JIDAN Team leader Honored for Service
Last month, the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) honored Clay Walker, Deputy Public Defender and Director of Juvenile Defender Services, Louisiana Public Defender Board with its 2010 Award for Leadership in Juvenile Justice Reform at NJJN’s 8th Annual Forum.
This was the inaugural year for the award, which is given to individuals or organizations that have engaged in exceptional advocacy and served as visionary leaders for juvenile justice system reform in their state or region.
About the honoree
Clay Walker was appointed to the Louisiana Public Defender Board in 2003 and has since then utilized a cutting-edge approach to juvenile defense. Mr. Walker has developed a training to better understand the school to prison pipeline and seeks to educate defenders regarding the role mental health issues play in school discipline and juvenile justice. Mr. Walker has pushed for a new approach to youth in the courtroom, and worked to break down the barriers between juvenile justice agencies, schools, public defenders, prosecutors, and other groups in an effort to work collaboratively and more efficiently. Mr. Walker focuses both on improving individual representation of youth as well as supporting large-scale systemic and legislative reform.
See additional coverage of the award in the Shreveport Times.