CJJ | Special: Juvenile Justice and the 2009 Presidential Transition
On November 10, 2009, CJJ sent a letter to Laurie O. Robinson to congratulate her on her confirmation as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice. Ms. Robinson served in this capacity under the Clinton Administration, and her confirmation moves the Obama Administration one step closer to naming and confirming a nominee to be the next OJJDP Administrator.
[1] CJJ Letter of Congratulations to Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice
As part of our Government Relations work, CJJ is committed to making sure that President-elect Obama and the relevant members of his incoming Administration are fully informed regarding our views and beliefs about the federal role in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. Similarly, it is our goal to ensure that our members are fully apprised of the President-elect’s plans and priorities for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention as expressed by him and relevant representatives of his Administration in the coming weeks and months.
On November 6, 2008, just two days after his election, the CJJ Executive Board forwarded to President-elect Obama a memorandum to share our thoughts and recommendations regarding a strong and focused federal role in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, including our thoughts and recommendations, and those of our members nationwide, regarding the administration and priorities of the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Specifically, the CJJ Executive Board highlighted the importance of the federal-state partnership, the statutory role of the SAGs, the preferred qualities and characteristics of the next OJJDP Administrators and our recommended priorities for the Office over the next four years.
[2] CJJ 2009 Transition Memo Regarding Recommendations for OJJDP and the next Administrator
On December 8, 2008, CJJ met with and hand-delivered to Laurie O. Robinson, Chair of the Obama-Biden Transition Team for the Office of Justice Programs, a memorandum that outlines our top recommendations for OJJDP. Based on input from the nationwide CJJ membership, comprising more than 1800 juvenile justice practitioners, stakeholders and advocates in the states, we strongly urged the incoming Administration to:
- Immediately restore a vigorous federal role for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention innovation and oversight within the Office of Justice Programs at OJJDP;
- Quickly appoint a strong and visionary Administrator of OJJDP with certain qualifications and characteristics;
- Task the new OJJDP Administrator to provide clear direction to the 111th Congress and the White House to ensure a strong reauthorization of the JJDPA, and restore confidence in OJJDP and its federal investments.
[3] Recommendations Regarding the Transition of OJJDP and its Administrator
Also on December 8, 2008, the Act 4 Juvenile Justice Campaign, co-chaired by CJJ, transmitted a letter to President-elect Barack Obama and Attorney General-designate Eric Holder outlining three major recommendations for the new Administration. In brief, Act4JJ strongly urged to the President-elect and Attorney General-designate to:
- Elevate and strengthen OJJDP within the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice;
- Include substantial federal investments in juvenile justice in the President’s Budget Recommendations to the 111th Congress; and
- Provide leadership and direction to the 111th Congress to ensure a strong reauthorization of the JJDPA in 2009.
The letter was copied to Laurie Robinson.
[4] Act 4 Juvenile Justice Campaign Recommendations
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. The juvenile justice section begins on page 11.
[5] Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People
[1]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources/public/resource_318.pdf
[2]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_225.pdf
[3]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_226.pdf
[4]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_227.pdf
[5]: http://juvjustice.org/media/resources//resource_228.pdf