News Release: Statewide Conference Celebrates 100 Years of Juvenile Justice


Release Date: November 21, 2003	Release Number: 79

Statewide Conference Celebrates 100 Years of Juvenile Justice

1,000 to Gather in Los Angeles for Historic Event

San Francisco—More than 1,000 members of the court and legal community will gather in Los Angeles on December 4–6 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the creation of California’s juvenile courts.

To mark this historic event, the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Los Angeles Juvenile Court will co-sponsor “Celebrating California’s Juvenile Court Centennial Conference”—one of the largest statewide events ever held on juvenile and family law issues.

The conference will take a close look at juvenile delinquency and dependency, with more than 60 workshops focusing on timely issues such as family violence, substance abuse and recovery, youth gangs, foster care, gay and lesbian issues, and positive programs to protect and restore California’s children. Speakers include:

Chief Justice Ronald M. George, who will honor juvenile court presiding judges and others who have made a difference in the lives of children.

Actor and director Rob Reiner, founder of the I Am Your Child Foundation.

Judge Leonard P. Edwards, one of state’s foremost experts on juvenile law and former president of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., director of Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles program that strives to reduce gang violence by helping at-risk youth get jobs.

Judge Roger Warren (retired), president of the National Center for State Courts; Mr. Howard Snyder, director of Systems Research, National Center for Juvenile Justice; and Mr. David Sanders, director, Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

Other Conference Highlights

The conference will bring together a record number of judicial officers, attorneys, social workers, probation officers, court staff, juvenile justice and child welfare professionals, and other juvenile court stakeholders.

On display throughout the conference will be artistic works from the Children’s Art and Poetry Contest—including photography, collage, painting, haiku, rap, and limericks. The contest was organized by the AOC’s Center for Families, Children & the Courts (CFCC).

In addition, the AOC has developed a 95-minute, two-disc set of recordings of stories told with candor by individuals associated with juvenile court—children, judges, commissioners, probation officers, social workers, and others.

Note to Editors: The conference is open to the news media. Please reserve a place now by calling Lynn Holton at 415-865-7726. For more information, visit CFCC’s Web Site at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/cfcc .

The Judicial Council is the policymaking body of the California courts, the largest court system in the nation. Under the leadership of the Chief Justice and in accordance with the California Constitution, the council is responsible for ensuring the consistent, independent, impartial, and accessible administration of justice. The Administrative Office of the Courts carries out the official actions of the council and promotes leadership and excellence in court administration.