NCJ Number
126869
Date Published
1990
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act passed in 1974 established the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and mandated that States remove status offenders and nonoffenders from juvenile detention and correctional facilities. The 1980 amendment to the Act required correctional authorities to remove all juveniles from adult jails and lockups.
Abstract
As part of the National Jail Removal Initiative, OJJDP focused attention on rural jails which were often the only place police could detain juveniles. The jail removal plan included actions to establish intake screening units; develop specific and objective detention criteria; build a network of alternative services; and invite community leaders, police, and court officials to participate in program planning. OJJDP dispersed funds in 1987 and 1988 to help States comply with the OJJDP Act. A survey of efforts in several States indicated that elected officials, State Advisory groups, youth advocates, and juvenile justice professionals have been working to implement jail removal programs as quickly as possible. Future OJJDP activities in this area will include providing technical assistance and training in developing comprehensive plans to meet the goals and mandates of the JJDP Act and in designing systems to monitor all detention and correctional facilities to ensure continued compliance. 27 references