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Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders -- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) published its Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent and Chronic Juvenile Offenders in 1993. After developing and testing both the prevention and graduated sanctions components of the program over the next 2 years, OJJDP launched a national training and technical assistance initiative in 1995 with the publication of a guide for implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. The guide provides a framework for developing and implementing the program, and is based on the creation of a continuum of juvenile delinquency prevention, early intervention, and graduated sanctions strategies. The continuum starts with prenatal prevention and includes community-based prevention services based on risk and resource assessment, immediate interventions, and a range of graduated sanctions that include institutional care and aftercare services. These strategies are key points along the continuum and are designed to reduce the risk factors that contribute to delinquent behaviors.

OJJDP has provided intensive training and technical assistance to three pilot sites (San Diego County, CA; and Jacksonville and Ft. Myers, FL) to develop strategic plans for implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. In addition, eight States (Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin) were selected to test the program by receiving onsite technical assistance or by field testing a community planning manual. OJJDP also has provided strategic planning assistance for implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for the six SafeFutures jurisdictions (Boston, MA; Contra Costa, CA; Seattle, WA; St. Louis, MO; Imperial County, CA; and Ft. Belknap Indian Community, Harlem, MT). SafeFutures is designed to test the implementation of a continuum of care for at-risk and delinquent youth and their families to prevent and control juvenile crime and victimization. SafeFutures is conceptually consistent with the Comprehensive Strategy initiative.

The three pilot sites are participating in the training and technical assistance component of the program, and are in the process of publishing their strategic plans for implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. Valuable lessons learned in these pilot sites have helped to develop additional implementation tools that have been used to help expand strategic planning efforts in the other sites.

At this time OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy intensive training and technical assistance is available only in the competitively selected Comprehensive Strategy States, the San Diego County pilot site, and the SafeFutures sites.

Contact information:

Mark Matese
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
U.S. Department of Justice
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
202­307­5924

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