TeamChild Juvenile Justice Project

TeamChild is a collaboration between the Center for Children's Advocacy and the Hartford Juvenile Public Defender's Office. The attorney from the Center teams with the defense attorney to improve the outcome for the child in the juvenile justice system. The TeamChild attorney handles the child's legal issues in the civil arena to secure needed services through community agencies or the school system.

The Center's attorney represents the child on educational issues, including special education, §504 and expulsions, status offenses, and access to mental health treatment, which may be at the root of the child's court involvement.

 

Jason's academic struggles began long before the day he was arrested at school for a fight in the cafeteria.

JasonJason is only 13 years old, but he has a long history of academic failure.
In the 2009-2010 school year, he accrued over 60 unverified absences and over 50 days of outside-school suspension. He lost over half the year of education.

Despite an early diagnosis of depressive disorder, difficulty controlling his anger, and a long history of academic failure, Jason had never been evaluated for special education. 

Teacher reports continually noted severe behavior problems.  Jason's grades reflected his struggles, revealing significantly below grade level performance in every subject. 

The school had a legal obligation to refer Jason to special education - his academic performance was consistently unacceptable, and he had severe attendance and behavior issues - but no evaluations were done until the Center for Children's Advocacy got involved.

CCA attorney Hannah Benton reviewed Jason's educational records, helped Jason's mother request educational evaluations for her son, and secured a stay of the recent expulsion, pending Jason's placement at a therapeutic school.

Jason's diagnostic evaluations determined a language-based learning disability. He was found eligible for special education and placed in a therapeutic program, and the school agreed with Attorney Benton that Jason should not be expelled.

Jason's academic career has changed dramatically. At his new school, Jason receives individualized course work and significant therapeutic supports within a structured behavioral redirection program. He has flourished with these supports, both academically and behaviorally, and received an A or a B in each of his classes. He was not suspended once during the 2010-2011 school year. 

Teacher reports indicate a striking difference in Jason in the therapeutic setting, emphasizing his hard work and ownership of his own behavior. The school social worker describes Jason as a role model for other students. 

School staff are working with Jason on effective communication of his thoughts and feelings and to develop a mechanism to cope with his emotions.  Jason will continue to receive educational services and evaluations through the summer to insure that his progress continues. With the Center's intervention and support, Jason has had no further arrests and is happy at school.

 

Education vs. Incarceration: The Real Cost of Failing Our Kids

CPTV website: For the first time in recent history, five states now spend more money on incarceration than education. Connecticut is one of those states. It costs approximately $12,000 per year to keep a student in school in Connecticut. It costs more than $31,000 a year to keep an individual in prison. From 1987 to 2006, Connecticut more than tripled its General Fund spending on corrections, from $193 million $661 million. Over the same 20-year period, the state’s General Fund spending on higher education increased far less dramatically—from $557 million to $644 million.

Education vs. Incarceration: The Real Cost of Failing Our Kids, a CPTV Original, examines this alarming trend. Documentary includes interviews with Martha Stone, Executive Director of the Center for Children’s Advocacy.


Information and History of TeamChild Juvenile Justice Project

Proven successes for TeamChild include:

  • a higher rate of successful school re-entry
  • more students receiving necessary mental health services
  • more community-based dispositions
  • a much higher rate of successful completion of probation
  • lower recidivism

The TeamChild attorney uses the information gleaned through the representation of individual clients to identify systemic issues in education, mental health, and juvenile justice. Through meetings with state and local education and juvenile justice agencies as well as the introduction of legislation, TeamChild works to implement systemic changes that provide the maximum benefit to children.

According to Susan O. Storey, Chief Public Defender, "Children without these all-inclusive juvenile justice, mental health, and educational services often fail to succeed in school and their communities and eventually become casualties of the criminal justice system. The Center for Children's Advocacy and the TeamChild program have proven to be creative and effective in developing community-based collaborative programs that address the needs of these children."

Publications

What Are My Rights?
Know your Legal Rights in Detention.
This question and answer handbook was developed by the Center for Children's Advocacy in collaboration with the Connecticut Judicial Branch and with funding from the Connecticut Bar Foundation.

The book answers questions that youth In detention may have about their legal rights and about the responsibilities of the detention center, and encourages youth to speak up to ask for the services they need.

 
     
     

Life After Lockup: What's Up with School?
(Your Legal Rights when You Come Back to the Community)
Question and Answer book on the legal rights of youth returning to school and the community from CJTS, Juvenile Detention or Residential Placement. These youth are often dealing with Parole and Probation Officers, DCF, Public Defenders and School Officials.

This important book helps them understand their legal rights and what they can do to participate in the decisions that affect them.

 

 

TeamChild/Juvenile Justice: