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Research and Articles
The
Center for Families, Children & the Courts generates and distributes
research-based information that has promise for informing the work of
family and juvenile court services in California and nationwide. Articles
and reports include descriptive studies of court services, longitudinal
research on families from the Statewide Uniform Statistical Reporting
System (SUSRS), and a range of research studies on families and children
from the Research Grants Program. Click below to access these publications.
- California Juvenile Statistical Abstract Publications
- Child
Support Publications
- Court Improvement Publications
- Delinquency
Publications
- Domestic
Violence Publications
- Research
Grant Publications
- Self-Represented
Litigants Publications
- Statewide
Uniform Statistical Reporting System [SUSRS] Reports
- Unified Courts for Families Program Publications
- Other Publications
California Juvenile Statistical Abstract Publications
The California Juvenile
Statistical Abstract is a compilation of statewide data about children
and families involved in the courts and with related institutions.
- Click here to see the latest version of the Abstract (Acrobat edition, February 2005).
- Click
here to see the previous addition (Acrobat edition,
April 20, 2004).
Research Update: Juvenile Delinquency Data, (April 2006)
California
Map of Children in Foster Care 2004 by County
(For best printing
results, choose "Fit to paper" for page scaling and check "Choose
paper source by PDF page size" to print on an 8 1/2" x 14"
legal paper size.)
Research Update: California Juvenile Delinquency Data, February 2005 (PDF)
Research Update: Juvenile Dependency Data, February 2005 (PDF
Research Update: California Juvenile Delinquency Data (PDF), December 2003
Research Update: Juvenile Dependency Data (PDF), December 2003
California's Children: Their California's Children: Their Story in Numbers is a compilation of a broad array of statistics about children in California. Demographics, health, child welfare, substance use, violence and safety, and law enforcement/ corrections are among the topics addressed. Where possible, comparisons are made between California's child and adult populations.
| Child Support Publications |
Review
of Statewide Uniform Child Support Guideline, 1998, Executive Summary
(PDF)
| Court Improvement Publications |
California
Juvenile Dependency Court Improvement Program Reassessment (PDF) (full
report)
Click here for
a summary of the report.
Research
Update: Background of Judicial Officers in Juvenile Dependency (PDF)
This update provides the first statewide information on the assignments,
background, and caseload on judges, commissioners, and referees who serve
California's dependency courts.
State Court System Reports on Improving the Judicial Handling of Child Protection/Child Welfare Cases (including the executive summary and report of the 1997 California Court Improvement Project Report)
Draft Model Local Rules of Court (designed to implement relevant recommendations of the California Court Improvement Project)
| Delinquency Publications |
The Juvenile Delinquency Court Assessment 2008 is a comprehensive research study of the California delinquency court system based on surveys and focus groups conducted with delinquency court professionals and court users. Click here to view the final report.
Effective Representation of Children in Juvenile Delinquency Court (PDF), July 2004
Intersection Between Juvenile Dependency and Delinquency: Available Research (June 2005)
Probation Services Task Force Final Report
California
Probation Services Survey (November 2006)
This report
presents results from the Probation Services Survey, the first of a series
of research projects proposed in the Probation
Services Task Force Final Report. The study quantifies the array of
juvenile and adult probation services available across counties, including
information on how probation services are staffed and funded, and uses
the Task Force recommendations to identify gaps in services.
| Domestic Violence Publications |
Domestic Violence in Court-Based Child Custody Mediation Cases in California (2002)
Domestic Violence Courts: A Descriptive Study (PDF), May 2000
| Research Grant Publications |
Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence. In 2001, the program awarded a grant to Dr. Jeffrey Edleson who prepared a literature review of relevant research about the dynamics within families experiencing violence, the needs of both parents and children in the context of domestic violence events, and the resources available to them. This information will help inform courts' decisions about the care, custody, and visitation of children and provide information on how courts can monitor and shape intervention and parenting programs. Click here for the full report. (2003)
Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence. Jeffrey L. Edleson, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minnesota Center Against Abuse and Violence (2003).
Full Report
Document Information and Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Pointers for Practices
Body of Report
Directions for Future Inquiry
References and About the Authors
Research Update: Supervised Visitation: A Look at the Research Literature. (2000)
Research Update: Pre-Mediation Parent Education: The San Diego Experience. (1999)
An Integrative Review of the Literature Pertinent to Custody for Children Five Years of Age and Younger, Mary F. Whiteside, Ph.D., Ann Arbor, Center for the Family (1996).
Research Update: Parent Evaluations of Mediation Service. (1993)
High Conflict and Violent Parents in Family Court: Findings on Children's Adjustment and Proposed Guidelines for the Resolution of Custody and Visitation Disputes, Section III: Proposed Guidelines for Custody and Visitation for Cases with Domestic Violence. Janet Johnston, Ph.D., Center for the Family in Transition (1993).
Executive Summary
High Conflict and Violent Parents in Family Court Report.
A Program for Providing
Supervised Child Visitation: Report on a Demonstration Project Using Senior
Citizens as Supervisors, David Rosenhan, Ph.D., Stanford Law School (1993).
Executive Summary
A Program for Providing Supervised Child Visitation Report.
