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Court monitoring makes a difference

WATCH’s mission is to make the justice system more effective and responsive in handling cases of violence against women and children, and to create a more informed and involved public.

Every day trained WATCH volunteers observe court and report on what they see. WATCH follows up with court staff and committees to recommend improvements. Our experience shows that when the public is present in court, everyone does a better job.

• WATCH was founded in 1992 in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• WATCH trains more than 60 volunteers and interns each year who monitor over 4,000 hearings
• Court personnel and advocates for women agree that public scrutiny of the courts leads to improvements
• WATCH supports court monitoring across the U. S. with on-site and web-based training

WATCH is committed to ending racial, cultural, and gender bias in the courts and to reflecting that commitment at all levels of our organization.