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Barton Child Law & Policy Center: News Releases and In the News
Carter: Child mental healthcare crisis 'far exceeds foster care'
Carter: Why Georgia dissolved a duplicative abuse tracking system
The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services dissolved its child abuse registry after four years. Officials say the database made it more difficult to accurately track and punish abusers. However, cases are still tracked via the SHINES Portal, the statewide, automated child welfare information system. Barton Child Law and Policy Center Executive Director Melissa Carter tells the AJC why the dissolution was prudent.
Emory University receives $1 million NoVo foundation grant to advance systems-based solutions to end commercial sexual exploitation
Emory University receives $1 million NoVo foundation grant to advance systems-based solutions to end commercial sexual exploitation. Emory Law’s Barton Child Law and Policy Center part of multi-sector partnership to advance systems-based solutions to support marginalized communities
Carter comments on case involving years of alleged sexual abuse
Melissa Carter, executive director of Emory Law's Barton Child Law and Policy Center, was quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story that alleges a volunteer coach with the Pope High School wrestling program sexually abused young boys for years, despite one mother's efforts to have him arrested. In 2017, the coach pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two boys in Pennsylvania. Carter said there appeared to be multiple occasions when adults in positions of responsibility for children failed them. "The law itself is just a minimum, and often the law doesn't answer for us what the ethical or moral thing to do is," Carter said. "We all, as adults, should be aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse."
The Appeal for Youth Clinic at Emory works to end juvenile life without parole in Georgia
The Barton Child Law and Policy Center expanded its clinical offerings in 2011 with the addition of the Appeal for Youth Clinic.
Carter on GPB: It's time to revisit 'get-tough' juvenile offender laws
More than 100 Georgia minors under the age of 18 are in adult prisons. That's due to Georgia's so-called "seven deadly sins" law, which is shorthand for the seven charges that vault juveniles to adult court. The approach was meant to deal with kids who were becoming "super-predators." Melissa Carter, who leads Emory Law's Child Law and Policy Center, says it's time to revisit get-tough on youthful offender laws.
Juvenile Defender Clinic court case featured in Daily Report
The Fulton County (Atlanta) Daily Report featured a winning decision in the case of an Emory Law Juvenile Defender Clinic client.
Carter on foster care privatization, not necessarily right for our children
Most of Georgia's child welfare system would be dismantled and turned over to private companies under a new bill introduced this week by Senate lawmakers.
Carter says speed of foster care fix troubling
A plan to put private organizations in charge of Georgia¿s approximately 7,000 foster children is moving too fast for some child advocates who want more study before overhauling the system.
Barton Center director Melissa Carter: preventing child deaths is everyone's responsibility
An opinion piece by Barton Child Law and Policy Center Director Melissa Carter
Georgia Supreme Court reverses juvenile defendant life, no parole, sentence
Students from the Emory Law Barton Child Law and Policy Center Appeal for Youth Clinic drafted the appeal and argued the case.
EPIC grants fund Emory Law students' pro bono work
Thirty-six Emory Law students worked for the public good in organizations across the United States.
Barton Legislative Clinic students achieve goal, juvenile law reform
Emory Law students worked on the passage of a landmark overhaul of Georgia juvenile code.
Georgia tries to steer more juveniles toward help
Melissa Carter, director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center, discusses a proposal to overhaul Georgia¿s juvenile justice system that has passed the House and is expected to be before the Senate this week.
Widner talks with WABE about human trafficking in Georgia
A Georgia House-Senate study commission has released a new report on human trafficking in Georgia. It updates and expands a report from three years ago, which resulted in a 2011 law imposing much tougher penalties on those who engage in the sex trafficking of children.
Gov. Deal appoints Carter to Georgia Commission on Family Violence
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Barton Child Law and Policy Center Executive Director Melissa Carter to the Commission on Family Violence.