Judge: Open child-abuse hearings

Friday, Feb. 15, 2002 | 9:31 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Nevada law requiring closed court hearings in cases of abused and neglected children should be repealed, a Clark County Family Court judge says.

Family Court Judge Gerald Hardcastle told a legislative committee Thursday that the confidentiality in the hearings doesn't protect the child but does shield abusive parents or an agency that has been mismanaged.

Some of the things revealed in the courtroom are "outrageous" and the "public ought to know."

Hardcastle's suggestion was endorsed by District Judge Deborah Schumacher of Washoe County, who handles juvenile cases. "There may be some embarrassment to the children, but overall it would be beneficial," she said.

Schumacher said a compromise may involve closing the early hearings where unsubstantiated charges are made, then open them when a child is found to be abused or neglected.

They made their comments to the Legislative Committee on Children, Youth and Families, which is monitoring the shift of foster care and children services from the state to Clark and Washoe counties.

Hardcastle said the Legislature "opened up the (juvenile) delinquency system, and there was no great crisis. Why not do the same thing for our valuable children?"

He suggested that opening the hearings would generate community support.

"It's too bad more people can't see it," Hardcastle said.

Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said she would again put the issue on the agenda.

The judges also agreed that foster children should not be cut loose from the system when they reach 18.

Foster children cannot be successful unless there are more services, Hardcastle said. "These are very dependent children," he said.

The 2001 Legislature authorized county recorders to charge an additional $1 for recording a document with the money to go to the state to assist those children leaving foster care at 18.

The money could be used for job training, medical insurance or housing assistance. And Medicaid covers some of these children.

Hardcastle said he would like to see state services provided to children until they turn 21.