Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California.
Reproductive Freedom Project, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, New York, New York.
J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jan;68(1):71-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.08.025. Epub 2020 Oct 8.
Minors seeking abortion in states with parental involvement requirements can obtain judicial bypass (JB) as an alternative. Research on minors' reasons for choosing bypass and the logistical obstacles associated with bypass is limited, yet needed to assess potential burdens introduced by mandated parental involvement.
Using data from all minors represented in JB proceedings by the Illinois Judicial Bypass Coordination Project in 2017 and 2018, we present descriptive statistics summarizing minors' demographic characteristics, reasons for seeking bypass, individuals involved in decision-making, and distances traveled and time elapsed to attend the court hearing.
Most minors obtaining bypass (n = 150) agreed to participate (n = 128). Just more than half (55%) were aged 17 years and lived with one parent (54%). A minority were already parenting (5%) and/or lived with someone besides a parent or on their own (16%). The reasons for bypass included concern about being forced to continue the pregnancy (50%), fear of being kicked out of their home and/or cut off financially (41%), having no/minimal relationship with parents (15%), and fear of physical/emotional abuse (13%). Minors traveled an average of 24 miles one-way (range 1-270 miles) to a courthouse for their hearing. On average, 6.4 days elapsed between contacting the Judicial Bypass Coordination Project and the hearing.
Judicial bypass can offer young people an opportunity to retain autonomy in decision-making, potentially avoiding abuse and other negative outcomes. However, even in a state with a well-organized network of attorneys, JB contributes 1 week to minors' abortion-seeking timeline and necessitates traveling long distances.
在需要父母参与的州，寻求堕胎的未成年人可以选择司法回避（JB）作为替代方案。关于未成年人选择回避的原因以及与回避相关的后勤障碍的研究有限，但需要评估强制性父母参与带来的潜在负担。
利用 2017 年和 2018 年伊利诺伊州司法回避协调项目代表所有未成年人进行的 JB 诉讼的所有数据，我们提供了描述性统计数据，总结了未成年人的人口统计学特征、寻求回避的原因、参与决策的人员以及旅行距离和时间流逝以参加法庭听证会。
大多数获得回避的未成年人（n=150）同意参与（n=128）。超过一半（55%）年龄为 17 岁，与父母一方同住（54%）。少数人已经为人父母（5%）和/或与父母以外的人或独自居住（16%）。回避的原因包括担心被迫继续怀孕（50%）、担心被赶出家门和/或经济上被切断（41%）、与父母关系甚少或没有（15%）以及担心身体/情感虐待（13%）。未成年人前往法庭听证会的单程平均行驶 24 英里（范围 1-270 英里）。平均而言，从与司法回避协调项目联系到听证会之间会有 6.4 天的时间流逝。
司法回避可以为年轻人提供在决策中保持自主权的机会，从而有可能避免虐待和其他负面后果。然而，即使在一个有组织良好的律师网络的州，JB 也会将未成年人的堕胎寻求时间延长一周，并需要长途旅行。
