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July/August 2009
CJJ Government Relations Update
- CALL TO ACTION: Congress Moves to Finalize Funding for FY 2010 Juvenile Justice Programs
- CALL TO ACTION: Working to Ensure Strong Bi-partisan Support for JJDPA Reauthorization
- Youth PROMISE Act Reaches Milestone in the House
CJJ Leadership Notes from Nancy Gannon Hornberger, Executive Director
- Summertime Transitions
David Schmidt Begins Term as CJJ National Chair on July 1
CJJ Staff Member, Kitty McCarthy, Leaves for Graduate School
CJJ Regional News
- Pennsylvania Hosts CJJ Northeast Regional Conference
State Advisory Group (SAG) News
- New Mexico SAG and Sandoval County Juvenile Justice Board Collaborate with Pueblos and Navajo Nation to Reduce Detention
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
- Illinois Legislature Passes Two Bills to Improve State Juvenile Justice System
- Kentucky Youth Advocates Releases Brief on Reducing Detention of Status Offenders
- NJJN and CTJJA Report Profiles Improvements in Connecticut Juvenile Justice System
- 7th Annual NJJN Forum Held in Washington, DC
Resources and Information of Note
- OJJDP Releases Fact Sheets on Juvenile Court Statistics
- In the News
- Upcoming Conference
CJJ Government Relations Update
CALL TO ACTION: Congress Moves to Finalize Funding for FY 2010 Juvenile Justice Programs
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have completed their work on the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bills, which include recommended funding levels for the core federal juvenile justice programs. The chart below reflects the current legislative proposals:
In millions:
| |
FY02 |
FY09 |
President's
Proposal
for FY10 |
House
Proposal
for FY10 |
Senate
Proposal
for FY10 |
CJJ REQUEST
for FY10 |
| OJJDP |
$6.8 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
$9 |
Rsch, Eval,
Training & TA |
-- |
-- |
TBD* |
TBD* |
TBD* |
$36 |
Title II
State
Formula
Funds |
$88.8 |
$75 |
$75 |
$75 |
$70 |
$89 |
Title V
Local
Delinq.
Prevention |
$94.3 |
$62 |
$62 |
$62 |
$65 |
$95 |
| JABG |
$249.5 |
$55 |
$57 |
$55 |
$60 |
$250 |
| DPBG |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
$126.4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Demonstration
programs
(earmarks) |
-- |
$82 |
0 |
$68 |
$82 |
0 |
| Mentoring |
$16 |
$80 |
$80 |
$80 |
$100 |
$80 |
Community-
based prevention |
N/A |
N/A |
$25 |
$18 |
0 |
$25 |
| Safe Start |
-- |
-- |
$10 |
$7 |
$5 |
$10 |
The Senate is proposing $5 million more for JABG over last year’s appropriation. The Senate proposal would also provide a full $100 million for mentoring programs.
Of the $65 million the Senate proposes for Title V, $60 million is still set-aside for Tribal Youth, EUDL and a gang education program. The Senate proposal, however, would make $5 million available to the states, where the House proposal only makes $2 million available.
While the Senate proposes $75 million for Title II State Formula Grants, it also proposes that $5 million of the appropriation be set-aside to fund the Safe Start program, thus reducing the amount available to states to $70 million. The House proposal would level fund Title II and fund Safe Start separately at $7 million. CJJ supports the President’s proposal to provide $10 million for the Safe Start Program to prevent and reduce the impact of children’s exposure to violence in the home and in the community. CJJ, however, opposes the Senate’s proposal to fund this program with funds set-aside out of the Title II allocation.
The Senate proposal would restore all of the congressional earmarks for Demonstration Programs, and would not provide any funding for the President’s new Community-based prevention program. The House proposal restores most of the congressional earmarks under Demonstration Programs and provides an additional $18 million for the community-based prevention program. Based on the recently adopted CJJ formal position on federal earmarks, CJJ supports the President’s proposal to eliminate the earmarks historically housed in the Demonstration Programs funding stream. The complete loss of this funding without any attendant increase in available program dollars, however, amounts to a significant, unhelpful drop in federal support for state and local delinquency prevention and juvenile justice reform efforts.
Finally, neither the Senate nor the House is proposing discernible separate and direct funding for OJJDP, a missed opportunity which signals the need for increased congressional education regarding the goals and purposes of the federal-state partnership and OJJDP.
