Administrator Harp Hosts Listening Session at National Conference on Juvenile Justice

“Sometimes the justice system can drift too far from one side to the other,” said Administrator Harp during a listening session titled “Ask the OJJDP Administrator” at the 2018 National Conference on Juvenile Justice. The conference was hosted by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) and took place March 18–21, in Coronado, CA.

Before opening the floor for questions, Administrator Harp discussed her work in the criminal and juvenile justice fields; emphasized the importance of a balanced approach to public safety, offender accountability, and youth development; and outlined her vision and priorities for OJJDP. She noted that these priorities align with goals she helped to develop in the NCJFCJ publication Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Juvenile Delinquency Cases.

NCJFCJ is a longtime and valued partner of OJJDP and recently worked with OJJDP and other stakeholders to develop evidence-based, treatment-oriented guidelines for juvenile drug treatment courts. The guidelines are currently in review. OJJDP also supports NCJFCJ’s National Judicial Institute on Domestic Child Sex Trafficking, which has trained 193 judges to date.

OJJDP staff presentations at this year’s conference included, The Judiciary’s Role in Promoting Police and Youth Engagement, Child Sex Trafficking Indicators and Responses for Judicial Officials, Estimating Incidence Rates and Implementing Best Practices for Dual System Youth, and Bridging Research and Practice in Juvenile Justice: A Developmental Approach to Youth Probation.

Administrator Harp Discusses Resources for Counties at National Legislative Conference

On March 3, 2018, Administrator Harp addressed the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. The annual meeting brings together more than 2,000 county officials to discuss federal policy issues.

Ms. Harp spoke during the Justice and Public Safety Policy Steering Committee morning meeting alongside Michael McKeown, Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Advisory Council, and Mark Luttrell, Mayor of Shelby County, TN. Other federal attendees included Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; David J. Shulkin, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Commerce; and William “Brock” Long, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Administrator Harp acknowledged that rural and smaller counties often have difficulty obtaining support for their programs and provided information on OJJDP Formula Grants program funding available to states. Ms. Harp highlighted OJJDP resources that the counties can use to reduce violent crime, combat gang activity, support law enforcement, and protect communities, and pledged OJJDP support for state and community efforts to prevent and respond to delinquency. She also updated attendees on the priorities she formulated with agency staff to enhance public safety, ensure offender accountability, and empower youth to live productive, crime-free lives.

Deputy Administrator Garry Addresses State Advisory Group in Idaho

On March 8, 2018, OJJDP Deputy Administrator Eileen M. Garry participated in a meeting with Idaho’s state advisory group (SAG) known as the Idaho Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC). The visit was part of a focused effort by OJJDP to strengthen relationships with SAGs. SAGs nationwide are responsible for monitoring and supporting their respective state’s or territory’s progress in complying with the core protections of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and fulfillment of the state's or territory’s 3-year plan.

Deputy Administrator Garry thanked IJJC members for their dedication to improving Idaho’s juvenile justice system and recognized several of the commission’s accomplishments and programs. One such initiative, Policing the Teen Brain, aims to improve police-youth relationships by providing training for law enforcement officers on successfully interacting with teens. Law enforcement’s overwhelmingly positive response has encouraged IJJC to expand training to community-based organizations serving youth statewide.

Ms. Garry also praised the state’s commitment to engaging youth by improving outreach to Native American youth through their Tribal Council, collaborating with youth groups to expand IJJC’s Youth Council, and partnering with formerly incarcerated youth.

National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony To Be Live Streamed

The Department of Justice’s commemoration of National Missing Children’s Day will take place on May 23, 2018, in Washington, DC. The annual event, organized by OJJDP, honors the memory of missing children and recognizes extraordinary efforts made by law enforcement personnel and private citizens to protect children from harm.

Awards to be presented this year include the Attorney General’s Special Commendation, Missing Children’s Law Enforcement Award, Missing Children’s Child Protection Award, and Missing Children’s Citizen Award. The winner of the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest will also be recognized. The contest is intended to promote awareness and encourage teachers, parents, guardians, and other adults to engage children in discussions about safety.

The ceremony will be live streamed on May 23 and the recording will remain available online.

To access resources for families of missing and abducted children, visit the OJJDP and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children websites.

CyberTipline for Missing and Exploited Children Reaches 20-Year Milestone

OJJDP partners with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to provide resources, technical assistance, and services to victims, families, and the public, and to support law enforcement agencies with cases involving missing and exploited children.

NCMEC’s 24-hour CyberTipline (800–THE–LOST, or 800–843–5678) is the nation’s centralized reporting system for suspected child sexual exploitation. The CyberTipline allows the public and electronic service providers to report suspected online enticement, child sexual molestation, child pornography, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, obscene materials sent to a child, and misleading domain names, words, or digital images on the Internet. Since its inception in 1998, the CyberTipline has received more than 27 million reports, most of which were reports of child sexual abuse materials online. In 2017 alone, the line received more than 10.2 million reports, a 23-percent increase from the previous year.

NCMEC analysts review each tip and work to identify potential locations for reported incidents so they may be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation. NCMEC also uses CyberTipline information to engage the Internet industry on initiatives to reduce the proliferation of child sexual abuse images, shape its prevention and safety messages, and create and tailor safety and victimization prevention publications for educators, parents, and the public.

OJJDP Releases Data Snapshot on Girls in the Juvenile Justice System

The latest publication in OJJDP’s Data Snapshot series focuses on trends and characteristics of girls at various stages in the juvenile justice system, including arrest, the juvenile court process, and residential placement.

The data show that the proportion of juvenile arrests involving girls has grown in the past two decades. The data also indicate that in 2014, simple assault and larceny-theft offenses accounted for nearly half of all delinquency cases involving females, and that females accounted for more than half of all petitioned runaway cases.

The Data Snapshot series is available via OJJDP's Statistical Briefing Book. The series disseminates current research and statistical information about youth and the juvenile justice system. Each one-page snapshot focuses on a specific topic and highlights policy-relevant findings.

Access the full list of Data Snapshots and keep up with the Statistical Briefing Book on Twitter.

OJJDP Hosts Juvenile Justice Roundtable With 4–H Students

On April 10, 2018, OJJDP staff hosted 15 youth delegates from 4–H for a juvenile justice roundtable. The youth were in Washington, DC, to participate in the 2018 National 4-H Conference. The annual event teaches youth how to research and develop specific plans to address a critical issue and present their plans in formal briefings with federal agencies.

In preparation for the convening, delegates were given a challenge question to address. The youth who attended the OJJDP roundtable were encouraged to brainstorm ideas in response to the following question: “Based on your experiences and/or those of your peers, what can OJJDP do to improve law enforcement engagement with youth?” The information shared at the roundtable will inform OJJDP staff on the thinking and priorities of today’s youth and will provide an opportunity for the youth to explore potential future educational and vocational opportunities related to public safety.

The 2018 National 4–H Conference was held on April 7–12, and was attended by 25 youth delegates ages 15 to 19.