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U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Schedules Markup of JJDPA Reauthorization Bill
On December 3, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. EST, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to “mark-up” S. 678, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2009, bi-partisan legislation to strengthen the JJDPA and provide improved resources to the states to support its optimal implementation. The bill will possibly be held over until December 10, 2009.
S. 678 is originally co-sponsored by Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senators Arlen Specter (D-PA), Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL). Since its introduction this past March, S. 678 has also garnered the support of Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Click here to view a copy of the bill as introduced.
S. 678 capitalizes on more than 30 years of wisdom about what works to reduce delinquency and improve outcomes. S. 678 incorporates all of the amendments to S. 3155, the JJDPA reauthorization bill for the 110th Congress, including:
- an amendment to establish appropriate authorization levels for the Title II and Title V program;
- an amendment to extend jail removal and sight and sound protections to all pre-adjudicated juveniles, including those tried in adult court, over a three-year phase-in period;
- an amendment to eliminate the VCO exception to the DSO core requirement over a three-year phase-out period and provide greater protections to status-offenders in the interim;
- an amendment to improve state efforts to reduce DMC;
- an amendment to move state correctional and detention facilities towards eliminating the use of dangerous practices, e.g., physical and chemical restraints;
- an amendment to restore and reaffirm the statutory advisory roles of an independent representative organization of State Advisory Group members; and
- three amendments to improve oversight and accountability at OJJDP.
In addition, S. 678 proposes new strengthening amendments, including:
- increased coordination, training and evaluation to better meet the mental health and substance abuse needs of youth and youth with disabilities; and
- an increased emphasis on OJJDP developing and/or supporting relevant research, evaluation and data collection efforts to ensure that policies and practices are cost-effective and evidenced-based.
CJJ is grateful for the outreach and education efforts members have undertaken over the last several months. Such efforts have played a key role in winning the support of additional Senators for the bill. In the coming weeks and months, CJJ looks forward to working even more closely with members and allies to ensure the reauthorization of a strong JJDPA.
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