NCJ Number
137886
Date Published
Unknown
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), created by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, has worked to provide Federal direction, coordination, leadership, and resources to address the problems of juvenile crime and to improve the administration of State and local juvenile justice systems. This testimony, prepared by the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, supports the reauthorization of the Act.
Abstract
OJJDP develops annual priority areas for its programming through a coordinated program planning process in order to maximize the impact of its programs. Recent program priorities have included efforts aimed at juvenile gangs, crisis care for runaways and teenage victims of sexual exploitation, intermediate sanctions for juvenile offenders, training for juvenile and family court judges, drug and substance abuse treatment programs, and education and job training skills programs. OJJDP also provides formula grants to State and local governments to help them improve the juvenile justice system and develop effective delinquency prevention programs. While the Department of Justice supports reauthorization, it objects to the creation of new social service focused grant programs that duplicate other Federal agency efforts. The Department advocates the implementation of a four-point approach to address the problems of youth violence and juvenile justice reform: strengthening the family, schools, community associations, and religious institutions; employing early intervention and accountability in preventing gang-related and other juvenile criminal offenses; waiving juvenile court rights for chronic serious and violent juvenile offenders; and establishing standards, guidelines, and criteria for the collection of juvenile criminal histories.