NCJ Number
137884
Date Published
1992
Length
30 pages
Annotation
In testifying before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on Juvenile Justice, the chairperson of the National Coalition of State Juvenile Justice Advisory Groups discusses the nature of her organization, State Advisory Groups, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act, juvenile detention, status offender deinstitutionalization, community-based services for juveniles, and the over-representation of minorities in the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
The Coalition is recognized in Section 241(f) of the JJDP Act as a body charged with advising Congress, the President, and the OJJDP. Comprised of 56 members representing all States, territories, and the District of Columbia, the Coalition believes that no child belongs in an adult jail, that status offenders are best helped in their own communities, that prevention and early intervention combined with services for serious juvenile offenders are essential in preventing delinquency, and that all children should be treated equally and fairly. The JJDP Act establishes a unique partnership between the Federal Government and committed citizen volunteers from communities. This partnership is accomplished through State Advisory Groups. These groups are responsible for developing comprehensive 3-year State plans for juveniles, funding programs to implement the plans, advising governors and State legislatures on matters concerning juvenile justice, and seeking regular input from juveniles in the juvenile justice system. The OJJDP is the principal vehicle for the Federal focus on juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. The Coalition supports the purpose and mandates of the JJDP Act: removing status offenders from secure facilities; separating juveniles from adults in secure facilities, jails, and lockups; removing juveniles from jails, lockups, and other adult facilities; preventing delinquency; eliminating the over-representation of children of color in the juvenile justice system; and modifying the formula for Native Americans. The Coalition also focuses on the deinstitutionalization of status offenders, community-based services aimed at preventing and reducing juvenile delinquency, the inappropriate institutional confinement of juveniles, special education needs of juveniles, and advocacy. Attachments to the prepared statement provide additional information on juvenile delinquency prevention projects, juvenile justice formula grants by State for fiscal year 1992, compliance with the JJDP Act, and funding for Native Americans.