Courting Judicial Excellence
A Landmark Study
Juvenile court judges are the most important public figures in the juvenile justice system—their decisions impact whether hundreds of thousands of youth each year become court involved, for how long, whether they are involuntarily removed from their homes and communities, and the services they receive.
With support from the State Justice Institute, The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) conducted an analysis in 2021 of how courts that handle juvenile delinquency cases (“juvenile courts”) are structured and operate in all 50 states, leading to the Courting Judicial Excellence report.
The CSG Justice Center and NCJFCJ are working to implement the report recommendations through:
- Intensive assessment of and technical assistance for delinquency court systems in three states
- Creation of a national first-of-its-kind juvenile justice training program for judges
Training for Judges
In the majority of states, judges who handle delinquency cases are not required by law or court rules to ever receive any training on adolescent development or juvenile justice best practices.
To begin to remedy these training gaps, the CSG Justice Center and NCJFCJ hosted the Courting Judicial Excellence: Juvenile Justice Judicial Training Institutes for all judicial officers who hear delinquency cases. We also host state-specific institutes upon request.
Interested in bringing the Courting Judicial Excellence JJ Training Institute to your state? Contact Christina Gilbert at cgilbert@csg.org.
Resources for Judges
Judges play a critical role in public safety—and sometimes, they make decisions that don’t follow the research on reducing recidivism and making communities safer.
The following 3 evidence-based resources can help judges effectively respond to youth at high risk of committing serious offenses and youth not actively or effectively engaged in court-ordered services or probation.
Bench Card: Judicial Decision-Making for High-Risk Youth
“DOs” and “DON’Ts” for judges on:
- Determination of High Risk
- Detention & Dispositional Decisions
- Effective Supervision & Services
Bench Card: How Courts Can Best Support Post-Dispositional Success for Challenging Delinquency Cases
“DOs” and “DON’Ts” for judges on:
- Assessing Case Progress
- Strengthening Supervision & Services
- Holding Youth Accountable
Cheat Sheet: Research and Resource Companion for High-Risk Youth and Challenging Cases Bench Cards
What the research says about what works, what doesn’t—and how to respond when things aren’t going well with high-risk and challenging youth.
These resources were created by the CSG Justice Center in partnership with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
Key Staff
