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Will the Children Please Approach the Bench

NCJ Number
118705
Journal
School Safety Dated: (Winter 1986) Pages: 11-13
Author(s)
R H Mnookin
Date Published
1986
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Courtroom advocacy may create fewer immediate ethical and political problems for its professional partisans than lobbying.
Abstract
Legal child advocates favor litigation over legislative activities for reasons revolving around power and risks of opposition, costs and resources, and socialization of lawyers. Four suggestions are offered which include alternatives to litigation, careful selection of cases, coalition-building, and facing up to indeterminacy. This study shows going to court will often make a difference, although not necessarily the difference the advocate had in mind. It also suggests the profound difficulties of making policy for children, no matter what the forum. 9 footnotes.