NCJ Number
75768
Date Published
1980
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video cassette illustrates the roles and responsibilities of judges, lawyers, social workers and their supervisors, guardians ad litem, and parents through the presentation of one case history of child neglect.
Abstract
The increasing formality of juvenile court practices, without a concomitant increase in legal counsel with expertise in the area, require that child welfare workers sharpen their knowledge of legal issues. This training package for child welfare practitioners and students is designed to provide curriculum materials which focus on the interaction of the legal and social service systems in relation to child neglect. The preparation of a social worker for her first adjudicatory hearing highlights several essential factors. These include the importance of assessing a case to determine the need for court action, differentiating neglect and dependency filings, defining rules of evidence, and selecting witnesses. In addition, tips on courtroom behavior are explained, including the desirability of answering questions directly with no hesitation and tactics for cross-examination. Besides the video cassette, the learning package contains a manual (see NCJ 75769) and a book of readings (see NCJ 75770).