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August 2008
CJJ Leadership News
- Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2008-09 National Chair
- Message from Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director
CJJ Government Relations Alert
- Senate Judiciary Passes JJDPA Reauthorization Bill
- CJJ Compliance Project Moves Forward
- New Federal Legislation Aims to Increase Youth Investments and Improve Youth Re-entry
CJJ Conference News
- Save the Dates and Plan to Join Us in Portland, OR, November 17-18, 2008
- Call for Summit Presenters--Due August 29
- CJJ to Help Host Annual Models for Change Working Conference in 2008
CJJ Training News
- CJJ to Host Topical Training Webinar in September
- Report on CJJ’s Topical Training Webinar with the National Community of Practice on School Behavioral Health
CJJ Leadership Committee News
- Derrick Johnson (AZ) Named New CJJ Finance Committee Chair
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
- NJJN Welcomes New Partners
- CTJJA Releases Report
Resources and Information of Note
- NASHP Releases Report on Health Coverage for Transitional Youth
- Chapin Hall Explores Positive Youth Development Principles in Juvenile Justice Programs
- NJDC and NLADA Issue Core Principles for Legal Representatives of Children
- BJS Reports on Sexual Violence Reported by Juvenile Correctional Authorities
- Federal Report Profiles Children’s Well Being
- In the News
- Upcoming Conferences/Trainings
CJJ Leadership News
Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2008-09 National Chair
With the passage of S. 3155 by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the first salvo has been launched in Congress in consideration of a full Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) Reauthorization. We must appreciate and thank Senators Leahy, Specter and Kohl, as well as their fellow Judiciary Committee members, for their vision and support of this key legislation. We also extend our appreciation to the congressional staff members who have worked so diligently with CJJ and the Act 4 Juvenile Justice collaboration to bring the legislation forward in such a positive framework. Now, our next work begins in terms of full Senate approval and moving on to the House. Of course you know that this process is mind-boggling and extremely hard work. We have our own staff leadership (Tara Andrews and Nancy Gannon Hornberger) to appreciate for keeping our Government Relations work at top speed and with strong effectiveness, and we have a marvelous Government Relations Committee (GRC) led by Ken Schatz of Vermont and Ward Loyd of Kansas – an all-volunteer committee that seems to work nonstop on legislative and intergovernmental issues. Thanks so much to each of you, every GRC member, and all the GRC state liaisons and many other SAG members, NJJN members and CJJ allies who have contributed thus far. The first important victory could not have happened without you – but don’t celebrate too long. We must press onward with our full Senate education and all the work forthcoming over on the House side.
So what’s next? What do we need from our national leadership relative to juvenile justice? The JJDPA is a framework, but by itself it cannot create system reform without a strong national vision, an effective Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and Administrator, and a budget that resources OJJDP and the field to accomplish all policy and compliance goals embedded in the JJDPA. Recently in Chicago, at another meeting, Christine Thibeault (a strong and passionate SAG member and leader in her own right from Maine) said to me, “You’re all about the vision thing.” We were discussing the work of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ) annual report and I’ve been speaking out for a while now on the need for a national focus on what I consider to be transformational leadership. This term has academic significance, but on the practical side it focuses on raising leadership beyond the level of an administrator-worker relationship, to that of an organization-administrator-worker system of goals, strategies and vision that transforms and improves an entity. Generally, a lot of process leadership tends to be transactional – making sure the work gets done by leading through the accomplishment of pre-defined goals (usually in more stable organizations). However, because of the impending presidential and congressional elections, we will face a new President and Congress that will need our experiences and advice in crafting a strong JJDPA and strengthening OJJDP so that true system protections and reforms can occur. The federal government got into the juvenile justice business for a reason: states were not getting it done, and youths were being harmed in adult jails, lockups, etc. We’ve subsequently learned about the unmet mental health and substance abuse issues of system youths, the embarrassing and complicated impacts of disproportionality, as reflected in the numbers of children of color involved in the system, and other emerging issues including culturally-specific and gender-specific needs.
