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November/December 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
- SPECIAL: CJJ Strives to Ensure a Juvenile Justice Focus in 2009 Presidential Transition
CJJ Conference News
- Save the Date! CJJ Annual National Conference, May 1-4, 2009 & CJJ Hill Day, May 5, 2009
- CJJ Proudly Co-hosted the 2008 Oregon Governor’s Summit on DMC
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
- New Partners Join NJJN
Resources and Information of Note
- Future of Children Publishes Volume on Juvenile Justice
- Ten Communities Selected to Implement Reclaiming Futures
- Reclaiming Futures Launches Blog
- OJJDP Publishes Bulletins on Girls’ Delinquency, Youth Residential Placement Survey, Co-Occurrence of Substance-Related Behaviors, 2006 Juvenile Arrest Data
- In the News
- Upcoming Conferences
CJJ Leadership News
Message from Robin Jenkins, CJJ 2008-09 National Chair
Millions of voters went to the polls on November 4. Whether or not your preferred candidate won, you cannot deny the historical importance of the election; from the excitement brought by the candidates and issues to the voter energy and the final result, history was indeed made. And for juvenile justice, it appears to be a fortuitous change in the governmental winds. I write this not to fan the flames of defeat among the McCain campers, but to suggest that the theme of change seemed to resonate strongly throughout the U.S. states and territories based on the results. Both Senator McCain and now President-elect Obama offered change. And the results of the election signified that Americans indeed want and seek change.
Two days after the election, on Nov. 6, the American Bar Association (ABA) sponsored an important and pivotal Town Hall Meeting at the Georgetown University School of Law: “A Call to Action for Juvenile Justice.” The meeting was moderated by Charles J. Ogletree, Professor at Harvard Law School, Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, and a juvenile justice policy expert and advisor to President-elect Obama. The event signaled to juvenile justice professionals and our allies that times are "a-changing." Indeed, an expert panel and dozens of groups, including CJJ, the Act-4-JJ initiative for JJDPA reauthorization and CJJ allies, spoke up regarding setbacks, problems and opportunities in the juvenile justice field across the country. From poignant presentations by young men in Oak Hill, D.C.’s juvenile detention facility, to stories from program providers and policy analyses from professors, judges, reporters and Attorneys General, this event documented the pervasive dysfunction seen in many areas of the juvenile system. In summarizing the event’s presentations and goals, Professor Ogletree made it very clear that the next administration would value social justice for all youth, and would pay much more attention to the issues facing our youth – with an eye especially toward prevention and stronger inter-governmental collaboration. What music to our ears! Now we’ll move forward in our work with both parties in Congress toward reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA)!
’Tis the season of blessings. The CJJ e-Monitor this month is a combined two-month volume for November and December. Because I won’t have a chance to “speak” to you until January, I thought I’d offer my humble, heartfelt appreciation to each of you for your partnership, friendship, advocacy and spirits in regards to the upcoming holiday season. When I count my blessings, I always come to the same place – I’m blessed beyond words. In addition to my family, local friends and fellow North Carolina SAG colleagues, I’ve met and grown to love juvenile justice professionals from the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and nearly every state in the continental U.S. I’ve gained from relationships, training and networking with experts brought forward via CJJ’s training and technical assistance efforts. I have worked and continue to work with CJJ Executive Board members, who are unparalleled in their affections for proper social and juvenile justice – individuals who give tirelessly and into the long hours of the night and on weekends to serve our membership and our youth. I’ve become a huge fan of the Council of SAGs, SAG Chairs and other SAG members, CJJ Members At Large, JJ Specialists, DMC Coordinators and state staff members who make the wheels go in state administering agencies and programs across this country.
I’ve met scholars and researchers through the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the JEHT Foundation, and many other organizations. Through collaborations with governmental organizations and the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, I’ve learned from and been positively influenced by the leadership of so many. I’ve witnessed heart-wrenching, tear-jerking and motivating stories of youth overcoming impossible odds to win CJJ’s annual Spirit of Youth Awards, and stood in awe and appreciation for those CJJ leaders and advocates who have been recognized for their contributions through CJJ’s prestigious A. L. Carlisle Child Advocacy Awards and our Outstanding Juvenile Justice Specialist Awards. And I’ve had the privilege of working with highly talented CJJ and NJJN staff members, who think nothing of stepping up to the plate every time there is a need or desire to make a positive move toward effective solutions involving complex problems.
