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April 2009
CJJ Leadership News
- Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2008-09 National Chair
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CJJ Government Relations Alert
- Senate Judiciary Leaders Introduce JJDPA Reauthorization Bill
- Rep. Murphy Introduces Bill to Strengthen Protections in the JJDPA
- Chairman Leahy Requests More Time for States to Comply with Adam Walsh Act
- Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, to Host Nevada Summit for Children
- Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, Calls for White House Office on Children
- Senator Webb Introduces Legislation to Create National Criminal Justice Commission
- Advocates to Rally in Support of Youth PROMISE Act – May 7, 2009
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CJJ Conference News
- Register Now! – 4 Days Left Before Close of Registration for the CJJ Annual National Conference, May 2-5, 2009
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CJJ Committee and Regional News
- CJJ Issues Recommendations to the U.S. Department of Justice Calling for Increased Emphasis on Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice
- CJJ Welcomes UCLA Intern, Lauren Schick
- Message from the CJJ Southern Region
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National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
- YJC Issues Report on Billing by L.A. County Department of Probation
- CTJJA Holds Rally to Support Implementation of Raise the Age Bill
- WCCF Publishes Policy Brief on Returning 17-Year-Olds to the Juvenile Justice System
- FFLIC Releases Documentary on School to Prison Pipeline
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Resources and Information of Note
- Annie E. Casey Foundation Releases Recommendations for Juvenile Justice Reform
- “Crime & Delinquency” Highlights Gender and Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
- OJJDP Releases Annual Report 2008
- Urban Institute Press Publishes “Child Welfare: The Challenges of Collaboration”
- John Howard Association Names Hanke Gratteau as New Executive Director
- Grant Opportunity through the Office for Victims of Crime
- In the News
- Upcoming Conferences
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CJJ Leadership News
Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2008-09 National Chair
If you asked 100 people, “What is the juvenile justice system?” you would likely get 100 different answers. Why? Because the “system” is different in every state, it operates differently in every locality, and there are no standards or conformance vehicles to apply every place juvenile justice is administered. This is a good thing – resources and laws differ from place to place and it would be practically impossible to achieve parity and conformity everywhere. However, this state of affairs begs additional thinking. If there is a “system” to reform, what is it? Where does a juvenile justice system begin? What are the boundaries around a definition of children and youth “at-risk”? If we work to prevent delinquency, how early and in what manner should juvenile justice dollars be deployed to produce the most effective outcomes? How much “treatment” should be provided by the system in comparison to that provided through collaborations and contracts? And when youth leave institutions or court supervision, how long should they be followed by “the system” to determine if services have been effective?
I am constantly amazed at the lack of research and consistency in our field of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention relative to these questions. Sure, we have core protections in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). These requirements and rules endeavor to set clear expectations around four core areas that (ostensibly) protect youth from jails, lockups, disproportionate outcomes among various racial groups, etc. And the reauthorization language in S. 678 (the Senate bill just put forward to reauthorize the JJDPA - more details below) is stronger and more comprehensive than ever before, with wonderful input from juvenile justice experts, bipartisan support on the Hill, and many allies and system stakeholders throughout the states and territories.
Yet, there are no academic or even implementation standards of practice that everyone agrees on in each domain of “the system,” as we know it today. There are lots of discussions about evidence based programs and practices and there are standards in various components of the system – especially in the institutions. So how do we get to a place where we come to terms with what “the system” really is, how it should be implemented with the best science behind it and the greatest resources targeted to the proper places in the juvenile justice service matrix? I write these questions and thoughts to encourage your own thinking about these very complex issues, and to invite your active participation in the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) as we seek to bring together State Advisory Group members, Members At Large, Act 4 Juvenile Justice allies, and colleagues across the country to consider the juvenile justice system and to work from the JJDPA forward, using the JJDPA as the standard from which we aspire to excellence, not just compliance.
