Among the most pressing needs relayed to assessment investigators in Arizona was

the need for specialized representation for children. Just as courts have long recognized

that children are different from adults and deserve special protections when facing the

prospect of prosecution, the legal profession has come to recognize that juvenile defense is

a highly specialized area of practice. In many places across the country, “juvenile defense

specialization” means there are systems in place to encourage and support attorneys to

devote their practice exclusively to the representation of children facing delinquency or

criminal prosecution. Where practicable, this is the gold standard. But, even where

exclusive practice is not possible, juvenile defense should be recognized as an area of legal

practice requiring expertise.

Although some defenders in Arizona have been able to exclusively practice in

juvenile delinquency court, many divide their time between juvenile and adult criminal

dockets, or between juvenile delinquency and dependency dockets. Another area of

concern is the need for statewide standards of representation of children facing

delinquency prosecution. Juvenile defenders in a few jurisdictions reported that they or

their offices informally or formally aspire to adhere to the National Juvenile Defense

Standards or American Bar Association (ABA) Standards of representing youth in

delinquency proceedings, but that there are no statewide standards in place.

Minority overrepresentation in the justice system has been a cause of concern for much of

the history of juvenile courts. Despite the length of time that this issue has been a focus of

research, overrepresentation persists, and there are still avenues yet to be examined. Although the

courts are doing what they feel is necessary for society, I don’t believe the courts in this state

follow the mission of my school. To target one race over another is the exact opposite of what
we are doing in schools. Our job as educators is to create an environment where all people have

the same chance to succeed. Breaking laws is nothing to look over, I know, but at the same time

a lot of these juveniles are being punished too harshly for what was done.

Interview Questions

What do you do to prepare yourself for court? How do you deal with an upset parent? How do
you prioritize your time management skills?

Are you comfortable sending juveniles to jail? Do you look to get the least amount of time
punished?

Do you feel that the court system is fair for juveniles?

What are some alternatives to jail that you recommend to counsel?

Do you believe that the juveniles you sentence can be saved? Have you ever made a decision
that more emotional than it should have been?

I was unable to interview a judge, but the experience was well worth it!