A multi-disciplinary group has unanimously recommended ending a pilot program in Middlesex Juvenile Court designed to increase access to otherwise confidential abuse and neglect litigation. Open court supporters had argued that shedding light on these issues would eventually improve outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system. Opponents maintained that permitting public scrutiny of sensitive family issues would compromise the privacy of children and families, and that this scrutiny was not in the best interests of children served in juvenile courts.
The multi-disciplinary group based its recommendation in large part on the likelihood that open courts would subject abused and neglected children and their families to additional emotional harm. It also noted that very few members of the public attended the pilot program’s open hearings, and that those who did were most often family members or foster parents. The evaluation group felt that open court decisions could best be made on a case-by-case basis.