CJJ’s upcoming 25th Anniversary and Annual National Conference, May 2-5 in Arlington, VA (just outside Washington, DC) is your chance to have a voice in national policy and true systems reform. I know that many are struggling with travel restrictions and tight budgets, but this meeting is the ONLY national juvenile justice policy forum and advocacy opportunity for juvenile justice professionals and State Advisory Group members that combines CJJ membership value, governance opportunities and topnotch training and discussion, as well as a chance for you to go to Capitol Hill and speak to your local delegation regarding juvenile justice. It is truly a one-stop opportunity for essential, nay critical juvenile justice reform. Please do all that you can to become active in CJJ and to join us this May.
Now, a funny story to leave you with ― when my wife was a little girl, she and her brothers had a dog named Lemon. Lemon was originally a top-shelf hunting dog and could run with the best, but being around three children ruined him and he just wouldn’t hunt after receiving the attention and affection of the kids.
One Easter, the children’s mother bought a couple dozen eggs, dyed them all very prettily, scattered them with care throughout the backyard and couldn’t wait for the family to get home after church so that everyone could enjoy the hunt. After carefully placing the eggs and leaving few clues, she believed them to be cleverly hidden yet easy enough to discover since her children were relatively young and went off to worship. Sure enough, the family came home and with glee unfettered, the children were ushered into the backyard after their Sunday services. Standing on the porch, she watched with smiles and joyful anticipation as the kids took their baskets on their arms and ran across the back lawn, turning over pine cones, digging under bushes, and clearing brush. Alas, there were no eggs to be found, only some colored pieces of shells scattered here and about.
Of course by now you’ve figured it out – yep, Lemon had been very busy while the family was away. During his unsupervised moments, Lemon helped himself to more than two-dozen eggs, digging them up and eating as many as he could. His mouth was yellow from all the yolks, yet he seemed to be no worse for wear despite consuming so many eggs (and yes, there are many giggles when the family talks about all the other after-effects of eating so many eggs!). My mother-in-law was at first devastated – all the work she had put in to achieve a wonderful Easter egg hunt seemed to be in vain. Yet, not all of her work went unappreciated – the kids laughed hard at Lemon and his antics and the entire family sat down on the back porch with Lemon and giggled for hours.
Such moments are precious and never forgotten. So as spring unfolds in your neck of the woods, remember not to take things so seriously, to appreciate those seemingly unfortunate moments for their unplanned invitation to learning and laughter, and to count your blessings in whatever form they appear. For every misfortune can be an opportunity to look at things a bit differently – just ask Lemon. And, as James Taylor reminds us musically, “The secret to life is enjoying the passing of time …” – I truly hope that you all are enjoying your time today and every day. With smiles and appreciation to each of you –
Robin
CJJ Government Relations Alert
Senate Judiciary Leaders Introduce JJDPA Reauthorization Bill
CJJ is pleased to offer its support to the new JJDPA Reauthorization bill in the U.S. Senate. The legislation reflects and responds to the positions taken in the CJJ Platform of Position on JJDPA crafted and approved by our member State Advisory Groups last year.
The new JJDPA bill, S. 678, was introduced March 24, 2009, by U.S. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-PA), Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and is titled the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2009. A copy of the bill as introduced can be viewed at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.678:.
CJJ members and allies will recall that last summer Senators Leahy, Specter and Kohl introduced S. 3155, the JJDPA reauthorization bill for the 110th Congress and moved the bill through markup with strong bipartisan support. This year, these senior Senators are joined by Senator Richard Durbin, Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, and an equally strong supporter of children and youth issues.
Similar to S. 3155, S. 678 incorporates and capitalizes on more than 30 years of wisdom about how the JJDPA works and how it may be improved to reduce delinquency and improve youth and community outcomes. S. 678 incorporates all of the amendments added to S. 3155 and approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last summer, including:
- an amendment to establish appropriate authorization levels for the Title II and Title V programs;
- an amendment to extend jail removal and sight and sound protections to all pre-trial juveniles, including those tried in criminal court, over a three-year phase-in period;
- amendments 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;
- amendments to improve state efforts and results in reducing DMC;
- amendments to move state juvenile facilities towards eliminating the use of dangerous practices and toward use of effective behavior management strategies;
- amendments to restore and reaffirm the statutory advisory and training roles of an independent representative organization of State Advisory Group members; and
- amendments to improve oversight and accountability at OJJDP.