I believe that CJJ and its national leadership should be strongly voicing our support for rational, transformational leadership at the federal level that: (a) applies the evidence and science funded by both our federal government and private sources to juvenile justice systems in ways that obviate political philosophies or other motives resulting in inefficient, ineffective practices; (b) focuses the right resources in the right places along the juvenile justice continuum at the right time for the right youth; (c) empowers a federal OJJDP with proper autonomy, yet proper oversight, to truly carry out the wishes of Congress, but also advances the field with innovation, research, field testing and dissemination; and (d) forces OJJDP and all other federal agencies, departments and offices that work either toward suppression of crime or prevention of negative youth and family outcomes to find ways to truly collaborate and share budget and technical assistance resources so that things like Systems of Care, Connecticut’s “Help Me Grow” program, Wraparound Milwaukee, and proven community-based interventions can be more broadly effectuated across the country.
Please join us in supporting CJJ as we work with all our members and allies nationwide and the Congress to pass a very strong JJDPA reauthorization, including sufficient appropriations to improve our chances for better federal, state and community juvenile justice outcomes. Better yet, help us voice a loud and very clear call for transformational leadership in the White House, Congress, and at OJJDP that will truly bring us to where we need to be in the juvenile justice arena. Spending money on the deep end (e.g., building prisons and youth development centers) and inefficiently working between and among federal offices is not the best use of our tax dollars. Using scientific evidence and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness studies, as well as what we’ve learned from well-researched community interventions, can and should inform the way that we structure our federal work. True transformational leadership can make a tangible difference in the lives of children and youth involved in the juvenile justice system when it means applying such lessons learned and the best of what we know in research.
As always, I invite your comments and critiques. Everyone, please accept my wishes for good health and success in your work and personal endeavors.
Robin Jenkins
rjenkins@cccommunicare.org
Message from Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director
Here in my office I keep an inspiring photo taken at the Utah Winter Sports Park in 2001. In it I am standing with State Advisory Group members and fellow CJJ staff, as well as OJJDP staff, at the top of an Olympic Bobsleigh Practice Run … preparing for the ride of a lifetime! The occasion was an outing associated with a conference CJJ co-hosted with OJJDP. Maybe you were there, too?
That day, those of us on the mountain in Utah had the honor and thrill of joining a soon-to-be young Olympian, Bill Schuffenhauer, to take a run in his bobsleigh—reaching a speed of 4-5 times the force of gravity!
So imagine the flood of memories and surprise when Bill published a guest commentary (reprinted below) on the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) earlier this week. I was reminded by Rodney Cook, CJJ’s western region chair and a member of the Oregon SAG, that “some of us took a practice run with this gentleman.”
Bill reveals in his commentary more than we ever knew about him. He, indeed, has added tremendously to the memories of meeting a wonderful person and taking part in an incredible opportunity granted to us that day in 2001.
Bill’s voice is an essential voice. We deeply appreciate his courage in raising it at this time:
- with yours—as you, with your local, state and national organizations, work diligently to ensure a positive JJDPA reauthorization;
- with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who did remarkably fine bipartisan work on July 31, passing out of their committee a strong JJDPA bill supporting many goals we share;
- and with ours, as we – your CJJ staff – do our best to represent you here in Washington and to give voice to the needs of children, families, communities, and our members, across the U.S. and its territories.
BILL SCHUFFENHAUER
Excerpt drawn from Guest commentary, Standard Examiner, Utah, August 5, 2008
Millions of Americans will watch the upcoming Olympic Games, not only to see American athletes win international fame and recognition, but also to hear the stories of those athletes, whose struggles and perseverance will be rewarded on the winners' podiums. We watch the Olympics to marvel at the capabilities of the human body, but also at those of the mind, which fights through hardship and turmoil, and revels in victory and recognition. Athletes doggedly push to reach the pinnacle that is Olympic competition, but some climb mountains that involve more than just physical and mental training.
My silver medal as a member of the U.S. Bobsled team in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City was the peak of my figurative mountain. I was born to a heroin-addicted mother and never knew my father, spending my childhood bouncing from one foster family to another.
