NCJ Number
58626
Date Published
1978
Length
33 pages
Annotation
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GEORGIA SENATE JUVENILE COURT JUDGES STUDY COMMITTEE REGARDING JUVENILE JUDGE QUALIFICATIONS AND RELATED PROBLEMS ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR ADVANCES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS IN THE STATE'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR DELINQUENT YOUTHS, PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION DEALING WITH THE STATUS OFFENDER, AND INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS. THE COMMITTEE STRONGLY ENDORSES THESE EFFORTS, AND URGES CONTINUED SUPPORT. SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. EACH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME JUVENILE COURT JUDGE. THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF JUDGE SHOULD BE BASED ON THE CIRCUIT'S AT-RISK POPULATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE. FOR EXAMPLE, A FULL-TIME JUDGE SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO EACH CIRCUIT WITH AN AT-RISK POPULATION TOTALING 40,000 TO 75,000. AS THE POPULATION CHANGES, THE TYPE OF JUDGE ASSIGNED SHOULD ALSO CHANGE. FULL-TIME JUVENILE COURT JUDGES SHOULD BE PAID BY THE STATE AT THE SAME RATE AS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES. JUDGES SHOULD BE MEMBERS OF THE STATE BAR FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS AND FULL-TIME JUDGES SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM ACTING AS LAWYERS IN JUVENILE MATTERS. SELECTION OF JUDGES SHOULD BE MADE BY THE SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE OR CIRCUIT JUDGES FROM A LIST CERTIFIED BY THE JUDICIAL NOMINATION COMMISSION, SUBJECT TO THE GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL. AT THE END OF THE SIX-YEAR TERM, JUDGES WOULD RUN FOR ELECTION. JUDGES WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND AT LEAST ONE TRAINING SEMINAR PER YEAR. ALL REFEREES HEARING JUVENILE CASES SHOULD BE MEMBERS OF THE STATE BAR OR HOLD LAW DEGREES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT LEGISLATION BE ENACTED DURING THE 1978 SESSION TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES. APPENDIXES ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)