The Guardian Ad Litem Program represents children who appear in the state courts. These children have not committed any crime but are victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. The program is comprised of volunteers who represent children in the courts, making sure they do not become victims of "the system". Each volunteer works with one or more children involved in the judicial system and social services agencies, becoming familiar with there lives, while representing the interest of each child before the court or social services agencies involved. Specifically, a volunteer acts in the interest of each child in five different capacities. First, as an investigator, a guardian learns as much as possible about the child' background (i.e. school, church, friends, and any otherpeople/organizations that affect the child). They also make visits to the childs home to learn more about what the childs home life is really like. As a monitor, a guardian makes sure social services agencies, and any other organizations involved with the child are meeting their responsibilities to the child. This could involve visiting this angency to check on the living conditions of the child and also making sure all eating habbits are well maintaind. As a protector, a guardian prevents insensitive questioning in the courts that is very often commonplace. As the child is the victim, the court system does not want to needlessly hurt the child anymore. As a reporter, a guardian is a liaison between the child and the courts, presenting written reports and recommendations to help act in the child's best interests. This way the child is well cared for by the best. Finally, as a spokesperson, a guardian makes sure the child's wishes are heard and their best interests are presented to the courts and social services