I drank and used drugs, introduced to me by my mother and stepfather, at an age when I should have been playing with schoolmates at recess. I skipped school, I went hungry, I stole and I ended up in juvenile detention. Eventually, I discovered sports in middle school and, through a combination of hard work and luck, managed to become what I am today.
Stories like mine, however, are few and far between.
Children who come from backgrounds like mine usually have grimmer life outcomes. They can become involved with alcohol and drugs, engage in serious delinquent behavior, or end up in gangs, committing more serious crimes. These youth often come from histories of neglect, abuse or both. Some have diagnosable mental health conditions that are serious factors contributing to their delinquent behavior.
Society's response to these young people is overwhelmingly punitive. They can be transferred to adult court, where they may be held in adult jails pre-trial and sentenced to adult prison time.
In Utah, there is no age limit for detaining a juvenile in adult jail pre-trial, though our state does better than some by requiring juveniles to be separated from adults while they are in jail. Had I not made certain decisions, I could have been one of those young people behind bars.
States with overly punitive approaches, however, do not help youth with troubled histories turn their lives around. They stigmatize young people and, especially for youth detained in adult facilities, turn them into hardened criminals more likely to commit serious crimes in the future.
Fortunately, there is legislation currently pending in the U.S. Senate that would help states to improve our juvenile justice systems and increase public safety, by working to keep kids out of adult jails and prisons and providing more effective alternatives in the juvenile justice system. S 3155, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008, will make serious improvements to the juvenile justice system in all states.
The bill promotes comprehensive supports for youth in the juvenile justice system, including alternatives to detention and incarceration, and assessment for mental health and substance abuse.
It would also reduce barriers to states that maintain and keep youth convicted in adult court to remain in juvenile facilities, by not withholding federal money to states that employ this method, and require states to take tangible steps to reduce the disproportionate contact youth of color have with the juvenile justice system.
Young people in these situations need effective supports that will help them turn their lives around. Rehabilitation is a real goal for these young people; the approach we take toward them will play a big role in determining whether they take the path of future crime, or that of productive contribution to society.
Not all young people can have my luck, but improving our juvenile justice system will make fewer of them need it.
— Schuffenhauer graduated from Roy High, was a standout WSU track athlete and an Olympic silver medalist in 2002 as a member of the Men's USA Bobsleigh Team.
CJJ Government Relations Alert
Senate Judiciary Passes JJDPA Reauthorization Bill
On July 31, 2008, the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary passed, by voice vote, S. 3155, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008, as amended. As of the publishing of this newsletter, a copy of the bill as amended and passed by the Committee is not yet available. Please check CJJ’s Web site for updates: www.juvjustice.org.
Originally sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), S. 3155 reflects many CJJ priorities, including definitive authorizations for federal juvenile justice funding, a change in the statutory definition of an adult inmate, Improvement Grants to help bring states back into compliance with the core requirements when needed, Incentive Grants to advance empirically-supported approaches to delinquency prevention and intervention, and strong, clear guidance and support for states to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile justice.
On July 16, 2008, the CJJ Council of State Advisory Groups (SAGs) voted (with 40 SAGs represented) to approve and submit a formal letter in support of S. 3155 as introduced, based on a recommendation from the GRC. The letter was delivered to Chairman Patrick Leahy and all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Click here to view a copy of the CJJ letter.
In addition to the amendments adopted in a substitute bill put forth by Chairman Patrick Leahy, S. 3155 was further strengthened by:
- An amendment introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) which will phase out use of the valid court order exception to the Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders core requirement over a three-year period, with a 1-2 year hardship extension for those states that need additional time to make needed changes. The vote to approve the amendment was 11 to 7. The “yeas” included Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Biden (D-DE), Feinstein (D-CA), Feingold (D-WI), Durbin (D-IL), Cardin (D-MD), Whitehouse (D-RI), Specter (R-PA), Hatch (R-UT), Brownback (R-KS) and Coburn (R-OK).
