The Family/Special Victims Unit of the Criminal Division, under the supervision of a designated Assistant Attorney General, prosecutes
(1) all of the juvenile cases in Family Court wherein a minor is charged with an act that would be a crime if committed by an adult and
(2) all cases wherein the victim is a minor, including Child Abuse and Neglect, and Guardian petitions, and Involuntary Committment and Adoption hearings.
The Family/ Special Victims Unit includes a social worker who acts as a liason to the social service agencies that may refer cases to the unit. The social worker also assists attorneys in this unit in preparing child witnesses and victims to testify in court. Attorneys in this unit may assist a parent or legal guardian in filing a Petition for Persons In Need of Supervision (PINS) with the Family Court Division of the Superior Court when they are experiencing problems with a minor child.