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 Highlight of the Month
Note to Congress: Rethink Juvenile Justice Cuts
CJJ Executive Director Marie Williams wrote an op-ed for the Crime Report's Viewpoints section on January 28 about Congress' proposed spending cuts to juvenile justice programs. She addressed the elimination of the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) program in the FY 2014 Omnibus Spending bill. She writes, "the loss of JABG funding will directly affect the ability of states and communities to deliver the services that will help youth avoid involvement with the justice system. That's the clear message we have been hearing from members of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ)." To read the rest of Note to Congress: Rethink Juvenile Justice Cuts, please visit the Crime Report website.
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CJJ Leadership News
Internship Openings CJJ is looking to hire two or more interns. The Communications Intern will assist with the execution of projects to develop and manage the overall provision of email, web-based, and social media communications with CJJ members and other key audiences. The Policy and Legal Research Intern will assist with the execution of projects to develop resources and information to support CJJ's federal policy agenda and juvenile justice reform efforts. The full internship descriptions and instructions on how to apply are available on the CJJ website. Back to Top
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Government and Federal Relations
 My 2014 Wish List for a Reauthorized but Improved JJDPA
By Robin Jenkins, Ph.D.
Excerpt from CJJ Today
My 'New Year' wishes include many things related to vulnerable children and social justice. Somehow I hope that a dialogue catches fire as to the need to put many more resources toward supporting families, early childhood initiatives, more effective education strategies, medical and health efforts, and community engagement to help us proactively support children and families before major problems occur. But near the top of my list is a wish for federal leadership and innovation that truly engages the broad field known as juvenile justice and leverages federal, state and local resources in ways not previously imagined.
Read the full blog post in CJJ Today.
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CJJ Conference News
CJJ Annual Conference - Registration is Open!
CJJ's 2014 Annual Conference, "Looking Back, Planning Ahead: A Vision for the Next 40 Years in Juvenile Justice" will be held on June 18-21, at The Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Join us as we celebrate CJJ's 30th Anniversary along with the 40th Anniversary of the JJDPA! There will be thematic workshop/training tracks, informative general sessions & plenaries, State Juvenile Justice Specialists & DMC Coordinator Business Meetings, the CJJ Council of SAGs' Meeting & Executive Board Elections, Regional & CJJ Committee Meetings, and other events. The conference immediately follows the OJJDP 2014 Core Requirements Training, which runs June 17-18. You can view the draft agenda here.
Conference registration fees are $295 for CJJ members and $425 for registration and a Member at Large membership for non-members. For more information please
click here. Click here for online registration. Registration closes on May 2. CJJ has a room block available at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, located at 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC. The group rate is $199/night + tax. To reserve a room, please call reservations at (202) 234-0700 and reference the "Coalition for Juvenile Justice" room block. The room block closes on May 9.
Call for Presentations and Award Nominations
CJJ invites proposals for concurrent workshops sessions to be held at the CJJ 2014 Annual Conference on Friday, June 21. You can view the RFP here. Proposals are due February 26, 2014.
Nominations are also being accepted for the 2014 CJJ annual awards. Below you will find the nomination forms for the:
Nominations are due February 26, 2014.
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CJJ Regions and Committees
Nominating Committee Needs New Members We are currently seeking SAG Members from the Western and Northeast Regions to join CJJ's Nominating Committee. The Committee meets on a monthly basis and its responsibilities include: - Ensuring that a qualified slate of candidates for each officer and director position is presented to the CJJ Council of SAGs for election;
- Organizing a candidates' forum prior to the election to introduce the candidates to the Council of SAGs; and
- Providing a pool of candidates that is representative and diverse in its composition, with respect to age, gender, race and ethnicity, geographic dispersion, political perspective, affiliation and professional skill/discipline.
