JUVENILE JUSTICE BULLETIN

From the Administrator

This past year there were more than

1 million abused and neglected children nationwide. With parents who

are either physically or emotionally

unable to care for them, these children find champions in CASA volunteers. Working in conjunction with

child protective services and the juvenile justice system, the CASA program helps to meet the needs of

these children for safety and for suitable, permanent homes.

The Office of Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) views

CASA not only as a safety net for

abused and neglected children, but

also as an essential ally in delinquency prevention. Research shows

that abused and neglected children—often shuttled from home to

home—are at increased risk of repeating the same violent behavior

they experience, and hence at increased risk of becoming delinquents and adult criminals. The

CASA-supported system interrupts

this cycle.

CASA works because its volunteers—court appointed special advocates—make it work. This Bulletin

describes how the system benefits

from their time, skill, objectivity, and

concern for each child’s welfare. Appreciated by judicial, legal, and social

service communities, CASA works to

change lives one child at a time.

Shay Bilchik

Administrator

Shay Bilchik, Administrator March 1997

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFF ICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

BJA NI J OJJDP BJS OVC

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Court Appointed Special

Advocates: A Voice for

Abused and Neglected

Children in Court

The court was considering returning 4-

year-old Julie to her mother after a year and

a half in foster care. Julie had been beaten

by both her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. A Court Appointed Special Advocate

(CASA) volunteer discovered that Julie’s

mother had been convicted of abusing another child, a fact that had not been brought

to the court’s attention. The volunteer also

alerted the court to the fact that the mother’s

boyfriend, a known drug abuser, still lived in

the home. The volunteer recommended that

the court terminate the mother’s parental

rights and allow Julie to be adopted by an

aunt who wanted very much to care for her.

Tony and his brother had been removed

from their mother for neglect—they lived in

a dirty house without food and were left

alone by their mother while she was away

from the house to get food stamps. A CASA

volunteer ensured that Tony and his brother

visited their mother regularly while she was

treated for depression. The volunteer then

helped their mother secure a new apartment

and a job with daycare on site. The family

was reunited after 11 months.1

In Spanish casa means home. In the

juvenile justice system, CASA denotes a

court appointed special advocate, a

trained volunteer who advises the court

about the best interests of abused and

neglected children like Tony and Julie.

CASA volunteers work to ensure that a

child’s right to a safe, permanent home is

acted upon by the court in a sensitive and

appropriate manner.

In each case a CASA volunteer conducts

an independent review of the child’s circumstances and submits a formal recommendation for the child’s placement. During the course of that review, the CASA

volunteer interviews individuals with pertinent information, such as the child, parents, family members, teachers, neighbors,

and doctors, and inspects all pertinent

records and documents.

History of the CASA

Program

The courts have not always protected

the long-term interests of children, particularly those who have been abused and

neglected. In 1976 more than one-half million children in the United States were in

foster care, often unable to be reunited

with their families or adopted by new

ones. Foster care, designed to be temporary shelter, became a de facto permanent placement for many of these children. Contributing to this situation, in

part, was the fact that judges were not

always provided with sufficient information to determine the best placement for a

child’s long-term welfare.

1 These are composite illustrations of typical CASA experiences, not actual cases.
2

Currently, nearly 650 child advocate

programs (CASA, GAL, Voices for Children, and others) operate in the 50 States,

Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The CASA concept has received

wide recognition since its inception, including endorsement by the American Bar

Association in 1989 and by Congress in

the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990

(P.L. 101–647). The Act calls for expanded

use of CASA’s to the effect that “a court

appointed special advocate shall be available to every victim of child abuse or neglect in the United States that needs such

an advocate.”

How the CASA

Program Helps

Before the CASA program was established, it was not unusual for dependent

children to get lost in the labyrinth of the

courts. Although their future depended on

a judge’s decision, these children did not

have trained representatives to research

their cases and speak for them in court.

The courtroom was filled with professionals including social workers and attorneys,

but few of them had the time to find out

what was best for each child. Social workers’ heavy caseloads prohibited them from

giving detailed attention to each child’s

case, and although attorneys were often

present to advocate a child’s interests,

judges too often lacked sufficient information to make decisions as to where abused

or neglected children would live.

Because they deal with only one or

two children at a time, CASA volunteers

have time to research each case thoroughly. Their work pays off. The information they gather helps the judge form a

more complete picture of a child’s life

and helps CASA volunteers make a fully

informed recommendation for a child’s

placement. CASA volunteers are the

safety net keeping many children from

falling through the cracks of the child

welfare system. They aid permanency

planning efforts and help thousands of

children find safe, nurturing homes.

