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July 2007
CJJ Leadership News
- Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2007 National Chair
- CJJ’s New Director, Leadership and Training Programs
- CJJ 2007 Member Involvement and Member Services Survey—Your Responses!
- Please Join the CJJ Circle of Leaders
CJJ Government Relations Alert
- Keep the drum beat going: Appropriations! Appropriations!! Appropriations!!!
- Keep Watching! JJDPA News and Updates
- CJJ Members and Leaders to Testify at July 12 Hearing on Reauthorization of the JJDPA
- Special Invitation for CJJ Members and Allies in NY, PA, VT, WI, DE and IL
- We’re Live! ACT 4 Juvenile Justice Launches its Website
- CJJ Organizes to Help States Respond to the Adam Walsh Act
- CJJ Generates Concerns Regarding Harm Posed by Federal Gang Bills
CJJ Conference News
- CJJ’s “JJDPA Today” Summit—a Resounding Success!
CJJ Region News
- News from the Southern Region
- News from the Northeast Region
Juvenile Justice Specialist News
- Report from the Juvenile Justice Specialists’ Business Meeting – June 9, 2007
Models for Change News
- CJJ to Host the Second Annual Models for Change Working Conference
- Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Now Accepting Applications
- Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network Now Accepting Applications
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) News
- New Jersey Legislature Funds JDAI Statewide
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
- NJJN Welcomes New Members
- NJJN Publishes Policy Brief on Youth Involvement in Juvenile Justice Reform
- NJJN Compiles Data Regarding Purported Juvenile Crime Wave
Resources and Information of Note
- Depression and the Initiation of Alcohol and Drug Use Among Youths Aged 12 to 17
- OJJDP Invites Nominations of Effective DMC Reduction Strategies and Programs
- New York Times Publishes Editorial on Raising the Age of Jurisdiction in Connecticut
- NCCD Fact Sheet on Women and Girls
- Upcoming Conferences
CJJ Leadership News
Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2007 National Chair
My mother, a passionate amateur artist, once did a large pastel of a young boy. Around age 5 or 6, he knelt in the grass over a just opened cookie jar. On the ground around him were several cookies (chocolate chip, my favorite!), one in his hand and another in his mouth – and he possessed the smile of a contented spirit. The caption below read, “Yesterday’s make believe is today’s promise.” This phrase has stayed with me throughout my years (the pastel still hangs in my home) and was on my mind throughout our recent CJJ Summit meeting in Washington, D.C. What a remarkable meeting that turned out to be. The workshops and speakers were excellent, the information of high quality and the participants engaged in CJJ’s call to help strengthen our federal and state responses to juvenile justice system issues via a reauthorized Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), while also building a stronger CJJ for the future.
Yesterday’s make believe – that CJJ could be a truly independent, viable, comprehensive national entity serving as the balanced and informed voice for the needs of youth involved with the juvenile justice system, without OJJDP or other federal funding – seemed impossible to fathom. After all, CJJ was birthed in partnership with Congress and later, OJJDP. Yet, with the wisdom and courage of our Board of Directors, the CJJ of the future (without current federal funding) is filled with today’s promise. CJJ’s Board reviewed several organizational models over the prior months and on June 10 in Washington, D.C., voted to position CJJ for the future with a more flexible and adaptive organizational structure. This structure creates an over-arching Council of SAGs (essentially, the same Board of Directors that currently exists) that will annually elect the officers to CJJ’s new Executive Board. The future Executive Board will be the fiduciary, day-to-day body that will ensure that CJJ’s strategic plans and operations carry forth as envisioned by the Council of SAGs – but with a stronger management and planning role, a more diverse membership structure, and longer (2-year) terms to provide for more stability. The Board added a voting position on the future Executive Board for a nationally peer-elected Juvenile Justice Specialist and DMC Coordinator as well. And, CJJ’s Board also approved a new membership structure consisting of the following categories: SAG Members, Members at Large and a new category for Affiliate Organization Members.
There are myriad operational details to be worked out. Sue Kamp (VT) is chairing a Transition Committee that will consist of SAG chairs, SAG leaders, JJ specialists and DMC representatives – to iron out some of the details and move us forward. I am extremely grateful to Sue and her Membership and Governance Committee for shouldering the workload of these tasks. We’ve received amazing insights from across the country, particularly from members like Ned Chester (ME), Pam Kennedy (MT), Wally Lau (HI), Ward Loyd (KS) and Steve Teske (GA), among a host of others (please forgive me if I’ve left your name off – so many of you contributed!), including our current National Steering Committee (NSC) and committee chairs.
This new structure will do many things. It will expand our affiliations with an array of national, state, and local/grassroots agencies working to achieve similar goals. It will grow our current National Steering Committee into a more robust but progressive Executive Board (20 elected members strong) that will resemble a more traditional nonprofit Board of Directors. It will allow us to go to prospective funding sources with a more stable structure and consistency that will strengthen CJJ. And, it involves a broader array of leadership perspectives, allowing the strategic thinking that CJJ needs to be better representative of the states and the field as a whole.
