Study Says Juveniles Don't Receive Adequate Counsel CHICAGO, IL (wqub) - Juvenile offenders in Illinois are not getting the legal defense they need or are entitled to, according to a new study being released today.

It's from the National Juvenile Defender Center---and the Children and Family Justice Center, of Northwestern University.

Chicago Public Radio's Diantha Parker reports.

There are skilled and devoted attorneys to represent children, the study finds--just too few of them.

And researchers say most don't have the training to do it effectively.
Even if they do, heavy caseloads mean lawyers don't have time to research their clients' cases.

And their first meetings usually happen moments before the child's first court appearance.

The study also says that kids who get assigned a succession of lawyers--and many do--have a harder time staying out of trouble.

Researchers recommend building attorney-client relationships, and earmarking state money to train lawyers---in child development and other special skills.

I'm Diantha Parker--Chicago Public Radio.



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