States and territories across the United States use a patchwork of statutes and practices to govern children’s access to counsel in juvenile court. No two jurisdictions are the same. The Gault at 50 Campaign seeks to build a clearinghouse for state-specific information about events, resources, legislative updates, and juvenile defense tools to educate defenders and state residents about children’s right to counsel.
If you’re interested in creating a state profile, please email sedwards@njdc.info.
In re Gault was a giant step forward for the rights of children. Yet, due to inconsistent enforcement and lack of awareness, the due process rights of our children in delinquency court are not protected. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go.
juvenile delinquency cases each year
states have no laws saying how young is too young to prosecute a child
states do not restrict shackling of children in juvenile court
states do not allow jury trials in juvenile court
The National Juvenile Defender Center and its allies and partners will be commemorating the Gault decision in the run up to the 50th anniversary. Find an event below.
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At the National Juvenile Defender Center, we promote justice for all children by ensuring excellence in juvenile defense. NJDC was founded to guarantee every child facing prosecution in juvenile court is represented by an attorney who is specialized and trained to defend children.