bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Family Immigration History on Blacks in Higher Education
Authors: Thomas Audrey Alforque
Published: July 2009

Social science research has a strong tradition of explicating the link between race and educational attainment. This review explores racial differences in achievement in higher education with the added dimension of family immigration history. In particular, this article focuses on Black students and compares African‐Americans or native Blacks with those Black students whose families immigrated to the United States within the past two generations. Theories which aid in this comparison are: socioeconomic explanations, segmented assimilation theory, theories of social capital, the theory of oppositional culture, and stereotype threat. Empirical evidence for each theoretical explanation is provided. This article concludes with a call for further research in differences in educational attainment by race and immigrant generation, focusing on early education, emerging multi‐racial groups, and gender.
Social Problems Work: The Cases of Children and Youth
Authors: Miller Gale , Vitus Kathrine
Published: July 2009

This article reviews the literature on social problems work concerned with children and young people. Social problems work involves assessing particular people, events and circumstances as instances of social problems. We focus on how social problems work is organized within discourses of childhood and youth, how it is a site for holding children and young people accountable, and how normalization is an aspect of social problems work. Our review brings together analytic themes in the literature on social problems and that on children and young people. We also point to topics that might be elaborated upon in future research on social problems work concerned with children and young people.
The ‘New’ Sociology of Empire and Colonialism
Authors: Go Julian
Published: July 2009

This study reviews recent sociological scholarship on empire and colonialism. The new ‘imperial–colonial studies’ in sociology is not a fully fledged subfield but an emerging space of inquiry that examines social forms, processes, and relations associated with imperialism and colonialism. This study sketches the main features of the new scholarship. It also situates the new sociological studies within a larger history of sociological inquiry and interdisciplinary context. Finally, it suggests that the future of sociology’s new imperial–colonial studies lies not in ‘sociologizing’ the study of empire and colonialism but in deploying analyses of empire and colonialism to help critically reorient some of traditional sociology’s limiting lenses and assumptions.
Appalachia and the Construction of Whiteness in the United States
Authors: Scott Rebecca R.
Published: July 2009

The field of critical whiteness studies has made significant progress in the deconstruction of ideologies of white supremacy. In part, this has been accomplished by analyzing whiteness as a racial identity. Another step in this deconstruction has been a focus on groups of marginalized whites, ‘white trash’ or ‘hillbillies’. Since the mid‐19th Century, Appalachia has been considered the paradigmatic place for these marginalized whites in the United States. Hillbillies are simultaneously stigmatized and idealized in the national culture. Accounting for both the negative and positive representations makes visible how marginalized white identity is a space where white hegemony is both challenged and reaffirmed.
Change in mRNA Expression after Atenolol, a Beta‐adrenergic Receptor Antagonist and Association with Pharmacological Response
Authors: Kohli Utkarsh , Grayson Britney L. , Aune Thomas M. , Ghimire Laxmi V. , Kurnik Daniel , Stein C. Michael
Published: July 2009

Aims. Genetic determinants of variability in response to β‐blockers are poorly characterized. We defined changes in mRNA expression after a β‐blocker to identify novel genes that could affect response and correlated these with inhibition of exercise‐induced tachycardia, a measure of β‐blocker sensitivity.

Methods. Nine subjects exercised before and after a single oral dose of 25mg atenolol and mRNA gene expression was measured using an Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Array. The area under the heart rate‐exercise intensity curve (AUC) was calculated for each subject; the difference between post‐ and pre‐atenolol AUCs (Δ AUC), a measure of β‐blocker response, was correlated with the fold‐change in mRNA expression of the genes that changed more than 1.3‐fold.

Results. Fifty genes showed more than 1.3‐fold increase in expression; 9 of these reached statistical significance (P < 0.05). Thirty‐six genes had more than 1.3‐fold decrease in expression after atenolol; 6 of these reached statistical significance (P < 0.05). Change in mRNA expression ofFGFBP2and Probeset ID 8118979 was significantly correlated with atenolol response (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively).

Conclusion. The expression of several genes not previously identified as part of the adrenergic signaling pathway changed in response to a single oral dose of atenolol. Variation in these genes could contribute to unexplained differences in response to β‐blockers.
Virtual study groups: Internet‐based collaborative revision for the FRANZCR examinations
Authors: Fong A , Sidhom M , Hayden A , Thiagarajan A
Published: July 2009

Preparation for the FRANZCR examination series is often performed cooperatively in study groups. Meeting face‐to‐face on a regular basis is time‐consuming and distances can be prohibitive for trainees in isolated centres. We present a report of a web‐based study group that used home‐based broadband technologies and we discuss its efficacy and feasibility, as well as various technical issues that arose during the course of the meetings. Web‐based peer revision is a useful tool that should be employed by trainees.
Valsartan Improves Endothelial Dysfunction in Hypertension: A Randomized, Double‐Blind Study
Authors: Tzemos Nikolaos , Lim Pitt O. , MacDonald Thomas M.
Published: July 2009

