Judging in juvenile court is specialized and complex, going beyond the traditional role of the judge. Juvenile court judges, as the gatekeepers to the foster care system and guardians of the original problem solving court,…
Disproportionality and disparities in the treatment of children of color have been a growing concern in the child welfare system. Nationally, the primary concern is the overrepresentation of African American children within the child welfare…
Individuals in the dependency system believe that it is important to have parties present at early decision-making hearings without much empirical support. This paper examines how involvement of mothers, fathers, and their respective legal representatives…
In 2007, the NCJFCJ partnered with the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts to begin conducting a multi-year assessment of juvenile dependency practice (Washington Workload Study). The goal of the project was to assess judicial…
The NCJFCJ continues to be a leader in advancing the use of effective multi-system responses to youth and families. In 2010, with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to support critical…
This article looks at the bias with which people view the world, how that bias impacts decisions and how to reduce the implicit bias in our decision-making, in juvenile and family justice.
This technical assistance bulletin was designed to provide information, guidance, and aspirational practice recommendations to dependency courts and dependency court judges with regard to bringing children to court for hearings related to their own dependency cases. It is…
This Technical Assistance Brief summarizes the findings from the most recent iteration of the National Incidence Study (NIS-4) and examines some of the differences from previous iterations, considers the implications of the study and these differences,…
Developed, managed, and guided by the NCJFCJ, Model Court jurisdictions engage in cutting-edge local, statewide, and national program, policy, and initiative development. This Technical Assistance Brief outlines the expectations of Model Courts as they continually…
In 2005, the NCJFCJ received funding from the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement to provide state court judges and other judicial officers with practical, easy-to-use tools that facilitate realistic and…
Unidentified domestic violence or unsafe intervention in domestic violence situations may contribute to poor outcomes for families. This guide was written to help stakeholders develop effective Program Improvement Plans for achieving safety, permanency, and well-being…
This publication, also known as the Burgundy Book, preceded Civil Protection Orders: A Guide for Improving Practice (2010). Recognizing the need to promote enforcement of protection orders as a way to promote victim safety and…