If you are interested in learning more about the committee please contact Katie Mercier at [email protected]. Back to Top |
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SOS Project News
 'Those Kinds of Kids': Meeting the Needs of LGBTQ Youth of Color Charged with Status Offenses
By Bernadette Brown, Senior Program Specialist at the National Council on Crime & Delinquency
Excerpt from CJJ Today
Humans are integrated wholes, not disaggregated data points. The majority of LGBTQ youth in detention are youth of color; thus, both race and sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression (collectively known as "SOGIE") influence what support these young people need and how service providers treat them. It's important for service providers to acknowledge all of a young person's identities to be able to give effective support.
Read the full blog post in CJJ Today.
 M+R Seeks Storytellers on Status Offenses
A national communications campaign designed to raise broader awareness of juvenile justice reforms is seeking individuals interested in participating in an upcoming national media effort on status offenses. The media outreach will be in support of a new report examining the trends of incarceration of youth for status offenses nationwide. Individuals, advocates and personal storytellers who are interested in sharing their experience and knowledge of status offenses, the impact of current policies and the need for reform with the press, are encouraged to contact Hanah Smith at [email protected] and Tania Stewart at [email protected]
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Models for Change Connections
Each issue, Models for Change Connections is pleased to highlight the latest news and innovations and CJJ member participation in the Models for Change Initiative of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
 New Resource Center for Juvenile Justice Established
The Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice recently announced the launch of its website and listserv. This website serves as a resource hub to provide jurisdictions nationwide with useful frameworks, tools, resources and the best available research to enhance system performance and improve outcomes for youth and families involved with the juvenile justice and other youth-serving systems. The RFK National Resource Center, led by Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps, delivers on-site consultation and technical assistance to state and local jurisdictions throughout the country, accompanied by the development and availability of numerous resources and tools, to:
- Improve outcomes for youth with prior or current involvement in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, known as dual status youth;
- Review and improve juvenile probation systems; and
- Address the complexities of information and data sharing among youth-serving systems.
Join the RFK National Resource Center's mailing list to receive their monthly e-newsletter with up-to-date news, research, and other useful resources from the field. The Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, as part of its Models for Change Resource Center Partnership.
 Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System
The Mental Health and Juvenile Justice Collaborative for Change has released "Better Solutions for Youth with Mental Health Needs in the Juvenile Justice System." The report focuses on effective responses to youth with mental health needs in the juvenile justice system. The Collaborative for Change is a project of the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice and is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as part of its Models for Change Resource Center Partnership.
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National Juvenile Justice Network News
Michigan Threatens Ban On Mandatory Juvenile Life Without Parole
Last week, Michigan lawmakers moved three bills forward that would bring the state's mandatory sentencing scheme into compliance with Miller v. Alabama. Advocates, however, are challenging whether these bills--which would ban mandatory life sentences for youth, but leave prosecutors with the option to pursue life and other extreme sentences--really implement fair sentencing practices for young people. Read the full story to find out how these bills fall short on the NJJN website.
Pennsylvania Judge Finds Registration Requirements for Youth Who Commit Sex Offenses Unconstitutional
For the second time in recent months, a Pennsylvania judge found the state's registration requirements for youth who commit sex offenses to be unconstitutional. The January 16 holding states that the requirements violate a youth's right to reputation and create an "irrebuttable presumption of dangerousness." Both decisions cite significant research indicating that youth are particularly capable of rehabilitation and change, and that youth who commit sex offenses are at a very low risk of re-offense.
On February 10, a third judge, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Judge David R. Workman, joined fellow judges in Monroe and York counties in finding that Pennsylvania's Act 111, the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act, is unconstitutional. Read the full story on the NJJN website.
Apply Now to be an NJJN Graduate or Undergraduate Intern for Summer 2014
Visit the NJJN website for position descriptions and application information.
