CJJ 2012 Annual Conference, “Improving Justice Outcomes for Youth and Families: Uniting Science, Policy and Practice”

Click here for the Conference Program. Click here for photos from the conference on CJJ's Facebook page.

Click here for the 2012 CJJ National Awards Program. Click here for photos from the CJJ Annual Awards Luncheon on CJJ's Facebook page.

CJJ’s 2012 Annual Conference focused on innovations and improvements that prevent and reduce court contact and involvement for children, youth and families. In recent years, the science of brain and adolescent development, coupled with increasing emphasis on empirically supported policies and practices, has changed the course of juvenile justice. Many jurisdictions and practitioners emphasize strength-based approaches. These are centered on meeting the multiple, complex needs of youth and their families, while also preventing out-of-home placements, court involvement, detention and incarceration. The results are profoundly positive for both youth and community safety.

Resources from the conference sessions and workshops:

Friday, June 22

The National Chair’s Reception featured photos from Juvenile-In-Justice, Richard Ross's photography project which documentsthe placement and treatment of juveniles in the U.S. juvenile and criminal justice system. The exhibit was presented in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Read more. Also, see photos from the reception.


Saturday, June 23

Workshop A: Understanding Crossover Youth and How Best to Serve Them
PowerPoint Presentation
Handout: Safety, Fairness, & Stability For Youth and Families—Recommendations to Strengthen Federal Agency Support of Family Engagement Efforts

The multiple pathways that youth follow into the juvenile justice system require a multi-system response, particularly when one of those pathways begins with child abuse and neglect. This presentation explored abuse and/or neglect in terms of prevalence and covariates, and presented practice and system responses that improve outcomes for this unique population of young people.

Presenters: Shay Bilchik (DC), Director, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown
University; and Anya Sekino (OR), Juvenile Justice Specialist, Oregon Commission on Children and Families.


Workshop C: Promising Approaches to Interrupting the School to Prison Pipeline
PowerPoint Presentation

This workshop provided an overview of innovative models to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, reduce reliance on arrest as a response to disruptive school behavior and reduce disproportionate minority contact. Key features and outcomes of five program models were discussed, as well as common themes critical to implementing programs to reduce violence, decrease in- and out-of-school disciplinary actions, and help students achieve important academic outcomes.

Presenters: Carla Benway (PA), Vice-President, Employee and Program Development, Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.; Jamie Fader (NY ), Assistant Professor, School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany-SUNY ; Shaena Fazal (DC), National Policy Director, Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.; Michael Marks (PA), Chief Development Officer and National Director of Research, Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.; and Courtney Ramirez (NY ), DMC Coordinator, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.


Workshop D: The Perfect Storm: How Strong Leadership, Science and Lack of Money Changed Juvenile Justice Practice in Wisconsin
PowerPoint Presentation

The current economic times, combined with advances in science and strong local leadership, gave Wisconsin an unprecedented opportunity to change how it practiced juvenile justice. Instead of funding programs, Wisconsin’s SAG has funded state and local juvenile justice sustainable system reform initiatives.
This presentation will detail the statewide effort and highlight how rural Pierce County and urban Racine County both made sustainable, effective changes to their juvenile justice systems at minimal costs.

Presenters: Julie Krings (WI), Youth Services Program Manager, Pierce County Department of Human Services; Glenn Larson (WI), Youth and Delinquency Supervisor, Racine County Human Services Department; and Kris Moelter (WI), Juvenile Justice Specialist, Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance.


Workshop H: Breaking the Code on Byrne JAG Program Allocations and Funding
PowerPoint Presentation
Handout: How to Find and Use Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Information for Juvenile Justice Reform

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (“Byrne JAG”) Program provides states with a steady stream of justice-related funds. Although the Program’s designated uses are quite broad, states frequently use them solely for law enforcement related activities. This interactive workshop provided participants with a full understanding of the Byrne JAG allocation process and concrete tips and strategies on how to influence and redirect the funds towards positive youth
programming and juvenile justice reform.

Presenter: Lori Albin, Manager, State Initiatives, Public Safety Performance Project, Pew Center on the States; and Robin Jenkins (NC), Deputy Director, North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
 

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice gratefully acknowledges the generous sponsors of the 2012 CJJ Annual Conference:

Bronze Circle:
Boy Scouts of America

Friends Circle:
Campaign for Youth Justice
Commonwealth Digital Office Solutions
Cindy Durham, Tennessee
Development Services Group, Inc.
Deirdre W. Garton, Wisconsin
Ethan D. Grossman, Washington, D.C.
Steve and Nancy Hornberger, Maryland
Susan Kamp, Vermont
Rev. Dr. James G. Kirk and Elizabeth Kirk, Maryland
National Juvenile Justice Network 

A Special Thanks to CJJ’s Past National Chairs for their generous conference sponsorships!

Bernardine Adams, Louisiana/Missouri
Vicki Blankenship, Alaska
A. L. Carlisle, Maine
Allison Fleming, Iowa
Richard J. Gardell, Minnesota
Gerald and Linda Hayes, North Carolina
Robert “Robin” Jenkins, North Carolina
Hon. Paul Lawrence, New Hampshire
David R. Schmidt and Carol H. Williams, New Mexico