Today’s promise??? You bet! And tomorrow’s too. Never has there been a more exciting time to affiliate and become engaged with CJJ. Over the next few months, the Transition Team will help the current NSC decide on a Fall Executive Board / Council of SAGs meeting date and operating process where new elections will occur, bringing the first class of officers into your future Executive Board. They will work on a series of marketing and outreach materials to grow our already strong SAG relationships as well as educate the nation regarding our new membership opportunities.
Now, on the program side, please note that CJJ is actively working with the Models for Change efforts in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s JDAI efforts, Reclaiming Futures, as well as developing DMC and Positive Youth Development ideas, in addition to our traditional SAG technical assistance, government relations program and training development.
And just to reaffirm your power to make a difference with Congressional Members – the latest appropriations news coming out of bill mark-ups from the Hill include more positive juvenile justice funding than proposed by the President or earlier budgets – a testament to your advocacy as well as to the hard work of the CJJ Government Relations Committee, chaired by Linda Hayes (NC), alongside many CJJ allies including the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition and the National Collaboration for Juvenile Justice. It is an amazingly busy time. But I remind you again that CJJ is you. The organization thrives because of you and will only meet its objectives with your involvement and energy.
So I’ll close by returning to the artisan theme with which I began. In the hands of the craftsman, the grinding wheel produces finely polished, highly valued materials – or, in the hands of the untrained or poorly motivated, the grinding wheel becomes destructive, grinding down raw materials until they are unusable or distorted. CJJ’s membership is that craftsperson. You, in partnership with others, can polish the organization into the finished product so many will value. Or, you can sit back and watch CJJ grind into fragmented, unpolished results. What will it be? Only you can decide. Remember that obstacles are those things that we see when we take our eyes off the goal – if we get lost in an obstacle focus, we also lose sight of our goals. Thank you for helping us position CJJ to be goal-focused. And, when you see your SAG Chair, thank him or her for the vision and commitment to CJJ evidenced by the June 10 vote in D.C. As always, my electronic (rjenkins@cccommunicare.org) or telephonic (910-222-6089) doors are open to you. I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
Robin Jenkins
2007 National Chair
CJJ’s New Director, Leadership and Training Programs
Contributed by Nancy Gannon Hornberger, Executive Director.
Please join me to welcome CJJ’s new Director of Leadership and Training Programs, Mark Ferrante. He will begin with CJJ in late August.
In the past two years, many CJJ members and allies, as well as state juvenile justice staff throughout the nation, have had the pleasure of working with Mark as the National Juvenile Justice Specialist. Now, he will bring his talents to CJJ to direct our Detention Reform Initiative, conducted with the support and partnership of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, as well as to develop and lead several other areas of CJJ training and technical assistance.
Since 2000, Mark has served as Assistant Director of Program Development and Prevention Services for the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission. In this role, he has overseen the state’s grant programs for community prevention, graduated sanctions and special initiatives totaling more than $4 million annually. He has served as the specialist and staff to the SAG and supervised a staff of nine, including the JJDPA compliance monitoring unit. Mark, as many of you know, also spearheaded the state’s involvement in detention reform and JDAI—now culminating in the Governor approving state funds to take the initiative statewide (see JDAI News below). From 1985-2000, Mark held progressively more responsible positions within Mercer County (NJ) government, as a budget analyst, program development specialist, welfare reform administrator, coordinator of substance abuse prevention programs and director of youth services. He has been honored with awards for his fine work, including the City of Trenton’s Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Service to Youth and an award from the Mercer County Bar Foundation.
As of August 27, 2007, you may contact Mark at ferrante@juvjustice.org and 202-467-0864.
CJJ 2007 Member Involvement and Member Services Survey—Your Responses!
Thank you to everyone who responded to the CJJ Member Involvement and Member Services Survey distributed in May via the e-Monitor listserv. CJJ received a total of 265 respondents whose input, in aggregate, was reported at the CJJ Board of Directors' Meeting on June 10. More than half of the respondents identified themselves as SAG Members or Juvenile Justice Specialists. Other respondents identified as NJJN members, CJJ Members at Large or DMC Coordinators/Committee members. All in all, the survey provided a strong sampling of CJJ member opinions, as well as the thoughts of others in the juvenile justice field, and served as an important tool in CJJ’s ongoing work and continued development.
The following is a brief summary of the survey results:
- Asked what they valued most about their involvement with CJJ, respondents far and away most valued information. Other aspects that were highly valued were CJJ’s leadership in the nation’s capitol, its connection to OJJDP and innovative ideas.
- Asked if there were specific members-only benefits that CJJ should develop, respondents mentioned increased recognition for Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) work and an annual document or report, such as CJJ has produced in the past. Multiple respondents also showed enthusiasm for training, coordination and information dissemination.
- Asked for what products it would be appropriate to charge fees, respondents strongly felt that fees could be charged for intensive TA, national and regional meetings and web-based learning opportunities. However, respondents indicated overwhelmingly that they felt it was not appropriate to charge fees for government relations alerts, policy bulletins, fact sheets or a SAG resource center on the Web site.
- The survey also asked respondents which, if any, of the current cost-free products should be available to members only. Overwhelmingly, respondents were strongly opposed to current cost-free products being limited to members.
