NCJ Number
165775
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 48 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1997) Pages: 57-79
Editor(s)
D E Abrams
Date Published
1997
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This report of the Missouri Bar Commission on Children and the Law examines current Missouri law that relates to delinquency and crime, abuse and neglect, adoption, health and safety, and domestic relations litigation.
Abstract
The Commission also evaluated the "best interests of the child" standard. The report recommends alternatives to existing law for consideration by Missouri's executive, legislative, and judicial branches. This report, the Commission's first, was issued on September 11, 1996. The Missouri Bar formally accepted the report a week later and asked the Commission to continue its deliberations on behalf of children. The report contains 10 sections. This article presents sections II-X virtually in their entirety. Not presented is Section I of the report, an index that lists all Missouri statutes that relate to children. Section II provides a summary of the results of a survey of selected professionals regarding their views on the effectiveness of Missouri's legal system in serving the needs of children. Section III considers miscellaneous child-related Missouri statutes and suggests amendments to improve services to children. Section IV addresses issues pertinent to juvenile offenders, and Section V focuses on children in marriage, dissolution, and custody cases. Remaining sections examine laws and policies related to child abuse and neglect, children's health and safety, amendments to the criminal law, counsel in juvenile proceedings, and antiquated statutes. Members of the Commission are listed.