Associate Attorney General Tony West (left) and OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee at the July 28, 2014, meeting of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
At the July 28, 2014, meeting of the OJJDP-administered Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, council members and invited experts addressed OJJDP’s juvenile reentry strategic plan and activities; research findings on reducing recidivism and improving other youth outcomes; and federal, state, and community activities promoting the successful transition of youth reentering their communities following system supervision. The meeting also featured a special segment offering the perspectives of young adults with firsthand experience in the juvenile justice system. (See “Young Adults Share Their Insights on Reentry.”)
Welcoming remarks at the meeting were offered by Associate Attorney General Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Karol V. Mason, and Deputy Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs, Justice, and Opportunity Roy Austin. Discussants included Michael Thompson, Director of the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center; Laurie Garduque, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Director of Justice Reform; officials from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development; and council practitioner members Chief Justice Maura Corrigan, Judge Trina Thompson, and Judge Gordon Martin.
OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee, Vice Chair of the council, led the discussion by describing OJJDP’s priorities for positioning state and local governments to ensure that all youth in the juvenile justice system can successfully transition out of system supervision to a crime-free, productive adulthood. He said OJJDP is working to:
- Highlight what research says works to reduce recidivism and improve other key youth outcomes.
- Provide state and local governments with tools to assess whether policies and practices are in place that support improved outcomes.
- Promote efforts by states to track youth outcomes.
- Assist state and local governments in transforming their approach to youth transitions to focus on broad systems reform as well as discrete programs or practices.
- Examine what services and supervision youth are receiving—and what difference those investments are making—in states that have dramatically reduced the number of youth in confinement.
- Address gaps in knowledge about what works to reduce recidivism and improve other key youth outcomes.
The meeting also featured the release of the white paper Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System. The report synthesizes the research on what works to reduce recidivism for youth in the juvenile justice system and offers an integrated approach to improving outcomes for youth under system supervision. It was developed by the CSG Justice Center in collaboration with OJJDP and was supported by the MacArthur Foundation and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The white paper is accompanied by an issue brief, Measuring and Using Juvenile Recidivism Data to inform Policy, Practice and Resource Allocation, which reveals findings from a recent survey of the recidivism data collection practices of all 50 state juvenile correctional agencies. It offers recommendations for how jurisdictions can better collect and use recidivism data to inform policy, practice, and resource allocation.
Following the Coordinating Council meeting, Administrator Listenbee joined Ms. Garduque, Mr. Thompson, and Director of the Utah Division of Juvenile Justice Services Susan Burke to discuss the findings of the newly released reentry publications at a Capitol Hill briefing. U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D–CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D–RI) also offered remarks. The hearing was sponsored by the CSG Justice Center and the National Reentry Resource Center, in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation.
Resources:
OJJDP is a member of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, established by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2011. For more information about the council, visit the Web site of the Council of State Governments.
Information about OJJDP’s FY 2014 Second Chance Act Comprehensive Statewide Juvenile Reentry Systems Reform Planning Program and Second Chance Act Strengthening Relationships Between Young Fathers and Their Children: A Reentry Mentoring Project is available online.
On July 21, 2014, as part of his My Brother’s Keeper initiative, President Obama announced new AmeriCorps partnerships with federal agencies and the private sector to connect young people to mentoring, support networks, and job skills to help them reach their full potential. The announcement represents a total of $24 million in investments in national service.
The U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture (USDA) are joining with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to launch new AmeriCorps programs and partnerships that total up to $14 million over 3 years. Private-sector commitments from AT&T and Citi Foundation will support additional AmeriCorps service opportunities that provide young people with skills and supports to successfully enter the workforce.
OJJDP and CNCS are jointly funding Youth Opportunity AmeriCorps. The program, which totals up to $10 million over 3 years, will enroll disconnected youth in national service programs as AmeriCorps members. It includes a mentorship component that will provide critical mentoring support to the AmeriCorps members.
USDA and CNCS have joined in a new partnership between the USDA’s Forest Service and AmeriCorps that connects youth and veterans with service opportunities to restore the nation’s forests and grasslands. The $3.8 million in joint funding will provide resources for both AmeriCorps grantees and member organizations of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps, and will also provide for 300 new AmeriCorps members serving in U.S. forests and grasslands.