The Role of the CASA

Only the court can appoint CASA volunteers, and only the court can dismiss them

if they fail to meet their responsibilities.

Ideally, a volunteer is appointed when a

child’s interests are first threatened and a

petition is presented to the court. Typically, the appointment is made during or

immediately after the first hearing, which

may be a shelter care or custody hearing.

CASA volunteers investigate, evaluate,

and recommend to the court what is in

the child’s immediate and long-term interests. In that capacity they serve as:

◆ Investigators—to determine relevant

facts through personal interviews and

a review of records, documents, and

clinical data.

◆ Advocates—to present an accurate

portrait of the child before the court at

hearings through written reports and

direct testimony to make sure that the

judge, social service staff, and legal

counsel fulfill their obligations.

David W. Soukup, presiding judge of

King County Superior Court in Seattle,

Washington, became greatly concerned

about making decisions that had significant impact on dependent children’s futures. He began to consider ways to make

sure the child’s best interests were represented in court. Traditionally, the child’s

advocate in court had been the guardian

ad litem (GAL), an attorney appointed by

the court. Few of these attorneys, however,

had the time or training to conduct the

kind of comprehensive review that would

allow the court to make informed decisions

about appropriately placing a child.

Judge Soukup decided to recruit and

train volunteers from the community to

serve as children’s long-term GAL’s. His

concept became an active program in Seattle on January 1, 1977, and in its first

year the program provided 110 trained

volunteers for 498 children in 376 dependency cases.

In the fall of 1977, the Children in

Placement Committee of the National

Council of Juvenile and Family Court

Judges (NCJFCJ) developed guidelines to

help the juvenile justice system protect

the child’s right to a safe, permanent family. When the Seattle program came to the

committee’s attention, committee members voted to incorporate Soukup’s volunteer concept as one of its models.

In 1978 a nationwide study was conducted for OJJDP to evaluate volunteer

child advocate programs in juvenile

courts. Seattle’s program was rated one of

the country’s most successful and innovative volunteer child advocate programs.

As reports of Seattle’s success spread,

States began to pass legislation authorizing CASA programs. New programs

sprang up in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, New York, and Rhode Island.

“As a judge, I had to make tough decisions.

I had to decide whether to take a child from

the only home he’s ever known, or leave

him someplace where he might possibly

be abused. I needed someone who could

tell me what was best for that

child—from the child’s viewpoint.

That’s what CASA does.”

Founder of CASA David W. Soukup

“We have got to take America back to the

point where it puts her children first; in the family,

in the workplace, in everything we do. CASA

volunteers, of all people in America, are

doing that. And we now have to take

this mighty network and carry it

further into every community

 throughout America.”

Janet Reno

United States Attorney General
3

◆ Monitors—to ensure compliance with

court orders by all parties and to bring

to the court’s attention any changes in

circumstances that require modification of a court order; to ensure that the

child remains safe until a permanent

resolution is reached.

CASA volunteers are the eyes and ears

of the court, making objective assessments of a child’s needs. Judges rely

heavily on their independent recommendations. However, because the CASA volunteer is only one of several parties issuBecoming a CASA

Volunteer

Typical CASA recruitment literature

reads:

If you are a mature, responsible adult

who can relate to families in stressful situations and are willing to commit your

time to ensure that an abused or neglected

child ends up in a safe, permanent, nurturing home by speaking up for that child

in court, you may be interested in becoming a CASA volunteer.

No special background is required to

become a CASA volunteer, but qualities

found in effective volunteers include the

following:

◆ Independent, objective thinking and

impartiality.

◆ Persistence and dedication to completing a thorough case review.

◆ Ability to serve as an active CASA volunteer throughout the case, which may

take months to complete.

◆ Good communication skills.

◆ Willingness and ability to learn.

Training

CASA training covers the topics of

abuse and neglect, the legal system, court

procedures, foster care and permanency

planning, advocacy, cultural awareness,

and the role of the volunteer. OJJDP’s National CASA Program (described below)

lative committees, help to identify program

directors, and participate in the training

and recognition of volunteers.

A successful CASA program requires

cooperation and good will among volunteers and professionals involved in the

case. This can be facilitated by clearly

defining the CASA role in the proceedings

and by working closely with professional

groups. A CASA volunteer also needs to

consult with attorneys and social workers

during the course of the case, thereby

enlisting their trust and cooperation.

“Before I became an advocate, I had no

idea what happened to these youngsters

and never considered how I could help.

As more of us fight for these abused and

neglected children, perhaps the level of

public awareness will be raised and we’ll

be able to protect more before they’re lost forever.”