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to respond to the survey. In addition to discussion at the June Board of Directors’ meeting, your input and suggestions continue to inform and guide CJJ as it moves forward. For additional information or questions regarding the survey, contact Kitty McCarthy, CJJ Communications and Program Associate: 202-467-0864, ext 110, or mccarthy@juvjustice.org.
Please Join the CJJ Circle of Leaders
The Circle of Leaders Fund, established in 2002, is CJJ’s annual individual donor campaign that generates unrestricted funds. Since its inception, the Circle of Leaders has been advanced by dozens of contributors whose generous gifts have totaled more than $30,000, to support youth leadership training, congressional receptions and government relations activities for CJJ members.
Our 2007 drive for the Circle of Leaders has begun and already more than $1,200 has been raised from nine generous donors. This year we have set a goal to raise at least $7,000 by December 1, 2007, for use in developing new program initiatives in areas identified as strategic priorities by CJJ members, such as DMC reduction and youth development. Contributions to the Circle of Leaders are truly gifts for CJJ’s future!
Contributions are welcomed from anyone who shares CJJ’s vision and goals. Gifts of any amount are helpful and fully tax deductible. Circle of Leaders contributions categories include:
- Contributor—up to $199
- Partner—$200 to $499
- Patron—$500 to $1,499
- Benefactor—$1,500 or more
If you have questions, please feel free to contact CJJ’s executive director, Nancy Gannon Hornberger: nancy@juvjustice.org or 202-467-0864, ext. 111. Confidentiality is honored.
CJJ Government Relations Alert
Keep the drum beat going: Appropriations! Appropriations!! Appropriations!!!
The Senate Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) subcommittee have completed their work regarding recommendations for fiscal year 2008 (FY2008) allocations of juvenile justice funds to the states. (See www.juvjustice.org/government_relations_appropriations.html.)
A huge victory is that both the House and the Senate are rejecting the President’s FY 2008 Budget Proposal under the Office of Justice Programs to end dedicated funding for juvenile justice and, instead, create a new, discretionary, competitive grant program for states and local jurisdictions, that would have resulted in a 25% decrease in funding from fiscal year 2007 and uncertain flows of money to states and local jurisdictions.
Congress, however, still has a long way to go to restore specific funding (see “CJJ Request” below) for all critical juvenile justice and delinquency prevention streams that support the work of the JJDPA in the states: Title II State Formula Funds, Title V Local Delinquency Prevention Grants, Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) and Delinquency Prevention Block Grants (DPBG).
KEY STREAMS OF FEDERAL JJ FUNDING AS APPROPRIATED (in millions):
|
FY02
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FY03
|
FY04
|
FY05
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FY06
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FY07 CR
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Pres. FY08 Proposal
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House CJS FYO8 Proposal
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Senate CJS FY08 Proposal
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CJJ REQUEST for FY08
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Title II State Formula Funds
|
$88.8 |
$83.3 |
$83.2 |
$83.3 |
$79.2 |
$79.2 |
--0-- |
$96 |
$73 |
$96 |
Tital V Local Delinq. Prevention
|
$94.3 |
$46.1 |
$79.2 |
$79.4 |
$64.4 |
$64.4 |
--0-- |
$80 |
$65 |
$95 |
JABG
|
$249.5 |
$188.8 |
$59.4 |
$54.6 |
$49.5 |
$49.5 |
--0-- |
$60 |
$80 |
$250 |
DPBG
|
N/A |
$126.4 via diff. vehicles |
--0-- |
--0-- |
--0-- |
--0-- |
--0-- |
--0-- |
--0-- |
$126.4 |
IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOUR SAG AND ALLIES —to urge congressional appropriators to restore specific funding for all critical juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funding streams that support the work of the JJDPA in the states: Title II State Formula Funds, Title V Local Delinquency Prevention Grants, Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) and Delinquency Prevention Block Grants (DPBG).
See the CJJ Web site for lists of Senate and House Appropriations Committees charged with reshaping juvenile justice funding support: www.juvjustice.org, click on Government Relations and scroll down to “Appropriations.”
- On your State Advisory Group (SAG) letterhead, fax the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees charged with creating recommendations for juvenile justice appropriations. Template letters are available in the “Announcements” section of the CJJ Web site: www.juvjustice.org/announcement_109.html.
- If you are IN a State/District of a Senator and/or Members on the Appropriations Committees, contact them to voice your concerns and to seek budget restorations (see above); see if you can organize a visit for the July recess; demonstrate with clear examples how the cuts will jeopardize the delinquency prevention programs and services in the member’s district.
- If you are NOT IN a State/District of a Congressional Appropriator, contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to communicate your concerns and requests to their colleagues on the Appropriations Committees.
Questions? Please feel free to contact:
Tara Andrews, CJJ Deputy Executive Director: 202-467-0864, ext. 109 and andrews@juvjustice.org
Linda Hayes, Chair, CJJ Government Relations Committee: 910-892-4469 and lhayes@harnettlaw.com
Keep Watching! JJDPA News and Updates
True to its mission, CJJ has a major, combined effort by the Government Relations Committee, individual SAGs and SAG liaisons, and staff on the Hill, to emphasize the need for reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in the 110th Congress. Please watch here, as well as on the CJJ Web site, for updates: www.juvjustice.org.
