Bench Book for Judges and Court Personnel

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MISSION, RESULTS STATEMENT, & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mission Statement

The Interstate Commission for Juveniles, the governing body of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, through means of joint and cooperative action among the compacting states, preserves child welfare and promotes public safety interests of citizens, including victims of juvenile offenders. With a focus on racial justice, the Commission provides enhanced accountability, enforcement, visibility, and communication in the return of juveniles who have left their state of residence without permission and in the cooperative supervision of delinquent juveniles who travel or relocate across state lines.

Results Statement

All ICJ youth and families are safe, supported, and treated equitably.

Acknowledgements

Given that cooperative action is at the heart of ICJ’s mission, we deeply appreciate all who collaborated on this and previous version of the ICJ Bench Book for Judge and Court Personnel. We are fortunate that the nation’s leading legal experts on interstate compact law dedicated their considerable knowledge and skills to this work.  Many thanks to attorneys Richard L. (Rick) Masters, Michael L. Buenger, and Jeffrey Litwak.  Thanks also to Nathan Hardymon, University of Kentucky, College of Law, Class of 2018, for his assistance. 

We would also like to acknowledge the special contributions of ICJ Commissioners and Officers, especially 2023 Chair Nina Belli (OR), 2023 Vice Chair Julie Hawkins (MO), 2018 Chair Anne Connor (ID), and 2018 Vice Chair Natalie Dalton (VA).  Finally, we greatly appreciate the efforts of former and current staff members: MaryLee Underwood, Jennifer Adkins, Emma Goode, Ashley Lippert, Morgan Wolford, and Monica Gary.

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Version 11.0© 2024 Interstate Commission for Juveniles