Yes, I’m thankful – so thankful that CJJ affords such membership opportunities and activities that have enriched and improved my life in both measurable and immeasurable ways. And CJJ can do the same for you. The only thing that may be missing is your involvement, your commitment, and your willingness to step up and be a state and/or national leader. Please never forget the value of contributions you make in your own daily walks – you will never know how much you are touching and making a difference in so many lives. But you can know, in no uncertain terms, that CJJ values you and wants you in the membership family for years to come so that we can share experiences together.
David Wolpe, in “Why Faith Matters,” writes of the importance of the silence between the notes – the gaps in between musical sounds that make the whole musical composition complete. It’s true that without intervals, music would be a constant stream of noise and notes that would not sound or seem melodic. Think of a quarter or half note – without the “rest,” the wait, the sequencing of music would not make sense. This metaphor of order, of believing in something even though you can’t see or hear it, is fundamental to CJJ as well. I hope that you can believe that even though CJJ is a national organization seemingly abstract to many, the individuals who make daily contributions to kids, families, and communities are the “silences” in the melody – the glue that holds CJJ together as a membership organization. We’re not a remote Washington, D.C., entity – we’re you and me. I invite you to bring your individual skills and contributions to the state and national stage through CJJ as so many have done thus far.
Happy Thanksgiving and happiest of holidays – in keeping with your personal faith or persuasion. During these times, as we balance the blessings we experience with the obligations to serve the less fortunate and more vulnerable among us, I am certain that you too are counting your own blessings and lining up volunteer opportunities to touch lives in times of want. That balance – service coupled with personal skills, strengths and the very positive things in our lives that we consider blessings – makes you special both to CJJ as an organization and to me. Thank you again for being who you are and for being a member of CJJ’s network. And we’ll be in touch …
As always, warm wishes of health and happiness in your personal and work lives. Your comments are always welcome: rjenkins@cccommunicare.org.
Robin Jenkins
Message from Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ Executive Director
Warm Season’s Greetings to All. It is truly a time to give thanks.
Today, nearly 25 years after our founding in 1984, CJJ continues to have enormous impact due to the many extraordinary contributions of our organization’s members. Hundreds of CJJ members, on top of often monumental “day jobs,” family responsibilities and community work, contributed precious time and expertise to serve as CJJ leaders in 2008. In fact, CJJ’s level of member participation has never been greater.
Please join me in extending warm appreciation, on behalf of all CJJ members and allies, to the following—as well as many others too numerous to mention—who devote themselves to CJJ’s mission.
CJJ’s 2008-2009 Executive Board: Throughout 2008, the members of CJJ’s Executive Board (who will also continue to serve in 2009) have met monthly or more often to address matters of governance, policy, strategy and organizational development. Their guardianship of CJJ keeps us strong! And, this month, we are pleased to welcome two newly-appointed members to the Board: Melody McCray Miller of Kansas as a Western Region Representative and Carlos Hendricks of New Jersey as a Northeast Region Representative.
- Robert (Robin) Jenkins, Ph.D., National Chair (North Carolina)
- David R. Schmidt, National Vice Chair (New Mexico)
- The Honorable Paul H. Lawrence, Immediate Past National Chair (New Hampshire)
- Cindy Durham, Treasurer/Secretary (Tennessee)
- Gina E. Wood, Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Chair (Virginia)
- Andrew K. Jennings, National Youth Chair (Virginia)
- Abby Anderson, National Juvenile Justice Network Representative (Connecticut)
- The Honorable Michael Mayer, Midwest Region Chair (Minnesota)
- Keith Wood, Midwest Region Representative (Missouri)
- Reverend Dr. James G. Kirk, STD, Northeast Region Chair (Maryland)
- Susan Kamp, MS, Northeast Region Representative (Vermont)
- Carlos Hendricks, Northeast Region Representative (New Jersey)
- Linda W. Hayes, Southern Region Chair (North Carolina)
- Eric Williams, Southern Region Representative (Mississippi)
- Rodney A. Cook, Western Region Chair (Oregon)
- Katie Wells, MPA, CAC III, Western Region Representative (Colorado)
- The Honorable Melody McCray-Miller, Western Region Representative (Kansas)
- Theresa Lay-Sleeper, National Juvenile Justice Specialist (Vermont)
- Richard Lindahl, former National Juvenile Justice Specialist (New Mexico)
- Brad Richardson, Ph.D., National DMC Coordinator (Iowa)
- Thomas Harig, former National DMC Coordinator (New York)
CJJ’s 2008 Leadership Committees: In its every endeavor, CJJ engages its members, from many vantage points, in leadership committees. We thank the committee chairs, listed below, as well as the many wonderful committee members.
Bylaws committees:
- Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee, Gina Wood (Virginia), Chair
- Youth Committee, Andrew Jennings (Virginia), Chair
- Conference Planning Committee, David Schmidt (New Mexico), Chair
- Finance Committee, Derrick Johnson (Arizona), Chair, Cindy Durham (Tennessee), Treasurer
- Nominating Committee, Paul Lawrence (New Hampshire), Chair
Ad Hoc committees:
- Government Relations Committee, Ken Schatz (Vermont), Chair, Ward Loyd (Kansas), Vice Chair
- Training and Technical Assistance Committee, Sue Kamp (Vermont), Chair
- Fund Raising Committee, Jim Kirk (Maryland), Chair
CJJ benefitted greatly from the involvement of member-advisory groups that have informed and added value to staff work, including:
- CJJ’s Compliance Project Advisory Committee
- CJJ’s JDAI-SAG Peer Mentoring and Training Team
- The 2008 Oregon Governor’s DMC Summit Planning Committee that provided CJJ the opportunity to partner and co-host this event with the State of Oregon
If you are interested in considering a CJJ leadership post or wish to participate in any of these functions in 2009, please contact me—there’s always room for more: nancy@juvjustice.org and 202-467-0864, ext. 111.
CJJ Government Relations Alert
SPECIAL: CJJ Strives to Ensure a Juvenile Justice Focus in 2009 Presidential Transition
Now that the 2008 elections are over, President-elect Obama, his transition team and members of Congress are being inspired and encouraged by various groups, and by the current economic climate, to take a fresh look at the policies and structures of, and the resources dedicated to, our nation’s criminal and juvenile justice systems, particularly as they relate to the federal role in supporting state and local efforts to reduce delinquency and improve the lives of children, youth and families.
To ensure that the challenges and opportunities related to juvenile justice receive positive and meaningful consideration among the many competing priorities in this new political environment, CJJ has committed itself to leveraging its strong and diverse relationships with national allies to communicate its priorities around juvenile justice to the President-elect and representatives of his incoming Administration. To date, our efforts have taken a number of exciting forms, resulting in a number of documents that advance clear and concise recommendations for the next Administration and the next Congress. To maximize our efforts, we encourage all CJJ members to download these documents and use them as points of entry and compasses for direction when communicating with congressional representatives, Governors and state legislators.
First, at the urging of the CJJ National Executive Board, the CJJ Government Relations Committee drafted, and the Executive Board approved, a memorandum addressed to President-elect Obama that sets forth thoughts and recommendations of our members, nationwide, regarding a strong and focused federal role in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention in general, and the administration and priorities of the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in particular. The transition memo was first submitted to representatives of President-elect Obama’s transition team on November 6, 2008 (more details below), and CJJ will continue to put forth the memo to relevant parties as the next era of OJJDP takes shape. Click here to view the transition memo.
Second, CJJ, as a member of the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 40-year-old coalition of youth-serving nonprofits, helped to shape the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention section of Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People. The policy agenda, which was released September 15, 2008, contains an overarching set of recommendations for federal policy changes and investments designed to move this nation toward a brighter future and to invest in the needs of our children and youth. To ensure the greatest impact, CJJ also participated in a number of agenda educational meetings with key congressional leadership staff, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH). Click here to view a PDF of the agenda. The juvenile justice section begins on page 11.
Third, CJJ contributed and helped to shape the content of the Juvenile Justice Reform Chapter of “Smart on Crime: Recommendations for the Next Administration and Congress,” a transition catalogue compiled by the Constitution Project that identifies key issues and gathers policy advice from more than 25 organizations across 15 broad issue areas into one comprehensive set of recommendations for the new administration and Congress. CJJ’s specific contributions included a call for the reauthorization of a strengthened JJDPA, increased resources for JJDPA-participating states, and restoration of the roles and responsibilities of OJJDP. Click here to view the Juvenile Justice Reform Chapter or click here to view the report in its entirety.
Fourth, on November 6, 2008, two days after the election, CJJ addressed representatives of President-elect Obama’s transition team at a Town Hall Meeting on Juvenile Justice sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA) and co-sponsored, among others, by the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition, for which CJJ serve as Co-Chair. As part of its presentation, CJJ submitted and spoke to the recommendations contained in the CJJ Platform on Reauthorization of the JJDPA, the Act-4-JJ Statement of Principles on Reauthorization of the JJDPA, and CJJ’s transition memo on OJJDP (mentioned above). As mentioned in Robin Jenkins’ column, above, the town hall meeting was broadcast live on the Web, and a Briefing Book comprising all the documents submitted at the meeting, compiled by ABA, is available for viewing. Click here to view a PDF of the Briefing Book.