In addition, S. 678 proposes new strengthening amendments, including:
- a heightened focus on increased coordination, screening and diversion to better meet the mental health and substance abuse needs of youth; and
- 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 has taken two immediate steps to encourage the bill to move forward:
- CJJ has delivered a letter of appreciation and support to Chairman Leahy and all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee;
- CJJ, as a co-convener of the Act-4-JJ campaign, has helped to develop and signed on to a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson, and Acting Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Jeff Slowikowski, highlighting broad-based support for S. 678 and citing ways that it is aligned with policy priorities of the Obama Administration {link}. This letter is still open for signatures if you wish to sign on.
In the coming weeks and months, CJJ will work closely with members and allies to monitor and play an active role as the bill progresses to ensure the reauthorization of a strong JJDPA. At present, we would encourage you to:
- Sign onto the letter to the Department of Justice by sending a sign-on request, if possible by April 10, 2009, to Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director: nancy@juvjustice.org
- Talk to your Senators about the value of the legislation and encourage them to co-sponsor S. 678. For more information about the bill and outreach to your U.S. Senators, please contact Tara Andrews, CJJ Deputy Executive Director, at 202-467-0864, ext. 109, and andrews@juvjustice.org
Rep. Murphy Introduces Bill to Strengthen Protections in the JJDPA
On April 2, 2009, Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced H.R. 1873, the Juvenile Justice Improvement Act of 2009, legislation to amend the JJDPA and provide greater protections for court-involved youth. As of the writing of this article, a copy of the bill had not been published.
H.R. 1873 is similar to H.R. 5537, the Juvenile Justice Improvement Act of 2008, which Rep. Murphy introduced last spring. Like, S. 678, the Senate JJDPA reauthorization bill (see above), H.R. 1873 seeks to strengthen the JJDPA’s core requirements and move states away from the use of dangerous practices to control confined youth, e.g., restraints and isolation.
H.R. 1873 differs from the Senate bill in that it would:
- extend jail removal and sight and sound core protections under the JJDPA to pre-adjudicated youth under the age of 18, not just those who have not reached a state’s age of criminal responsibility; and
- immediately eliminate the VCO exception to the DSO core requirement upon enactment of the new law.
H.R. 1873 is an extension of the work that Rep. Murphy did as a Connecticut state legislator prior to his election to Congress in 2006. As a state legislator, Rep. Murphy was a leading sponsor of legislation passed in 2006 to move 16 and 17-year-olds out of the criminal justice system and adult prisons and into more age-appropriate rehabilitative incarceration.
While H.R. 1873 is not a comprehensive JJDPA reauthorization bill, it affirms interests emerging among members of Congress to craft and support federal legislation to protect youth, reduce juvenile delinquency and improve community safety. CJJ will monitor H.R. 1873 to see how it impacts and informs the larger JJDPA reauthorization process in the House and the Congress as a whole, as well as overall federal juvenile justice reform efforts.
Chairman Leahy Requests More Time for States to Comply with Adam Walsh Act
On March 19, 2009, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking the Justice Department to provide a blanket one-year extension to states and jurisdictions struggling to comply with the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
Under the provisions of SORNA, states and other jurisdictions, including tribal jurisdictions, must come into compliance with certain sex offender registry provisions by July 27, 2009, or risk losing 10 percent of their Byrne JAG grant allocation. With less than four months to go, no state or jurisdiction has been deemed compliant with SORNA by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (“SMART Office”).
Senator Leahy was joined by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), and Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX).
The letter to Attorney General Holder came on the heels of a March 10 hearing titled “Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA): Barriers to Timely Compliance by States,” and held by Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Chair and Ranking Member of the Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. During the more than two-hour meeting, the Subcommittee received testimony from expert witnesses who spoke to different aspects of the states’ compliance issues and concerns. Hearing witnesses included:
- Laura Rogers, former Director of the SMART Office;
- Emma J. Devillier, Asst. Attorney General, Criminal Division and Chief, Sexual Predator Unit, Office of the Attorney General of Louisiana;
- Madeline Carter, Principal, Center for Effective Public Policy at the Center for Sex Offender Management;
- Ernie Allen, President & Chief Executive Officer, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children;
- Mark Lunsford, Father of Jessica Lunsford, the Victim of a Sex Offense;
- Det. Robert Shilling, Sex and Kidnapping Offender Detail, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit, Seattle Police Department; and
- Amy Borror, Public Information Officer, Office of the Ohio Public Defender.
