“A Child's Right to Counsel: A National Report Card on Legal Representation for Abused and Neglected Children”

According to the federal government, nearly 800,000 children were abused or neglected in 2007. This peer-reviewed survey suggests that many of these children are herded through the legal system without a strong voice to advocate on their behalf. The study grades how each state performs in providing effective legal representation to maltreated children within the framework of its state law. Only two states earned A+’s and nine states earned A’s. Twenty-nine states earned grades of C's or lower.

The study was conducted by two national child advocacy organizations, First Star and the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law (CAI). According to the report, the findings suggest that the juvenile court systems in most U.S. states do not adequately protect the rights of abused and neglected children. To this end, the report recommends federal and state efforts that should be made to improve representation for children.
 

Read the report.