Preface The need for a succinct description of vol-

unteer programs in the juvenile court has become apparent in recent years. The need for these programs and how to implement them became the focus of a series of confer- ences in 1971 and 1972 sponsored jointly by the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges and the National Congress of Parqnts and Teachers (the PTA). Financed by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) and the Sears Roebuck Foundation, four regional conferences were held that brought representatives of the PTA, the juvenile court judges aRd their staffs, school administrators, and some volunteers together to discuss volunteers in the juvenile court and to assist in the development of these programs.

The first conference was held in Boston, on November 17-19, 1971. The second con- ference w a s held in Jackson, Mississippi, on January 26-28, 1972. The third conference was held in San Francisco on March 15-17, 1972. The fourth and last conference was held in Chicago on September 13-15, 1972. T o each of these conferences were sent teams from the state PTA’s in their respective regions, representative juvenile court judges and staff, and selected school administrators from each state.

The faculty were outstanding judges, per- sons representing the national PTA, includ- ing the national presidents, successful vol- unteer coordinators, and some volunteers. Significant faculty included persons who had become expert in the field of volunteers in the juvenile court.

The National Congress of Parents and Teachers supported the project by sending teams of PTA members from each state to the regional conferences. The national presi- dent of the PTA, Elizabeth Mallory of New

York, and the first vice president; Lillie Herndon of Columbia, S.C., were both prominent at the conferences. Gerri Roth- bauer, secretary in the central office of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers in Chicago, contributed much in terms of coordination, enhancing the logistics of a network of conferences and related efforts, clerical assistance, and smoothing ruffled feelings that always occur when complex affairs encounter minor frustrations. The contribution of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers was basic to this proj- ect.

The follow-up evaluation of this program attested to its success. Beginning with the Boston conference, which was generally well accepted, the program and the resulting efforts became better with each succeeding conference. The feed-back from each con- ference had been used to modify and improve the succeeding conferences, so they became more and more effective.

The PTA is in a unique position to pro- vide volunteers for juvenile courts. They are interested in schools and they are interested in the behavior and socialization processes for children. The PTA is the only organiza- tion with comprehensive interest in the school, their children, the community and the citizenry, and the agencies of society, including the police, juveriile court, and welfare departments. The PTA is a natural to become involved in volunteer programs in the juvenile courts. They are in the best position of any organization to bring the fragmented units of the community together in a concerted effort to help children in trou- ble.

Vernon Fox Florida State University TaIIahassee, Florida

4 Juvenile Justice I February, 1973