Juvenile Defense Resources
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COVID-19 Resources
National Juvenile Defender Center Resources
- COVID-19 Statement*
- Brief of National Juvenile Defender Center, et al., Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioners*
- Call for a Nationwide Moratorium on Fines and Fees*
- Due Process in the Time of COVID*
- Guidance to Juvenile Courts on Conducting Remote Hearings During the COVID-19 Pandemic*
- Racial Justice for Youth: A Toolkit for Defenders *
- Registered User Content
Affidavits and Declarations
- Declaration of Dr. Antoinette Kavanaugh, Ph.D., ABPP (mental health; trauma; risks of harm)*
- Declaration of Dr. Julie DeAun Graves (immigration; facility conditions; youth vulnerabilities) *
- Registered User Content
- Affidavit of Dr. Caroyln Sufrin (unique public health challenges of incarceration; inadequate on-site healthcare)
- Affidavit of Dr. Danielle C. Ompad, PhD. Regarding SARS-CoV-2 Infection (otherwise known as COVID-19) in Correctional Settings (transmission risk in correctional settings; risks for incarcerated populations)
- Affidavit of Dr. Ruth Mullowney Agra (proximity; lack of preventative hygiene)
- Declaration of Andrew Lorenzen-Strait (immigration; detention)
- Declaration of Dr. Craig W. Haney, PhD (psychological and medical harm (trauma); lack of operational capacity)
- Declaration of Dr. Jaimie Meyer (risks of infectious disease spread in facilities; reduced prevention opportunities; increased susceptibility)
- Declaration of Dr. Jonathan Louis Golob (COVID-19 information)
- Declaration of Dr. Marc Stern (risks of infectious disease spread in facilities)
- Declaration of Dr. Nancy Yvonne Wang, MD (immigration; DHS & HHS facility conditions)
- Physician Declaration on Increased COVID-19 Infection Risk due to Mental Health Disorders in Detained Migrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers
Letters
- Coalition Statement on Protecting Youth and Communities from Risks Posed by the Novel Coronavirus (Raise the Age NY)*
- COVID-19 Risks for Detained and Incarcerated Youth (Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform)*
- COVID-19 Risks for Detained Populations in Maryland from a Group of Concerned Scientists, Physicians, and Public Health Experts*
- Letter from Chief Justice Bernette Johnson to Louisiana Judges re Juvenile Defendants*
- Letter to All County Sheriffs and Probation Officers re COVID-19 and Statutory Authority Under Government Code Section 8658 (California Attorney General)*
- Letter to Chief Justice Burke & Members of the Illinois Supreme Court re Guidance for Probation, Detention, & Juvenile Court Judges in light of COVID-19 (Juvenile Justice Initiative)*
- Letter to Chief Justice of California re Request for COVID-19 Guidance for Delinquency Proceedings (Pacific Juvenile Defender Center)*
- Letter to Governors’ Offices re COVID-19 Responses in the Juvenile Justice System (National Governors Association)*
- Letter to Juvenile Probation in regards to COVID-19 (San Francisco Public Defender)*
- Letter to Local Criminal Justice Leaders (Indiana)*
- Letter to Secretary Brian Blalock re COVID-19 in New Mexico (Pegasus Legal Services for Children)*
- Letter to Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Calling for “Safe Release” of Incarcerated Youth because of COVID-19*
- Need for Immediate Action to Protect Philadelphia’s Youth in Confinement from COVID-19*
- Recommendations for Protecting Incarcerated Youth and Adults During and in the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Justice Roundtable)*
- Recommendations for Youth Justice Systems During the COVID-19 Emergency (Youth Correctional Leaders for Justice)*
- Responding to the Needs of Youth Involved with the Justice System During the COVID-19 Pandemic (American Academy of Pediatrics)*
- Southern Juvenile Defender Center COVID-19 Pandemic Policy Statement*
- Registered User Content
- COVID-19 Letter (Colorado State Public Defender)
- COVID-19 Sample Letter to Jails (Washington State)
- Joint Statement from Elected Prosecutors on COVID-19 and Addressing the Rights and Needs of Those in Custody (Fair and Just Prosecution)
- Letter from Philadelphia Defenders Union (March 15)
- Letter from Philadelphia Defenders Union (March 21)
- Letter to Chief Justice Beatty re State Juvenile Justice Response to COVID 19 Crisis (South Carolina)
- Letter to Governor Edwards re COVID-19 Emergency Executive Order Authorizing Immediate Release of Youth in Secure and Non-Secure Care (Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights)
- Letter to Governor McMaster re COVID 19 and South Carolina’s Juvenile Justice System
- Letter to Governor Newsom et al. re COVID-19 and Pepper Spray in Juvenile Facilities (Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform)
- Letter to Washington State Supreme Court re Proposed Juvenile Court Order
- Letter to Washington State Supreme Court re Supplemental Info for Proposed Juvenile Court Order
- Pacific Juvenile Defender Center Statement on COVID 19
- Request for Immediate Action to Address COVID-19 in Colorado’s Juvenile Detention and Commitment Facilities
- Safety of the Children in Congregate Care During COVID-19 (Association of Legal Aid Attorneys)
- Statement on Urgent Action Needed for Youth Justice Professionals in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Center for Children’s Law and Policy)
- Template Letter (National Juvenile Justice Network)
Motions, Petitions, and Other Legal Filings
- Application for Extraordinary Relief Under the Court’s King’s Bench Jurisdiction*
- Application for Immediate and Extraordinary Relief (Maryland Office of the Public Defender)*
- Petition for Writ of Mandate (Children’s Defense Fund-California)*
- Post-Disposition Petitions/Writ of Habeas Corpus for Release of Children in Congregate Facilities Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Pacific Juvenile Defender Center)*
- Registered User Content
- Emergency Motion for Pretrial Release Due to Public Health and Safety Threat Posed by COVID-19 Pandemic (North Carolina Office of the Juvenile Defender)
- Emergency Motion for Pre-Adjudication Release Due to Public Health and Safety Threat Posed by COVID-19 Pandemic (North Carolina Office of the Juvenile Defender)
- Memo in Support of Oral Argument for Release (Center for Juvenile Law and Policy at Loyola Law School)
- Memorandum in Support of Oral Argument for Release (Pacific Juvenile Defender Center)
- Motion and Declaration for Release on Personal Recognizance (Washington State)
- Motion for Bond Modification to Allow for Immediate Release (Colorado State Public Defender)
- Motion for Emergency Suspension of Commitment OR Motion for Emergency Detention Hearing (Maryland Office of the Public Defender)
- Motion for Formal Bail Hearing and Order Releasing Defendant on Own Recognizance (San Francisco Public Defender)
- Motion for Immediate Reconsideration of Sentence under Crim. P. 35(b) (Colorado State Public Defender)
- Motion for Immediate Release (Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights)
- Motion for Immediate Release in Light of Public Health Crisis Related to COVID-19 (Washington State)
- Motion for Judicial Release (Adult-Office of the Ohio Public Defender)
- Motion for Modification of Disposition (Office of the Public Defender, New Jersey)
- Motion for Pretrial Release (Washington State)
- Motion for Reconsideration of Detention Due to Coronavirus Pandemic (Law Office of the Public Defender Augusta Judicial Circuit)
- Motion for Release (Lawndale Christian Legal Center)
- Motion for Release from Commitment to the Department of Youth Services Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, Etc. (Alabama)
- Motion for Release from Detention Due to COVID-19 Pandemic (Alabama)
- Motion to Modify Bail (Adult-Office of the Ohio Public Defender)
- Motion to Modify Sentence (Adult-Office of the Ohio Public Defender)
- Motion to Modify Sentence (Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights)
- Motion to Release from Detention to Prevent Injury and Harm to the Child by COVID-19 (Kentucky)
- Motion to Temporarily Reduce Release Conditions (District of Columbia)
- Motion to Temporarily Release (District of Columbia)
- Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Amend Final Judgment (Children’s Law Center-Kentucky)
- Writ of Habeas Corpus (The Legal Aid Society)
- Writ of Habeas Corpus (Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights)
Videoconferencing Resources
- Amendment to Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.100(a)
- Audio-Video Appearances in Juvenile Court (Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission)
- Challenges in Virtual Collaboration Executive Summary
- Challenges in Virtual Collaboration
- Charm City Televised & Dehumanized-How CCTV Bail Reviews Violate Due Process
- Court Appearances in Criminal Proceedings through Telepresence
