Administrative Office of Courts
Commission on Children’s Justice to meet on August 1 in Jackson July 28, 2016 The Mississippi Commission on Children’s Justice will meet at 10 a.m. Aug. 1 at the Supreme Court of Mississippi Carroll Gartin Justice Building, 450 High Street in Jackson. Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam, co-chair of the Commission, will outline the mission for the organization. Dr. John Damon, director of Mississippi Children’s Home Services and a member of the Commission, will speak at 10:30 a.m. Subcommittees will begin their presentations at 10:45 a.m. and are expected to conclude shortly before 2 p.m. Court of Appeals Judge Virginia Carlton and Jurist in Residence John Hudson will talk about proposed legislation. Justice Beam and Dr. Damon will talk about faith-based initiatives. Karla Tye, executive director of Mississippi Children’s Advocacy Centers, will discuss education. Commission Co-chair Judge Thomas Broome of the Rankin County Youth Court and Sandra Parks, Children’s Division bureau chief at the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, will talk about the community wraparound. Justice Beam will discuss long-term planning. Judge Hudson, former Adams County Youth Court Judge, will talk about the importance of community support. Special Assistant Attorney General Patti Marshall, director of the Bureau of Victim’s Assistance of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, will discuss the high incidence of abused and neglected children who progress to delinquency, and ways to keep kids out of the juvenile justice system. The Commission since its inception in 2006 has worked to develop a statewide comprehensive approach to improving the child welfare system. The Commission works to coordinate the three branches of government in assessing the impact of government actions on children who are abused or neglected. The Commission expects to recommend changes to improve children’s safety, strengthen and support families and promote public trust and confidence in the child welfare system. “With TEAMWORK, our kids win!” is the Commission’s motto. #### |
