This is an archive of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP's) electronic newsletter OJJDP News @ a Glance. The information in this archived resource may be outdated and links may no longer function. Visit our website at https://www.ojjdp.gov for current information.
September | October 2015

News in Brief

Robert L. Listenbee
Robert L. Listenbee delivers the keynote address at the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators’ 2015 Leadership Institute. More than 50 juvenile correctional administrators and chief executive officers attended the institute.
Photo: ©David T. Kindler

OJJDP Administrator Addresses Leadership Institute, Receives Award

"The future of our nation depends upon future generations being involved and contributing to the public welfare. Positive youth development gives us a vision for reaching that goal,” said Administrator Listenbee speaking at the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators’ (CJCA) annual Leadership Institute. Sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the institute took place on October 14–16, 2015, in Chicago, IL. Statewide juvenile facilities managers from more than 40 states were in attendance.

Mr. Listenbee provided the keynote address during which he discussed OJJDP’s efforts to promote positive youth development, the focus of this year’s institute. He also participated in a Q & A session and moderated a panel on “Supporting the Prosocial Development of Youth/Positive Youth Outcomes.”

On the final day of the institute, Administrator Listenbee was honored with a CJCA Leadership Award in recognition for “leadership and dedication to reforming juvenile justice systems across the country.”

CJCA plans to create a toolkit based on the ideas and recommendations participants shared at the institute. The toolkit will guide members in their efforts to increase positive youth development in their jurisdictions.

Administrator Listenbee Discusses Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Minors in Police Chief Article

Police Chief: The Professional Voice of Law EnforcementHow can law enforcement officers work best with children and adolescent victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking? Administrator Listenbee explores this question in “Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Minors in Juvenile Justice,” an article published in the October 2015 issue of The Police Chief magazine.

According to OJJDP-funded research carried out by the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, law enforcement officers often have trouble recognizing and responding appropriately to child victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. Responses to child victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking should be trauma informed and evidence based, writes Listenbee, and OJJDP is working with federal, state, and local governments—as well as law enforcement—to address challenges to working with this vulnerable population.

OJJDP staff members—Jennifer Tyson, Jeffrey Gersh, Jacqueline O’Reilly, and Catherine Pierce—contributed to the article, which is now available.

 

OJJDP Research To Be Highlighted at American Society of Criminology Meeting

The American Society of Criminology (ASC) with host its 71st annual meeting on November 18–21, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Seventeen sessions at the event will  feature OJJDP-supported projects. Attend the sessions to learn about the latest research on topics, such as the developmental pathways to delinquency and drug use, juveniles in residential placement, juvenile drug court programs, violence among at-risk youth, commercial sexual exploitation of children, youth gangs, gun violence, and indigent defense.

To register for this year’s ASC meeting and access program information, visit the ASC website.

 

OJJDP Hosts National Missing Children’s Day Poster Exhibit

Artwork by Sydney Kekel, 2015 Poster Contest Winner
Artwork by Sydney Kekel of Grand Blanc, MI, 2015 Poster Contest Winner.

OJJDP, in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) hosted the opening of the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest exhibit on October 7, 2015. The exhibit, which features winning entries from each year of OJJDP's National Missing Children’s Day Art Contest will be on display at OAS’ Art Museums of the Americas until November 7.

With an annual theme of "Bringing Our Missing Children Home," the poster contest provides teachers with tools to educate children and parents about safety and initiate conversations regarding prevention.

“The best part for us is seeing the creative, inspired work of these children, which we are proud to share with you today,” said James Antal, OJJDP’s Acting Associate Administrator of the Youth Development, Prevention, and Safety Division.

Youth Crime and Violence Prevention Knowledge Exchange Held in Baltimore, MD

On October 6–7, 2015, the World Bank, the City of Baltimore, and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention's Forum Coordination Team hosted a Youth Crime and Violence Prevention Knowledge Exchange in Baltimore, MD. Organized by OJJDP, the event was designed to foster the exchange of successful strategies for addressing youth violence and creating safe environments for young people to grow and thrive. The event brought together federal and city officials, community and faith-based organizations, and more than 35 World Bank officials. Representatives from the government of Jamaica were also in attendance.


The delegation listened to city officials and community leaders speak about the challenges and successes encountered while working to address youth violence and crime and toured community action programs in Upton/Druid Heights and McElderry Park. Theron Pride, Chief of Staff at the Office of Justice Programs, and OJJDP Administrator Robert Listenbee provided remarks and shared information about federal youth violence prevention initiatives, such as the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, the Defending Childhood and My Brother’s Keeper initiatives, and the Community-Based Violence Prevention Demonstration program.


Baltimore is 1 of 15 city participants in the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.

October Is National Bullying Prevention Month

Stopbullying.govEvery October, communities across the nation observe National Bullying Prevention Month by organizing events to raise awareness about the prevalence of bullying and its impact on youth. OJJDP is a member of the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention, an interagency effort led by the U.S. Department of Education that works to coordinate policy, research, and communications on bullying topics.

For more information on how parents, educators, and youth can work together to stop bullying, visit StopBullying.gov. To learn more about the scope of the problem, predictors of bullying, laws against bullying, and evidence-based programs to prevent and intervene in bullying, see OJJDP's Model Programs Guide.

See also the OJJDP-supported tipcard, "Preparing and Responding to Cyberbullying: Tips for Law Enforcement," produced by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The tipcard provides more than 20 recommendations to help law enforcement address and investigate cyberbullying in their communities.