Once the full Senate passes the Senate CJS bill, both bills will be conferenced in order to work out the differences and develop one CJS bill that is acceptable to both House and Senate appropriators.
NOW IS THE TIME to urge federal appropriators to develop a bill that preserves core juvenile justice funding and builds upon effective programming. It is imperative that CJJ members contact the federal appropriators listed below and urge them:
- To accept the House proposal to preserve Title II funding for core compliance support, and to reject any proposals to set-aside a portion of Title II funding for other purposes;
- To accept the Senate proposal to provide a full $5 million in encumbered dollars for Title V;
- To accept the Senate proposal to provide an additional $5 million for JABG over last year’s appropriation;
- To accept the Senate proposal to provide $100 million for mentoring programs;
- To accept the House proposal to provide $18 million for the new community-based prevention program proposed by the President; and
- If providing funding for Safe Start, to accept the House proposal to fund the program separately as opposed to setting it aside out of other program funds.
Contact Information:
Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
Chair, Senate CJS Subcommittee
202-224-4654 (phone)
202-224-8858 (fax)
Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Chair, Full Senate Appropriations Committee
202-224-3934 (phone)
202-224-6747 (fax)
Representative Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Chair, House CJS Subcommittee
202-225-3351 (phone)
202-225-7564 (fax)
Representative David Obey (D-WI)
Chair, Full House Appropriations Committee
202-225-2771 (phone)
CALL TO ACTION: Working to Ensure Strong Bi-partisan Support for JJDPA Reauthorization
On March 24, 2009, U.S. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member Arlen Specter (D-PA), Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced S. 678, 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:.
S. 678 builds on more than 30 years of wisdom about what works to reduce delinquency and improve outcomes, and incorporates all of the amendments added to the JJDPA reauthorization bill approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee last summer, including:
- an amendment to establish appropriate authorization levels for the Title II and Title V program;
- an amendment to extend jail removal and sight and sound protections to all pre-adjudicated juveniles, including those tried in adult court, over a three-year phase-in period;
- an amendment to eliminate the VCO exception to the DSO core requirement over a three-year phase-out period and provide greater protections to status-offenders in the interim;
- an amendment to improve state efforts to reduce DMC;
- an amendment to move state correctional and detention facilities towards eliminating the use of dangerous practices, e.g., physical and chemical restraints;
- an amendment to restore and reaffirm the statutory advisory roles of an independent representative organization of State Advisory Group members; and
- three amendments to improve oversight and accountability at OJJDP.
In addition, S. 678 proposes new strengthening amendments, including:
- a heightened focus on increased coordination, training and evaluation to better meet the mental health and substance abuse needs of youth and youth with disabilities; and
- an increased emphasis on OJJDP developing and/or supporting relevant research, evaluation and data collection efforts to ensure that policies and practices are cost-effective and evidenced-based.
Since its enactment in 1974, the JJDPA has benefited from broad bi-partisan support, which has helped the JJDPA and its related programs survive and remain effective even during tough political or economic times. A strong showing of bi-partisan support is as critical as ever to ensure a strong reauthorization and to demonstrate once again that the goals and purposes of the JJDPA are relevant and value-added to the field of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention.
As the Senate Judiciary Committee moves closer to marking up S. 678, we call upon all CJJ members and allies with ties to Senate Republicans to work with us to reach out to these Senators, educate them about the universal value of the JJDPA and secure strong bi-partisan support for the legislation.
Youth PROMISE Act Reaches Milestone in the House
CJJ is pleased to report that momentum continues to grow for the increasingly popular – and increasingly bipartisan – Youth PROMISE Act, proactive gang violence prevention legislation sponsored by U.S. Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and Michael Castle (R-DE), HR 1064, and U.S. Senators Robert “Bob” Casey (D-PA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), S 435.
Nationwide efforts in support of the Youth PROMISE Act reached a milestone this month when the 221st member of the House signed on as a co-sponsor, meaning that more than half the U.S. House of Representatives has signed on in support of the Youth PROMISE Act as introduced.
A hearing in support of the Youth PROMISE Act is currently scheduled for July 15 at 3:00 p.m. The hearing will likely be webcast live. More details will be provided closer to the hearing date.
