A Need for Training: Preparing Juvenile and Family Court Judges on Military‐Related Issues

• Author: Carlene Gonzalez,Shawn C. Marsh
• Published date: 01 March 2014
• Date: 01 March 2014
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jfcj.12018

A Need for Training: Preparing Juvenile and

Family Court Judges on Military-Related Issues

By Shawn C. Marsh, Ph.D. and Carlene Gonzalez, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT

This brief report presents a study undertaken to better understand the training

needs of judicial officers related to military issues. A snowball sample of judicial

officers and court-affiliated stakeholders were asked to identify the most critical

training topics regarding military issues in juvenile and family court, as well as rate

the importance of 13 potential training topics. The highest rated training topics for

judicial officers (N=129) were the (1) Welfare of spouses and children, (2) Protocols

to consider when selecting kinship care for children of deployed parents, (3) Mental

and physical health consequences of military service and deployment, (4) Reporting

standards regarding Intimate Partner Violence or Family Violence, as well as impli-

cations for civil case investigation, and (5) Education support for children of deployed

parents. Findings suggest a desire in the field for specific training on a multitude of

issues related to serving/veteran men and women, spouses, and dependents. Recom-

mendations for such trainings are discussed.

INTRODUCTION

Since its founding in 1937, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court

Judges (NCJFCJ) has pursued a mission to improve courts and systems practice, and to

raise awareness of the core issues that touch the lives of many of our nation’s children and

families. A core strategy in this effort is to provide judges, courts, and related agencies

involved with juvenile, family, and domestic violence cases with the knowledge and skills

needed to improve the lives of the families and children who seek justice. With the

number of military service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan

increasing, the justice system must prepare itself to serve this special population. Recent

research suggests that veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF), Iraqi Freedom

Shawn C. Marsh, Ph.D. is the Chief Program Officer for Juvenile Law at the National Council of

Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Carlene Gonzalez, Ph.D. is a Research Associate for Juvenile Law at the National Council of Juvenile

and Family Court Judges.

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Juvenile and Family Court Journal 65, No. 2 (Spring) 13

© 2014 National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges