Issue Brief-Raising the Bar with Comprehensive Juvenile Indigent Defense Contracts
Quality legal representation informed by social science research and best practices is integral to ensuring the fair administration of justice in the juvenile delinquency system. The importance of a youth’s access to knowledgeable, well-resourced juvenile indigent defense counsel cannot be overstated. The prevalence of lowbid, flat-fee contracting schemes for court-appointed and contract juvenile indigent defense…
Read MoreThe Legal Defense of Juveniles: Struggling but Pushing Forward
Resource Brief for Juvenile Defenders: What Juvenile Defenders Should Know about the DSM-5
This resource brief is intended to support juvenile defense advocacy by providing an overview of some of the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) revisions, as well as recommendations and implications for juvenile defense practice. The DSM is a classification manual for mental health professionals with itemized criteria for diagnosing disorders. Juvenile…
Read MoreWhy Juvenile Justice Matters to Counties
Juvenile Defense Attorneys: A Critical Protection Against Injustice-The Importance of Skilled Juvenile Defenders to Upholding the Due Process Rights of Youth
The defender’s unique challenge is to be the advocate—the voice—of the child. To meet this challenge, and to be able to offer the court the expressed interests of the child, the juvenile defender must master a diverse set of skills to uphold core ethical obligations and to help clients navigate the complexities of the justice…
Read MoreThe Importance of Early Appointment of Counsel in Juvenile Court
Reward-Biased Risk Appraisal and Its Relation to Juvenile Versus Adult Crime
South Carolina Bar Youth Shackling Resolution & Commentary
Ten Principles for Providing Effective Defense Advocacy at Juvenile Detention Hearings
These principles are developed as a resource to help defenders and other juvenile court professionals understand the elements of effective detention advocacy on behalf of indigent juvenile clients. Defenders can be at a distinct disadvantage at the detention determination, whether it is at the beginning of the case, when indigent defense counsel often has the…
Read MoreJuvenile Defense Attorneys and Family Engagement: Same Team, Different Roles
The juvenile court system is a very complicated and confusing place for anyone who does not regularly work within it. Court involvement can be a extremely stressful process in which children and their families feel like they are being judged and imposed upon at every turn. For all the reasons outlined in this fact sheet,…
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