As of the writing of this column, more than 240 international, national, state and local organizations and jurisdictions have signed on in support of the Youth PROMISE Act, including the American Probation and Parole Association, Boy Scouts of America, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, the National Association of Counties, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National PTA, World Vision and the Cities of Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Richmond. 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 Leadership Notes from Nancy Gannon Hornberger, Executive Director
SUMMERTIME TRANSITIONS
—David Schmidt Begins Term as CJJ National Chair on July 1
Since its inception, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) has thrived and grown in its impact and value in large measure due to strong, stalwart member-leadership.
State Advisory Group (SAG) members founded and built CJJ and continue 25 years later to serve, along with other CJJ members (state JJDPA staff and allied individuals). CJJ members give tens of thousands of hours of their wisdom, experience and dedicated effort to CJJ and its mission each year serving on the CJJ Executive Board and CJJ leadership committees.
July 1 marked a transition for the CJJ Executive Board. We welcome David Schmidt of New Mexico as the new CJJ National Chair elected by the CJJ Council of SAGs. David will serve two years through June 30, 2011.
Since 1971, David has served as executive director of the New Mexico Council on Crime and Delinquency, and since 1972, as a registered lobbyist in the state of New Mexico. He is also Chair of the New Mexico Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (the NM SAG) and a member of the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) – a principal partner of CJJ. David also served as Chair of the OJJDP Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice from 2004-2008. In his home city of Albuquerque, David is very active as an advocate for children and families, serving with more than a dozen nonprofit organizations, commissions and boards. David also serves as an expert of SAG leadership in advancing detention reform with CJJ.
We are all most grateful to have David’s leadership and service in our efforts to proudly represent a diverse body of more than 1,500 members – juvenile justice practitioners, service providers, youth, parents, public officials, concerned citizens and others – all dedicated to creating optimal delinquency prevention programs, policies and practices, and ensuring that every court-involved youth is given an opportunity to reclaim his/her life and to connect positively with family and community life.
David would be pleased to hear from you and may be reached at nmccd@aol.com.
—CJJ Staff Member, Kitty McCarthy, Leaves for Graduate School
The CJJ Board and staff are both happy (for her) and sad (for our loss) as we bid farewell to Kitty McCarthy, who has been on the CJJ staff for more than 3 years. Kitty began as a part-time administrative assistant at CJJ given that was the job we had available and she was interested in juvenile justice and becoming a CASA volunteer. She had just recently graduated from Macalester College and had much to give. Lucky us!
Kitty quickly became indispensible and shared her many talents, wonderful way with people, and bright “can-do” approach with all of us. She understandably rose, in less than a year, to a key role in the organization as CJJ’s Communications and Program Associate.
Kitty is well known to readers of this newsletter as its editor in chief! She has also contributed mightily to many CJJ publications both in terms of content and design, including the CJJ booklets done with OJJDP on adolescent brain science and juvenile justice, the practice guide and best practice bulletin CJJ produced on detention reform with the Casey Foundation, our beautiful annual conference programs, and research and awards documents prepared for the annual Models for Change Conferences convened with the MacArthur Foundation.
In addition to these more visible aspects of her work, Kitty has provided instrumental meeting support, to the Executive Board and Council of SAGs, the CJJ bylaws and nominating committees and, most recently, to the CJJ youth committee. More quietly, without fail, she has served as an informal office manager—keeping us moving forward and ever-improving. Kitty has always been a premier example of a team player—guiding and supporting everyone at all times.
Please join us as we truly honor and celebrate Kitty McCarthy as she launches into a new phase of her professional career and her life. In August she will enter the School of Social Welfare at the esteemed University of California, Berkeley. She will forever remain close to our hearts and part of the CJJ family!! Kitty’s last day at CJJ is July 22. If you would like to send her a note, please do so at mccarthy@juvjustice.org.
CJJ Regional News
Pennsylvania Hosts CJJ Northeast Regional Conference
On June 18-19, 2009, in Philadelphia, a wonderful CJJ Northeast Regional Conference was hosted and conducted by the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Committee (the PA SAG) and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Many thanks for orchestrating this successful event go to the hosts: Ron Sharp, Chair of the Pennsylvania SAG; Michael Pennington, Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Juvenile Justice Specialist at PCCD; and Wendy Poston, also with PCCD. The event was held in a lovely meeting space provided by SEPTA (the Philadelphia area transit authority) near the picturesque Philadelphia City Center.
In addition to SAG members and leaders from across Pennsylvania, CJJ members and representatives from eight states attended, including Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Vermont. Robin Jenkins, then CJJ National Chair, from North Carolina, attended and provided leadership, as did CJJ’s Northeast Region Chair and Region Representatives Jim Kirk (MD), Sue Kamp (VT) and Carlos Hendricks (NJ).
