The experience of a youth as a victim of maltreatment and his or her experience within the child welfare system are often relevant to a delinquency case and its resolution. This resource brief, a collaboration between the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice and the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC), addresses the unique considerations for juvenile defenders in representing youth who touch both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, known as dual status youth. The brief offers practice tips for juvenile defenders to help navigate the terrain and explores the defender’s perspective on the growing reform trend of multi-system collaboration and coordination to improve outcomes for dual status youth.
Navigating the Dual Status Terrain: Tips for Juvenile Defenders is available online at: rfknrcjj.org/resources/