As of the writing of this article, a webcast of the hearing is available for viewing at http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_090310_1.html.
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, to Host Nevada Summit for Children
On April 14, 2009, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will host the first ever “Nevada Nonprofits Children’s Summit” at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Summit will feature national, state and local experts with expertise in children and youth issues. The purpose of the Summit is to connect the Nevada children’s nonprofit sector with national leaders on children and youth issues for the purposes of making connections and building greater capacity.
Among other things, the Nevada Summit will highlight the work of CJJ member-leader Larry Carter, and other CJJ Nevada members, who are building on their JDAI successes in Clark County and working to take JDAI statewide. Tara Andrews, CJJ Deputy Executive Director, will be presenting information along with other members of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition to help connect Nevada child and family serving nonprofits to federal policy initiatives, including JJDPA reauthorization, the Youth PROMISE Act and restoration of appropriations for federal juvenile justice programs.
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, Calls for White House Office on Children
On March 30, 2009, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) sent a letter to President Barack Obama, calling on him to establish a White House office dedicated to meeting the needs and improving the lives of America’s children. The office would be headed by a central coordinator who would “greatly enhance [the Obama] Administration’s ability to maximize the overall effectiveness of existing programs and to best determine where changes or new initiatives are needed . . . [and] . . . help provide Congress with the kind of analysis needed for us to make informed legislative decisions about these programs.”
Senator Reid’s letter echoes efforts of children and youth advocates from across the nation who are calling for the establishment of a White House Office on National Youth Policy. In September 2008, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) introduced H.R. 7004, the Federal Youth Coordination Act of 2008, legislation that would have created such an office. Similar legislation is expected for the 111th Congress. CJJ was a proud supporter of H.R. 7004 last year and is monitoring efforts to re-introduce the legislation this year.
Senator Webb Introduces Legislation to Create National Criminal Justice Commission
On March 26, 2009, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced S. 714, the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009, bipartisan legislation to create a blue-ribbon commission charged to conduct an 18-month, top-to-bottom review of the nation's entire criminal justice system and to offer concrete recommendations for reform. Senator Webb was joined by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee, in introducing the bill.
According to S. 714, the commission will comprise experts in the fields of criminal justice, law enforcement, public health, national security, prison administration, social services, prisoner reentry, and victim rights. It will be led by a chairperson to be appointed by the President. The Majority and Minority Leaders in the House and Senate, and the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations will appoint the remaining members of the commission.
Among other things, S. 714 charges the Commission to review and make findings comparing U.S. “incarceration policies, including juvenile incarceration policies, to those of countries with similar political systems including Western Europe and Japan, denoting the different standards applied for types of crime, length of sentences, standards of prison administration, quality of reentry programs for ex-offenders, and recidivism rates” (emphasis added).
Click here to learn more. A copy of the bill can be viewed in its entirety at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.714:.
Advocates to Rally in Support of Youth PROMISE Act – May 7, 2009
On Thursday, May 7, 2009, two days after CJJ’s Annual Hill Day, children, youth and law enforcement advocates from all over the nation will descend on Capitol Hill in support of the S. 435 and H.R. 1064, the Youth PROMISE Act companion bills in the 111th Congress.
Sponsored by U.S. Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and Michael Castle (R-DE) and U.S. Senators Robert “Bob” Casey (D-PA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), the Youth PROMISE Act is informed by decades of research as well as criminal and juvenile justice experts who have identified what works and what does not work to keep or move youth away from delinquent/criminal gang activity.