The commitments announced by the President support the My Brother’s Keeper initiative by increasing entry-level job, mentorship, and apprenticeship options for all young people, including boys and young men of color. They also advance the goals of the President’s Task Force on Expanding National Service, which calls for new public-private partnerships that use national service to help solve our nation’s most pressing challenges.
In addition to new federal partnerships, the White House announced additional AmeriCorps commitments from the private sector to support the goals of My Brother’s Keeper. AT&T is launching the Aspire Mentoring Academy Corps, powered by AmeriCorps, AT&T, and MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. The program will engage AmeriCorps members in regions around the country and involve thousands of youth from underserved communities in mentoring activities.
Citi Foundation is making a 3-year, $10 million commitment to create ServiceWorks, a national program powered by AmeriCorps and Points of Light that uses volunteer service to help 25,000 young people in 10 cities across the United States develop the skills they need to prepare for college and careers.
The program, which will deploy 225 AmeriCorps VISTA members over 3 years, will engage youth ages 16-24 in service and build a large-scale volunteer response to the crisis of low college and career attainment. The young people will receive training in leadership and workplace skills, the chance to build networks and connections to their communities, and the opportunity to use their new skills by participating in and leading volunteer service projects.
Resources:
More information about the President’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative is available at the White House Web site.
Instances of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors have been reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These activities are not only illegal, but also result in immediate and long-term physical, mental, and emotional harm to victims and survivors.
With support from OJJDP, the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) have released a guide for victim and support service providers who work with children who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. The guide highlights key terms, risk factors and consequences, emerging service strategies, challenges of providing services, and recommendations for how victim and support service providers can improve the prevention, identification, and response to these crimes.
The guide is derived from the OJJDP-commissioned report, Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States, which provides a comprehensive overview of the issues and recommendations for action. Because the report is broad in its reach, IOM and NRC have decided to develop a series of supplementary guides targeted to specific sectors that serve children. The recently released guide for victim and support service providers is the first in the series; future guides will focus on providing professionals in the legal and health care sectors with information and resources on commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors.
"The commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors should be understood as acts of abuse and violence against children and adolescents," said OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee. "It is my hope that this series of guides will assist professionals responsible for protecting and serving young people to more effectively prevent, identify, and respond to these problems."
Resources:
The guide for providers of victim and support services is available online.
The report, Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States, may be accessed on IOM’s Web site.
IOM and NRC have released an infographic illustrating how schools, police, victim services, businesses, the legal system, and health care providers can collaborate in preventing, identifying, and responding to the commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors.
Learn more about OJJDP’s programs and resources addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
On June 28–July 3, 2014, approximately 1,400 American Indian and Alaska Native youth from across the country convened in Portland, OR, for the 2014 National UNITY Conference. (Visit the photo gallery for highlights of the conference’s activities.) Established 38 years ago, UNITY—United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.—is a national organization promoting personal development, citizenship, and leadership among tribal youth. UNITY is composed of 165 affiliated youth councils in 35 states, sponsored by tribes, Alaska Native villages, high schools, colleges, and urban Native centers.
Outside the Oregon Convention Center, conference participants gather around as the UNITY Fire is lit. This ceremony traditionally marks the beginning of the annual conference and burns continuously until the conference ends.
OJJDP staff also shared information about Today’s Native Leaders at a career and education fair at the conference and maintained an information booth throughout the event to facilitate dialogue with youth about OJJDP’s activities and priorities.
Each year during the National UNITY Conference, a 12-member Executive Committee is elected to carry out National UNITY Council business during the period between annual meetings. S. Amanda Marshall (in red), U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, is shown here swearing in the 2014–15 Executive Committee members at the UNITY Celebration Banquet. Ms. Marshall also gave a keynote address at the banquet.
The conference, held at the Oregon Convention Center, also featured cultural exchanges, a youth talent show, a town hall with tribal leaders, a youth banquet, fitness activities, a visit to Nike world headquarters outside Portland, presentations by youth about their community service projects, and the annual election of new members of UNITY’s Executive Committee. In addition, the conference offered workshops on how to prepare to be a tribal leader, financial management, Indian law, community organizing, and traditional spirituality.