Intensive Therapeutic Mediation: Impasse-Directed Mediation as a Family Court Service and an Attempt to Develop an Intensive Therapeutic Mediation Program for The Family Court System in Santa Cruz County, David A. Hoffman, Ph.D. (1992).
Executive Summary
Contact CFCC for the Main report
The Impact of the Custody Plan on the Family: A Five-year Follow-up, Margaret Little, Ph.D., Los Angeles Superior Court (1991).
Executive Summary
The Impact of the Custody Plan Report.
Mandatory Court Mediation:
Demographic Summary and Consumer Evaluation of One Court Service - Executive
Summary, Mary Duryee, Ph.D., Alameda County Superior Court (1991).
Contact CFCC for the Main report.
Client Satisfaction Survey: A Consumer Evaluation of Mediation and Investigative Services, Joseph Duquesnel, M.S.W., Orange County Superior Court (1991).
Executive Summary
Contact CFCC for the Main report
| Self-Represented Litigants Publications |
California Courts Self-Help Centers: A Report to the Legislature on Self-Help, June 2007
Equal Access Fund - A Report to the California Legislature, March 2005Model Self-Help Pilot Program - A Report to the Legislature, March 2005
Statewide Uniform Statistical Reporting System [SUSRS] Reports
Demographic Trends of Clients in Court-Based Child Custody Mediation (2005)
SUSRS 2003 Client Baseline Study: Summary Findings (2004)
Client Feedback in California Court-Based Child Custody Mediation (2004)
Difficult Cases in Court-Based Child Custody Mediation in California (2003)
Research Update: Custody Mediation and Ethnic Diversity in California (2001)
Family Law Interpreter Pilot Program: Report to the Legislature (2001)Research Update: Children's Residence Five Years after Mediation. (2000)
Preparing Court-Based Child Custody Mediation Services for the Future (Report 12) (2000).
Statistical Profiles from Two Statewide Studies (Report 6) (1996).
Visitation with Children:
A Follow-up of Court Mediation Clients (Report 5) (1994).
Mediated Agreements on Child Custody and Visitation (Report 4) (1994).
Client Evaluations of Mediation Services: The Impact of Case Characteristics and Mediation Services Models (Report 3) (1994).
Client Evaluations of Mediation Services: Perspectives of Mothers and Fathers (Report 2). (1994).
Executive Summary
Main report not available.
Fact Sheet: Mediation Service Models and Client Satisfaction. (1993).
Overview: California Family Court Services Mediation 1991: Families, Cases, and Client Feedback (Report 1) (1992).
| SUSRS Methodology Series |
Unified Courts for Families Program Publications
Unified Family Court Evaluation Literature Review (PDF)
| Other Publications |
Access to Visitation Grant Program Annual Reports to the California Legislature
Court-Based Juvenile
Dependency Mediation in California (2003)
Drug and
Alcohol Testing in Child Custody Cases: Implementation of Family Code
Section 3041.5, Final Report to the California Legislature
In compliance with Assembly Bill 1108 (2003) (AB 1108), the research staff
at the Center for Families, Children & the Courts have submitted a
report to the Legislature on the implementation of California Family Code
section 3041.5 on July 1, 2007. That Code section allows courts to order
persons seeking custody of, or visitation with, a child in a child custody
proceeding to undergo drug or alcohol testing under specified circumstances.
The final report describes the background to the legislation, the methodology
used to study its implementation, and findings on four areas of inquiry
the Judicial Council was instructed to address by the Legislature.
The legislature specifically charged the Council with addressing four topics:
- The
number and percentage of custody cases in which drug or alcohol testing
is ordered;
- The
rate of compliance with those orders, and the procedures that are followed
if a parent fails to comply with an order;
- The
percentage of cases in which testing is ordered and the parent tests
positive for the use of drugs or alcohol; and
- The
impact of a positive test result on the court’s decision to grant
or deny custody or visitation.
Dual-Status Children: Protocols for Implementing Assembly Bill 129 – A Report to the California Legislature: Assembly Bill 129 (2004) allowed counties to develop a local protocol to designate certain children as having dual status, i.e., being both a dependent child and a ward of the juvenile court. AB 129 required the Judicial Council to evaluate the implementation of these protocols and to report its findings to the Legislature within two years of the date that participating counties first deem a child to be a dual-status child. The report addresses the following questions:
- How many counties adopted a dual-status protocol? Why did some counties elect to adopt a protocol, while some did not?
- What are the key features of dual-status protocols?
- What did the process of developing a dual-status protocol entail?
- Which aspects of developing and implementing a protocol were successful, and which were more challenging? What facilitated the successes, and what would help overcome the challenges?
- What would help the county teams optimize the implementation of their dual-status protocols moving forward?
Making the Court System Work Better for Children: 25 Things Your Court Can Do
Programs for Children of Separating Parents: Literature Review and Directions for Future Research (2004)
Stories
from California's Juvenile Court 2003
A collection of audio stories produced in 2003 to mark the 100th anniversary
of the California juvenile court system.
Supervised Visitation - An Annotated Bibliography (2000) (PDF)
Survey of Proceedings Involving Children and Families: Report of Survey Results
Victim Offender Reconciliation Programs Report (PDF), May 2000