This handbook brings together the relevant literature on children and their developmental characteristics, the legal venues in which they may appear, and the systemic issues practitioners must consider, to provide a thorough guide to working with children in the legal system.
In a time when children have been largely silenced during this global pandemic, Drs. Ginger Calloway and Margaret Lee have given careful, thoughtful and compassionate voice to children involved in our legal systems. Featuring internationally known legal and mental health scholars with impeccable reputations in the legal community, this edited book provides a key resource for learning about the various legal systems that impact children, including juvenile justice, dependency, family law, immigration and criminal. Written by practitioners for practitioners, this book is both comprehensive and easy to read with several case studies to expand on concepts and to showcase the voices of children. This book is a must read for both mental health and legal professionals working with children in the legal system and for students interested in children and the law.
Michael Saini, PhD, MSW, RSW, associate professor, Factor-Inwentash chair in Law and Social Work, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ginger C. Calloway, PhD, is a clinically trained psychologist whose areas of forensic expertise include evaluation for Atkins' cases, evaluations of juveniles, evaluations for various legal competencies, and specific areas of consultation to attorneys.
S. Margaret Lee, PhD, is a psychologist whose work focus is providing services to divorcing families and family law attorneys. Dr. Lee is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences in different areas of psychology/family law.
Introduction; PART ONE: Overview; Section I: Overview of Juvenile Justice System; Chapter 1: The Push-Me-Pull-You of Juvenile Justice; Chapter 2: A View from the Bench: Perspectives from a Former Juvenile Court Judge; Section II: Developmental Variables; Chapter 3: Children's Memory for Forensically Relevant Experiences; Chapter 4: Navigating Tricky Waters: Understanding and Supporting Children's Testimony About Experiencing and Witnessing Violence; PART TWO: Assessemnt; Chapter 5: Assessment: Methods, Measures, Protocols, and Report Writing; PART THREE: Case Studies; Chapter 6: Out of Home Care: Depending on the Kindness of Strangers; Chapter 7: Attachment Relationships for Attorneys: Using Expert Testimony to Guide the Courts Determination of Children's Best Interests in Family Court Cases; Chapter 8: Considerations when Working with Central American Immigrant Children in the Legal System; Chapter 9: Adolescent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Civil Arena; Chapter 10: Interviewing Children about Sexual Abuse; Chapter 11: Interpersonal Violence and Children; Chapter 12: Giving Voice to Children in Non-Traditional Families; Chapter 13: Hague Convention Cases; Chapter 14: Resist Refuse Dynamics in Family Law with a Young Child; Chapter 15: A Case of Juvenile Homicide with Complex Issues of Mental Illness and Developmental Disorder; Chapter 16: The Role of Advocates for Children in Dependency Court; Appendices; Bibliography.