Under the Youth PROMISE Act, communities facing the greatest youth gang, delinquency and crime challenges will develop and implement a comprehensive local plan to support young people and their families and make our communities safer, reduce victimization, and help at-risk young people to lead law-abiding and healthy lives, free from gangs, delinquency and/or criminal involvement.
Uniquely, the Youth PROMISE Act also provides for thorough evaluation, including analyses of the cost-savings to society yielded by investing in prevention and intervention rather than in more costly prosecution and incarceration. Under the Youth PROMISE Act, savings from investments in prevention and intervention programs will be reinvested in prevention and intervention efforts funded under the Act.
In addition, the Youth PROMISE Act provides for the hiring and training of Youth Oriented Policing (YOPS) officers to prevent and address juvenile delinquency and criminal street gang activity in a manner that is responsive to the research on juveniles and adolescent brain development. The Act also includes support for youth victim and witness protection programs, which are critical to deter crime.
Finally, the Youth PROMISE Act provides for the increased local coordination of federal programs designed to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency and youth crime, and establishes a federal commission charged to carry out a nationwide, comprehensive study of the effectiveness of crime and delinquency prevention and intervention strategies.
As of the writing of this column, more than 220 international, national, state and local organizations and jurisdictions have signed on in support of the Youth PROMISE Act with CJJ, including the Boy Scouts of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, National Association of Counties, National Education Association, National PTA, the Cities of New York and Los Angeles, and World Vision. CJJ is an original and proud supporter of the Youth PROMISE Act, and we look forward to working with CJJ members and allies to educate Members of Congress about the benefits of the PROMISE approach.
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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 Ken Schatz (kschatz@ci.burlington.vt.us), or CJJ deputy executive director Tara Andrews (andrews@juvjustice.org and 202-467-0864, ext. 109).
CJJ Conference News
Register Now! – 4 Days Left Before Close of Registration for the CJJ Annual National Conference, May 2-5, 2009
There are only 4 days left to register for the CJJ Annual National Conference and 25th Anniversary Celebration: “Unlocking the Future of Juvenile Justice,” in Arlington, VA – just outside of Washington, D.C.
Both the hotel room block and CJJ registration will close on Thursday, April 9.
To Register:
To register and for more information, click here, or visit www.cvent.com, click on the "RSVP for Event" tab, and enter event code 42NJQGYXYNG. During registration you will have the opportunity to RSVP for the optional Tour of the Positive Transformation of the D.C. Youth Committed Placement Facility.
The CJJ member registration rate is $225 and the non-member registration rate is $299. A youth member registration rate of $189 is also available.
You may also contact CJJ at info@juvjustice.org or 202-467-0864, ext. 122, for off-line registration.
Location and Room Block:
Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202—just outside of Washington, D.C. Through the CJJ room block rate you will receive a hotel rate of $187 per night for a single/double. Make your reservation by clicking here. You may also make your room reservation by phone at 1-800-228-9290. The room block is open through Thursday, April 9.
Agenda:
Click here to view an updated draft agenda of the conference.
Highlights include:
- A keynote with Jeffrey A. Butts, Ph.D., followed by discussion forums exploring ways to infuse positive youth development principles into juvenile justice policy and practice, and increase youth civic engagement;
- A closing panel on national strategies and federal policy featuring Acting OJJDP Administrator Jeffrey Slowikowski, Hilary Shelton of the NAACP, Laurie Garduque of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Bart Lubow of the Annie E. Casey Foundation;
- Concurrent workshops highlighting innovative approaches to family and community-connected services and supports for at-risk youth, status offenders and adjudicated youth, as well as alternatives to detention/incarceration and high-impact approaches to prevent further delinquency for adjudicated youth;
- CJJ’s 25th Anniversary Reception featuring CJJ’s first National Chair and Founder A. L. Carlisle, and a festive Musical Celebration with headliner Josh White Jr.;
- CJJ Council of SAGs' Meeting and Executive Board Elections on May 3 with guest speaker Laurie Garduque reflecting on the progress of the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change Initiative;
- A special focus on “Family Justice” and youth and family perspectives;
- Business Meetings for State Juvenile Justice Specialists and DMC Coordinators;
- CJJ Leadership Committee Meetings and Regional Coalition Meetings;
- Meet and greet forum with the CJJ National Youth Committee;
- Luncheon to present 2009 CJJ Awards, the Spirit of Youth Award, Tony Gobar Outstanding Juvenile Justice Specialist Award, and the A. L. Carlisle Child Advocacy Award;
- State Advisory Group Member Leadership Training;
- Tour of the Positive Transformation of the D.C. Youth Committed Placement Facility (Please note, this requires advance RSVP during registration – details above).
