The Children’s Justice Act (CJA) is a federal award granted to each state to develop, establish, and operate programs designed to improve (1) the handling of child abuse and neglect cases, particularly cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation, in a manner which limits additional trauma to the child victim; (2) the handling of cases of suspected child abuse of neglect related fatalities; (3) the investigation and prosecution of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation; and (4) the handling of cases involving children with disabilities or serious health-related problems who are the victims of abuse of neglect. The Texas Center for the Judiciary (Texas Center) has been designated by the Governor’s Office to administer CJA funds in Texas.
CJA funds are used to support programs that seek to reform State systems and improve the processes by which officials respond to cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation and cases of suspected child abuse or neglect related fatalities. This enables States to deal more effectively with both the child victim and the offender and to limit additional trauma to the child victim.
Across the nation, CJA funds have helped support a variety of innovative approaches to helping improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases such as:
- Supporting the planning and development of Child Advocacy Centers across the country;
- Development of training to physicians, nurses, and school personnel, and other mandated reports in recognizing and reporting suspected abuse and neglect;
- Development of training among child protection agencies, law enforcement agencies, domestic violence programs, courts and others on cases involving domestic violence;
- Providing forensic interviewing training to county attorneys, law enforcement officers, and child protection workers who wish to specialize in child abuse cases;
- Providing training to judges, guardian ad litems, and CASAs, who specialize in child abuse cases;
- Developing procedures and protocols for joint investigations; and
- Providing grants to counties for training and investigative equipment
The CJA Program instructions are issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Adminstration for Children & Families on an annual basis. These issuances clarify and explain procedures and methods for operationalizing program policies, add details to program regulations or policy guide requirements, and convey to states program guidance information on actions they are expected or required to take. The CJA Program Instruction for FFY2010 were issued on February 18, 2009. CJA Program Instructions.
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