This column from ‘Hunter of Delinquency’ discusses a study of family court jurisdiction and the overlap of family members involved in related cases in criminal court, prepared by the National Center for Juvenile Justice and the National Center for State Courts.
It is vital that any efforts to address child sex trafficking in our communities must include not only survivor input but also provide opportunities for survivors to lead this work. Survivor leaders are people who hold leadership positions within their field and/or provide guidance to other survivors. Organizations and individuals must be thoughtful about why, when, and how they engage survivor leaders in the work.
Although initially embraced as an emergency measure, virtual proceedings continue to be utilized even as jurisdictions increasingly lift restrictions on in-person hearings. Before proceeding with virtual hearings, judges should be mindful of access to technology, constitutional implications, and the limitations of remote proceedings specific to youth.
Whether they realize it or not, all juvenile family court judges hear cases in their courts involving military service members (active duty, reserve, or retired) or their family members regardless of their community’s location or…