For more information, contact Mark Ferrante, Director of Leadership and Training Programs, at ferrante@juvjustice.org or 202-467-0864, ext. 102.
CJJ Committee and Regional News
CJJ Issues Recommendations to the U.S. Department of Justice Calling for Increased Emphasis on Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice
On April 6, 2009, CJJ delivered a letter of recommendations to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Laurie Robinson, and Acting Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Jeffrey Slowikowski, calling for increased resources and leadership to be devoted to efforts to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities and disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in juvenile justice. Click here to view the letter of recommendations.
The Department of Justice, through OJJDP, and supported by congressional authorizations and requirements in the JJDPA, is charged to serve as the principal partner to states, tribes, territories and localities in resolving disparities and disproportionality.
CJJ recommendations support many of the priorities of the new Administration and include an invitation for the Justice Department, Office of Justice Programs and OJJDP to take stock of field-generated ideas and perspectives.
Under the leadership of the CJJ Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee, the CJJ National DMC Coordinator Representative and the CJJ Executive Board, the recommendations are based on a CJJ field survey of state efforts with DMC reduction, analysis of the survey results, and months of discussion among CJJ members, including DMC Coordinators. Please feel free to circulate and use the letter for your own valuable efforts.
For more information on the work of the CJJ Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee, please feel free to contact committee chair Gina E. Wood at gwood@jointcenter.org, or Mark Ferrante (ferrante@juvjustice.org) and Nancy Gannon Hornberger (nancy@juvjustice.org).
CJJ Welcomes UCLA Intern, Lauren Schick
CJJ is fortunate to welcome Lauren Schick as our intern this spring from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lauren will be supporting the work of the CJJ Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee and CJJ’s work with the Act-4-JJ Initiative for JJDPA reauthorization. She is a budding juvenile justice leader and we have asked her to write to you directly. As you will learn, she has a lot to contribute to CJJ!
Greetings! My name is Lauren Schick and I am very excited to be CJJ’s new intern for the spring. I am currently a junior at UCLA majoring in Political Science and beginning a minor in Public Affairs. I am spending this spring interning and conducting independent research in Washington, D.C., through UCLA’s Center for American Politics and Public Policy’s Quarter in Washington Program.
During my time at UCLA, I developed a great interest in juvenile justice. At UCLA, I participate in Project B.R.I.T.E. (Bruins Reforming Incarceration Through Education), tutoring incarcerated youth in an all-male detention center in Los Angeles. It is there that I formed relationships with the young men who opened up to me about their social circumstances and experiences in the juvenile justice system. I was shocked at what seemed to be a very troubled system and that I had wrongly and naively assumed it was successfully bettering the lives of its participants.
Last quarter, I was able to take one of very few classes offered on the topic at UCLA, offering a sociological look at youth, trouble, and juvenile justice. The class gave me insight into how youth become labeled as “deviant” or “troublesome” and how they are treated after receiving such titles, as well as touching on how racial disparities come about in the juvenile justice system. My specific research interests include the disproportionate number of minority youth represented in the system and the role of drugs, especially marijuana, in the lives of juvenile offenders and on the crimes they commit, as well as the effectiveness of drug rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders in and outside of juvenile detention centers.
I am looking forward to an enriching experience working with CJJ and to spending the quarter discovering the beautiful city of Washington, D.C.
Best,
Lauren Schick
Message from the CJJ Southern Region
Contributed by Linda Hayes, Southern Region Chair
I am indeed looking forward to seeing everyone in May at the CJJ Annual National Conference and would like to invite all Southern states to participate in the Southern Region Business Meeting on Saturday morning, May 2, 2009, where the agenda will include a discussion of different strategies and approaches to addressing budget shortfalls in the states, as well as various means to collaborate within the Southern Region.
