Post by Jim on Apr 1, 2009 6:45:42 GMT -5
Throw open juvenile courts' doors
By Alice McQuade and Julie Bolen Guest Columnists
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Children's lives can be permanently changed by what happens behind Georgia 's closed courtroom doors. Little Adrianna Swain, age 21/2, knows this all too well.
Adrianna was beaten so severely that she nearly died after the Department of Family and Children's Services returned her to her parents. DFCS recommended and the juvenile court judge agreed that Adrianna should be sent home after she had spent two years in foster care. The judge ignored warnings given by both the Court Appointed Special Advocate and the Citizen's Panel Review that the home was unsafe.
IF THE HEARING had been open and the judge knew the public was watching and would be able to hold her accountable for her decisions, she may have reconsidered the DFCS advice to send Adrianna home.
Two Augusta cases also illustrate serious flaws in the juvenile court system. One is the very recent Long case involving 10 underage children raised in a house with no utilities and no beds, and little food or clothing.
Even though some of the children are malnourished and have never received dental care, vaccinations or shoes, DFCS was recommending the return of some of the children to the mother. It took the intervention of a superior court judge to stop that from happening.
The other case is the Beasley case which involves the repeated return of two young brothers to an abusive home, despite ongoing signs of abuse. It took a permanent head injury to one of the boys to stop the revolving door.
This week, the Georgia House Rules Committee considered Senate Bill 207. S.B. 207 would presumptively open hearings in juvenile courts for abused and neglected children. After it was favorable heard by the Rules Committee, it heads to the House floor for a final vote.
S.B. 207 reserves the right of judges to close the courtroom or exclude certain individuals if the judge believes it is in the best interest of the child to do so. S.B. 207 does not change the current procedure in delinquency hearings.
Opening juvenile courts would allow people who care, such as extended family, teachers, neighbors, and foster parents, into the courtroom so they can offer support to the child and the child's family. Opening these courtrooms would also increase public awareness of the plight of Georgia 's 11,000 foster children and encourage community involvement. It also would provide more accountability to a system that has demonstrated weaknesses.
TWENTY-ONE OTHER states have opened juvenile court hearings, some for more than 20 years, and none have reported any harm to a child. In 2005, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges passed a resolution in favor of presumptively open hearings, reserving to the judges the right to close those hearings, noting that "the public has a legitimate and compelling interest in the work of our juvenile and family courts."
It is time to let the sun shine into hearings dealing with Georgia 's foster children. Please contact your state representative to urge the passage of S.B. 207.
(The writers, both of Marietta, Ga., are members of Better Courts for Kids, advocating juvenile court reform.)
From the Wednesday, April 01, 2009 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/04/01/op__516658.shtml
_________________________________
By Alice McQuade and Julie Bolen Guest Columnists
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Children's lives can be permanently changed by what happens behind Georgia 's closed courtroom doors. Little Adrianna Swain, age 21/2, knows this all too well.
Adrianna was beaten so severely that she nearly died after the Department of Family and Children's Services returned her to her parents. DFCS recommended and the juvenile court judge agreed that Adrianna should be sent home after she had spent two years in foster care. The judge ignored warnings given by both the Court Appointed Special Advocate and the Citizen's Panel Review that the home was unsafe.
IF THE HEARING had been open and the judge knew the public was watching and would be able to hold her accountable for her decisions, she may have reconsidered the DFCS advice to send Adrianna home.
Two Augusta cases also illustrate serious flaws in the juvenile court system. One is the very recent Long case involving 10 underage children raised in a house with no utilities and no beds, and little food or clothing.
Even though some of the children are malnourished and have never received dental care, vaccinations or shoes, DFCS was recommending the return of some of the children to the mother. It took the intervention of a superior court judge to stop that from happening.
The other case is the Beasley case which involves the repeated return of two young brothers to an abusive home, despite ongoing signs of abuse. It took a permanent head injury to one of the boys to stop the revolving door.
This week, the Georgia House Rules Committee considered Senate Bill 207. S.B. 207 would presumptively open hearings in juvenile courts for abused and neglected children. After it was favorable heard by the Rules Committee, it heads to the House floor for a final vote.
S.B. 207 reserves the right of judges to close the courtroom or exclude certain individuals if the judge believes it is in the best interest of the child to do so. S.B. 207 does not change the current procedure in delinquency hearings.
Opening juvenile courts would allow people who care, such as extended family, teachers, neighbors, and foster parents, into the courtroom so they can offer support to the child and the child's family. Opening these courtrooms would also increase public awareness of the plight of Georgia 's 11,000 foster children and encourage community involvement. It also would provide more accountability to a system that has demonstrated weaknesses.
TWENTY-ONE OTHER states have opened juvenile court hearings, some for more than 20 years, and none have reported any harm to a child. In 2005, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges passed a resolution in favor of presumptively open hearings, reserving to the judges the right to close those hearings, noting that "the public has a legitimate and compelling interest in the work of our juvenile and family courts."
It is time to let the sun shine into hearings dealing with Georgia 's foster children. Please contact your state representative to urge the passage of S.B. 207.
(The writers, both of Marietta, Ga., are members of Better Courts for Kids, advocating juvenile court reform.)
From the Wednesday, April 01, 2009 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/04/01/op__516658.shtml
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