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CJJ Leaders Panel Congressional Hearing on Reauthorization of the JJDPA
On Wednesday, April 21, 2010, the U.S. House Committee on Education & Labor held a hearing to consider recommendations for reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Chaired by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the Education & Labor Committee has primary jurisdiction over the JJDPA and other delinquency prevention and juvenile justice matters. Click here to see the list of witnesses, read the testimonies and view the hearing's Webcast.
CJJ was honored to recommend and support testimony given by A. Hasan Davis, former Kentucky SAG Chair and current Deputy Commissioner of Operations at the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. In his testimony, Deputy Commissioner Davis urged the Committee to strengthen the JJDPA to better serve the unmet needs of youth charged with status offenses, including phasing out use of the valid court exception to the Deinstitutionalization of the Status Offenders core requirement of the JJDPA. Davis’ testimony also focused on the progress Kentucky is making to reduce detention orders for status youth through a partnership with the courts and the statewide use of Detention Alternatives Coordinators (DACs).
The Committee also received testimony from the Honorable Steven C. Teske, Georgia SAG Chair and judge with the Juvenile Court of Clayton County. Judge Teske offered compelling testimony highlighting the effectiveness of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, and urged the Committee to consider ways to strengthen the JJDPA to encourage and support states’ use of detention alternatives for all youth who come into contact with the courts.
The hearing was moderated by Chairman Miller and attended by 20 Democrat and Republican members of the 49-member Committee – an excellent showing that was a direct result of the outreach efforts of CJJ members and other JJDPA allies. In addition, 15 members asked probing yet supportive questions of the witnesses, demonstrating a sincere interest in the issues and a desire to understand how the JJDPA is and can be a vehicle to do what is in the best interest of youth, families and communities.
CJJ is hopeful that the April 21 hearing has served as a catalyst for the introduction of House legislation to reauthorize the JJDPA within the next few weeks. S. 678, Senate legislation to reauthorize the JJDPA, received bi-partisan approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 17, 2009 and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
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