NCJ Number
131884
Date Published
1990
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Arkansas' efforts to create an effective and equitable juvenile court system for children and their families reveal valuable lessons concerning the components of effective child advocacy.
Abstract
Efforts to reform the State juvenile justice system were initiated in 1979. Four key groups were involved: the State legislative Subcommittee on Children and Youth, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School Clinic, and the Arkansas Bar Association. Studies conducted by these groups to assess the juvenile court system's limitations indicated that juveniles were routinely deprived of their constitutional rights and that juvenile courts lacked uniformity in the conduct of juvenile hearings. Litigation was initiated to reform the juvenile justice system and was successful due to effective collaboration between reform-minded lawyers and citizen advocacy organizations. Governor Clinton appointed a juvenile justice commission to draft legislation that would create a new juvenile court system and recommended revisions to the Arkansas Juvenile Code. The Arkansas experience illustrates the need for constant reassessment and analysis of problems and demonstrates the effective use of multiple advocacy strategies over time to achieve a goal.