Endothelial dysfunction can predict cardiac outcomes in hypertension and reversing this abnormality has become an attractive therapeutic objective. We tested the hypothesis that blocking the angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor with valsartan in comparison with amlodipine would lead to an improvement in forearm resistance artery endothelial dysfunction. In total, 25 hypertensive subjects (mean age 60 years, SD 8) with a mean daytime ambulatory blood pressure (BP) of 154 (10)/97 (6) mmHg were randomized following a 3‐week placebo run‐in period to a double‐blind, crossover trial of 16‐week treatment periods with either valsartan or amlodipine, separated by a 3‐week washout period. Intra‐arterial infusions of acetylcholine (ACh) and NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine (L‐NMMA) were used to assess stimulated and basal endothelium‐dependent nitric oxide (NO) release, respectively. Coinfusion of ACh and L‐NMMA was employed to investigate the existence of an NO‐independent vasodilatory pathway. Valsartan and amlodipine each lowered the clinical BP to the same extent (139 [7]/87 [6] and 139 [11]/89 [4] mmHg, respectively). The vasodilatory response to ACh was significantly increased with valsartan (maximal percentage change in forearm blood flow (max. ΔFBF%) 301 [47] vs. 185 [34], mean [SEM]; P < 0.05) as compared with placebo, but remained unchanged with amlodipine. Both valsartan and amlodipine similarly increased the vasoconstrictive response to L‐NMMA (max. ΔFBF%–43 [5], −42 [5], respectively, vs. –26 [3] baseline; P < 0.001). The vasodilatory response after coinfusion of ACh and L‐NMMA was significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced only with valsartan. Valsartan reserved peripheral endothelial dysfunction through both NO‐dependent and ‐independent pathways, while for the same degree of BP control, amlodipine had only a partial effect on NO bioactivity.
Self‐Reported Delinquency and Alienation: A Study of Juvenile Crime
Authors: Nigem Elias T , LaGrange Randy , King James A.
Published: July 2009

Based on a probability sample of 7542 from the seventh, ninth, 11th grade students of the Toledo metropolitan area, this study, using self‐reported delinquency, investigated the relationship between alienation and deviant behavior. A positive association between alienation (normlessness and societal estrangement) and self‐reported delinquency were observed. The degree of association and the direction still maintained when controlled for the age and sex of the students.
Quaker Origins of Juvenile Justice Reform
Authors: Cromwell Paul
Published: July 2009

This study traces the contributions of the Society of Friends‐Quakers‐to the earliest efforts directed at reform in the juvenile justice system. Although it is generally settled that Quakers were the founders of the American penitentiary and that Quaker principles have contributed to reform in the adult prisons system in America, the Quaker contributions to the development of humane treatment for children accused of crime have been obscured. The first attempt in America to remove children from adult prisons and to recognize their special status in the justice system resulted from the humanitarian efforts of early 19th century Quakers to understand and ameliorate the problem of poverty. Their investigations led to the founding of the Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquency, the first American voluntary association solely concerned with delinquency and the problems associated with juvenile crime.
Wilderness Programs for Juvenile Offenders: A Challenging Alternative
Authors: Roberts Albert R.
Published: July 2009

Within the context of juvenile justice a distinction can be made between alternatives which are intended primarily to meet rehabilitation goals (e.g., wilderness adventure programs) and alternatives which are intended primarily to meet social control goals (e.g., juvenile training schools). This article begins with a discussion of the similarities and differences between traditional training schools and wilderness programs. The author then provides a brief historical perspective on wilderness programs, followed by an examination of the similarities and differences among the various established wilderness programs. A detailed description of one of the most widely known adventure programs — Vision Quest—is presented. Some of the more critical programmatic factors are reviewed, including, the purposes, nature, content, and evaluations of wilderness programs. The author concludes by calling for more research based on uniform statistics, standardized outcome and recidivism measures, and longitudinal data so valid comparisons of the effectiveness of the various programs can be made.
A Proposed Determinate Sentencing Model In Virginia: An Empirical Evaluation
Authors: Benda Brent B. , Waite Dennis
Published: July 2009

After a brief presentation of issues that preceded the current disillusionment with the indeterminate sentencing practices in juvenile justice, the authors describe a determinate sentencing model being proposed in Virginia. Then, data are discussed comparing length of sentence under the proposed model to incarceration periods under the present indeterminate structure according to offense history, age, gender, and race. Finally, some immediate implications of the proposed model of sentencing are discussed.
Recommendations for Judicial Action on Adoption Disruption
Authors: Hampton Jacquelyn , Poertner John
Published: July 2009

