CHILD ABUSE - PUBLIC WELFARE AGENCY - JUVENILE COURT RELATIONSHIPS

• NCJ Number: 37062
• Author(s): C L JOHNSON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 10-P56015-5
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DISCUSSION OF THE MAJOR INTERAGENCY PROBLEM AREAS IN ADJUDICATION AND DISPOSITION OF CHILD ABUSE CASES FACED BY PROTECTIVE SERVICE WORKERS AND JUVENILE COURT WORKERS IN THE EIGHT SOUTHEASTERN STATES IN REGION IV.

Abstract

REGION IV INCLUDES THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, MISSISSIPPI, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TENNESSEE. CONSIDERED ARE THE LACK OF LEGAL RESOURCES WHICH RESULT IN UNTRAINED CASEWORKERS PREPARING AND PRESENTING CASES IN COURT AND THE LACK OF WELL-DEFINED CRITERIA FOR DEFINING ABUSE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO CONFLICT BETWEEN THE AGENCY'S DETERMINATION OF CASE STATUS AND THAT OF THE JUVENILE COURT. ALSO NOTED IS THE HIGH DEGREE OF JUVENILE COURT JUDGE DISCRETION WHICH LEADS TO CONFLICTS BETWEEN AGENCY AND COURT DISPOSITIONS OF SOME CASES, PARTICULARLY ON THE ISSUE OF PLACEMENT.