SJI Newsletter

January 2019 | Volume 29, No. 4

Enhanced Juvenile Justice

Guidelines Now Available

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) announced the release of

the Enhanced Juvenile Justice Guidelines, the most recent update documenting the improvement of 

court practices in juvenile justice cases. The Enhanced version was supported by SJI.

Since 2005, with the original publication of Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines: Improving Court 

Practice in Juvenile Delinquency Cases (JDG), the NCJFCJ has worked with juvenile justice courts 

to promulgate best practices in juvenile delinquency proceedings. The purpose of the Juvenile 

Delinquency Guidelines was to set forth the essential elements of effective practice for the court 

processes that are involved in the handling of juvenile delinquency cases. It identified 

recommended practices throughout the juvenile delinquency court system – from the determination 

of whether a case should enter the formal juvenile delinquency court system, to determination as to 

whether juvenile delinquency court jurisdiction should be waived and the youth transferred to 

criminal court, as well as post-disposition review of the reentry process for youth returning to the 

community from out-of-home placement.

In 2017, the NCJFCJ revisited the Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines to ensure that it reflected the 

changes in court practice, advances in brain science, the understanding of adolescent development 

and the juvenile specific rulings from the Supreme Court. The Enhanced version contains up-to-date
information on general court processes, initiating juvenile justice court processes, best practices in 

detention or initial hearings, waiver and transfer hearings, trial/adjudication hearings, disposition 

hearings, the appeals process, post-disposition reviews, and probation and parole violations.

"Much has changed within the juvenile justice system, and we are committed to implementing 

process improvement, measuring results, and sharing experiences with juvenile courts," said Judge 

John J. Romero, Jr., NCJFCJ president. "The NCJFCJ and our judges are committed to promoting 

systems change within our jurisdictions across the country."

New Online Resource Available

on State Courts and the Opioid Crisis

The center also includes information from a variety of experts, including the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, the National Institute for Drug Abuse, the American Academy of 

Pediatrics, USDA rural opioid initiative, and other federal and state agencies. In addition to 

creating the resource center, the task force has also worked with federal and state law-enforcement 

partners to create data sharing, partnerships, and policies; improved access to federal funding for 

state courts; and presented at numerous national conferences and summits to showcase 

innovative collaborations that are working across the country.

Monographs, ranging from best practices on medically assisted treatments to guardianship laws for

people with substance abuse to sample transfer agreements between state and tribal courts;

Webinars on prescription-drug-monitoring programs; and,

Videos about the science of addiction.

The National Judicial Opioid Task Force (NJOTF) has launched an online resource center to 

provide judges and court staff one place to go for easy access to opioid-related information and 

materials. The task force is supported with funding from SJI and is staffed by the National Center

for State Courts.

The resource center offers the nation's courts a comprehensive collection of best practices, policy 

recommendations, research, statistics, podcasts, and other information on opioids and the courts. 

Among the array of resources:
Latest JTC Bulletin Addresses

Social Media Marketing for Courts

The Joint Technology Committee (JTC), established by the Conference of State Court 

Administrators (COSCA), the National Association for Court Management (NACM) and the National 

Center for State Courts (NCSC), released a resource bulletin in December 2018. The publication 

covered several aspects of utilizing social media as a means by which to achieve effective court 

communication. It also examined have failure to include social media in the court's communication 

strategy can widen the gap between what the public expects, and what the court delivers.

Included in the 16-page bulletin are some key elements to creating a relevant and cohesive social 

media presence including:

1. Platforms available and most frequently used (including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram,

LinkedIn, etc.).

2. Internal and external risk review for governance team, body, or administration.

3. Social Listening – which includes more information about appropriate response time, how best to

monitor accounts, and what that includes across platforms.

While there are still risks to any communications strategy, the bulletin advises courts to strongly 

consider and invest in a social media presence to best reach consumers, the public, and their 

partners where they are – online, using devices and apps that are highly integrated.

Also included is an appendix with basic, intermediate, and advanced-level steps for courts to 

take action before, during, and while revising social media communication plans.

The task force – established by the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and the Conference of 

State Court Administrators (COSCA), and co-chaired by Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush 

(pictured above) and Tennessee State Court Administrator Deborah Taylor Tate – was formed in 

August 2017 to examine current efforts and to find solutions to address the opioid epidemic.
NACM 2019 Midyear Meeting

Time is running out to register for the NACM midyear meeting, which will be held in Little Rock, 

Arkansas, February 10 – 12, 2019. Registration closes on January 31st and onsite registration is not 

guaranteed.

NACM's 2019 theme of "Advancing Today's Courts to Meet the Challenges of Tomorrow" focuses on 

current and new solution-based technology, programs, and services in today's courts. Alternatives to 

incarceration, treatment for mental health challenges and substance abuse addiction, especially 

opioids, human trafficking, bail reform, immigration and domestic violence are just a few of the critical 

issues facing courts. As society changes, courts must adjust their delivery methods for dispensing 

justice fairly and impartially. Meeting tomorrow's challenges requires a trained workforce of court 

professionals who use innovative solutions, evidence-based and best practices, and communitybased programs and partnerships.

SJI is supporting NACM livestreaming of plenaries and select workshops, so that these important 

sessions are available online and archived, for free access to all. If you are unable to attend, be sure 

to visit the NACM website for more information on participating in the virtual elements of the meeting.
SJI Board of Directors

Chair

John D. Minton, Jr.

Chief Justice

Supreme Court of Kentucky 

Frankfort, KY

Vice Chair

Daniel J. Becker

State Court Administrator (ret.) 

Utah AOC

Salt Lake City, UT

Secretary

Gayle A. Nachtigal

Senior Circuit Court Judge

Washington County Circuit Court 

Hillsboro, OR

Treasurer

David V. Brewer

Justice

Oregon Supreme Court

Salem, OR

Jonathan Lippman

Chief Judge of New York (ret.)

of Counsel

Latham & Watkins, LLP

New York, NY

Chase T. Rogers

Chief Justice (ret.)

Supreme Court of Connecticut

Partner

Pitney Day, LLP

Hartford, CT

Wilfredo Martinez

County Judge

9th Judicial Circuit of Florida

Orlando, FL

Marsha J. Rabiteau

Executive Director

Center for Human Trafficking

Court Solutions

Bloomfield, CT

Hernan D. Vera

Principal

Bird Marella P.C.

Los Angeles, CA

Isabel Framer

President

Language Access Consultants, LLC 

Copley, OH

Jonathan D. Mattiello

Executive Director

The State Justice Institute is a federally-funded, non-profit corporation established by

federal law in 1984 to improve the quality of justice in the state courts.

Products and Resources

Since 2011, SJI has designated the library at the National Center for State Courts as the

official repository of published work related to SJI-supported grant projects. You can

search the ecollection online by using the term, State Justice Institute.

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information of interest to the entire state court community. If your organization's work 

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