Abstract

Adoption disruption is examined by a brief literature review and by the presentation of findings from a juvenile court case review process. Among the findings is the crucial role played by a juvenile court judge who intervened with emphasis on post‐placement services for adoptive families and children, which minimized the risk of the placements to disrupt. Recommendations are offered to assist the juvenile justice system when decisions must be made that will effect unstable adoptive placements.
Punishment, Accountability, and the New Juvenile Justice
Authors: Forst Martin L. , Crim D. , Blomquist Martha‐Elin
Published: July 2009

The juvenile justice system has undergone radical change in the past three decades. The procedural revolution that began at the end of the 1960s with the Gault decision has more recently evolved into a substantive revolution. The changes in juvenile justice have been many and in some instances drastic, particularly in the apparent demise of the rehabilitative ideal. New theories or models have emerged, incorporating terminology such as punishment, justice, and accountability into the vocabulary of juvenile justice practitioners and the lexicon of state juvenile codes.

The transformation in the philosophy and underlying goals of the system has been well‐documented over the past decade or so. It is now time to ask critical questions about the significance and meaning of this transformation and to bring attention to unresolved issues. This article suggests the issues that need to be addressed in order to make both practical and philosophical sense out of the changes in the mission of “juvenile justice.”
The Impact of Mediating Victim Offender Conflict: An Analysis of Programs in Three States
Authors: Umbreit Mark S. , Coates Robert B.
Published: July 2009

Abstract

This article presents the findings of an analysis of victim offender mediation programs working with the juvenile courts in Albuquerque (NM), Minneapolis (MN) and Oakland (CA). The study is based upon 868 interviews with crime victims and offenders, including pre‐ and post‐mediation interviews and two different comparison groups.

The data that emerged from this study indicates that the vast majority of both victims and young offenders experience the mediation process and outcome (restitution agreement) as fair and are satisfied with the program. The mediation process used by the programs in Albuquerque, Minneapolis and Oakland results in greater satisfaction, greater perception of fairness and higher restitution completion rates than found in a matched sample of victims and offenders who were not referred to mediation.
A Prospective Investigation of Racial Disparity in the Juvenile Justice System
Authors: Kurtz P. David , Giddings Martha M. , Sutphen Richard
Published: July 2009

Abstract Black males are over‐represented in the juvenile justice system. With the exception of a few recent studies, most investigations to determine why such over‐representation exists have used retrospective data from existing records, conceptualized their research as a series of separate juvenile justice decisions, and employed bivariate and zero‐order correlation techniques. This paper presents the results of a prospective study designed to determine why disproportionately more black than white males are represented in Georgia's juvenile justice system. Youth from eight communities were tracked through four decision points: police apprehension, and juvenile court intake, adjudication, and disposition. The study examines the direct and indirect effects of race on decision making. Multivariate analysis methods allowed specification of results for each separate decision point as well as the cumulative effects of race across decision points.
The Dynamics of Running Away, Deinstitutionalization Policies and the Police
Authors: Joe Karen A.
Published: July 2009

Abstract Over the last decade, public concern about the risks associated with running away has risen, and conservative policy makers have advocated for a “rethinking” of the juvenile justice system's liberal reforms of the 1970s, especially the deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO). Yet questions over the impact of DSO remain unanswered. This study examines the emergence of and debates about DSO to understand the contemporary “status” of runaways. Official reports on runaways and interviews with police and youth workers suggest that most youth return home and that police efforts to locate and assist runaways are constrained by legal and practical forces.
Social Skills Training in Juvenile Detention: A Rationale
Authors: Roush David W.
Published: July 2009

The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Juvenile Detention Association or the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Family Group Conferencing Comes to the U.S.: A Comparison with Victim‐Offender Mediation
Authors: Umbreit Mark S. , Stacey Susan L.
Published: July 2009

A boy hesitantly appears in the doorway to a meeting room. A large man wearing a name tag greets him thoughtfully and points out where he should sit in the horseshoe of chairs in the room. The boy crosses the room, picks his name tag up off the chair, puts it on crookedly, and sits down. On his face apprehension alternates with bravado. As his mother and sister, done with hanging their coats, enter the room the boy begins to fidget quietly. The large man greets them and points out their places in the horseshoe of chairs; they find their name tags on their chairs and sit down on either side of the boy. Other people that the boy and his family are close to appear in the doorway, are greeted, and move to their seats farther down the arch of the horseshoe: his grandfather and cousin, his basketball coach, his school social worker, an elderly neighbor, and a member of his mother's church. Their faces, and those of his mother and sister, betray various emotions; grim calm, hopefulness, solemnity, foreboding, sadness, and quiet interest. When they are seated, the chairs on one side of the horseshoe arch are full. The investigating officer enters, and sits at the apex of the arch.

