About this site
The idea for this site came from my role as moderator of the Oakland County Bar Association Juvenile Law Brown Bag Series. Developments in child protection, juvenile delinquency and adoption law are occurring almost daily and I did not feel that an annual state of the law seminar was sufficient. I decided to create this site to provide updates in the law throughout the year.-- Melinda N. Deel, Esq. (www.melindadeel.com)
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CARE House may be expanding/relocating
Posted on January 25th, 2010 No commentsThe Oakland Press reports that CARE House in Pontiac may be expanding their facility. CARE House has submitted a request to the Pontiac City Zoning Board to re-zone property that includes the now closed Ducky’s Bar on Woodward between Earlmoor Boulevard and Nebraska Avenue. If approved, CARE House, who already owns the property, plans to demolish the bar and its own facility to build a new building at the location.
Most of us who do child abuse and neglect work in Oakland County are very familiar with CARE House. CARE House provides advocacy, prevention, intervention and treatment services to children who have suffered abuse and neglect. They also conduct forensic interviews of children who are alleged to have suffered abuse and neglect. According to the Oakland Press, CARE House has declined to talk about the plans publicly, but hopefully these new facilities will provide better rooms to conduct the forensic interviews also. I am sure we will be hearing more about this if and when the zoning plan is approved.
You can check out the Oakland Press article here: CARE House hopes to tear down Pontiac bar, build new facility
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USDOJ Report on Sexual Assaults in Youth Detention Centers
Posted on January 25th, 2010 No commentsEarlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice released survey results regarding sexual assaults in youth detention centers in Michigan. The data is based on anonymous surveys issued to children in youth detention centers. The survey revealed that nearly one in four kids said they had been sexually assaulted. All of the assaults reported were perpetrated by other inmates. No staff members were implicated in the assaults. I have excerpted the data from Michigan in the table below:
These results are very alarming. The offenders in these facilities are there for very serious offenses, which increases the likelihood of these incidents. However, these facilities must do a better job protecting these children.
You can view the full report here: U.S. Dept. of Justice Survey
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