Keynote speakers at the National UNITY Conference included S. Amanda Marshall, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon; Brian Cladoosby, National Council of American Indians President and Chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community; and Jude Schimmel, Louisville Cardinals senior guard and a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
At the conference, UNITY’s first “25 Under 25” Youth Leadership Awards ceremony was held. The ceremony is designed to celebrate the achievements of American Indian and Alaska Native youth.
The next National UNITY Conference will take place in the summer of 2015 in Washington, DC.
Resources:
A documentary about the conference and more information about UNITY are available online. To learn more about OJJDP’s tribal youth programs and services, visit the Office’s Web site.
20th ISPCAN International Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect: September 14–17, 2014
Sponsored by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN), the conference, "Towards Child-Centered Societies,” will cover a range of topics, including the prevention of child abuse and neglect through early and sustained involvement, interventions and programs for children and families experiencing adversity, addressing children’s rights and participation, reforms in child protection and welfare policy, children in out-of-home care, and evidence-based practices. More information about this event, to be held in Nagoya, Japan, is available online.
Strategies for Justice: Advanced Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse and Exploitation: October 6–10, 2014
Hosted by the National District Attorneys Association, this multidisciplinary national training conference is designed to meet the needs of frontline child abuse professionals, including prosecutors, law enforcement, medical and mental health professionals, forensic interviewers, child advocates, and allied professionals. Topics include head trauma, high-tech crimes against children, working with male victims, working with autistic children, religious-based crimes, and human trafficking. During the conference, which will be held in Phoenix, AZ, the National Link Coalition will host its biannual Link Summit. The summit focuses on the co-occurrence of child abuse, domestic violence, and elder abuse with animal abuse. Registration closes September 29; more information is available online.
2014 Safe Schools Conference: October 8–9, 2014
This conference is designed to provide quality professional development opportunities for school administrators, student support personnel, teachers, school nurses, school resource officers, local law enforcement, and other community partners. Participants will hear from state and national experts about the latest research in school safety and violence prevention; learn about effective program models and promising practices; and attend institutes, general sessions, workshops, and plenary sessions. The conference will be presented by the Center for Safe Schools in Grantville, PA. More information is available online.
Today’s Native Leaders Community Service Academy: October 24–26, 2014
This event, sponsored by OJJDP and coordinated by United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY), will provide opportunities for tribal youth to develop their leadership skills and engage in community service projects in Indian country. Registration is free, and travel scholarships are available. The training will offer team-building activities and information on a range of topics, including how to develop youth-led community service projects, promote special events, and create a UNITY youth council. To be held in Fort Lauderdale, FL, this event will be followed by other regional trainings in Rapid City, IA; Spokane, WA; Palm Springs, CA; Saint Paul, MN; and Boston, MA. For information about registration and travel scholarships, send an e-mail or call UNITY at 480–718–9793.
121st Annual IACP Conference and Exposition: October 25–28, 2014
Featuring forums, technical workshops, and an exhibit hall, this annual event provides law enforcement professionals with opportunities to learn more about emerging trends in law enforcement and the latest developments in technology. The event is hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Registration information for the conference, to be held in Orlando, FL, is available online.
AMBER Alert Basic Forensic Missing Child Training: October 28–30, 2014
Sponsored by OJJDP, this training will provide guidance in the recognition, documentation, collection, and preservation of evidence from the time a child is reported missing until the case is resolved. Topics include preplanning, crime mapping and photography, trace evidence, fingerprints/palm prints, DNA/body fluids, composite sketching/forensic art, and electronic evidence. Hands-on, facilitated activities will allow participants to apply techniques taught in class. More information about this and other AMBER Alert training and technical assistance opportunities is available online.
Victim Advocacy Training: November 4–6, 2014
This training, which will be held in Huntsville, AL, is designed for victim advocates who are working with children and families in a Child Advocacy Center setting. The training will include foundational sessions on understanding the criminal justice system, dynamics of child abuse, crisis development and resolution, effective listening techniques, the impact of trauma on a child, the rights of crime victims, cultural considerations, and intervention strategies. Registration information for this event, which is sponsored by the National Children’s Advocacy Center, is available online.
