NCJ Number
250227
Date Published
July 2016
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This report presents measures of a State Advisory Group's (SAG's) capacity to provide leadership in State juvenile justice reforms and strengthen its ability to lead in the promotion of research-based and developmentally appropriate juvenile justice policy and practice.
Abstract
The findings and recommendations presented are based on interviews conducted by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) over a period of 5 months in 2015 with 34 SAGs and Juvenile Justice Advisory Groups (JJAGs). CJJ also conducted two focus groups with Juvenile Justice Specialists who are State employees working with the SAGs, as well as a focus group composed of representatives of 20 national organizations and 5 SAGs. CJJ also attempted to survey all members of the National Juvenile Justice Network, a coalition of State-based reform and advocacy organizations. This report's recommendations were developed by staff of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice in consultation with CJJ membership, the Juvenile Justice Specialists, and other thought-leaders and stakeholders knowledgeable about the history, operational realities, and aspirations of the SAGs. Findings and recommendations are presented for each of the five principles of SAG effectiveness. The five principles are 1) compliance with the core requirements of the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA); 2) has a positive impact on its State's juvenile justice policy and practice; 3) acts strategically to improve juvenile justice; 4) has effective processes in place; and 5) collaborates effectively for maximum impact. The project's findings on the achievements and challenges of SAGs in implementing these principles are provided for each of the five principles, and recommendations are offered for improving performance in implementing each principle. Extensive figures and survey responses to questions related to the five principles