As a result of meetings held by many SAG members on June 12 during CJJ’s Hill Day and staff contacts with the staff for members of Congress who have jurisdiction for JJDPA, the process has begun to move forward.
CJJ Members and Leaders to Testify at July 12 Hearing on Reauthorization of the JJDPA
The House committee of jurisdiction for JJDPA reauthorization, the Healthy Families and Communities (HFC) Subcommittee to the Education and Labor Committee, has scheduled its first hearing on the matter. We are especially pleased that Derrick Johnson (Arizona SAG), Judge Paul Lawrence (New Hampshire SAG) and Bob Shepherd (Virginia SAG) have been invited by Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) to be witnesses at a joint hearing of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities and the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, titled “The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act: Overview and Perspectives.” The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 12 at 2:00 p.m. in the Rayburn Building and aimed at orienting House members to the JJDPA, the importance of reauthorization and the opportunities for strengthening the Act.
Witnesses were selected based on their expertise and in keeping with Committee Members’ states and districts. It is our understanding that additional witnesses will include a district attorney and a young person from Pennsylvania.
Please urge your congressional representatives to go to the Healthy Families and Communities Web site for more information and to attend this important hearing on July 12. See: http://edworkforce.house.gov/committee/schedule.shtml.
This is further evidence that CJJ is perfectly positioned to trumpet the successes and needs of the SAGs and to help define the federal role regarding good, effective juvenile justice.
Special Invitation for CJJ Members and Allies in NY, PA, VT, WI, DE and IL
This week, ACT 4 Juvenile Justice (ACT4JJ), a campaign of the National Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Coalition, of which CJJ is a lead member, will host a series of state-specific calls to focus on developing a strategy for district and program visits with your congressional members during the August 6-31st district work periods to promote JJDPA priorities.
These visits will go a long way in ensuring the reauthorization of the JJDPA that has worked for more than 30 years to protect children and provide funding for states’ juvenile justice programs.
If you would like to participate, please contact Alli Corr at 202-558-3580 or jjeducate@campaign4youthjustice.org. If you will not be able to attend, please consider having a representative from your organization on the call. We would also be more than happy to send you a follow-up e-mail to keep you updated on the legislation.
Constituents of:
New York (Rep. McCarthy) — July 9, 12:00 pm (EST)
Pennsylvania (Sen. Specter, Rep. Platts) — July 10, 10:00 am (EST)
Vermont (Sen. Leahy) — July 10, 1:00 pm (EST)
Wisconsin (Sen. Kohl, Sen. Feingold) — July 11, 10:00 am (EST)
Delaware (Sen. Biden) — July 12, 10:00 am (EST)
Illinois (Sen. Durbin) — July 12, 1:00 pm (EST)
The conference call number is 712-451-6000 and participant code is 768528#.
We look forward to having you join in!
We’re Live! ACT 4 Juvenile Justice Launches its Website
After months of good, solid work from dozens of juvenile justice advocates and allies, ACT 4 Juvenile Justice (ACT4JJ) is pleased to announce the launch of its Web site, www.act4jj.org! The purpose of this site is to provide allies and visitors with relevant and up-to-date information as Congress considers the reauthorization and reform of the JJDPA.
CJJ is pleased to serve—through staff and CJJ Government Relations Committee (GRC) involvement—as a leader with ACT4JJ, a campaign of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition, and to have participated in developing broad-based consensus related to the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA).
Please let people in your states know of this important resource: www.act4jj.org
CJJ Organizes to Help States Respond to the Adam Walsh Act
CJJ, in partnership with National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN), is leading an effort to help SAG members, NJJN members and the states respond to Adam Walsh Child and Protection Act of 2006 and related guidelines which, among other things, provide that youth adjudicated within the juvenile court system for certain sex abuses register with a national public sex offender registry.
As the first step in this effort, CJJ and NJJN hosted a state-to-state strategy call on June 26, 2007, through which more than 80 advocates from 23 states exchanged information about recently passed and pending state legislation, and brainstormed ways to resist the mandates of the Act or substantially comply while still providing some protections for adjudicated youth. As a result of the call, a number of tools are being developed for the benefit of the states, including a summary of proposed guidelines by the U.S. Attorney General and a one-pager that supports the effectiveness of treatment programs for youthful offenders. CJJ is also crafting a template that states can use to submit comments to the Attorney General regarding the proposed guidelines and the Act and advocate for additional changes. Comments are due August 1, 2007.
If you did not receive an invitation for the initial call and would like to be included in subsequent communications, please send an e-mail to Tara Andrews, CJJ Deputy Executive Director, at andrews@juvjustice.org.
CJJ Generates Concerns Regarding Harm Posed by Federal Gang Bills
The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007, S. 456, co-sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), proposes to augment national and local responses to the suppression and prevention of gang violence by creating new crime definitions, enhanced penalties, targeted enforcement teams and funding streams dedicated to local prosecution, interdiction and prevention. A similar bill, sponsored by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), was recently introduced in the House. As originally proposed, these approaches over-emphasize interdiction and incarceration—costly and reactive strategies—rather than intervention and primary prevention—cost-effective and long-term strategies.