Finally, to help keep our members well-apprised of the most relevant transition activities and developments, CJJ has created a special section on its Web site entitled “Juvenile Justice and the 2009 Presidential Transition.” In the coming weeks and months, we invite our members and allies to visit and contribute. Click here to access this special section.
As the 2009 Presidential Transition moves forward, CJJ will continue to seek and take advantage of opportunities to inform and shape the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention priorities and policies of the next Administration. We invite all CJJ members to be in touch in order to contribute their wisdom, counsel and connections.
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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 Date! CJJ Annual National Conference, May 1-4, 2009 & CJJ Hill Day, May 5, 2009
We are excited that 2009 marks CJJ’s 25th Anniversary! Such an occasion gives us all much to celebrate and challenges us to envision the changes and improvements we seek in the next 25 years.
Please plan to join us for the coming year’s national conference, which, in addition to high quality presentations and workshops, will include the CJJ Council of SAGs’ Meeting (May 3) and business meetings for CJJ leadership committees, as well as for Juvenile Justice Specialists and DMC Coordinators. In addition, we will stage CJJ’s Annual Hill Day (May 5).
The preliminary theme for the conference is “Unlocking the Future of Juvenile Justice.” More details about the conference location near Washington, D.C., and our registration process will follow in January.
A superb conference planning team has begun its work, yet we need your assistance! If you have a few hours to participate in planning conference calls to develop content or shape special events, please contact Mark Ferrante at ferrante@juvjustice.org or 202-467-0864, ext. 102. The committee meets monthly.
CJJ Proudly Co-hosted the 2008 Oregon Governor’s Summit on DMC
On November 17-18, 2008, CJJ was pleased and proud to join with the Oregon SAG, known as the Oregon Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, 18 additional state and local sponsors, and both OJJDP and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, to help co-host the 2008 Governor’s Summit: “Eliminating Disproportionate Minority Contact in the Juvenile Justice System.”
It was an outstanding event, packed with substantive workshops that highlighted real progress in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in juvenile justice and other child/family services. Highlights included:
- The opening keynote and call to action by Bart Lubow of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- Powerful presentations by Hasan Davis, bringing forward personal history, as well as a bit of history not generally taught, “York—the Explorer.”
- Presentations by many CJJ leaders, members, allies and staff who traveled from 15 states to Oregon to share their insights and learn from others.
- Workshops that characterized Oregon’s multi-agency/multi-system response and approach to eliminating DMC, including law enforcement, judiciary, youth and family services, probation, community service providers and more.
- An evening reception hosted by Rod Cook and Katie Wells, featuring inspirational words and music.
- A moving and inspirational youth panel with young people ages 17-26—several of whom under “Measure 11” were sentenced in criminal court at the age of 15. They reminded us that they still need significant support and advocacy; now that they have rehabilitated their lives and become outstanding, contributing young adults, they face many doors slammed shut due to their criminal/felony records.
- Former Oregon Governor John A. Kitzhaber provided a final send-off for the Summit—and presented the 2008 Oregon Youth Awards. During his tenure as Governor, beginning in 1997, Kitzhaber pioneered and supported statewide efforts to eliminate over-representation of minorities in the juvenile justice system.
In her on-line magazine/blog, “Colors Influence,” Summit attendee Maileen Hamto provides commentary and a wonderful slide presentation from the event. Click here to view.
In closing, extra special thanks for making the Summit a success must be publicly given to the individuals who gave many, many hours of their time to the task of pulling all the pieces together, including: Anya Sekino, Oregon DMC Coordinator and member of the CJJ Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee; Dianna Brainard, Oregon Youth Authority, Office of Minority Affairs; Lonnie Jackson, Oregon Youth Authority, Director of the Office of Minority Affairs; Rodney Cook, CJJ Western Region Chair and member of the Oregon SAG; and Mark Ferrante, CJJ’s Director of Leadership and Training. Congratulations!
National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) News
New Partners Join NJJN
The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) welcomes the Center for Children’s Law and Policy (CCLP) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) as its newest partners. CCLP is a public interest law and policy organization focused on reform of juvenile justice and other systems that affect troubled and at-risk children, and protection of the rights of children in those systems. CCLP’s work covers a range of activities including research, writing, public education, media advocacy, training, technical assistance, administrative and legislative advocacy, and litigation. NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. NCLR previously worked with NJJN in the release of their publications on the best practice guidelines for LGBT youth in out of home care and their model standards project for LGBT youth.