National Youth-At-Risk Conference: November 6–8, 2014
Hosted by the National Youth At-Risk Center of Georgia Southern University, this conference will train adults who serve youth to create safe, healthy, caring, and intellectually empowering educational environments. Participants will learn about current research-based educational programs and strategies that empower young people to overcome at-risk conditions that may threaten their safety, health, emotional needs, or academic achievement. Registration information for the conference, which will be held in Las Vegas, NV, is available online.
2014 American Society of Criminology Meeting: November 19–22, 2014
The theme for the American Society of Criminology’s (ASC’s) 2014 meeting, to be held in San Francisco, CA, is “Criminology at the Intersections of Oppression.” ASC is the largest professional criminological society in the world and includes practitioners, academicians, and students in the fields of criminal justice and criminology. More information about the meeting, including the program, hotel arrangements, and registration, is available online.
10th Annual Global Youth Justice Training Institute: December 2–4, 2014
Global Youth Justice will host its 10th Global Youth Justice Training Institute in Las Vegas, NV. Participants will learn strategies to establish or enhance local youth justice diversion programs through teen, student, youth, and peer courts and peer juries. Topics will include training youth and adult volunteers; providing quality community services, programs, and referrals; conducting mock family intake meetings; grant writing; funding opportunities; and more. Registration information is available online.
14th National Indian Nations Conference: December 11–13, 2014
Featuring the theme “Generational Voices Uniting for Safety, Justice, and Healing,” this conference will be held on the reservation of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, CA. The event is being coordinated by the Tribal Law and Policy Institute under a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime. The conference will provide opportunities for tribal, state, and federal participants to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas for developing and improving strategies and programs that serve the unique needs of crime victims in Indian country. More information is available online.
OJJDP and CJJ Co-Host 2014 Juvenile Justice Youth Summit
OJJDP and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) co-hosted the 2014 CJJ Youth Summit on August 7–8, 2014, in Washington, DC. The annual summit’s goal is to cultivate and empower a new generation of juvenile justice advocates. The event featured sessions on a range of topics, including the evolution of the juvenile justice system, the core requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, emerging juvenile justice reform issues, strengthening youth involvement in juvenile justice reform at the state level, and legislative advocacy. Participants also had the opportunity to network with researchers, legal and social-service providers, policy advocates, policymakers, and other professionals from the juvenile justice and other youth-serving systems.
OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee offered welcoming remarks on August 7 and also moderated a panel discussion on August 8 with youth advocates. Panel discussants included James Anderson, Program Administrator, Anti-Recidivism Coalition; Coloradas Mangas, Youth Board Member, Center for Native American Youth; and Jim SaintGermain, Founder, Preparing Leaders of Tomorrow. The advocates offered accounts of how they became involved with the juvenile justice system and discussed their top priorities for juvenile justice reform.
Northwestern Juvenile Project Examines Death in Delinquent Youth in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
An article by Northwestern Juvenile Project researchers, published in the July 2014 issue of Pediatrics, found that delinquent youth are at great risk of violent death up to 16 years after detention. The article examines causes of death by gender and race/ethnicity and analyzes risk factors associated with subsequent death. Some key findings are as follows:
- Death rates were 2.1 to 9.6 times higher in delinquent youth than in the general population.
- The most common cause of death was homicide with a firearm.
- Compared with non-Hispanic whites, African Americans had 4.5 times the risk of death by homicide.
- Delinquent females died at nearly 5 times the rate of the general population.
- Death rates in Hispanic males and females were 5 and 9 times the rate of the general population, respectively.
- Drug dealing, alcohol use disorder, and gang membership predicted external-cause mortality and homicide for as long as a decade later.
The Northwestern Juvenile Project is the first large-scale longitudinal study of the health needs and outcomes of youth after detention. OJJDP, other federal agencies, and private foundations fund the study. To learn more about the project, visit the OJJDP Web site.
Access Supportive School Discipline Resources Online
OJJDP has released an online brief on the Supportive School Discipline Initiative (SSDI), a collaboration between the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice in coordination with OJJDP, the Department of Health and Human Services, and other federal partners. SSDI supports school discipline practices that foster safe, supportive, and productive learning environments and keep students engaged in school and out of courts. The brief provides information about SSDI and features links to research, data collection, funding, and related resources, including the school discipline guidance package.