CJJ has long held the core position that prevention is the most constructive way to build safe communities. Effective prevention efforts – in the form of mentoring initiatives, after-school programs, school engagement, employment and employability programs, family strengthening services, youth leadership development, etc. – reduce victimization, keep children involved in productive activities and provide for the cost-effective use of public resources.
Faithful to this position, CJJ, as a leader with other national, state and local youth- and child-serving organizations, has actively communicated concerns to Congress (through letters, hearing testimony and personal meetings with Members of Congress and their staff) and recommending ways to improve the legislation, including:
- Narrowing the definition of a “criminal street gang” to decrease the likelihood of imposing criminal liability on non-criminal behavior among juveniles (minors).
- Deleting the provisions that enhance penalties for undocumented immigrant youth.
- Providing additional enforcement funding directly to the local level.
- Increasing funding for prevention and intervention programs at the local level and ensuring that these funds are easily accessible by community-based programs with proven results.
We are pleased to report that members of Congress are responding favorably to our concerns and that legislation has been somewhat improved. There is, however, still much work to be done. As the bills move forward, CJJ will continue to call for a balanced approach that gives adequate attention to community-connected prevention and rehabilitation efforts. You, too, can help make a difference. Talk to your Congressional Representatives:
- Tell him/her about the good work you and your allies are doing around youth development with federal help.
- Express your confidence in gang prevention programs and intervention programs that focus on education and employment, not incarceration.
- Tell them that you’d like to see a greater investment in these strategies that have been proven to work.
- Support the full funding of OJJDP, which for more than 25 years has led national efforts to reduce youth crime, make communities safer and provided critical technical assistance, training, research and support for innovative and proven practices.
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If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the CJJ Government Relations Committee or Government Relations Program, please contact committee chair Linda Hayes (lhayes@harnettlaw.com), or CJJ Deputy Executive Director Tara Andrews (andrews@juvjustice.org and 202-467-0864, ext. 109).
CJJ Conference News
CJJ’s “JJDPA Today” Summit—a Resounding Success!
Many thanks to those of you who attended “JJDPA Today: CJJ’s Summit on Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.”
The CJJ conference, held June 9-12 in Washington, D.C., was attended by more than 230 people from 44 states and territories. By all accounts it was a success—to quote one individual who attended start to finish, “This was the best ever.” Our evaluation survey, answered to date by 20% of attendees, revealed a high level of satisfaction.
On a scale of 1-5, with 5 representing the highest value, attendees rated the following:
- Overall educational content: 4.3
- Information of value to state and local efforts: 4.1
- Conference facilities: 3.2
- Conference management and member services: 4.6
- Hill training and materials: 4.1
In addition, 15 people indicated their interest in participating in CJJ Conference Planning Committee(s) for 2008, and many constructive comments were given about ways to further improve CJJ’s conferences and the organization’s overall work. All feedback is always welcome.
CJJ staff members are indebted to the following committees for the guidance and advice provided in the planning of this year’s conference, which was quickly pulled together between February and June: the CJJ Government Relations Committee and the CJJ National Steering Committee. We also appreciate the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in providing a grant to support, in part, this event. For more information on CJJ’s Government Relations Committee and program, please see www.juvjustice.org/government_relations.html.
Even if you missed it: Conference presentations for viewing and downloading are available on CJJ’s Web site. Please see www.juvjustice.org/conference_4.html. See also: www.act4jj.org.
CJJ Region News
News from the Southern Region
Contributed by LaLita Ashley, Southern Region Chair.
The Southern Region met following the Spring Board of Directors’ Meeting on June 10, 2007. The region is very excited about planning a Southern Regional Conference. A committee has been appointed and tentative plans are to have the conference in Charleston, SC in January 2008. Anyone in the Southern Region who is interested in assisting with the planning of this event, please contact LaLita Ashley, Southern Region Chair, at lashley@aiken.net.
News from the Northeast Region
Contributed by Rev. James Kirk, Northeast Region Chair.
The Northeast Region met on June 10, 2007 with a total of 25 members representing every state in the region. Topics of discussion included formalizing Northeast Region bylaws and the election of a new regional specialist. The region also continued planning a Northeast Regional Meeting in Portland, ME with tentative scheduling for late May 2008. For more information or to help plan the regional meeting, please contact Rev. James Kirk, Northeast Region Chair, at kirkjgk@comcast.net.
Juvenile Justice Specialist News
Report from the Juvenile Justice Specialists’ Business Meeting – June 9, 2007
Contributed by Mark Ferrante, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Specialist and CJJ National Juvenile Justice Specialist.
On June 9, 2007, more than 35 Juvenile Justice Specialists, DMC Coordinators and other interested persons convened to discuss issues related to reauthorization and the work of the Specialists.
