Welcome back for the weekly roundup! This has been one of our most eventful weeks, specifically on our blog, in some time. We will rehash some of the content we’ve posted here, and also note there are some deadlines approaching in the next few weeks for event registration and job/funding opportunities.
Additionally, while the time to register has passed, check out our brief Q&A with Youth Justice Project Co-Director Ricky Watson, Jr. regarding the National Juvenile Justice Network‘s 2018 Forum, which starts Monday, July 16! You can see what Ricky had to say us about the Forum here.
New Resource
Earlier this week the Office of the Juvenile Defender (OJD) posted two new resources for juvenile defense attorneys on our site.
The first was a Quick Tips Strategy Sheet to assist attorneys with getting charges reduced or diverting juveniles charged with making a false report concerning mass violence on educational property. This document was composed to address the increase of juveniles being charged with such felonies since the Parkland school tragedy. To review the article, please check it out here.
The second resource was a breakdown of the JWise Attorney Access (JAA), which was a database that, as a result of the Raise the Age legislation, is now accessible to juvenile defense attorneys! This post explains what JAA is, how attorneys can gain access, the benefit to attorneys, and where to find assistance should you encounter any issues. To read this article, please check it out here.
From Around the Community
The Office of the Juvenile Defender (OJD) will be hosting a Regional Raise the Age Information Meeting in Asheville on Friday, July 20, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held in the Jury Assembly, Room 272, of the Judicial Complex (60 Court Plaza, Asheville, N.C. 28801). As with the previous regional information meetings, all juvenile defenders, especially those in Buncombe and its surrounding counties, are invited to attend. We will discuss the Raise the Age law, OJD’s plan in response to it, and what issues should be addressed going forward. This will be a discussion, so please bring any of your questions, comments, and concerns about Raise the Age. If you have questions prior to the meeting, please contact Marcus Thompson by email or call us 919-890-1650.
Late & onsite registration will still be available for the 81st Annual National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Conference until Friday, July 20. The event this year will take place at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center from July 22 – 25. The conference will offer presentations/training tracks on topics such as family law, juvenile justice, child welfare, and family violence. This conference is judicially-focused and open to all those interested in the improvement of juvenile and family justice. For registration and further info, please visit the NCJFCJ website here.
Job /Funding Opportunity
The Governor’s Crime Commission is soliciting proposals to conduct an assessment study of specific aspects of disproportionate minority contact within the state’s juvenile justice system. The award will be in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 for a six-month period. Interested parties can download a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) document here. Proposals will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6. For additional information, please check out the GCC website, or if you have questions, contact Lead Juvenile Justice Planner Carlotta Winstead by email or call 919-733-4564.
The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) is currently seeking a research manager. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience, a commitment to advancing improvements in juvenile defense policy and practice, a love of research, writing, and critical thinking, and an eagerness to build a career at the intersection of youth justice and social change. The selected candidate will be responsible for developing and executing research efforts to advance NJDC’s mission, and strengthening the empirical qualities and evaluating the impact of NJDC’s work on the community. This position will remain open until filled. For more information please check here.
The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) in Massachusetts is currently accepting applications for a Deputy Chief Counsel of the Private Counsel Division, who is a member of the senior management team that develops and implements fiscal, operational, human resource, and legislative policies. The Private Counsel Division is responsible for delivering legal services to indigent clients through assigned private attorneys in criminal defense trial and post-conviction cases as well as commitment and registration cases for persons convicted of sex offenses. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For more info please check here.
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice still has an opening for an executive director. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills, a demonstrated passion for social and racial justice, and experience in developing successful relationships in diverse communities. For the full job description, please check the post here, and to apply please send all queries here.
Training
Registration is now open for the 2018 Parent Attorney and Juvenile Defender Conferences. The Parent Attorney Conference will be held Thursday, August 16, and Juvenile Defender Conference will be held Friday, August 17. Both conferences, cosponsored by the School of Government and the Office of Indigent Defense Services, will be held at the School of Government on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, offer approximately six hours of CLE credit, and feature speakers from across the state. Attendees must register for both conferences separately and the deadline for registration will be August 3 at 5 p.m. The conferences are free for IDS state employees but there is a $165 registration fee for privately assigned counsel. You can register and find further details regarding the Parent Attorney Conference here, or go here for the Juvenile Defender Conference. For any questions about the conference, please contact Tanya Jisa, or for questions about the course content, please contact Austine Long.
Save the Date! The Bridging The Gap III Seminar will be in Winston-Salem September 20-21, 2018. Participants in this seminar will be awarded 10.25 CLE credit hours, including 1.5 credit hours in ethics, professional responsibility and professionalism. The registration fee is $115.00. The focus of this seminar will be on client and family relations, and pretrial resolution. Registration and hotel information will be published in early July. A block of 40 rooms will be available once the registration is published. For an attorney to attend he or she must have at least 7 years’ experience. The “ gap” in Bridging The Gap describes lawyers who have never taken murder cases and are considering taking them on, and lawyers who have taken non-capital murder cases and are considering taking capital cases. The seminar, hosted by the Office of the Capital Defender, focuses on issues relevant to both non-capital and capital murder cases. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Terry Alford.
Thank you for making it to the end of this week in review. We have more news and features planned for the coming weeks, so please visit us again soon!
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