Resources and Information of Note
Future of Children Publishes Volume on Juvenile Justice
The Future of Children, a collaboration of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and the Brookings Institution, has released its latest publication: “Juvenile Justice.” The publication examines juvenile justice policies and practices with the goal of promoting reforms that are based on solid evidence and acknowledges that adolescents differ from adults in ways that policy ought to take into account. It opens with an introduction by Laurence Steinberg:
“The developmental perspective on juvenile justice advanced in this volume can serve as the conceptual basis for widespread policy reform. One of its most important insights is that setting up a dichotomy between protecting the public and rehabilitating adolescent offenders is a false and short-sighted way of viewing matters. It is time to take the research findings that have accumulated during the past decade and transform the American juvenile justice system in ways that will both reduce crime and help many of society’s most vulnerable young people become productive adults. In the long run, this approach will best serve both young people and society.”
“Juvenile Justice” includes articles on disproportionate minority contact (DMC), female offenders, mental health, substance abuse, prevention and intervention programs and more. Click here to download “Juvenile Justice” in its entirety or to view a related policy brief and executive summary.
Ten Communities Selected to Implement Reclaiming Futures
Six communities in North Carolina, and four communities in Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois and Kentucky, have been selected to receive technical services and other support from Reclaiming Futures as a means to move toward adoption of the Reclaiming Futures’ model. The model is based on a tested approach that helps teens in the juvenile justice system to overcome problems with drugs and alcohol.
In North Carolina, leadership for this effort has been provided by CJJ National Chair Robin Jenkins and CJJ Southern Region Chair Linda Hayes, who serve as SAG Chair and Chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission, respectively. They are joined by many other concerned SAG members, practitioners and advocates in the state. North Carolina’s six sites will receive a total of $1.8 million in technical assistance and grants from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for work that will run through October 2010. Similarly, the sites in Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois and Kentucky will receive a total of $720,000 for projects to run through October 2010.
The Reclaiming Futures’ model recommends screening each teen that enters the juvenile justice system for drug and alcohol problems, assessing the severity of his/her drug and alcohol use, providing prompt access to a treatment plan coordinated by a service team, and connecting the teen with employers, mentors and voluntary service projects. Click here to learn more.
Reclaiming Futures Launches Blog
The national technical assistance center for Reclaiming Futures has launched a new blog titled “Reclaiming Futures Every Day.” The blog will share successes amongst Reclaiming Futures’ communities, provide expert tips, document progress and comment on new developments in teen alcohol and drug treatment and juvenile justice reform. Recent posts include a reference list for evidence-based adolescent substance treatment models and a discussion of what makes a community partnership work.
OJJDP Publishes Bulletins on Girls’ Delinquency, Youth Residential Placement Survey, Co-Occurrence of Substance-Related Behaviors, 2006 Juvenile Arrest Data
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has recently published several bulletins. In October, OJJDP released “The Girls Study Group—Charting the Way to Delinquency Prevention for Girls.” The bulletin, part of a series issued by the OJJDP Girls Study Group, provides an overview of research on female juvenile delinquency and summarizes findings presented in each of the remaining six bulletins in the series.
OJJDP also published “Introduction to the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement,” the first in a series of bulletins discussing survey findings and updated statistics on youth in custody. The first bulletin describes the survey’s design and methodology.
This month, OJJDP released "Co-occurrence of Substance Use Behaviors in Youth," which draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to analyze the prevalence and overlap of substance-related behaviors among youth.
Most recently, OJJDP published “Juvenile Arrests 2006.” The 12-page report summarizes and analyzes 2006 juvenile crime and arrest data reported by local law enforcement agencies across the country and cited in the FBI report, “Crime in the United States 2006.”
In the News
Nov. 3 – The Tri-City Herald (WA) published “Group to review juvenile justice practices in Tri-Cities,” discussing the community’s partnership (along with other counties in Washington state) with the Models for Change initiative.
Nov. 3 – An editorial in The News-Press (FL), “Undo zero-tolerance policy in schools” by David Utter, argues that vulnerable children are unnecessarily swept up in the juvenile justice system because of zero-tolerance policies in schools. The editorial suggests that zero tolerance should be reserved for only the most serious crimes and that schools should provide individual counseling, psychological and social services to children with learning disorders.
Upcoming Conferences
Feb. 23-25, 2009 – The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) hosts “Children Today … America’s Future,” its 2009 national conference in Washington, D.C.
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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