Following introductions, Greg Thompson, Associate Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), provided an Office update. Greg noted that three new representatives have been hired by the State Relations and Assistance Division (SRAD). Jim Antal, former JJ Specialist from Maryland, begins working at OJJDP on June 11. Greg noted that as new staff come aboard, changes in state assignments will take place. Greg noted that since several former SRAD staff now serve in the Policy Division at OJJDP (including Elissa Rumsey), Julie Herr has been named as Compliance Monitoring Liaison for SRAD. Greg next addressed the lateness with which OJJDP received its budget for 2007, thus the processing of awards and technical assistance requests has been delayed. Finally Greg noted that OJJDP will host a combined FAC-JJ meeting, SRAD training for state staff and SAG members and a national DMC training the week of October 21, 2007.
Information was also shared about the aforementioned OJJDP Annual DMC Conference. Soon, a call for papers will go out around the theme: Reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact in Juvenile Justice by Making the Right Connections. Topic areas will include: Rural solutions to DMC; Detention Risk Assessments; Re-entry and DMC; Best Practices to reduce DMC; and DMC in Child Welfare and Education, among others.
Both Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director, and Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2007 National Chair, presented on key initiatives with which CJJ is involved. Most notably, CJJ is spearheading work on reauthorization of the Act. As noted during a specially convened March Board of Directors’ meeting in Minnesota, the Coalition is also interested in developing a listserv for Specialists, in response to requests. CJJ also continues to train new SAG members. Additionally, CJJ is initiating a Peer Leadership program on Detention Reform. A Practice Guide for SAG Members and Specialists on Detention Reform will be published this summer. CJJ also will provide the platform for the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change Conference which will be held December 11-12 in Washington, D.C.
Nancy also posed the following question to Specialists: What are 2-3 things that you would find most valuable from CJJ to enhance your work as a Juvenile Justice Specialist? Many responses were received. A few are highlighted below:
- Continued training on national juvenile justice issues
- Government relations work
- Increased assistance with DMC
- Helping keep SAGs involved and motivated
- Mentoring program for new JJ Specialists
- Championing the reauthorization effort
- DMC reduction strategies that may result from detention reform or the Models for Change initiative
The issue of the election of the National Juvenile Justice Specialist this fall was brought to the meeting; however, no definite plan of action was recommended. Since several additional issues were not able to be discussed due to time constraints, Mark agreed to host Specialist-only conference calls in the next couple of weeks. The results of those calls will be shared as soon as they are completed.
For additional information, contact Mark Ferrante at mark.ferrante@njjjc.org or 609-341-5019.
Models for Change News
CJJ to Host the Second Annual Models for Change Working Conference
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) is pleased to announce that it will work closely with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to orchestrate the Second Annual Models for Change working conference in December 2007 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. Models for Change (MfC) is an effort to create a successful and replicable model of juvenile justice system reform through targeted investments in key states. MfC is aimed at building juvenile justice systems with policies and practices that are fair, effective and developmentally appropriate.
The Second Annual MfC Working Conference will begin the evening of Dec. 11 and extend through late afternoon of the next day. It is designed to give MfC participants from the four project states—Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Washington—an opportunity to work together in person and in depth. As mentioned in this newsletter, MfC is also launching two action networks which will encompass four sites each, focusing on disproportionate minority contact/DMC and mental health (see below). Selected action network contacts will be included in the December MfC Working Conference, as well.
For CJJ members, on December 11, pre-conference workshops and dialogue groups will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to explore two topics:
- innovations to guard against racial and ethnic disparities prior to and at the point of youths’ initial police contact;
- strategies for local juvenile justice programs to access Title IV-E and Medicaid resources to support mental health screening, assessment, diversion and treatment.
Afterwards, CJJ participants will be invited to stay for the opening session and dinner presentation for the Second Annual MfC Working Conference.
In early September, CJJ members will be asked to apply for this opportunity via questionnaire and will be selected by committee on a first-come, first-accepted basis, as space is limited. Please look for the application announcement in the September CJJ e-Monitor and on CJJ’s Web site.
For more information on Models for Change, please see www.modelsforchange.net.
Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network Now Accepting Applications
Applications are now being accepted for the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Action Network. The Network, coordinated by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy (CCLP) and sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is a component of the Foundation’s Models for Change initiative. Within Models for Change, the Foundation has chosen DMC as a critical Targeted Area of Improvement for the four states in which the initiative is based. As a result, each of the four states has several sites that are working to reduce DMC, with a goal of modeling practices that can be adopted statewide and nationally. Each of these DMC sites in the four states is a member of the Action Network.
The Foundation is now seeking four additional states or local sites (e.g., counties or cities) across the country to join the Models for Change sites to provide leadership in reduction of DMC. A key criterion for selection of the additional states or local sites is that the jurisdiction has already achieved measurable success in reducing DMC in some way. The success may be in reducing overrepresentation of racial or ethnic disparities affecting youth of color in the juvenile justice system, or in adopting measures that reduce the entry or penetration of youth of color into the system. The success may be demonstrated in a variety of ways.
Participation in the DMC Action Network will bring significant benefits to the new sites, including:
- Funding of up to $100,000 per year for up to three years to support DMC reduction efforts;
- Collaboration with eleven other states or local sites working on DMC reduction;
- Access to the latest developments in the DMC reduction arena via a monthly electronic newsletter, listserv access, website, and technical assistance;
- Attendance at annual meetings of the Network which will be organized by CCLP;
- Recognition as a participant in Models for Change;
- Recognition of leadership in DMC reduction by the MacArthur Foundation.