When they are all seated, the large man leaves the room and comes back with a group of people who have been waiting in a nearby room. The boy's victim enters the room first; she is a small, white‐haired woman who shakes a little as she crosses the room and sits in a chair directly across the horseshoe from the boy. The boy glances quickly at her and then looks down and away to avoid her eyes. On her face, anxiety is swiftly replaced by surprise, relief, and then anger as she openly studies the boy across from her. Her daughter, a middleaged woman, sits down on one side of her, and her teenaged grandson takes his place on the other side of the victim. The older woman's minister, two elderly women neighbors, and a middle‐aged male friend find their name tags on chairs further down the horseshoe's arch. When they sit down they fill the last vacancies in the horseshoe of chairs. The large man who greeted them all takes his place on a chair at the open end of the horseshoe. He is the conference coordinator and the only one with whom every person present has spoken about this meeting. He smiles quietly, looks around the circle of faces, clears his throat, and begins the family group conference.
The Effect of Race on Juvenile Justice Processing
Authors: Wu Bohsiu
Published: July 2009

Studies concerning differential treatment of minority youths in the juvenile justice system have not provided conclusive evidence. However, previous literature has revealed methodological problems which may account for the inconsistency among previous studies. Multi‐stage design, adequate control of legal and non‐legal variables, and refined measurement of social variables have been demonstrated as crucial elements in resolving the inconclusiveness in previous studies. The purpose of this study is to employ these approaches to detect case‐handling bias at three stages of juvenile justice processing: detention, adjudication, and disposition. Data were obtained from juvenile cases reported to the Ohio trial court in 1989. A total of 2,334 court cases were randomly sampled from 17 Ohio counties. Research findings showed a differential treatment of minority juveniles at the detention stage. Further, detention status was also found to have an increasing impact at the two subsequent decision points.
Improving juvenile dependency courts:Twenty‐Three Steps
Authors: Edwards Judge Leonard P.
Published: July 2009

New federal support for improvement in the handling of child welfare cases has made it possible for juvenile and family court judges to assess how well courts are implementing the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980. This article first describes the purposes of the Act, and then suggest 23 steps to consider in attempts to improve the court process.
Another permanency perspective:Family Drug Court
Authors: Mcgee Judge Charles M.
Published: July 2009

Because a staggering percentage of criminal court caseloads are intrinsically related to drug or alcohol abuse, general jurisdiction courts with rehabilitative “Drug Court” programs have experienced notable success. A similarly large number of juvenile and family court cases also involve substance abuse. The establishment of a “Family Drug Court” is allowing parents involved in abuse and neglect litigation to benefit from the juvenile justice system's social service mode of rehabilitation.
The design and implementation of Family Foster Care Services for high risk delinquents Transitioning from Correctional Confinement
Authors: DAVIS JAMES W. , PECORA PETER J. , JOYCE CHARLEY , FLEMMER LOWELL , EDMONDSON JAMES , CEGERHARDT JOY , HENDERSON KENT , PADDOCK GLEN , PROHN NICOLE S. LE , ARMSTRONG TROY
Published: July 2009

Specialized Family Care (SFC) provides planned, long term family foster care to youth who have been adjudicated as delinquent and who are at high risk of on‐going delinquent behavior following their transition into the community from correctional confinement. The program is funded and operated through a collaborative arrangement among The Casey Family Program‐Bismarck Division, the North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS) and the North Dakota Division of Juvenile Services (DJS).

Specially recruited, trained and supported foster families work closely with a dual case management system of services provided by SFC social workers and DJS case managers responsible for community‐based aftercare. Individual case plans for youth involve a mix of intensive aftercare programming for delinquent behaviors, individually designed intervention strategies, intensive supervision, and intensive casework. This article discusses the program model, implementation challenges, costs and preliminary outcomes.
Private Versus Public Placements A study of recidivism among adjudicated juvenile offenders
Authors: TERRY W. CLINTON , STOLZENBERG LISA , D'ALESSIO STEWART J.
Published: July 2009

The shift from public to private placements for juveniles offenders has become much more pronounced over the last several decades. Using longitudinal data drawn from a medium‐sized Midwestern county, we examine whether private residential placements are more effective than public training schools in reducing recidivism levels. We define recidivism in terms of level of reoffending, seriousness of reoffending, and time to failure. We control for a variety of demographic and legal factors to reduce the possibility of spurious findings. Results show that private placements are no more effective than commitments to state‐operated institutions in reducing recidivism levels. Additionally, the cost associated with committing juveniles to private facilities is substantially higher. We conclude by considering how our study informs current debate about the privatization of juvenile corrections.
WINNING THE BATTLES AND THE WARS. An evaluation of comprehensive, community‐based delinquency prevention programming
Authors: HOWITT PAMELA S. , MOORE EUGENE ARTHUR , GAULIER BERNARD
Published: July 2009

