On Monday, Feb. 11, the Duke Criminal Law Society and Duke Law Professor Brandon L. Garrett (pictured speaking at the lectern stand on the right) hosted a panel discussion regarding their newest study, “Juvenile Life Without Parole in North Carolina.”  The panel featured (seated from left to right) David Andrews of the Office of Appellate Defender, Ben Finholt of N.C. Prisoner Legal Services,  and N.C. State Representative Pricey Harrison. The event opened with an introductio

Salutations and thank you for joining us again!  This week, in addition to the invaluable Tip of the Week and necessary reminders, we’ve got a new job posting.  Also, please note that many deadlines job applications and event dates are approaching within the next week! Tip of the Week – Calculations Matter Make sure you calculate your client’s delinquency history correctly.  It is reversible error if you do not advise your client of the most serious disposition s/he is expose

Hello again and a happy Friday to you!  This week we’ve got one new job opportunity and one new training program to announce. Job Opportunities The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is currently seeking a director for its newly created Strategic Litigation Unit.  The Strategic Litigation Unit will be responsible for litigation aimed at achieving systemic and institutional reform in all of CPCS’s criminal and civil practice

This week we’ve got a few new resources and updates for you, just in case you haven’t already got them in your own inbox. In the Week Behind Us Last week the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice released a report titled “Developmental Reform in Juvenile Justice: Translating the Science of Adolescent Development to Sustainable Best Practice“.  This report is designed to assist local- and state-level organizations with incorporating “adolescent develo

ICYMI Last weekend, from Oct. 20-22, the National Juvenile Defender Center held its 21st Annual Juvenile Defender Leadership Summit in Albuquerque, NM. During this year’s Summit, topics included challenging the use of electronic monitoring in juvenile court, the impact of social media, acquiring discovery, unfair fines and fees imposed on youth and their families, expunction, and education advocacy.  N.C. Juvenile Defender Eric Zogry also joined a panel alongside Joshua Dohan

This week we’ve got a few new resources for you, a panel discussion, and a declaration from the governor’s office we had to include. Quick Reminder Firstly, we’d like to remind everyone of the approaching deadlines for a couple of job opportunities we’ve previously mentioned.  Applications for the NJDC Gault Fellowship are due Monday, Oct. 30.  Also, applications for North Carolina Judicial Fellowship‘s two associate counsel positions are due by 5 p.m. today, and applications

What’s the harm in putting a child in a detention center?  While it might be argued that juvenile detention is in the best interest of the child prior to trial, statistical data proves otherwise.  The detrimental affects on youth and their families for even brief periods of containment in juvenile detention are detailed here. Probation orders are also a common problem, and probation just happens to be the most common disposition given to juveniles adjudicated delinquent.  The