Reno– On May 11th and 12th, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) held its third National Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex Trafficking: Improving Outcomes for Vulnerable Children Through Judicial Action in Reno, Nev.
Domestic child sex trafficking (DCST) is a complex and pervasive issue within the U.S. The National Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex Trafficking is the result of a dynamic partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Futures Without Violence, Rights4Girls and the NCJFCJ. A faculty team of experienced judges and other professionals from throughout the country who have pioneered work on domestic child sex trafficking in the courtroom and beyond led the two-day institute.
This highly interactive, hands-on institute provided new and experienced juvenile and family court judges with the tools they need to develop or enhance their ability to handle these complex and challenging cases. Judges plan to return to their communities prepared to identify children who are being trafficked, or are at risk for victimization, and implement effective intervention strategies that respond to the individualized needs of each victim. A key aspect of NCJFCJ’s training curricula is to instill in judge-participants a stronger sense of their courtroom and community roles to help prevent and end domestic child sex trafficking. With this knowledge on child sex trafficking, judges can make more informed decisions.
“The Institute not only allows participants to learn from expert faculty, but also from peers from around the country who may be experiencing different aspects of domestic child sex trafficking and have found creative solutions to better serve victims and address the issue of demand for sex in their communities,” said Crystal Duarte, MPA, program director, coordinated policy and practice, NCJFCJ. “It also helped identify promising practices for jurisdictions to safely meet the needs of victims.”
The NCJFCJ developed a resolution calling for judicial action to address domestic child sex trafficking and commercial exploitation of children in 2013, and updated the resolution in March 2016. The NCJFCJ is an expert resource on the issue, having appeared on KTVN’s Face the State, Vegas, Inc. TV and Comcast Philadelphia, and cited in articles in the Boston Globe, CNN.com and The Atlantic.
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.