This three‐year program evaluation investigated the primary prevention aspects of Youth Assistance (YA), a community‐based program of the Oakland County Probate Court providing casework and prevention services. The activities studied included parent education sessions, supervised teen recreation, summer camp scholarships, skill building activities, and a one‐to‐one mentorship program. The goals of the study were to determine how effectively the program succeeded in mobilizing community volunteers, and to examine whether the incidence of neglect and delinquency had been reduced as a result of children and parents participating in one or more of these primary prevention activities. Ethnographical as well as quasi‐experimental approaches were used. The following results are highlighted: YA primary prevention services do serve “at risk” populations in the community; overall, participation in the YA activities had positive effects on the participants, such as improved communication skills, increased respect for authority, and more use of positive discipline techniques; 92% of the primary prevention program participants had no subsequent contact with YA or the Court; the program is cost‐effective. The study also confirmed that volunteers are an essential part of the success of a community‐based prevention program. The study resulted in a number of specific recommendations which will be implemented over the next few years in order to continuously improve the program.
An interdisciplinary collaborative model for developing psycholegal questions in court ordered child custody evaluations
Authors: Gould Jonathan
Published: July 2009

When a child custody evaluation is ordered from the bench, it is common practice for a judge to include a request for psychological evaluation of the parents and their minor children. Occasionally, a judge will provide a list of questions to be assessed. It is often left to the examiner to draw inferences from the court order and pleadings about the precise scope and purpose of the evaluation. This article proposes a model for the interdisciplinary collaboration of judges, attorneys and evaluators prior to the writing of the court order in the formulation of specific psycholegal questions that reflect the concerns of the court as well as those of the attorney and their clients and which may be anchored in the behavioral science literature. Such a model best suits the court by providing information on specific, legally relevant areas useful to the trier of fact.
Are Teen Courts An Answer to Our Juvenile Delinquency Problems?
Authors: HARRISON PAIGE , MAUPIN JAMES R. , MAYS G. LARRY
Published: July 2009

Teen courts are being implemented across the country at a speed that surpasses the celerity with which research of program effectiveness can be performed. This study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of the Dona Ana County, New Mexico, Teen Court by looking at the rate of recidivism for, program participants as well as possible influential factors upon the rate of recidivism. The subjects were 478 randomly selected participants who were traced though the Juvenile Probation and Parole Office to detect any referrals following teen court participation. The study found a recidivism rate of 25% between 1994 and 1998, which was affected by several factors, including gender, age, prior offenses, and program completion. The study was not a comprehensive evaluation, but it did reinforce the need for further research in the area.
Child Welfare Workers and Michigan's Family Court Legislation: The Relationship Between Policy and Practice
Authors: KOZAKIEWICZ JOSEPH
Published: July 2009

Michigan created a family court in 1998, combining in a single court jurisdiction over most family law cases. This study examines the child welfare workers' role in creating the family court, the family court's impact on child welfare workers' practice, and child welfare workers' efforts to educate other professionals on the potential benefits of the family court system. This study found that child welfare workers were not actively involved in the creation of the family court and have not aggressively sought to educate other professionals regarding the family court's potential. Further, though child welfare workers' reception of the family court has largely been positive (or at least neutral), child welfare workers must take greater advantage of the family court system to improve the effectiveness of their practice.
A Case Management Instrument for Use in Juvenile Justice Systems
Authors: HOGE ROBERT D.
Published: July 2009

The Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) is a standardized instrument designed to assist juvenile justice system personnel in assessing risk and needs in their clients and in case planning. The measure is presented as an alternative to the unstructured informal assessments that so often guide decisions in these systems. It is relevant to all phases of the judicial process, including decisions regarding pretrial detention, transfers and waivers, preadjudicatory diversion, and sentencing. It is particularly relevant to case planning in community and institutional settings. The instrument is described, issues in application discussed, and the available psychometric information reviewed.
When the Bough Breaks the Cradle Will Fall: Promoting the Health and Well Being of Infants and Toddlers in Juvenile Court
Authors: LEDERMAN JUDGE CINDY S. , OSOFSKY JOY D. , KATZ LYNNE
Published: July 2009

Approximately one‐third of the children in the child welfare system are under the age of six. These children are almost invisible in our juvenile courts. It is now clear from the emerging science of early childhood development that during the first few years of life children develop the foundation and capabilities on which all subsequent development builds. Living in emotional and environmental impoverishment and deprivation provides a poor foundation for healthy development. These very young and vulnerable children are exhibiting disproportionate developmental and cognitive delays, medical problems, and emotional disorders. However, there is growing evidence that early planned interventions can help. The juvenile court must take a leadership role in focusing on the very young child and learning more about risk, prevention, and early intervention in order to facilitate the healing process.
The Organization and Operation of Teen Courts in the United States: A Comparative Analysis of Legislation
Authors: HEWARD MICHELLE E.
Published: July 2009