- An amendment introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in conjunction with Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Whitehouse (D-RI) to sharpen the focus on mental health, substance abuse and all behavioral health services in State Plans and add opportunities for behavioral health improvements under the new Incentive Grants program, which was adopted by a vote of 18 to 1.
- Three amendments introduced by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) to: (1) require an evaluation and analysis of OJJDP’s performance, (2) require an audit of OJJDP grant-making and internal controls to ensure that grantees are adhering to grant requirements, and (3) require the Federal Coordinating Council to submit an annual report and an accounting of its activities to Congress. All were adopted without objection.
We commend Chairman Leahy and Senators Specter, Kohl, Cardin, Feinstein, Kennedy, Whitehouse and Grassley for serving as champions of a strong bill and strong amendments. We also thank the members of the Judiciary Committee on the whole, including those who worked quietly to inform good policy, and who voted to support S. 3155.
The CJJ board and staff, as well as the GRC, also recognize that these results are a reflection of the remarkable work that CJJ members and allies have accomplished over the last two years and on short notice over the last few weeks. Space does not permit us to thank each and every person who has helped champion the reauthorization so far – because there are so many of you! So thank you to everyone, and please stayed tuned as the work moves forward to educate additional Senators and increase the momentum for future consideration by the entire Senate and the House.
CJJ Compliance Project Moves Forward
Between July 7 and July 25, 2008, the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) administered a survey for CJJ, as part of CJJ’s project examining JJDPA compliance challenges and successes. The goal of the survey is to clearly identify state compliance challenges, best practices and successes, and craft recommendations designed to help all relevant stakeholders work together to support and, as needed, improve state compliance and the compliance monitoring process.
We are pleased and excited to report that more than 40 states responded to the survey. Given busy schedules and summer obligations, our heartfelt thanks go out to those Juvenile Justice Specialists, Compliance Monitors and DMC Coordinators who participated in this inaugural attempt to objectively identify and measure the challenges and successes that states have experienced and continue to experience regarding their compliance activities.
We also want to thank those Juvenile Justice Specialists and Compliance Monitors that have served as members of the CJJ Compliance Advisory Committee and have helped inform and develop both the RFP for the independent researcher and the survey instrument.
Finally, CJJ wishes to reiterate how excited we are for and about this project. We have heard from many folks that it may the first time a survey of this nature has been conducted. When all is said and done, everyone’s contributions will go a long way to inform the field, the Congress and a new Administration, and greatly benefit our collective work going forward.
New Federal Legislation Aims to Increase Youth Investments and Improve Youth Re-entry
In addition to the JJDPA Reauthorization bill, this past July saw the introduction of two new pieces of federal legislation that seek to increase federal investments in children and youth and to improve the re-entry process for youth leaving confinement.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced S. 3277, the Children’s Budget Act, a simple piece of legislation that would require any future Presidential administration, when it submits its budget, to report all sources of federal funding for children’s programs and show how the federal budget is impacting children's programs overall.
The law that governs the requirements for the President’s annual budget request already includes a number of separate specific instructions. Most recently, the law was changed to mandate that the President include a separate analysis of all spending on homeland security. Thus, Senator Menendez’s bill includes an addition to this law that would instruct the President to submit a Children’s Budget as part of the larger request. The idea is that creating a Children’s Budget at the federal level will paint a clear picture of how the federal government prioritizes and allocates resources on behalf of our nation's children.
In addition, on July 24, 2008, Representative Hilda Solis (D-32nd/CA) introduced H.R. 6621, the Reinstatement of Enrollment for Medicaid Eligibility of Disadvantaged Youth (REMEDY) Act, legislation that would provide protections to youth exiting the juvenile justice system by ensuring that they have access to various forms of medical treatment by suspending, rather than terminating, youthful offenders’ Medicaid eligibility. The bill would also toll the time period of continuous eligibility while the youth is confined.
To view these bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search for S. 3277 or H.R. 6621.
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If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the CJJ Government Relations Committee or Government Relations Program, please contact committee chair Ken Schatz (kschatz@ci.burlington.vt.us), or CJJ deputy executive director Tara Andrews (andrews@juvjustice.org and 202-467-0864, ext. 109).
