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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Center on Children, Families, and the Law

Enhancing the well-being of children, youth, and families.

Projects & Outreach: Nebraska Court Improvement Project

Using federal funding made available through a contract with the Supreme Court of Nebraska, this project is designed to improve the functioning of the state court system in responding to cases involving children who have been abused or neglected. This project began in 1995 and, with a recent Congressional Re-authorization, is expected to continue until at least 2006. Recent Court Improvement Projects (CIP) include:

  • Family Group Conferencing
  • Court-Agency Collaborations
  • Revision of the Nebraska Juvenile Code - Mark Ells, J.D. completed a complete revision of the Nebraska Juvenile Code in 2001. The Nebraska State Legislature is doing an Interim Study on the draft code during the summer and fall of 2002. The new code may be introduced in the 2003 legislative session.
  • Training - The CIP conducts training for judges and attorneys and distributes resources to judges regarding changes in federal and state law.
  • Publications - The CIP has published the Guide for Parents and Foster Parents: Walking Your Way Through the Nebraska Juvenile Court Child Protection Process. Additionally, the CIP helps support publication of the RAP (Research Advancing Practice) Sheet, a quarterly publication that summarizes findings from the social science literature regarding child protection and juvenile justice.