Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

January 11, 2003 - Issue 78

Guidebook 2nd Edition Released on South Dakota's Juvenile Justice System
-- a resource for youth and parents

Judge Janine Kern, 7th Judicial Circuit: "The Guidebook is a valuable tool to help parents and young persons understand and successfully navigate the juvenile justice system. The book provides a comprehensive explanation of the process which is so important in helping South Dakota's kids get back on track."

The South Dakota Coalition for Children has just released the 2nd edition of its free guidebook for youth and parents on the South Dakota juvenile justice system. The updated sixteen-page booklet, written by a workgroup of South Dakota experts, explains youth's rights and how the juvenile justice system works in South Dakota.

"The Second Edition of the Guidebook reflects recent changes in South Dakota law which went into effect in 2002," says Dr. Susan Randall, Executive Director for the South Dakota Coalition for Children. "It tells you what to expect as you move through the system, what kind of costs you can expect to pay, and the resources that are available to help you. In short, it tells you everything you need to know when you are confronted with the legal system."

Judge Janine Kern, who presides over the 7th Circuit Juvenile Court, hands it out to every juvenile who comes through her court. "The Guidebook is a valuable tool to help parents and young persons understand and successfully navigate the juvenile justice system," she says. "The book provides a comprehensive explanation of the process, which is so important in helping South Dakota's kids get back on track."

The Midcontinent Media Foundation, the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, the South Dakota Community Foundation, the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, and the US Department of Justice provided funding support for the guidebook project.

The Guidebook is available free by calling the South Dakota Coalition for Children offices at 605-367-9667 or on the Coalition web site at www.sdcchildren.org.

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