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Working for Youth Justice and Safety

Learn more about OJJDP
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OJJDP Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the JJDPA

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention marks the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, with the year-long observance "Looking Back, Moving Forward: Celebrating 50 Years of the JJDPA". Throughout 2024, the Office will observe the Act's golden anniversary with several events.
View the 50th Anniversary Webpage

Next Today in Juvenile Justice: Administrator Update Set for March 27

Save the date for the upcoming Today in Juvenile Justice: Administrator Update with OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan on March 27, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. ET. 

OJJDP Priorities

OJJDP's three priorities reflect the Office's guiding philosophy: to enhance the welfare of America’s youth and broaden their opportunities for a better future. To bring these goals to fruition, OJJDP is leading efforts to transform the juvenile justice system into one that will—

The juvenile justice field's decisionmaking must be informed by science and research to ensure young people are adjudicated fairly and given opportunities to learn and recover from youthful mistakes.

Community-based programs that involve families as a critical component enhance youth outcomes, increase public safety, and strengthen neighborhoods.

Juvenile justice practitioners must recognize and address the barriers to success that involvement with the juvenile justice system creates for youth.

The Latest from OJJDP

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week - March 18-24-2024 - card
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OJJDP Observes National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

OJJDP joins the National Institute on Drug Abuse to observe National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week to raise awareness and foster dialogue about substance use among youth.

View and Apply for OJJDP Funding

Access current funding opportunities from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. 

Newsletter - Monthly - Card
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OJJDP News @ a Glance, February 2024

The February newsletter highlights a new OJJDP-funded center intended to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in youth justice, the benefits of youth diversion programs, and an effort to help parents protect their children from financial sextortion.

Juvenile Court Statistics 2021

Juvenile Court Statistics 2021 describes delinquency cases and petitioned status offense cases handled between 2005 and 2021 by U.S. courts with juvenile jurisdiction. National estimates of juvenile court delinquency caseloads in 2021 were based on analyses of 299,432 automated case records and court-level statistics summarizing an additional 29,369 cases.

Delinquency Cases Waived to Criminal Court, 2020

This fact sheet presents national estimates of cases waived by juvenile court judges to be handled by criminal courts from 1985 through 2020. In 2020, U.S. courts with juvenile jurisdiction handled 508,400 delinquency cases. 

Justice Department Publishes Report on Reducing Fines and Fees

The Department of Justice's Office for Access to Justice recently released "Access to Justice Spotlight: Fines & Fees." This report highlights approaches that jurisdictions are taking to presume youth indigent and eliminate juvenile fines and fees.

Learn about Funding

Learn about Funding

OJJDP funding programs support state and community efforts to develop effective prevention and intervention programs and to improve juvenile justice systems.
Access Resources

Access Resources

OJJDP produces and sponsors numerous publications and products each year that focus on different aspects of juvenile justice.
Find Programs

Find Programs

OJJDP sponsors programs to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization and improve juvenile justice systems.
Participate in Events

Participate in Events

Learn about upcoming webinars and in-person conferences and training opportunities that support OJJDP's mission.

Preventing Youth Hate Crimes & Identity-Based Bullying  Initiative

Discover more about OJJDP's Preventing Youth Hate Crimes & Identity-Based Bullying  Initiative. This national initiative focuses on prevention and early intervention from a youth-based perspective. OJJDP hosted its second Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Virtual Symposium from October 17-18, 2023.