Free Legal Workshop to Focus on Trauma-Informed Approaches
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Feb. 27, 2024
Contact: Alisa Bousa, Public Information Officer, Alisa.Bousa@ujs.state.sd.us, 605.773.2031
Free Legal Workshop to Focus on Trauma-Informed Approaches
PIERRE, S.D.— Law students, legal professionals and others interested in better understanding trauma-informed approaches in legal proceedings will have the opportunity to learn from local and national experts on April 4, 2024.
The third annual Legal Workshop presented by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law, and Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment will take place at the Old Lumber Company in Vermillion. The focus of this year’s workshop is “Crimes Against Children in the 21st Century.”
The workshop will begin with remarks from South Dakota Supreme Court Justice Scott P. Myren. The morning will include a session titled “Legal Issues in Tech-Facilitated Child Sex Abuse” by Warren Binford, child rights professor, University of Colorado, and “Victim Representation in Tech-Facilitated Child Sex Abuse” by A.R. Ascano, licensed professional counselor, Intermodal Interventions.
The afternoon will include a discussion on legislative work to protect children from harm, along with a panel discussion from local and regional experts on online child sex abuse.
The workshop will begin at 9 a.m., include a light breakfast and lunch, and conclude by 3 p.m. While the workshop is free, registration is required at https://sdcpcm.com/legalworkshop.
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About South Dakota Courts: The Unified Judicial System (UJS) consists of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts and State Court Administrator’s Office. The Supreme Court is the state’s highest court and final decision maker on South Dakota law. The Circuit Courts are the state’s trial courts where criminal proceedings and civil litigation are handled. The State Court Administrator’s Office provides centralized administrative assistance and support services for the South Dakota judiciary. The Court Improvement Program (CIP), administered by the State Court Administrator’s Office through the direction of the Supreme Court, is charged with assessing the system’s handling of child abuse and neglect cases, making recommendations for improvements, and overseeing improvement projects to completion. Learn more at https://ujs.sd.gov.
About the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment: The Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment (CPCM), SDCPCM.com joins local, tribal, state and federal efforts in the fight against child sexual abuse and other forms of maltreatment in South Dakota. CPCM is designed to help South Dakotans know of, respond to and prevent child maltreatment, while supporting resilient families. The center’s director is Chrissie Young.
About the School of Health Sciences: USD’s School of Health Sciences is a national leader in interprofessional health sciences education. South Dakota’s comprehensive School of Health Sciences develops scholars, practitioners and leaders in health and human services, including addiction counselors, dental hygienists, health science practitioners, medical laboratory scientists, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, physician assistants, public health practitioners and social workers.
About the Knudson School of Law: As the premier South Dakota law school, USD’s Knudson School of Law prepares students to practice law all over the country. Ranked as a national leader in judicial clerkships, the USD Knudson School of Law offers a world-class education to more than 170 students and is home to 3,000-plus alumni.
About USD: Founded in 1862 and the first university in the Dakotas, the University of South Dakota is the only public liberal arts university in the state, with 202 undergraduate and 84 graduate programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education, Knudson School of Law, Sanford School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Beacom School of Business and College of Fine Arts. With an enrollment of nearly 10,000 students and more than 400 faculty, USD has a 15:1 student/faculty ratio, and it ranks among the best in academics and affordability. USD’s 18 athletic programs compete at the NCAA Division I level.