Child Maltreatment Data Available Online
OJJDP has launched an online access tool of national data gathered from the “Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS–4): Report to Congress.” The NIS–4 data, collected in 2005 and 2006 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, provide updated estimates of the number of children who are abused or neglected. NIS–4 data combine information about children whose incidence rates of maltreatment were investigated by child protective services with data on maltreated children identified by professionals. NIS–4 also provides information on the nature and severity of the maltreatment, as well as the characteristics of the children, perpetrators, and families involved.
IACP Launches Online Training Series on Juvenile Interviewing and Interrogation
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), in collaboration with OJJDP, has released a free online training series on effective juvenile interviewing and interrogation techniques. This introductory-level series is targeted to law enforcement and legally authorized juvenile justice professionals who interview and/or interrogate youth. Courses include analyzing juvenile behavior, developing rapport with youth, juvenile interviewing techniques, and juvenile interrogation techniques. This online series was developed under IACP’s Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Youth Training and Technical Assistance Program, funded through OJJDP, and is based on the IACP/OJJDP classroom training “Introduction to Juvenile Interview and Interrogation Techniques.”
Report Presents Recommendations From Summit on Law Enforcement Leadership in Juvenile Justice
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has released Law Enforcement’s Leadership Role in Juvenile Justice Reform: Actionable Recommendations for Practice & Policy. In September 2013, IACP collaborated with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to host the National Summit on Law Enforcement Leadership in Juvenile Justice. This report highlights 33 summit recommendations for law enforcement and juvenile justice stakeholders to address juvenile crime and develop more effective, developmentally appropriate responses to juvenile offenders and at-risk youth.
OJJDP Administrator Robert L. Listenbee, a featured speaker and attendee at the summit, said, “As we work to make our justice system more fair and equitable, the science is beginning to tell us that, whether it’s the way a law enforcement officer approaches a kid on the street, or the way a judge talks to a young person in the courtroom, nuances can make a big difference in whether children decide to get back on track or whether they decide to continue their antisocial behaviors. This report is a useful resource for the federal government and for jurisdictions nationwide.” To learn more about IACP’s Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Youth Training and Technical Assistance Program, funded by OJJDP, visit the association’s Web site.
Spring/Summer 2014 Issue of National Gang Center Newsletter Released
The latest issue of the National Gang Center’s (NGC’s) newsletter covers a range of topics, including Homeboy Industries, the long-term consequences of adolescent gang membership, the NGC Web site and its resources, a gang prevention documentary, and an update from the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model Training on March 4–6, 2014, in Dallas, TX. To access previous issues of the NGC newsletter, visit the center’s Web site. NGC is supported by OJJDP and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Webinar Explores How To Improve Education of Confined Youth
On July 10, 2014, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education presented "Addressing the Educational Challenges of Youth Who Are Confined in Juvenile Justice Secure Settings.” The 90-minute Webinar, which is part of the Supportive School Discipline Webinar series, discussed the recent memo that the Departments of Justice and Education sent to states’ chief school officers and attorneys general addressing joint efforts to improve the education of confined youth. Presenters provided an overview of trends in juvenile correctional education and their impact on youth outcomes, highlighted Indiana’s juvenile justice education reform efforts, and explored how quality education can prepare youth for successful reentry to their communities and schools. OJJDP coordinates the Justice Department’s work on the Supportive School Discipline Initiative.
Justice Department Finds Pattern and Practice of Excessive Force and Violence at Jails on Rikers Island
On August 4, 2014, Attorney General Eric Holder and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara announced the completion of the Justice Department’s multiyear civil investigation pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act into the conditions of confinement of adolescent male inmates on Rikers Island. The investigation, which focused on the use of force by staff, inmate-on-inmate violence, and the use of punitive segregation during the period 2011–13, concluded that there is a pattern and practice of conduct at Rikers Island that violates the rights of adolescents protected by the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The 79-page report detailing the findings of the investigation is accessible online.
Administration Issues National Drug Control Strategy
On July 7, 2014, Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy, released the 2014 National Drug Control Strategy, the Obama Administration’s primary blueprint for drug policy in the United States. The strategy builds on the Administration’s record of drug policy reform by outlining a series of actions that will continue to expand health interventions and “smart on crime” alternatives proven to reduce drug use and its consequences in America. The strategy also notes significant increases in heroin and prescription drug abuse as key challenges and highlights a series of actions currently underway to reduce the impact of the opioid epidemic in the United States. More information about the President’s plan to reform drug control policy is available at the White House Web site.