CJJ Conference News
Save the Dates and Plan to Join Us in Portland, OR, November 17-18, 2008
CJJ is pleased to be the national co-host of the 10th Annual Oregon “Governor’s Summit on Eliminating Minority Overrepresentation in the Juvenile Justice System,” to be held in Portland, Oregon, November 17-18, 2008.
The Summit’s theme reflects milestones to be marked: the 20th anniversary of the inclusion of the DMC core requirement in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and the 10th anniversary of the Summit itself. It will be of value to SAG members, DMC Coordinators, Juvenile Justice Specialists, and all others whose interests and work focuses on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile justice.
The Summit emphasizes strategic planning and partnerships among state, local, and private stakeholders. Sessions will examine the multiple decision points affecting youth in the juvenile justice system and factors contributing to disproportionate representation of youth of color. The agenda is designed to provide a collaborative forum for stakeholders involved at each of the key juvenile justice decision points. CJJ is assisting to bring exemplary work and important practice innovations to the Summit from other parts of the United States.
Call for Summit Presenters--Due August 29
The State of Oregon Planning Committee, in partnership with CJJ and Multnomah County Local Public Safety Coordinating Council (LPSCC), is pleased to issue a call for presenters for the 10th Annual Oregon “Governor’s Summit on Eliminating Minority Overrepresentation in the Juvenile Justice System” (see above).
Click here to view the call for presenters.
All proposals must be received no later than August 29, 2008. Applicants will be notified of selections by September 15, 2008. If selected, all presenters must register for the Summit.
CJJ to Help Host Annual Models for Change Working Conference in 2008
CJJ is pleased and proud to announce that we have been asked by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to help host and implement the 3rd Annual Models for Change Working Conference, to be held in December. The conference is designed as a networking and learning opportunity for members of the state teams and the action network teams selected by the foundation, and already engaged in Models for Change Initiative, from core states of Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington and Louisiana and the action networks in other states and localities that are addressing juvenile indigent defense, DMC and mental health needs. Only individuals participating in Models for Change work attend the conference, including supportive/active SAG members. CJJ heartily thanks the MacArthur Foundation for its confidence in CJJ and its generous grant to allow us to support this important work.
For more details on Models for Change, please see: www.modelsforchange.net.
CJJ Training News
CJJ to Host Topical Training Webinar in September
CJJ, in partnership with the National Implementation Research Network, is pleased to present its third topical training webinar of 2008, entitled “Making a Difference: Implementation Strategies to Make Use of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.”
Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 4 p.m. EDT
or
Thursday, September 18, 2008, 2 p.m. EDT
Webinar Facilitator:
Karen A. Blase, Ph.D.
National Implementation Research Network
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute
University of South Florida
Every agency and program wants to make a difference for the youth it serves. Prevention and intervention approaches based on research hold promise for achieving positive outcomes for at-risk youth or youth involved with the juvenile justice system. While research can inform us about which programs and practices can make a difference, the research results tell us very little about how to make these programs and approaches come to life in the real world. This webinar will present practical strategies and frameworks for selecting, installing and sustaining evidence-based programs and practices. Participants will learn about the stages of implementation and work to be done in each stage, the use of implementation drivers to ensure quality and sustainability, the value of “innovation zones,” how to work with “purveyors,” and the importance of policy and practice feedback loops. The webinar will address such questions as:
- How can practitioners, provider organizations, and human service systems make better use of evidence-based programs?
- What are the benefits to youth and their families?
- What are the benefits to provider organizations?
- What does it take to successfully implement and sustain an evidence-based program?
- What are the challenges?
The implementation best practices presented in this webinar are based on a synthesis of the implementation research literature, an extensive review of successful implementation practices from around the country, and the presenter’s own experiences.
Karen A. Blase, Ph.D., Co-Director of the National Implementation Research Network and a Research Professor at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida, has been a program developer and evaluator, researcher, trainer and published author in the human service field for more than 30 years. She received her doctorate in developmental and child psychology from the University of Kansas with a focus on school-based interventions and community-based services for children and youth involved with juvenile justice and child welfare.