Margaret Crane

CASA Volunteer

ing recommendations in a case, the court

may or may not accept them. Each case is

determined on the facts presented and

the relation of those facts to the case and

to State and Federal laws.

Establishing a

Successful CASA

Program

To develop a successful CASA program, care must be taken to integrate it

into the existing justice system and community. The following requisites have

been identified:

◆ Having a strong judge who serves as

the program’s advocate and mentor.

◆ Clearly defining the CASA’s role.

◆ Appointing an efficient and

effective program director.

◆ Recruiting and training of a diverse

group of volunteers.

The strong support of a judge can provide the impetus for the program and attract community support. Judges often are

the prime movers behind CASA efforts.

They present proposals to the administrative judge who can authorize adoption of

the program, meet with community organizations, present the concept to State legisA skilled program director should be

selected as soon as a CASA program is

established. Many CASA programs have

hired individuals with social service

backgrounds, while some have hired attorneys. The program director recruits

volunteers, assigns them to cases, and

supervises them throughout litigation;

develops and implements training programs; and builds cooperative relation-

“Abused and neglected children need

someone to speak up for them. No one does

this more effectively and with more dedication

than the CASA volunteer. As a judge,

I rely heavily on the CASA’s insight and

recommendation to the court. CASA does work.”

Past President Judge Salvadore T. Mule

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

ships with key personnel in the courts,

child welfare agencies, and the community. In a nonprofit program, the director

may also work with a board of directors

and raise funds. As a program grows, a

volunteer coordinator may be hired to

work directly with the volunteers.

provides a comprehensive 40-hour curriculum that local jurisdictions can adapt

to their needs. After their initial training,

CASA volunteers may receive continuing

inservice training. Experts on topics such

as drug dependency or HIV may be

brought in for additional sessions.
4

National Court

Appointed Special

Advocate Association

The National CASA Association was

formed in 1982 to strengthen the integrity

and professionalism of its members in

their responsibilities as child advocates

and to unify and promote the national network of CASA/GAL programs.

The National CASA Association offers

an annual national conference, technical

assistance, program development and

funding, resource materials, bulletins on

current topics such as legislation, and a

national newsletter. The Association also

conducts public awareness campaigns

and provides programs with public service announcements, posters, and other

promotional items.

OJJDP provides funding for the National

CASA Association and for local programs

through a National CASA grants program.

The Association is a membership organization for both CASA programs and individuals who support the CASA concept.

The Association receives contributions

from both public and private sources.

Resources

 For information on joining the National CASA Association, contact your local CASA program; to start a CASA program in your community, contact:

National Court Appointed Special

 Advocate Association

100 West Harrison Street

North Tower, Suite 500

Seattle, WA 98102

800–628–3233

206–270–0072

206–270–0078 (fax)

E-mail: staff@nationalcasa.org

http://www.nationalcasa.org

Other resources include:

Advocates for Youth

1025 Vermont Avenue NW., Suite 200

Washington, DC 20005

202–347–5700

202–347–2263 (fax)

Contact: Laura Davis or Susan Pagliaro

E-mail: info@advocatesforyouth.org

Children’s Defense Fund

25 E Street NW.

Washington, DC 20001

202–628–8787

202–662–3530 (fax)

http://www.childrensdefense.org

Child Welfare League of America, Inc.

440 First Street NW., Suite 310

Washington, DC 20001–2085

202–638–2952

202–638–4004 (fax)

http://www.handsnet.org/cwla

National Association of Child Advocates

1522 K Street NW., Suite 600

Washington, DC 20005

202–289–0777

202–289–0776 (fax)

Contact: Eve Brooks, President

E-mail: naca1@erols.com

National Association of Counsel for

 Children

1205 Oneida Street

Denver, CO 80220

303–322–2260

303–329–3523 (fax)

E-mail: naccnatl@aol.com

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes

the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau

of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of

Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

This Bulletin was prepared by Mercedes

Lawry, Communications Director for the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, under grant numbers 96–CH–NX–K001

and 96–CH–NX–K002 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S.

Department of Justice.

Points of view or opinions expressed in this

document are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the official position or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice.

National Children’s Advocacy Center

200 West Side Square, Suite 700

Huntsville, AL 35801

800–543–7006

205–533–0531

205–534–6883 (fax)

National Network of Children’s

 Advocacy Centers

Building D, Suite 202

115 Manning Drive

Huntsville, AL 35801–4341

205–536–6280

Contact: Donna Boone Johnson

or

1319 F Street NW., Suite 1001

Washington, DC 20004

202–639–0597

202–639–0511 (fax)

Contact: Judith Brown, Communications

Director

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Washington, D.C. 20531

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