The conference agenda was rich with content, including the following presentations:
- PA DMC Initiative / Philadelphia DMC Efforts, with Dan Elby, the DMC Chair of the PA SAG, and Bob Listenbee, of the Philadelphia Defender Association and member of the SAG’s DMC committee.
- PA Resource Center for Evidence-based Prevention and Intervention Programs and Practices, with Brian Bumbarger of the EPIS Center at Penn State University and Pat Torbet of the National Center for Juvenile Justice, also a SAG member.
- The Models for Change Initiative in PA: SAG Priorities and an Update on Luzerne County, with Bob Schwartz of the Juvenile Law Center and Jim Anderson of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, both of whom serve with the PA SAG.
The CJJ Northeast Region Conference in 2009 (like those held in Maine 2008 and New York 2007) was an outstanding example of a state agency and SAG stepping up to facilitate, develop, host and fund an informative, enlivening meeting for their fellow SAG members in the region. CJJ, its Board and staff are most appreciative!
State Advisory Group (SAG) News
New Mexico SAG and Sandoval County Juvenile Justice Board Collaborate with Pueblos and Navajo Nation to Reduce Detention
Contributed by Richard Lindahl, consultant and former New Mexico Juvenile Justice Specialist
In keeping with its Three-Year JJDPA State Plan, the New Mexico SAG is supporting 16 county-based juvenile justice boards and a continuum of graduated sanctions in each of the counties. The SAG supports these with a combination of Formula Grant (Title II) funds, JABG funds, and state funds appropriated by the legislature. One of the 16 counties participating is this initiative is Sandoval County, adjacent to Albuquerque and encompassing Rio Rancho, the largest suburb of Albuquerque. However, the county covers a very large geographic area, and the rural areas of Sandoval County include seven Native American pueblos and part of the Navajo Reservation, each a sovereign nation.
The Sandoval County juvenile justice board has done a remarkable job of outreach to the seven pueblos, the Navajo Nation and other towns in its rural areas. The board periodically meets at one of the pueblos, and has included in its funded programs and services those intended to primarily serve Native American juvenile justice youth. A planning group that included several pueblo representatives developed the current programs. In addition, the juvenile justice board has a Native American Subcommittee to address various issues and needs.
The Sandoval County juvenile justice board held its June 2009 board meeting at Jemez Pueblo, about 40 miles from the City of Rio Rancho, the major population base in the county. The attendance was excellent, with 30 persons involved in juvenile justice and the schools from the pueblo in attendance. There were another 35 persons in attendance from outside the pueblo, and the board has tremendous support from the judge, district attorney, chiefs of police, county commissioners, juvenile probation, public defenders and school personnel.
The Sandoval County board, through their continuum of graduated sanctions, funds a reception/assessment center and a day reporting program that serve primarily Native American youth from the pueblos in the county. The Intake Specialist for the reception/assessment center is Native American, and these programs are located on the grounds of Bernalillo High School, which many Native youth attend. The reception/assessment center provides an alternative to detention for youth committing minor delinquent acts. The program assesses contributing factors to these behaviors, provides some counseling, and makes referrals to other services.
The day reporting program (also known as the “learning lab”) is a program on the campus where some students who have already been suspended from school can serve their suspensions and receive regular classroom credit, instead of being sent home where in many cases there is no supervision. Students are also referred by school administration and the School Resource Manager. The program provides education, individual tutoring, and referral to other services, as needed. Data from these programs indicate that youth are kept from detention through these alternatives, and that numerous Native American youth, after participating in the day reporting program, transition back into the regular classrooms at the high school as well as to the pueblo for services, thereby avoiding long-term suspension and dropping out of school altogether. The program also increases graduation rates for these students.
In addition, the New Mexico SAG is supporting outreach to two of the pueblos in the county, through grants to revise the tribal children’s code in Jemez and Zia Pueblos. After revision of the tribal codes, this will lead to an inter-governmental agreement between these pueblos and the state to provide access to state services and programs for youth referred or adjudicated in the Tribal Court. Outreach to Native American communities, and full participation of those communities, is an integral part of the business of the New Mexico State Advisory Group and the Sandoval County juvenile justice board.
For more information, please contact Richard Lindahl at rglindahl@gmail.com.