Juvenile Justice Resource Hub Adds Evidence-Based Practices Section
In recent years, scientists have determined that there are many effective programs and policies that substantially reduce recidivism among juvenile offenders. These evidence-based practices have helped significantly decrease the need for the secure confinement of youth.
On August 13, 2014, the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange rolled out a new section of its Juvenile Justice Resource Hub that focuses on evidence-based practices. Composed of material developed and curated by the National Juvenile Justice Network, the section includes an overview of key issues and reform trends, as well as links to resources and organizations with expertise.
Report Highlights Community-Based Alternatives to Incarceration
The Youth Advocate Programs Policy and Advocacy Center has released “Safely Home.” This report highlights cost-effective, community-based alternatives to incarceration for high-needs youth. Some key findings are as follows:
- More than 8 of 10 youth remained arrest-free and 9 of 10 were at home after completing their community-based programs.
- Intensive programs based in the community can serve 3 to 4 youth safely for the same cost as incarcerating one child.
The report details elements of effective community-based alternatives, including individualized services, cultural competence, positive youth development, safety and crisis planning, and "no reject/no eject" policies that promote unconditional caring.
Brief Describes Strategies To Place System-Involved Youth in Their Communities
The National Council on Crime and Delinquency has released “Close to Home: Strategies to Place Young People in Their Communities.” This policy brief describes strategies for juvenile justice stakeholders to reduce the number of young people placed in secure facilities. Key strategies include developing a decision point where alternatives to out-of-home placement are reviewed, building a local continuum of placement and treatment options, and reducing lengths of stay in facilities at various points in the system. This brief is part of a series based on the council’s national study on youth deincarceration.
CDC Report Provides Guidance on Reducing Youth Violence
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released “Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action.” This report provides information, evidence-based strategies, and action steps to help community leaders and members, public health professionals, families, and young people reduce or prevent youth violence. For more information on preventing youth violence, visit the Web sites of the CDC and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.
Children’s Bureau Develops Video on Evaluating Tribal Child Welfare Programs
The Children’s Bureau, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released an online video introducing concepts described in the report “A Roadmap for Collaborative and Effective Evaluation in Tribal Communities,” that the Children’s Bureau’s Child Welfare Research & Evaluation Tribal Workgroup has developed. The video highlights the difficult history of evaluation and research in tribal communities and explores a new narrative for conducting culturally responsive and scientifically rigorous evaluations to support ongoing improvement in tribal child welfare programs. To learn about OJJDP’s programs for tribal youth, visit the Office’s Web site.
New Screening Tool Facilitates Identification of Trafficking Victims
The landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act made trafficking in persons a federal crime in 2000, but the greatest obstacle to rescuing victims of human trafficking is identifying them. To facilitate the identification of these individuals—and to ensure they get the services and support they need while also generating evidence against their traffickers—the Vera Institute of Justice has created a screening tool to be used by victim service providers and law enforcement when encountering someone who may be a victim of human trafficking. The tool, a 30-topic questionnaire that was tested by service providers and validated by Vera researchers, is the result of a 2-year study funded by the National Institute of Justice.
Massachusetts, Vermont, and Iowa Rank Highest in Child Well-Being, According to 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Book is an annual publication that assesses child well-being nationally and across the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Using an index of 16 indicators, the 2014 report ranks states on overall child well-being and in four domains: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. For 2014, the three highest ranked states for child well-being were Massachusetts, Vermont, and Iowa; the three lowest ranked were Nevada, New Mexico, and Mississippi. The report also provides national trends, comparing the latest data with mid-decade statistics.
The 2014 Data Book also examines trends in child well-being since 1990. It highlights positive policies and practices that have improved child health and development and features stories from several states on advocacy efforts that have improved outcomes for children and families.
All OJJDP publications may be viewed and downloaded on the publications section of the OJJDP Web site. Print publications may be ordered online at the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Web site.
Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2011 (Bulletin)
NCJ 246826
Juvenile Offenders and Victims National Report Series
This bulletin presents the latest available national and state-level data from the biennial Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement, which provides a detailed picture of juveniles in custody by age, race, gender, offenses, adjudication status, and more. In conducting the census for OJJDP, the U.S. Census Bureau surveys both public and private juvenile residential facilities in every state.
Although the findings of the 2011 survey are generally positive—the population of juvenile offenders in residential placement has declined 42 percent since 1997, and the number of status offenders in residential placement was down 64 percent from 1997—this bulletin highlights several areas where improvement is needed, especially regarding rates of confinement for minority youth. Nationwide, the residential placement rate for black youth was more than 4.5 times the rate for white youth, and the rate for Hispanic youth was 1.8 times the rate for white youth.
To view and download this publication, or to order a printed copy, visit the NCJRS Web site.
Recognizing When a Child’s Injury or Illness Is Caused by Abuse (Portable Guide)
NCJ 243908
It is estimated that law enforcement agencies in the United States investigate more than 3.3 million cases of child maltreatment each year. This guide, first developed in 1996, provides updated information about the many indicators of child maltreatment and abuse to help first responders and investigators differentiate between physical abuse and accidental injury. Over the years, advancements in medicine have helped further distinguish between accidental and abusive injuries. This fourth edition of the guide reflects the most current literature on how to distinguish between types of injuries and includes the questions that investigating officers must ask.
To view and download this publication, or to order a printed copy, visit the NCJRS Web site.
Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Detained Youth (Bulletin)
Beyond Detention Series
NCJ 243891
Approximately 1 in 10 juvenile detainees contemplated suicide within the 6 months prior to entering detention, according to this new bulletin, the fourth in a series on the findings of the Northwestern Juvenile Project, a longitudinal study of the mental health needs and outcomes of juvenile detainees. Researchers present data from a long-term study of the thoughts, behaviors, and psychiatric disorders of 1,829 juvenile detainees in Cook County, IL. The authors found that 11 percent had previously attempted suicide. Previous research has shown that past suicide attempts are a powerful predictor of future attempts, and detained youth are at greater risk for suicide than youth in the general population. In this bulletin, the authors conclude that juvenile detention facilities should screen for suicide risk and increase psychiatric services.
To view and download this publication, or to order a printed copy, visit the NCJRS Web site.
Online only—
Changing Lives: Prevention and Intervention To Reduce Serious Offending (Bulletin)
Justice Research Series
NCJ 243993
Decades of study have revealed much about risk factors for delinquency and crime. Individual characteristics and various factors can increase the probability of offending and may also predict substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, and other problems during adolescence and early adulthood. Because risk factors can predict future criminal behavior, prevention and intervention programs focus on mitigating them in a young person’s life. In addition, longitudinal studies have identified protective factors that inhibit criminal behavior. Programs that strengthen these protective factors can reduce the risk of delinquency. This bulletin, published jointly by OJJDP and the National Institute of Justice, focuses on the highest quality evaluation studies and research reviews, and assesses early childhood, juvenile, and early adulthood programs that have demonstrated measurable impacts on offending in early adulthood or up to age 29.
To view and download this publication, visit the NCJRS Web site.
The July 28, 2014, meeting of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, which convened in Washington, DC, focused on youth reentry into the community from the juvenile and criminal justice systems. For more information, see the top story, “Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council Addresses Reentry.” Meetings of the council are open to the public.
Visit the Web site to register for the next meeting, learn more about the council, and read minutes from past meetings.
In September 2014, the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ) will submit its 2013 report to the OJJDP Administrator with recommendations in four areas of major concern to the juvenile justice community:
- Studying, disseminating, and implementing evidence-based programs and practices.
- Increasing youth engagement and involving youth with current or prior system involvement in the shaping of policies and practices at the federal, state, and local levels.
- Setting school engagement (i.e., keeping youth in school and out of court) as a major priority in juvenile justice reform, and more widely disseminating research findings on school discipline to practitioners and policymakers.
- Identifying and reducing disproportionality in the juvenile justice and related systems.
In the coming weeks, the report may be accessed at the FACJJ Web site.
FACJJ’s annual in-person meeting is currently scheduled for October 20–21, 2014. Meeting details will be provided to the public closer to the date of the meeting.
FACJJ meetings are open to the public; anyone may register to attend and observe. Additional information is available on the committee’s Web site.