Teen courts are juvenile justice diversion programs found in most states. Programs vary significantly between, and even within, states, making regulation cumbersome. Their grass roots nature requires legislative latitude so each program can meet the specific needs of the communities they serve. States have passed both specific and broad legislation acknowledging their existence and providing referral sources. This article examines teen court legislation from every state, analyzes each, and draws conclusions about teen courts from a legislative perspective.
The (Mis)Uses of Detention and the Impact of Bed Space in One Jurisdiction
Authors: BOND‐MAUPIN LISA J. , MAUPIN JAMES R.
Published: July 2009

Analysis of booking data prior to and following the opening of a new facility doubling available bed space reveals that 53.0% of detentions end prior to or at a detention hearing, charges for 48.8% of bookings are for technical violations of probation or status offenses only, and that 62.5% of bookings are for a combination of the prior two offense and other minor offenses. These trends as well as the actual number of youths detained increased with the move into a new facility with twice the bed space. The data suggest that detention is frequently used as shelter and/or punishment even though a juvenile does not technically represent a threat to self, community, or of absconding.
Implementing Equal Justice for Parents in Washington: A Dual Approach
Authors: BRIDGE JUSTICE BOBBE J. , MOORE JOANNE I.
Published: July 2009

In many states, legal representation for parents of dependent children is inadequate and can be a source of delays in securing permanency for children and unnecessarily protracted court proceedings. Often, such parents also face barriers to accessing services and independent evaluators. These issues are being addressed in the state of Washington through two approaches. The first is a successful enhanced legal representation program that has substantially improved case outcomes. The second is a statewide committee using innovative means to examine systemic responses to the challenges of the Adoption and Safe Families Act.
Family Conferencing: A Success for Our Children
Authors: ROBINSON JUDGE STEVEN D. , LITCHFIELD MELISSA , GATOWSKI SOPHIA , DOBBIN SHIRLEY
Published: July 2009

Model Courts, assisted by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, employ innovative best practices to better achieve permanency of children in the dependency system as required by the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA). Family Group Decision‐Making Conferencing has been used in the Miami Model Court since 1998. The judge chooses cases at the initial detention hearing, and parents must agree to the procedure. A Department of Children and Families social worker facilitates a well‐planned meeting between parents and their families and friends where parents' case plans are developed for the court to approve.

In an evaluation of 87 such conferences, the National Council determined that the process has assisted families in identifying strengths and resolving problems. Satisfaction rate of participants was high, and parents became highly motivated. Conferencing produced more timely case processing times and more stable placements. In addition, within Miami's multi‐ethnic and multi‐cultural community, the conferences developed good communication between the generally middle‐class court staff and the primarily poor, immigrant, and native‐born parents.
Bringing Justice Back to the Community
Authors: O'BRIEN SANDRA , MALONEY DENNIS , COSTELLO JUDGE DON OWEN , LANDRY DALE R.
Published: July 2009

As states and local governments struggle to meet the demands of increasing workloads with decreasing revenues, a strategy is emerging that brings new energy and resources to the juvenile justice system. This strategy, Community Justice, empowers the community to prevent and resolve problems once thought to be the exclusive responsibility of the justice system. Juvenile courts operating within this new approach are discovering that community residents are willing to become actively involved when allowed to participate in defining the goals, objectives, and their roles in furthering community safety. This article describes this new approach, provides examples of promising practices, and articulates the crucial role of the court in promoting community justice strategies.
Vicarious Trauma in Judges: The Personal Challenge of Dispensing Justice
Authors: JAFFE PETER G. , CROOKS CLAIRE V. , DUNFORD‐JACKSON BILLIE LEE , TOWN JUDGE MICHAEL
Published: July 2009

Symptoms of vicarious trauma, coping strategies, and prevention suggestions were investigated with 105 judges. Participants completed a self‐report measure developed for this study. The majority of judges (63%) reported one or more symptoms that they identified as work‐related vicarious trauma experiences. Female judges reported more symptoms, as did judges with seven or more years of experience. In addition, female judges were more likely to report internalizing difficulties, while judges with more experience reported higher levels of externalizing/hostility symptoms. Coping and prevention strategies were multi‐domain (i.e., personal, professional, and societal) and underscored the need for greater awareness and support for judges.
Ensuring Fairness and Justice for Noncitizen Survivors of Domestic Violence
Authors: PENDLETON GAIL
Published: July 2009

