The Use of Juvenile Statements Made in Uncounseled Interviews, Assessments, and Evaluations: A Survey of National Practices

As stakeholders in the juvenile justice system try to reconcile the due process rights of children with the rehabilitative goal of the juvenile justice system, an understanding of the vast array of approaches being used may be helpful. To that end, NJDC has compiled this survey of statutes and cases from around the country that address the issue of uncounseled statements outside of police interrogations. This list is a compilation only. It is not intended to be a definitive analysis of the laws regulating the use of statements. Case law, court rules, and other considerations may alter or affect how these statutes are interpreted in local courts. Additionally, statutes are regularly amended, repealed, or otherwise changed. Lawyers should know the relevant laws and practices within their own jurisdictions.