More Judges Carry Weapons in Court

Many judges are bringing their own guns into their courtrooms for protection. In Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas, incidents of violence in the past year have prompted new laws or solidified rules allowing judges to bring guns into the courtrooms.

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Therapeutic Justice in Dependency Court

Judge Sharon McCully, past president of NCJFCJ, gave two reporters from the Salt Lake City Tribune permission to follow two child welfare cases over a two year period in her court, in which therapeutic justice is part of the treatment for families with addictions. There are three stories to read here.

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Probation as a Disposition for Status Offenders

This NCJJ Snapshot examines the availability of probation as a disposition for status offenders based on a comparative analysis of state juvenile codes.

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A 16 Year Old Refuses Chemotherapy

A Virginia teen went through chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s disease once and has refused a 2nd round of  treatment. His parents are charged with medical neglect. He and his parents are treating his cancer with an herbal remedy and an organic diet for which the American Cancer Society says there is no scientific evidence that it is effective. Although he isn’t old enough to vote or buy a drink, Abraham Cherrix argues that he is old enough to make decisions about treatment to save his life.

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CASA Volunteers: Keeping Watch Over Children in the System

A description of the CASA volunteers and the CASA program in Arlington, Virginia and its plans for expansion in the next year.

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Web Site: National Center for Youth Law

The web site of NCYL contains articles and information of interest to readers.

• Click here to read the latest issue of Youth Law News. This issue contains an article on the Ayotte Opinion, the recent Supreme Court ruling on parental notification in New Hampshire.

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Easy Access to State and County Juvenile Court Case Counts

This new NCJJ servicegives users quick access to State and county juvenile court case counts for delinquency, status offense, and dependency cases. Data are from 1997 to 2002. At this page, click on the “Access Case Counts” tab.

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Two New Reports on Drug Courts

Juvenile Drug Courts and Teen Substance Abuse

From the Urban Institute, this book is the first to examine the ideas behind juvenile drug courts and explore their history and popularity. Edited by Jeffrey Butts and John Roman, the publication brings in top policy experts to assess the evidence supporting juvenile drug courts and to guide the next generation of evaluation research.

Drug Courts: The Second Decade

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs has released this special report on drug courts that includes a section on juvenile drug courts. 38 page pdf file.

Juvenile Defender Delinquency Notebook

The National Juvenile Defender Center has revised and updated this manual for its 2nd edition, which is intended as an advocacy and training guide for juvenile defenders. Thirteen chapters cover everything from the initiation of the attorney-client relationship to appeals and related proceedings. Over 500 pages in its totality, but downloadable, in which case you should stock up on ink cartridges and invest in several reams of paper.  Or you can do it the easy way and order a hard copy for $20. Call 202.452.0010.

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Publication of Proposed Rules Moves the US Closer to Ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention.

A statement published at the U.S. State Department’s web site provides details on the two proposed rules and a link to an Internet page for comments on them. The first rule deals with adoption and custody proceedings in the United States. The second rule revises orphan visa processing by consular officers around the world for children being adopted and brought to the United States from a Convention country.

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