Please be in touch with any thoughts or ideas.
Linda Hayes
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
YJC Issues Report on Billing by L.A. County Department of Probation
The Youth Justice Coalition (YJC), an NJJN member, released a report on the billing practices of the Los Angeles County Department of Probation, which were recently suspended on February 13, 2009. YJC reports that the Department of Probation charged families, more than 95 percent of whom are poor and working class, as much as $23.63 for each day that their children were in juvenile hall. The report details the detrimental effects on families of this aggressive billing practice as well as the substandard conditions of the county's juvenile facilities. The advocacy efforts of YJC and dozens of families ultimately led to the moratorium on billing. Click here to read YJC's report.
CTJJA Holds Rally to Support Implementation of Raise the Age Bill
The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (CTJJA), an NJJN member, organized a rally in Hartford, Connecticut, on March 5, 2009, to press for implementation of the Raise the Age law. The law will end automatic transfer of 16 and 17-year-olds to the adult system.
The law passed in 2007, but now faces delays due to the state’s budget deficit. This model legislation is one of the most significant recent advances in juvenile justice reform and will increase public safety by putting more youth back in the juvenile justice system. As part of the ongoing campaign to implement the Raise the Age law, CTJJA has launched a new campaign Web site - www.sayyesct.org. Click here to read an article from the New Haven Independent about the rally ("Teen Prisoner's Mom: Raise the Age," March 5, 2009).
WCCF Publishes Policy Brief on Returning 17-Year-Olds to the Juvenile Justice System
The Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, an NJJN member, released a policy brief titled "Returning 17-Year-Olds to the Juvenile Justice System: A Smart Choice for Our Communities and Our Youth." The brief discusses a legislative initiative that would return 17-year-olds to the original jurisdiction of the juvenile court. The brief highlights how returning 17-year-olds to juvenile court can reduce crime, help ensure youth are held accountable, and provide youth with the skills needed to become productive citizens. A decade of research clarifies that trying youth in adult courts has a detrimental impact on community safety. Youth tried as adults committed on average 37 percent more repeat offenses than youth retained in juvenile court. In a recently completed Wisconsin study, 17-year-olds in the adult system had a 70 percent recidivism rate. The brief recommends returning 17-year-olds to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court while maintaining current provisions that allow courts to transfer 17-year-olds to the adult system (by using existing waiver and transfer provisions) when deemed necessary.
FFLIC Releases Documentary on School to Prison Pipeline
Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), an NJJN member, released a new documentary, “Stop the School to Prison Pipeline.” The film discusses what is happening in New Orleans schools, as told by students, parents, advocates, organizers, and community members. The school to prison pipeline begins in segregated, underfunded schools, zero-tolerance policies systematically push students into the juvenile justice system, and the high presence of security guards and police make schools feel like prisons. To order the documentary, contact Damekia Morgan at 504-522-5437. Click here to watch the trailer for the film.
Resources and Information of Note
Annie E. Casey Foundation Releases Recommendations for Juvenile Justice Reform
In January 2009, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released “Reform the Nation’s Juvenile Justice System,” an issue brief detailing three federal policy recommendations:
- Restore the capacity of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to serve as a national incubator and catalyst for improving juvenile justice policies and practices.
- Focus the energy and resources of OJJDP and other federal agencies on crucial and pervasive shortcomings in juvenile justice practice.
- Improve the juvenile justice workforce.
The brief states that the federal government can and should make a crucial contribution to local and state juvenile justice efforts and notes that Washington has often played a vital role in setting minimum standards, conducting and disseminating research on best practices, and providing funding to help states and localities improve their juvenile systems.
States the brief, “With the landmark JJDPA up for reauthorization in 2009, the Obama administration has an unparalleled opportunity to use the resources and influence of the federal government to jumpstart a long-overdue renaissance in our nation’s approach to adolescent crime.”
