The Spring 2017 issue of The Guardian is online now. This quarterly publication is a membership benefit and includes child welfare and juvenile justice articles, case reviews, policy updates, and more. Past issues are available here.

The brochure for the 40th National Child Welfare, Juvenile and Family Law Conference is out. Look for a leaner, greener version in your mailbox or view the full brochure online here. We hope you will join us August 10-12, 2017 in New Orleans! Register here now! The conference will be held at the Roosevelt New Orleans, in the heart of the French Quarter. Attendees can secure the $179/night room rate by making reservations here.

NBC Bay Area
In the San Francisco Bay Area, children are landing criminal records before they even hit puberty. A nearly two-year long NBC Bay Area investigation exposes serious concerns over the use of school police officers.

NCJFCJ
Distinguishing features of an effective juvenile drug treatment court (JDTC) or an effective JDTC philosophy consist of being informed by adolescent development, using individualized case planning geared toward mobilizing and supporting youths' goals and motivation for behavior change, and engaging family members in supporting change.

WCHL
The North Carolina Court System may start treating certain crimes committed by minors as youthful indiscretions if a recently drafted piece of legislation is to be passed. House Bill 280 was filed two months ago in the North Carolina General Assembly to reclassify non-violent legal offenders under the age of 18 as juvenile delinquents.

Patch
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, underage alcohol use is directly related to criminal behavior, serious social and health problems such as depression and suicide, traffic crashes, unprotected or unwanted sex, teen pregnancy, physical and sexual assaults, and dropping out of school. A new report from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, "Youth Alcohol Prevention That Works: Reducing Youth Alcohol Use Through Positive Community Norms in Minnesota," finds that positivity reduces teen drinking.

Children's Defense Fund
Here's a test with just one question: If a hungry child can't afford to eat, should the adults in her school punish and humiliate her for not having lunch money? As disgraceful as this question is, adults in schools across the country fail this test every single day.

KYCIR
Politicians, school administrators and advocates in Kentucky all agree that children shouldn't be locked up for behavior problems. But there's little agreement on whether or how to stop the practice.