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
Illinois Legislature Passes Two Bills to Improve State Juvenile Justice System
Due in part to the advocacy of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Initiative, an NJJN member, the Illinois Legislature has approved two pieces of legislation aimed at improving the state’s juvenile justice system. Senate Bill 1030 would allow juveniles charged with a misdemeanor as a first offense to file a petition for an expungement review hearing when they turn 18 or at the completion of the sentence, whichever is later. Senate Bill 1725, the Juvenile Reentry Reform bill, would require the Juvenile Justice Commission to report the number of youth confined in the Department of Juvenile Justice for parole revocation based on a technical parole violation, the length of time the youth spent on parole prior to revocation, and demographics concerning the youth. The bill also modifies the existing system to ensure positive youth outcomes. The two bills are now on the Governor's desk. These reforms are part of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Models for Change program. Click here to read the Models For Change core principles for juvenile justice reform.
Kentucky Youth Advocates Releases Brief on Reducing Detention of Status Offenders
In June, NJJN member Kentucky Youth Advocates released an issue brief entitled “Reducing the Use of Detention for Status Offenses in Kentucky.” It makes the case that Kentucky can save money and prevent crime by placing young people who commit status offenses in proven alternatives to secure detention. Kentucky youth charged with status offenses are detained in secure facilities at the second highest rate in the nation. Reducing the use of secure detention for status offenses is one of the priorities on the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children – a six-year plan to improve child well-being in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
NJJN and CTJJA Report Profiles Improvements in Connecticut Juvenile Justice System
A report published jointly by the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (CTJJA), an NJJN member, and the National Juvenile Justice Network shows how Connecticut’s juvenile justice system has improved since 1993, when a federal judge had to step in to protect kids in detention. “Turning It Around: Successes and Opportunities in Juvenile Justice” describes how Connecticut’s juvenile court caseloads dropped by a third in the past four years as prevention and early intervention programs paid off.
7th Annual NJJN Forum Held in Washington, DC
NJJN held its 7th Annual Forum in Washington, DC, this June. The once-a-year gathering of NJJN members and their allies provides space for NJJN members to share success stories, discuss reform strategies, learn new advocacy skills and hear from experts in the field. This year, the Forum began with a rousing and challenging keynote address from Bernardine Dohrn from the Child and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University School of Law and closed with an address from Reginald Dwayne Betts, an author and poet who was incarcerated in an adult prison as a youth. For more information on how to become a member, partner or supporter of NJJN, please email info@njjn.org.
Resources and Information of Note
OJJDP Releases Fact Sheets on Juvenile Court Statistics
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released four fact sheets providing data derived from their previously released report “Juvenile Court Statistics 2005.”
Overall in 2005, U.S. courts with juvenile jurisdiction handled 1.7 million delinquency cases. A third of these cases received probation as the most serious disposition, and 25 percent of involved personal offenses. For every 1,000 petitioned juvenile cases, 8 were waived to criminal court. The four fact sheets are:
In the News
July 7 – “Experiment yields drop in juvenile detention” in the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports a dramatic reduction of detention in several metro counties in Minnesota following the implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. Reductions range from 33 to 57 percent.
July 1 – USA Today reports in “Study could ease concerns over hiring ex-offenders” that a Justice Department-funded study, conducted by Carnegie Mellon University investigators, found that over time accused robbers, burglars and batterers posed no greater risk to employers than job candidates in the general population. The ongoing research could ease employers' concerns about hiring former offenders and potentially inspire new legislative proposals to limit the liability for employers who do hire them.
June 23 – “Anti-crime bill picks up cosponsors, momentum” in The Hill reports on bipartisan support in the House for the Youth PROMISE Act, proactive gang violence prevention legislation 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). With 221 members of the House as co-sponsors, more than half the U.S. House of Representatives is now signed on in support of the Act as introduced.
June 16 – The remarkable story of Micheal Cox, 2009 CJJ Spirit of Youth Award winner, was profiled by North Carolina’s WRAL-TV in a segment titled “Former delinquent throws support behind system.” The piece includes an interview with Linda Hayes, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and CJJ Southern Region Chair.
Upcoming Conference
July 12-15 – The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will hold its 72nd Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. The conference will feature juvenile and family law topics, including trauma, custody and visitation, divorce, child abuse and neglect, truancy, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, crossover youth, and substance abuse.
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 info@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.
— David Schmidt, CJJ National Chair
— Kitty McCarthy, Editor
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