To register for the webinar or for more information, please contact Mark Ferrante, Director, Leadership and Training Programs for CJJ, at ferrante@juvjustice.org or at 202-467-0864, ext. 102.
Report on CJJ’s Topical Training Webinar with the National Community of Practice on School Behavioral Health
In June, CJJ hosted its Topical Training, “Focusing on Building a Deeper Juvenile Justice Connection,” with the National Community of Practice on School Based Behavioral Health. Hosted with Ed Morris, Missouri State Advisory Group member, and Joanne Cashman, director of the IDEA Partnership, the training discussed the intersection of common goals shared by CJJ and the National Community of Practice on School Behavioral Health.
During the topical training, presenters facilitated on-line polling to determine the interest of CJJ members in pursuing a more formal connection between the two groups. Participants expressed unanimous support for the two groups working together and recommended three strategies. First, the participants suggested sponsoring additional CJJ representatives to the National Community Meeting to join Ed Morris in serving as liaisons between the organizations. Second, the participants suggested bringing National Community leaders to the CJJ Annual Spring Conference to similarly foster the connection among CJJ’s members. Lastly, the participants suggested a more focused meeting of community members and CJJ members to identify their shared interests. CJJ will follow up on these suggestions, beginning with member participation in the National Community Meeting in Phoenix, AZ on September 25. Please look for updates in upcoming newsletters.
For more information, please contact Mark Ferrante, Director, Leadership and Training Programs for CJJ, at ferrante@juvjustice.org or at 202-467-0864, ext. 102.
CJJ Leadership Committee News
Derrick Johnson (AZ) Named New CJJ Finance Committee Chair
We are very pleased to announce that Derrick Johnson, from the Arizona State Advisory Group, has been named to serve as the new Chairman of the CJJ Finance Committee. This committee meets monthly to review the accounts of the organization and is entirely composed of CJJ members who serve voluntarily in this capacity. The committee’s members for the current term include: Cindy Durham (Tennessee), who serves as the Treasurer/Secretary of CJJ, elected by the Council of SAGs to this position on the CJJ Executive Board, as well as Daniel Coppa (Nevada), Deirdre Garton (Wisconsin), Alfred Martin (Mississippi), Kathryn McGloin (Juvenile Justice Specialist, Maine) and Rev. Jim Kirk (Maryland). All do an excellent and diligent job of fiscal management for you and for CJJ. Many thanks to Derrick and all of the CJJ Finance Committee members!
If you have any questions about the activities of the CJJ Finance Committee or any other member-based leadership committees actively working on behalf of CJJ and its members, please feel free to contact Robin Jenkins, CJJ National Chair, at rjenkins@cccommunicare.org and/or Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director, at nancy@juvjustice.org.
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
NJJN Welcomes New Partners
This month the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) welcomes two new partners: Penal Reform International (PRI) and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA). NJJN partners agree to support NJJN members in their efforts to improve their state’s juvenile justice systems and to provide specific support in their areas of expertise. PRI will provide NJJN and its members with expertise in the area of international law and human rights, and will help NJJN use the standards for the treatment of youth in conflict with the law, as codified in international treaties and conventions, in NJJN’s state and national juvenile justice reform efforts. NLADA will help NJJN and its members with juvenile justice reform efforts, particularly in the areas of public defense service delivery, defender training and access to leaders in the public defense field.
CTJJA Releases Report
The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (CTJJA), an NJJN member, has issued a report on the Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS). This report details the plans for the facility as outlined by CJTS staff in a recent forum, and discusses recommendations for the CJTS emerging from an analysis by Mark Steward from the Missouri Youth Services Institute. For access to the full report, go to http://ctjja.org/.
Resources and Information of Note
NASHP Releases Report on Health Coverage for Transitional Youth
The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has released a report that describes ways for states to better enroll and keep juvenile justice and foster care system-involved youth in Medicaid and SCHIP. “Improving Access to Health Coverage for Transitional Youth” focuses on three ways to improve efforts: simplifying enrollment; enhancing retention during and through transitions undergone by the youth; and better integrating and coordinating services with partners. In conjunction with the report’s release, NASHP held a Web seminar on the topic. A recording can be found here.
