What Is Important to Me

By Julian W. Bailey

A brief discussion about what really matters in life and why I have a passion for work in the Juvenile Court.

Unlike most people, however, I have also been blessed to be very involved in the lives of other young people not related by blood, but nevertheless very close to me. These are the lives I have been able to touch through my work in the Juvenile Court.

Children come within the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court in two ways. They may be neglected or abused and without a parent fit to care for them, or they may have committed a criminal offense. Often the two types of jurisdiction are intertwined, and there may be several generations in the same family that have been through our court.

Rather than lament over the sad events that have brought these children to me, I view each case and each child as as an opportunity.

The crimes committed by children run the gamut from shoplifting to homicide, and not only must the punishment fit the crime, but it must also fit the child. Children as young as 14 may be prosecuted as adults, and many teenagers who commit serious felonies go directly to adult court. Most cases involve less serious behavior, however, and I try to fashion orders to make sure these youths are attending school every day and every class, making restitution for the damage they may have caused and are accountable for their behavior. Failure to comply with my orders results in their attending "my" school in juvenile hall where perfect attendance is the norm. The payoff for me is when these youths keep their commitments to me, and I release them from probation.

Obviously not every youth successfully navigates the juvenile justice system, but a remarkable number do, and I find that gratifying. The failures pay a steep price with the loss of their freedom.

The neglected and abused children come before me through no fault of their own. Every effort is made to reunite families with the help of the Department of Social Services. If we are successful we close the case and do not see the children again. Other cases end with the termination of parental rights and the children being placed for adoption, long-term foster care or guardianship. Often these children are paired with a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer who donates his or her time to become a responsible adult in the life of a child who knows no other stable grownup. In my opinion, there is no higher form of public service than that freely provided by a CASA.

Many of the very young children are paired with adoptive parents, and there is no happier day in my court than when I am able to legally unite children with parents who want and love them. I always invite the family to join me on the bench for photos, and more than once have I shared tears of happiness with new parents and grandparents.

The foster care system and non-profit organizations such as Boys' Town and the Orangewood Foundation in Orange County work to provide the homes and parenting otherwise denied these youths. Each child's case is regularly reviewed by the court, and every effort is made to ensure that these children reach adulthood with the skills they need to succeed independently in life. Again, we do not always have happy endings to these stories, but we very often do, and of that I am also proud.

Like so many things in life it is the journey and the efforts put into reaching the goal that for me have been especially rewarding. Every day has the potential of being a masterpiece. It is for that that I strive.