NCJ Number
189146
Journal
Children's Voice Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2001 Pages: 24,25,28-29,30
Editor(s)
Steven S. Boehm
Date Published
March 2001
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the need for juvenile justice and child welfare professionals to collaborate together to ensure that maltreated children are raised in favorable situations and kept out of trouble.
Abstract
Research provides a link between child abuse and neglect, whether physical, sexual, or emotional, and a child’s future involvement in the juvenile justice system. One of the major pitfalls identified in the handling of maltreated kids is how child welfare and the juvenile justice system work, or don’t work together. They have been seen as operating in isolation of each other. Caseworkers and probation officers, as well as others, tend to take a narrow view of their responsibilities and not communicate across department lines. Part of this is attributed to the demands imposed by their heavy caseloads. The crossing of boundaries between juvenile justice and child welfare professionals has begun to see some progress. Both child welfare and juvenile justice professionals need to begin viewing their efforts as part of a single comprehensive system of service delivery for children and families in need. Two case studies are presented.