NCJ Number
63710
Date Published
1979
Length
66 pages
Annotation
THIS LEGAL PRIMER ACQUAINTS SOCIAL WORKERS AND OTHERS WITH THE BASIC OF LAWS AND LEGAL PROCEDURES DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
Abstract
FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF WHEN TO GO TO COURT, THE BOOKLET DESCRIBES SUCH IMPORTANT LEGAL QUESTIONS AS THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN AND THE LEGAL LIABILITIES FOR REPORTING INSTANCES OF SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT. A DESCRIPTION IS GIVEN OF EMERGENCY CUSTODY PROVISIONS AND CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PROCEDURES. IN THE SECOND SECTION OF THE BOOK PROCESSES RELATED TO THE TRIAL ARE DESCRIBED AND COURT PROCEDURES EXPLAINED. AN OVERVIEW OF COURT PROCEDURES DETAILS PROGRESS OF A CASE THROUGH TWO COURT STAGES--ADJUDICATION (DECIDING WHETHER PROPER EVIDENCE EXISTS TO SUBSTANTIATE THE CHARGES), AND DISPOSITION (DECIDING ON THE BEST LEGAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM). AN EXPLANATION IS ALSO GIVEN OF THE VITAL ROLES PLAYED BY WITNESSES AND OF THE NATURE OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVIDENCE. CASE CITATIONS ARE SCATTERED THROUGH THE TEXT, AND APPENDIXES CONTAIN A GLOSSARY OF LEGAL TERMINOLOGY AND A LIST OF ELEMENTS OF THE ADJUDICATIVE AND DISPOSITIONAL STAGES OF JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS. (MJW)