The Nexus of Dependency and Delinquency: Requesting Dependency Lawyers to Handle Delinquency Cases

Abstract

Child advocates who specialize in dependency cases should consider handling delinquency cases because of the strong connection between the two areas of law. Too often crucial information affecting the client may not surface because children in delinquency cases are underrepresented. Accordingly, dependency lawyers could bring much needed assistance to an area where child clients are often neglected. It is therefore important to educate advocates on the similarities along with the benefits of handling such cases because these lawyers are best situated to competently represent these children. Thus, based on an understanding of the connection between dependency and delinquency the quality of representation a child receives in juvenile court could greatly improve if attorneys willingly enrolled in handling both dependency and delinquency matters.

Keywords: Children, Child Advocates, Delinquency, Dependency, Juvenile Offenders, Juvenile Justice