More than 400 of the top leaders, judges and court professionals of juvenile justice reform gathered in Las Vegas, Nev. on March 21-23 for the National Conference on Juvenile Justice hosted by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ).
This conference was a vital and important educational opportunity for judges, juvenile and family law professionals, juvenile probation officers, and those interested in the improvement of the juvenile justice system. In order to effect real system change, all voices involved in the system have been invited to be present.
The conference featured cutting edge information, state-of-the-art programs and current research in the juvenile justice system. Some of the featured topics will include: alternatives to detention, trauma-informed justice, cross-over youth, deep-end youth, dating violence, ending solitary confinement, recidivism, indiscriminate shackling issues, disproportionate minority contact, LGBTQ issues in the juvenile justice system, sex trafficking of minors, juvenile drug courts and runaways and the Interstate Compact for Juveniles.
“The conference was an important opportunity to learn the latest hands-on solutions to ensure that juvenile justice systems throughout the country are effective, just and beneficial to their communities,” said Shawn Marsh, Ph.D., chief program officer, juvenile law for the NCJFCJ.
The National Conference on Juvenile Justice featured several key industry leaders: Judge William Voy, 8th Judicial Court, Family Division, Department A, Las Vegas; Justice Nancy Saitta, Supreme Court of Nevada; Latricia Coffey, MD, Psychiatrist in Las Vegas who specializes in psychotropic medications; Mari Kay Bickett, Chief Executive Officer of the NCJFCJ; Robert Listenbee, Jr., JD, U.S. Department of Justice; Tina Frundt, Appointee to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, Founder and Executive Director of Courtney’s House, Washington D.C.; Susan Broderick, JD, Assistant Research Professor, Kimberly Dvorchak, JD, Executive Director and Nadia Seeratan, JD, Senior Staff Attorney & Policy Advocate, National Juvenile Defender Center; Judge Dwayne Woodruff, Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, and former defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers; Missy Young, NCJFCJ Board of Directors member and Executive Vice President of Sales at SUPERNAP; Dawn Gibbons, former First Lady of Nevada and state legislator; Matthew Fletcher, Professor of Law & Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center, Michigan State University and first Native plenary speaker at the conference; and staff members and experts from the NCJFCJ and the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ).
About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nev.-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, is the nation’s oldest judicial membership organization and focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation’s juvenile and family courts. A leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the field of juvenile and family justice, the 2,000-member organization is unique in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide.
About the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ):
The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), located in Pittsburgh, Pa. is the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and is the oldest juvenile justice research group in the United States, having conducted national and sub national studies on crime and delinquency since 1973. NCJJ is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is effective justice for children and families through research and technical assistance. For four decades, NCJJ has conducted research and provided objective, factual information that professionals and decision makers in the juvenile and family justice system use to increase effectiveness. NCJJ’s success stems from a unique blend of technical skill and practical experience that has enabled us to make complex research and statistical information understood by juvenile justice professionals and decision makers.