To express the interest of your jurisdiction to participate in the DMC Action Network, please contact CCLP:
Lisa Garry, DMC Policy Director
Center for Children's Law and Policy
1701 K Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: 202-637-0377, ext. 103 / Fax: 202-379-1600
lgarry@cclp.org
CCLP will send an extensive questionnaire on DMC to interested jurisdictions. All responses will be due at CCLP by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 31, 2007. Questionnaire responses will be used in the site selection process.
Learn more at http://cclp.org/simple.php/dmc_action_network.
Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network Now Accepting Applications
Applications are now being accepted from states for the Mental Health / Juvenile Justice Action Network. The Network, coordinated by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) and supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, will bring together the four states participating in the Models for Change initiative and four new “Partnering States,” to help improve the nation’s juvenile justice system by addressing the way the system deals with young people with mental health issues. The intent of the Network is to foster the development and exchange of ideas and strategies; support and enhance progress in the Network States by providing information, resources, and expertise; develop and implement new solutions and strategies to better identify and treat youth with mental health needs in the juvenile justice system; and disseminate the lessons learned from the Action Network across the country.
Completed applications are due back to the NCMHJJ by August 13, 2007. Additional information about the MH/JJ Action Network, as well as detailed information and instructions for how to apply to participate in the Network as a Partnering State, are available at www.ncmhjj.com.
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) News
New Jersey Legislature Funds JDAI Statewide
Contributed by Mark Ferrante, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Specialist and CJJ National Juvenile Justice Specialist.
The New Jersey Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) Team has been very busy of late as we recently expanded to ten (10) counties in our state. On May 31 and June 1, we held our 3rd annual All Sites Conference, which included representatives from all ten sites, plus the other counties in New Jersey not yet a part of the initiative. New Jersey also will be piloting its risk screening tool in the coming months in several of its initial sites. Most exciting of all, as of July 1, 2007, the New Jersey legislature appropriated $4 million to institute of JDAI statewide. The money will be used for three purposes: 1) to hire Detention Specialists as state employees, thereby enabling adequate support for local work and thus fully implement JDAI in New Jersey; 2) to provide education funding incentives for those detention centers that have reduced average daily populations which will help counties comply with education requirements without relying solely on the detention population count through the New Jersey State Facilities Education Act (SFEA); and 3) to create an innovation fund which can be accessed by the state and local steering committees to implement the JDAI core strategies.
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
NJJN Welcomes New Members
The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) is pleased to announce the addition of three new members.
Oregon’s Partnership for Safety and Justice (PSJ) is a statewide advocacy organization that unites the people most impacted by the criminal justice system - people convicted of crime, survivors of crime and the families of both - to redirect policies away from an over-reliance on incarceration to effective strategies that reduce violence and increase safety. A core priority of PSJ’s organizing is to mitigate the way Oregon treats juveniles as adults within the criminal justice system.
The Juvenile Justice Coalition (JJC) in Minnesota is a collaboration of community leaders, service providers, school representatives and key government divisions involved with the juvenile justice system. The mission of the JJC is to improve the health and welfare of youth and their families involved with (or who are at immediate risk of involvement with) the juvenile justice system in Hennepin County, through policy enhancement and partnerships with communities. By serving as an innovator and convener, the JJC promotes statewide reforms to spread successful collaborative models and advocates for best practices.
The Iowa Coalition to Oppose Life Without the Possibility of Parole for Children is a group focused on changing Iowa’s law so that children can no longer be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) and to allow a parole review for the 44 youth in prison in Iowa who were sentenced to LWOP as children.
NJJN Publishes Policy Brief on Youth Involvement in Juvenile Justice Reform
NJJN has released the fourth policy brief in a four-part series produced with the National Collaboration for Youth.
The new brief, “Engaging Young People in Juvenile Justice Reform,” raises issues that can be considered when embarking on an effort to incorporate youth in juvenile justice reform efforts. It addresses the challenges involved in recruiting and retaining young people and highlights various community-based and governmental organizations that empower youth to advocate for, and provide significant input into, system reform. The brief includes a resource list that provides sources of guidance for developing effective programs.
Other topics in this series of briefs were reentry, human rights, and immigration. All of these briefs are available on the NJJN website: www.njjn.org.
NJJN Compiles Data Regarding Purported Juvenile Crime Wave
NJJN has released a brief overview of recent reports threatening a new juvenile crime wave and the responses to those reports from some of the experts. Summarizing analyses by the Chapin Hall Center for Children, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, the Sentencing Project and the Justice Policy Institute, the overview concludes:
- Despite signs of an increase in some areas of juvenile crime over the past year and a half, it is unclear if this is the beginning of the end of the very low rates of the past decade or simply a minor blip.
- There is wide-spread agreement, even among those fearful of a new crime wave, that prevention and treatment are the cost-effective ways to reduce youth crime.
- Advocates will need to be sure that policy makers are reminded of these points if increasingly punitive measures are proposed in response to changes in crime rates.