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| Upcoming Events |
Engaging Stakeholders in Status Offense Reform Webinar
The Vera Institute for Justice's Status Offense Reform Center will host a webinar on February 24 from 2 -3 p.m. ET on Engaging Stakeholders in Status Offense Reform. The webinar will serve as a complement to the first module of the Status Offense Reform Center's Toolkit for Status Offense System Reform and will focus on how to bring school, law enforcement and court officials to the same table. Presenters include Jennie Marshall from Spokane County, Washington; Dane Bolin from Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana; and Hon. Karen Thomas from Campbell County, Kentucky. Register now!
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Resources
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 2014 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate Program
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and the Center for Children's Law and Policy recently announced that the application window for the 2014 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate Program is open now through April 18, 2014. The program is an intensive training designed to support local jurisdictions in their efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in their juvenile justice systems. The target audience is public and private sector leaders working in the juvenile justice field, as well as representatives from related child-serving agencies with a commitment to reducing disparities. Visit the CJJR website where you will find detailed information about the program, including how to apply, tuition, and available subsidies for those with financial need.
 The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development
The Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University just released The Positive Development of Youth: Comprehensive Findings from a 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. This study was repeated annually for eight years and surveys more than 7,000 adolescents from diverse backgrounds across 42 states. The findings point youth development providers toward elements that are proven to play a role in later achievement.
Treating Children as Children
 The Children's Defense Fund and the American Association of School Administrators, with support from Atlantic Philanthropies, have partnered to help 10 school districts across the country from California to South Carolina explore alternatives to suspension and expulsion for nonviolent offenses. Far too many children, especially children of color and children with disabilities, are pushed out of school because of policies and practices that apply harsh discipline for what used to be solved with a trip to the principal's office. The initiative will support school superintendents who have demonstrated a commitment to improving their discipline policies and practices in order to keep children learning in classrooms and in schools. Read the press release.
The Children's Defense Fund also helped to launch the Raise the Age campaign. In New York, the only state besides North Carolina that prosecutes all youths 16 and older as adults, the campaign called for the state criminal justice system to treat children as children. This month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice to study the issue and make recommendations by the end of the year. Learn more about CDF-New York's campaign.
OJJDP Relaunches Updated Model Programs Guide
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has relaunched its Model Programs Guide (MPG), an online resource of more than 180 evidence-based prevention, intervention, and reentry programs for juvenile justice practitioners, policymakers, and communities. It addresses a variety of topics, including child victimization, substance abuse, youth violence, mental health and trauma, and gang activity. In addition to providing program profiles, the Model Programs Guide offers information on program implementation, literature reviews, and resource links.
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CJJ in the News
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 A Prioritized Plan to Implement a Developmental Approach
CJJ Executive Director Marie Williams, J.D. spoke at the National Academy of Sciences' meeting on creating A Prioritized Plan to Implement a Developmental Approach in Juvenile Justice Reform on February 13. She discussed the role of State Advisory Groups, what challenges they face when trying to reform their systems, how training and technical assistance would support reform efforts, and the relationship that SAGs have with OJJDP. The meeting focused on building on the 2012 Reforming Juvenile Justice report, which took an in-depth look at evidence on adolescent development and on effective responses to adolescent offending. Learn more about Marie's presentation in JJIE's article, Juvenile Justice Experts Scrutinize OJJDP's Role.
 OP-ED: The Importance of Jobs Programs for Youth Re-Entry
The honorable George Timberlake, Illinois SAG Chair, penned an op-ed on The Importance of Jobs Programs for Youth Re-Entry in the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange. He writes, "An emerging policy principle is this: imprisoned youth should be transferred to normative systems and environments at the earliest safe opportunity. Prisons are inherently false environments and inadequate tools for changing behaviors." Read the full article on JJIE's website.
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| Share your News and Feedback with CJJ! |
CJJ invites you to share news from your SAG, state or region! Please submit items by email to [email protected]. Inclusion and editing of submissions are subject to CJJ editorial guidelines.
The Juvenile Justice 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.
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| Contact Information |
Coalition for Juvenile Justice
1319 F Street NW, Suite 402, Washington, DC 20004
202-467-0864
www.juvjustice.org
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