Chapin Hall Explores Positive Youth Development Principles in Juvenile Justice Programs
A new report from the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago explores six juvenile justice programs that use positive youth development principles to improve their intervention approaches. The study, “Building on Strength: Positive Youth Development in Juvenile Justice Programs,” describes the factors that facilitate the adoption of such principles as well as implementation changes.
NJDC and NLADA Issue Core Principles for Legal Representatives of Children
The National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) have released “Ten Core Principles for Providing Quality Delinquency Representation through Public Defense Delivery Systems.” The principles provide criteria by which a public defense delivery system may fully implement the holding of In re Gault. In doing so, they offer guidance to public defense leaders and policymakers regarding the role of public defenders, contract attorneys, or assigned counsel in delivering zealous, comprehensive and quality legal representation on behalf of children facing both delinquency and criminal proceedings.
BJS Reports on Sexual Violence Reported by Juvenile Correctional Authorities
The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released “Sexual Violence Reported by Juvenile Correctional Authorities, 2005-06.” The report presents data from the 2005 and 2006 Survey on Sexual Violence, an administrative records collection of incidents required under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 of youth-on-youth and staff-on-youth sexual violence reported to juvenile correctional authorities.
According to the report, state, local and private juvenile correctional authorities reported an estimated 4,072 allegations of sexual violence involving youth held in juvenile facilities during 2005 and 2006. It was the equivalent of 16.8 allegations per 1,000 youth held in state, local or private facilities in 2006 and 16.7 allegations per 1,000 youth in 2005.
Federal Report Profiles Children’s Well Being
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has released “America’s Children In Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008.” The report includes detailed information on the welfare of children and families, addressing a range of topics including family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.
In the News
July 13 – The Washington Post published, “Juvenile Justice,” an editorial advocating for JJDPA Reauthorization and the strengthening of the deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO) core requirement.
July 14 – An editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle, “Rehabilitating juvenile justice,” recommended that the Senate fully support the JJDPA Reauthorization Bill and that the Senate Judiciary Committee approve an amendment to provide mental health assessments to juveniles in the system.
July 17 – The Baltimore Sun published an editorial, “Kids in jail,” supporting the JJDPA Reauthorization, as well as an amendment to the bill proposed by Senator Benjamin L. Cardin to phase out the valid court order (VCO) exception to the DSO core requirement.
August 7 – “Disparities in Juvenile Justice System,” a story on New Hampshire Public Radio, highlighted recent statistics from the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice that indicate disproportionate minority contact within the system, particularly for African American and Hispanic youth. The story notes the work of the state DMC committee and includes an interview with state DMC Coordinator Eddie Edwards.
Upcoming Conferences/Trainings
October 21-22 – The International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO) and the County Council of Justice and Public Administrations of the Generalitat Valenciana will host the International IJJO Conference, “Juvenile justice systems in Europe: current situation, trends in applicable models and good practices,” in Valencia, Spain. Learn more here.
November 6-8 – The Search Institute will host its 2008 Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth Conference in Minneapolis, MN, with the theme “Igniting Sparks: Connect to Hope!” Learn more here.
The CJJ e-Monitor is brought to you by staff and volunteer leaders of CJJ, and supported by membership fees paid by CJJ’s State Advisory Group members, Members at Large and Allies. We are grateful to all for their ongoing support.
The CJJ e-Monitor is distributed in the first week of every month. To submit items for publication, e-mail Kitty McCarthy at mccarthy@juvjustice.org. Items must be submitted two weeks prior to the first of the month for consideration. Inclusion and editing of submissions are subject to CJJ editorial guidelines.
To electronically subscribe or unsubscribe to the CJJ e-Monitor, please send a request with your name and contact information to info@juvjustice.org.
— Robin Jenkins, 2008-09 CJJ National Chair
— Kitty McCarthy, Editor
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