Download the complete overview at http://njjn.org/issue_181.html.
Resources and Information of Note
Depression and the Initiation of Alcohol and Drug Use Among Youths Aged 12 to 17
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a study that finds a link between depression and the first use of drugs or alcohol amongst 12- to 17-year-olds. Based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the report notes that:
- Youths who faced depression in the past year were twice as likely as those who did not have depression to take their first drink or use drugs for the first time.
- Among youths who had not used alcohol before, 29.2 percent of those who faced depression took their first drink in the past year, while 14.5 percent of youths who did not have a major depressive episode took their first drink.
- 16.1 percent of youths who faced depression and had not previously used illicit drugs began drug use; in contrast, 6.9 percent of youths who did not have a major depressive episode began drug use.
The report is available online at http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/newUserDepression/newUserDepression.cfm.
OJJDP Invites Nominations of Effective DMC Reduction Strategies and Programs
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) plans to expand its Model Programs Guide to include strategies and programs that are effective in reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC).
OJJDP invites nominations of strategies and programs believed to be effective responses to DMC, regardless of funding sources. Programs are eligible for nomination if they have been in operation for at least 2 years and have available data documenting effectiveness. All nominations received will be reviewed by OJJDP for inclusion in a database of effective DMC initiatives and potential eventual addition to the Model Programs Guide.
The deadline for nominations has been extended to July 20, 2007.
For more information, visit http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/dmc/resources/nomination.pdf.
New York Times Publishes Editorial on Raising the Age of Jurisdiction in Connecticut
On July 5, The New York Times published “Back Where They Belong,” an editorial in support of legislation signed June 29 in Connecticut that raises the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 16 to 18. Notes the editorial,
After Connecticut’s law takes effect, New York and North Carolina will be the only two remaining states that automatically transfer 16-year-olds who commit crimes to adult courts. Unfortunately, nearly every state has laws that encourage prosecutors to try children as adults. The country needs to abandon these failed, destructive policies.
Read the entire piece at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/05/opinion/05thu2.html.
NCCD Fact Sheet on Women and Girls
The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) has released a fact sheet addressing the latest data on women and girls involved in local and state corrections systems. The fact sheet includes a section titled “Juvenile Girls in Custody” which notes:
- The proportion of girls to boys in custody has been rising, with girls representing 13% of all juveniles in custody in 1991 and 15% in 2003.
- Girls in custody in 2003 were much more likely to be status offenders than boys.
- Based on 2003 rates of custody (detained or committed) per 100,000 females under 18 years of age in the general population, the most punitive U.S. states for girls were Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, North Dakota, and Florida.
View the fact sheet at http://www.nccd-crc.org/nccd/pubs/2007_MPS_factsheet.pdf.
Upcoming Conferences
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in cooperation with the Center for Network Development, will host a National Juvenile Information Sharing (JIS) Symposium, August 12-14 in Washington, D.C. The symposium will provide a venue for youth service and other professionals to explore new guidelines, cross-agency collaboration, confidentiality, technology advancements and other matters related to juvenile information sharing. Registration is limited and early registration is recommended. For more information, visit www.edjassociates.com/jis2007/home.asp.
The Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will host the National Conference on Safe Schools and Communities, October 29-31, 2007 in Washington, D.C. The conference will feature bullying prevention, mentoring, program evaluation, and community programs, with special sessions on youth courts and mental health. Additional sessions will address gangs, juvenile and restorative justice, and protective factors and resilience, among other subjects. For more information, visit http://gwired.gwu.edu/hamfish/AnnualConference/2007/.
The American Bar Association will host its 25th National Law-Related Education Leadership Conference, September 6-8, 2007 in New Orleans, LA. The theme will be “Youth, Education & Law: Current Issues, New Directions,” highlighting ways to empower, protect and prepare young people for effective citizenship in a democratic society. There will be a plenary session entitled "The Future of Juvenile Justice." For more information, visit www.abanet.org/publiced/conference/lre07.html.
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will host its 26th Annual Juvenile Probation and Justice Management Conference, September 9-12, 2007 in Albuquerque, NM. Designed to help juvenile probation officers meet growing challenges in the field, the conference offers four unique tracks: Case Management of Juvenile Sex Offenders; Juvenile Probation in the Court, Dispositional Alternatives & Mental Health Issues in Juvenile Justice; Juvenile Probation Officer Institute; and The Management Development Institute. For more information, visit www.ncjfcj.org/content/view/980/315/.
The CJJ e-Monitor is brought to you by staff and volunteer leaders of CJJ, and supported by membership fees paid by CJJ’s State Advisory Group members, Members at Large and Allies. We are grateful to all for their ongoing support.
The CJJ e-Monitor is distributed in the first week of every month. To submit items for publication, e-mail Kitty McCarthy at mccarthy@juvjustice.org. Items must be submitted two weeks prior to the first of the month for consideration. Inclusion and editing of submissions are subject to CJJ editorial guidelines.
To electronically subscribe or unsubscribe to the CJJ e-Monitor, please send a request with your name and contact information to info@juvjustice.org.
— Robin Jenkins, 2007 CJJ National Chair
— Kitty McCarthy, Editor
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