Andrew Vachss
Harvey R. Houck Jr. Award
for Outstanding Service to Children

Justice for Children, the leading national advocacy organization for abused and neglected children, recently honored Andrew Vachss with its first annual Harvey R. Houck Jr. Award for Outstanding Service to Children. The presentation was made at JFC's 15th anniversary gala, in Houston, Texas.

Since its founding, Justice for Children has grown to a nationwide nonprofit with offices in Houston, Washington, DC, and Phoenix. In the last fifteen years, they have handled 55,000 calls for assistance and over 4,700 cases, and their work has been chronicled on Good Morning America, 20/20, and PrimeTime Live, amongst others. In 2001, Justice for Children was named Public Service Organization of the Year by the Young Lawyer's Division of the American Bar Association.

Justice for Children is also a leader in the public policy area, providing information about the plight of abused children to the community and elected leaders, and recommending legislative and other solutions for the critical challenges facing abused children. Through a network of attorney volunteers, they provide direct advocacy for abused children lost in the system by removing obstacles to child protection and prosecution of their offenders. The volunteer lawyers prepare amicus briefs, conduct legal research and document analysis, and engage in litigation on behalf of children.

More information is available at http://www.jfcadvocacy.org.

Randy Burton, Founder and President of Justice for Children and Andrew Vachss