{mosimage}Since its founding in 1937 by a group of judges dedicated to improving the effectiveness of the nation's juvenile courts, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) has pursued a mission to improve courts and systems practice and raise awareness of the core issues that touch the lives of many of our nation's children and families. 

Every day, our membership of more than 2,000 judges, referees, commissioners, masters and other juvenile and family law professionals confront a variety of juvenile and family related issues, including:

• Child abuse and neglect
• Adoption and foster care
• Juvenile delinquency
• Family violence
• Victims of juvenile offenders
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Termination of parental rights
• Custody and visitation
• Minority issues

The NCJFCJ, headquartered on the University of Nevada campus in Reno since 1969, provides cutting-edge training, wide-ranging technical assistance, and research to help the nation's courts, judges and staff in their important work. During the past year, the NCJFCJ conducted or assisted in conducting more than 200 educational programs for more than 19,000 judges, court administrators, social and mental health workers, police, probation officers, and others working in the juvenile and family courts at its headquarters in Reno and throughout the country. In conjunction with the University of Nevada, Reno and the National Judicial College, the NCJFCJ participates in unique advanced degree programs for judges and other court professionals.

 Just a few of its major efforts include:

• The Child Victims Act Model Courts Project, a network of 29 Model Courts that serve as models and mentors to jurisdictions nationwide;
• The Delinquency Model Court Project, a network of eight courts that seek to improve practice in delinquency cases through implementation of the Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines;
• Working with the Office of Justice Program's Juvenile Drug Court Training and Technical Assistance Project to help juvenile drug courts implement or enhance their juvenile drug courts;
• The Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody, which provides access to information and assistance to those working in the field of domestic violence and child protection and custody; and
• The NCJFCJ's research division, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, based in Pittsburgh, Pa., which is the country's only non-profit research organization dedicated to the juvenile justice system.