Immigrant women who are abused face multiple barriers to seeking legal protection from the abuse. In many cases, immigrant women are unaware of the protections afforded noncitizens by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent immigration laws. They may assume that noncitizens cannot access legal remedies or may fear deportation from being exposed as a noncitizen. These and other barriers such as language access and misinformation about U.S. laws about violence further shift the burden to judges, attorneys, and advocates to ensure that immigrant women are not underserved. The courts must also be aware of the consequences for noncitizens who perpetrate domestic violence. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of issues facing the courts when noncitizens are petitioners, respondents, or both in domestic violence cases, including a discussion of findings that can be made for immigrant survivors of domestic violence.
The Use of Domestic Violence Advocates in Juvenile Court: Lessons from the Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family Violence
Authors: MAZE CANDICE L. , KLEIN STEFANIE A. , LEDERMAN JUDGE CINDY S.
Published: July 2009

The Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family Violence (DCIPFV) is a national demonstration project awarded to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (Miami) by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. Developed by Judge Cindy Lederman and Susan Schechter in 1997, the DCIPFV identifies victims of domestic violence in the dependency court system. DCIPFV advocates provide a variety of services to such victims, helping them achieve safe environments for themselves and their children with the understanding that the well‐being of children can be better assured by addressing the safety and self‐efficacy of their mothers. This article discusses the DCIPFV program and makes recommendations for communities seeking to implement a similar program in their jurisdiction.
Working from Inside and Outside Institutions: How Safety Audits Can Help Courts' Decision Making Around Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment
Authors: PENCE ELLEN , MCMAHON MARTHA
Published: July 2009

As systems begin to work collaboratively to address the overlap of domestic violence and child maltreatment, systems‐analysis approaches are also being explored to test the effectiveness of collaborative interventions in meeting the needs of victims and their families. The institutional safety audit model is one such approach currently being explored in sites across the country. Under this model, case files of families receiving services are submitted to an analysis that compares the interventions received with the needs that were demonstrated. Though still in a formative stage, the institutional safety audit has the potential to be used by the courts as an innovative information‐gathering tool on the effectiveness of court‐ordered interventions. This article will provide a detailed overview of the safety audit model, describe how safety audits are currently being used in the field, and discuss how the courts can incorporate safety audit findings into decision‐making around domestic violence and child maltreatment.
Youth Transfer Decisions: Exploring County Variations
Authors: RODRIGUEZ NANCY
Published: July 2009

In an effort to control violent and chronic juvenile offenders, many state legislatures have created statutes that give exclusive jurisdiction to adult criminal courts for certain violent offenses. Much research has been conducted on juvenile transfers, but relatively few studies rely on official and self‐report data to evaluate this process. By using data from four counties within Washington State, this study examines how legal, extra‐legal, and organizational variables impact waiver decisions. In cases where youths were selected for transfer proceedings, data from official records are used to compare transfers within and between counties. In addition, interview data with juvenile court personnel (e.g., juvenile court judges, probation officers, legal advisors) are used to assess the factors associated with transfer decisions. Policy implications are presented along with recommendations for future research.
A Model Response to Truancy Prevention: The Louisville Truancy Court Diversion Project
Authors: BYER JUDGE JOAN L. , KUHN JEFFREY
Published: July 2009

The Jefferson County Truancy Diversion Project in Louisville, Ky., is a judicially‐driven school and community initiative created to improve school attendance and to enhance family function and behavior. Initiated in 1997, this program brings the judge and community resources directly to the schools and students for a hands‐on, no‐efforts‐spared intervention. Now a national model, this program has far‐reaching implications in the prevention of juvenile delinquent behavior and in the establishment and preservation of safe and permanent homes for children. This article addresses the history and methodology for program implementation.
Separation and Reunification: Using Attachment Theory and Research to Inform Decisions Affecting the Placements of Children in Foster Care
Authors: GOLDSMITH DOUGLAS F. , OPPENHEIM DAVID , WANLASS JANINE
Published: July 2009

Determinations regarding removal of children from home in maltreatment situations typically take into consideration the physical safety of the child. Less recognized and often underappreciated is the severe risk endured by the child as a result of separation from the caregiver, and the long‐term effects of the separation on the child. This article describes recent developments in attachment theory and research and their usefulness for placement decisions. We will explain how a child develops a secure attachment to a caregiver and review the deleterious consequences associated with maltreatment and separation. The case of a child in a foster/adoptive placement will be discussed in order to clarify common misinterpretations of attachment research and how attachment theory and research can inform permanency decisions that are in the best interest of the child.
Babies Can't Wait: A Judicial Response
Authors: TOWNSEND JUDGE SHARON S.
Published: July 2009