- Criminal Justice and Videoconferencing Technology
- Efficiency and Cost-The Impact of Videoconferenced Hearings on Bail Decisions
- How Video Changes the Conversation: Social Science Research on Communication Over Video and Implications for the Criminal Courtroom (Center for Court Innovation & National Legal Aid and Defender Association)
- Making Decisions from a Distance-The Impact of Technological Mediation on Riskiness and Dehumanization
- NAPD, Practice Tips (2020)
- Private Attorney-Client Communications and the Effect of Videoconferencing in the Courtroom
- Remote Justice: Communication in the Virtual Courtroom (Center for Court Innovation & National Legal Aid and Defender Association)
- Research on Videoconferencing at Post-Arraignment Release Hearings
- The Effect of Mediation on Impression Formation
Additional Resources
- Advocacy and Collaborative Health Care for Justice Involved Youth (American Academy of Pediatrics)*
- Coronavirus Coverage (The Marshall Project)*
- COVID-19 and the Criminal Justice System (Prison Policy Initiative)*
- COVID-19 Social Media Toolkit (Center for Children’s Law and Policy)*
- COVID-19 Youth Justice Advocacy Resources (Youth First)*
- Databases on Prisons and COVID-19 (UCLA Law)*
- Dynamic Models of Infectious Disease Transmission in Prisons and the General Population (Epidemiologic Reviews)*
- Emergency Resolution to Protect the Educational Future of Students (Los Angeles County Board of Education)*
- Guidance for Juvenile Justice Facilities During COVID-19 Pandemic-Updated June 2021 (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)*
- Guidance for Preventive and Responsive Measures to Coronavirus for Jails, Prisons, Immigration Detention and Youth Facilities (Vera Institute of Justice) *
- Health Is Justice Litigation Hub*
- The Impact of Video Proceedings on Fairness and Access to Justice in Court (Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law) *
- Información Para Familias Con Jóvenes Confinados En Juvenile Hall O En Campamentos Del Condado Durante La Pandemia COVID-19 (Pacific Juvenile Defender Center)*
- Information for Families with Children Confined in Juvenile Hall or County Camps During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Pacific Juvenile Defender Center)*
- Privacy Considerations for Remote Client Conversations (American Bar Association)*
- State and Territorial Health Department Websites (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)*
- Strengthening Your Resilience: Take Care of Yourself as You Care for Others (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)*
- To Protect Our Children and Fight Coronavirus, Release Youth from Juvenile Detention (Data for Progress and The Justice Collaborative Institute)*
- UNMASKED: Impacts of Pandemic Policing (COVID19 Policing Project)*
- Working Together in the Pandemic: Tips for Supporting Youth and Families in a Time of Crisis (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)*
- Youth Justice Under the Coronavirus: Linking Public Health Protections with the Movement for Youth Decarceration (The Sentencing Project)*
- Registered User Content
- COVID-19, Additional Guidance to Juvenile Facilities (California Board of State and Community Corrections)
- COVID-19 Press Release (Juvenile Justice Initiative)
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Control (National Commission on Correctional Health Care-Adult)
- Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Correctional Facilities: Lit Rep Supplement, March 4, 2020 (Washington State Department of Health)
- Policy & Public Health Recommendations for Preventing & Containing a COVID-19 Pandemic in Jails and Prisons
- Washington State Jails Coronavirus Management Suggestions in 3 “Buckets” (Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs)
- Registered User Content
Defender App Resources
Arrest or First Appearance
- Search & Seizure
- Appointment of Counsel/Access to Counsel
- Probable Cause & Pretrial Detention
- Probable Cause
- Pretrial Detention
Pretrial Issues
- Competence
- Conditions of Confinement
- Discovery
Trial
- Judgment of Acquittal/Directed Verdict
Disposition/Post-Disposition
- Disposition
General Issues
- Child & Adolescent Development
- Family & Third-Party Engagement
- Fines, Fees, Restitution
- Immigration
- Indigence
- Mental Health Issues
- Racial & Ethnic Disparities
- Role of Counsel/Scope of Representation
- Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, & Gender Expression
- Trauma