“Crime & Delinquency” Highlights Gender and Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
The April edition of the criminal justice journal “Crime & Delinquency” focuses on gender and girls in the juvenile justice system with the following articles:
- Gender Differences in Delinquency and Juvenile Justice Processing: Evidence From National Data
- A Gender-Specific Pathway to Serious, Violent, and Chronic Offending?: Exploring Howell's Risk Factors for Serious Delinquency
- Violent Girls or Relabeled Status Offenders?: An Alternative Interpretation of the Data
- Determining What Works for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System: A Summary of Evaluation Evidence
- The Provision and Completion of Gender-Specific Services for Girls on Probation: Variation by Race and Ethnicity
- Reentry and Renegotiating Motherhood: Maternal Identity and Success on Parole
OJJDP Releases Annual Report 2008
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released its Annual Report 2008, which describes the agency’s activities and accomplishments during the fiscal year of 2008. The report details OJJDP’s activities to promote early intervention and delinquency prevention; support faith-based, community, and mentor initiatives; strengthen the juvenile justice system; enhance public safety and law enforcement; fight child exploitation; address youth gangs; and improve conditions for tribal youth. The report concludes with an overview of the agency’s information dissemination activities.
Urban Institute Press Publishes “Child Welfare: The Challenges of Collaboration”
The Urban Institute Press has published “Child Welfare: The Challenges of Collaboration.” The book highlights several scenarios requiring interagency collaboration, including collaboration between child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and offers an evaluation of Project Confirm, a cross-agency effort to help foster children in juvenile detention.
John Howard Association Names Hanke Gratteau as New Executive Director
The John Howard Association of Illinois, a not-for-profit organization that promotes fair, humane and effective sentencing and correctional policies, has named journalist Hanke Gratteau as its new executive director. Gratteau will oversee projects and research aimed at monitoring and improving conditions in the state's prisons, jails and juvenile detention facilities. Gratteau’s career spans three decades; in 2001, she was among a team of Chicago Tribune editors and reporters awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism for "Gateway to Gridlock," a series that examined problems in the nation's troubled air traffic system.
Grant Opportunity through the Office for Victims of Crime
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is accepting grant applications for FY 2009 Tribal Victim Assistance Training and Technical Assistance. The grant makes $500,000 available to one applicant to provide comprehensive, skills-building training and technical assistance to grantees that have received funding under the FY 2009 Tribal Victim Assistance Discretionary Grant Program. Eligible applicants must have experience working with American Indian and Alaska Native communities, including tribal commercial and nonprofit organizations, tribal colleges and universities, and tribal consortiums. The deadline to apply is May 5, 2009.
In the News
March 30 – Law.com featured “Juvenile Records to Be Expunged in Response to Judicial Kickback Case,” a story from The Legal Intelligencer (PA) reporting that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has granted a senior judge from Berks County the authority to expunge the records of a "substantial number" of juveniles who appeared before former Luzerne County President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. between 2003 and 2008.
March 26 – “Juvenile Justice Matters,” an online radio show from the Campaign for Youth Justice, featured CJJ Executive Director Nancy Gannon Hornberger discussing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March. Click here to listen online.
March 26 – “Missouri System Treats Juvenile Offenders With Lighter Hand,” an article in the New York Times profiled the Missouri Model of juvenile justice that emphasizes rehabilitation in small groups, constant therapeutic interventions and minimal force. The article notes that in addition to reducing youth confinement, Missouri and other states that have adopted the Missouri Model have also managed to cut their adult populations by applying techniques from the Missouri Model.
March 24 – Time Magazine published “Getting the Juvenile-Justice System to Grow Up,” citing the recent discovery that two juvenile court judges in Pennsylvania were taking kickbacks in exchange for committing thousands of children to privately owned detention centers as indicative of a larger need to examine the state of juvenile justice across the United States and consider changes to offer juveniles a better chance of rehabilitation.
Upcoming Conferences
April 15-16 – The Association for the Advancement of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) hosts its “Turning the Page” Conference in Los Angeles, CA. The conference will feature EBP experts discussing a number of issues including assessment tools, implementation issues, cost-cutting, site readiness/willingness to pay and more.
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