During my career as a Family Court Judge over the past 12 years, I was faced daily with the difficult task of deciding whether or not to remove a newborn infant from the care of her mother and place the child in foster care upon discharge from the hospital. In the huge majority of cases, removal was ordered based upon the mother's history of substance abuse and the subsequent positive toxicology of the infant at birth. I could not risk the health and safety of this often premature and vulnerable infant to a mother with such an addiction to drugs that she would expose her child in utero to these toxic substances. Such a mother was incapable of caring for the basic needs of this vulnerable infant, and therefore removal was ordered. This decision saddened me because, as a mother myself, I knew of the critical bond existing between infant and mother during those critical first days and weeks of a child's life. That bond must be nurtured and strengthened and is crucial to a child's development.
Are Those Cookies for Me or My Baby? Understanding Detained and Incarcerated Teen Mothers and Their Children
Authors: ACOCA LESLIE
Published: July 2009

This article describes the barriers to understanding and meeting the needs of detained and incarcerated teen mothers and their children and suggests strategies for overcoming these barriers. The barriers include impaired research access, insufficient programs and services, and improper conditions of confinement. The author presents a blueprint of girl‐specific strategies for improving services, such as the administration of a needs‐based intake screening and assessment. Exemplary programs from around the nation are cited and their methods described. The article provides a comprehensive plan for systemic change that can be effected by judges, lawyers, program administrators, and other juvenile justice professionals.
Addressing Infant and Toddler Issues in the Juvenile Court: Challenges for the 21st Century
Authors: LILLAS CONSTANCE M. , LANGER JUDGE LESTER , DRINANE MONICA
Published: July 2009

To achieve the goal of permanency for children in the child welfare system, it is critical that different disciplines work together, improve communication, and understand each other's role and expertise in the process. Through a case study, this article attempts to show the problems, conflicts, and solutions in working to ensure a child's best interests from three points of view: a children's attorney from New York City, a judge from Miami, Florida, and an infant mental health specialist and interdisciplinary trainer from Los Angeles. First, we propose that emotional caregiving is a fundamental right of all children and includes a stable, nurturing, and permanent long‐term relationship. Conflicts between the timing of children's needs, parents' needs, and the judge's legal duties are discussed as a tension with which we all must struggle to resolve if we are to successfully address children's “irreducible needs” (Brazelton & Greenspan, 2000). If the provision of custodial care shifts toward including emotional care as a goal for the growing number of infants entering the foster care system, the ensuing conflicts will provide opportunities for all parts of the foster care system—including the courts—to rethink how infants' needs are evaluated and factored into decision making.
Parenting in Dependency Drug Court
Authors: DICE JAIME L. , CLAUSSEN ANGELIKA H. , KATZ LYNNE F. , COHEN JUDGE JERI B.
Published: July 2009

The Dependency Drug Court (DDC) in Miami, Florida, addresses the needs of families affected by substance abuse through a comprehensive and therapeutic approach. The DDC works with community agencies to provide services that effectively treat the family as a unit. This article discusses the process of adapting a parenting program to meet the needs of families in the DDC.
What Do Juvenile Offenders Know About Being Tried as Adults? Implications for Deterrence
Authors: REDDING RICHARD E. , FULLER ELIZABETH J.
Published: July 2009

An underlying assumption in the nationwide policy shift toward transferring more juveniles to criminal court has been the belief that stricter, adult sentences will act as either a specific or general deterrent to juvenile crime. With respect to general deterrence—whether transfer laws deter would‐be offenders from committing crimes—it is important to examine whether juveniles know about transfer laws, whether this knowledge deters criminal behavior, and whether juveniles believe the laws will be enforced against them. The current study is one of the first to examine juveniles' knowledge and perceptions of transfer laws and criminal sanctions. We interviewed 37 juveniles who had been transferred to criminal court in Georgia, obtaining quantitative as well as qualitative data based on structured interviewed questions. Four key findings emerged. First, juveniles were unaware of the transfer law. Second, juveniles felt that awareness of the law may have deterred them from committing the crime or may deter other juveniles from committing crimes, and they suggested practical ways to enhance juveniles' awareness of transfer laws. Third, the juveniles generally felt that it was unfair to try and sentence them as adults. Finally, the consequences of committing their crime were worse than most had imagined, and the harsh consequences of their incarceration in adult facilities may have had a brutalizing effect on some juveniles. The implications for general and specific deterrence are discussed.
Child Abuse, Neglect, and Delinquency: The Neurological Link
Authors: CELLINI HENRY R.
Published: July 2009

Recent research has demonstrated a clear connection between physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect during childhood, and negative changes in a child's neurological development. Abnormal growth and developmental patterns in a child's brain as a result of abuse and neglect can lead to life‐long problems with self‐control, memory, emotion, judgment, consequential thinking, and moral reasoning, resulting in an increased likelihood of substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, and adult criminal behaviors. This article provides information on the abused child, neurological implications, and recommendations.