Administration, and Judicial Education; and
• Regarding the Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 

The full text of these resolutions is available here.

Awards presented at NCJFCJ Annual Conference.

For information about NCJFCJ's upcoming training opportunities, please click here.