Mission

Vision

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) envisions a nation where fewer children are at risk of delinquency and if they are at risk or involved with the justice system, they and their families receive every possible opportunity to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives.

Mission

CJJ is a nationwide coalition of State Advisory Groups (SAGs) and allies dedicated to preventing children and youth from becoming involved in the courts and upholding the highest standards of care when youth are charged with wrongdoing and enter the justice system.

Equity Statement

As a national membership organization, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) is committed to creating more just and equitable outcomes for all youth and children who are involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. We recognize that the history of oppression in the United States has resulted in ongoing and systemic disparities and we are well aware of the limitations of a nonprofit framework to address them. Yet, we believe that organizations that intentionally prioritize addressing disparities and engaging the perspectives of diverse stakeholders can evolve into an inclusive ally with a commitment to equity and will have profound impacts on the broader society. The Coalition for Juvenile Justice is a powerful network of members and change agents who embrace the opportunity before us to create positive systemic change.

For these reasons, CJJ is committed to transforming each aspect of our organization by eradicating our own biases and operationalizing our values. We know that intention alone will not change the experience of historically marginalized and oppressed populations. To this work, we bring the successes and mistakes of our own continuing efforts towards equity on behalf of our members. The mission and vision we hold for enriching the lives of all young people demands we directly challenge our working assumptions as we move forward together to deconstruct existing frameworks of oppression in order to create more opportunities for deeper learning, lasting change, and transparent accountability.

We acknowledge that: 
This work is urgent,
We will always be learning,
We will make mistakes and,
We will own our responsibility for corrective action.
Our efforts will be tireless and
We will not stop. 


CJJ is committed to our own equity journey, the diversity of our membership, and the broader youth justice field as change agents.  We contribute to an inclusive and equitable country and champion diversity as the foundation of success.

History

Since its inception in 1984, CJJ has supported a broad and active coalition across all 56 U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia, as the nonprofit association of Governor-appointed SAG members operating under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), along with allied staff, individuals, and organizations. CJJ members include concerned individuals, practitioners, advocates, and youth who voluntarily serve at the state and national levels. CJJ serves and supports SAGs that are principally responsible for monitoring and supporting their state’s progress in addressing the four core requirements of the JJDPA:

  1. Deinstitutionalizing status offenders;
  2. Ensuring that youth are not detained or confined in any institution where they may have contact with adult inmates. This is known as sight and sound separation;
  3. Removing youth from adult jails and lockups; and
  4. Reducing racial and ethnic disparities within the juvenile justice system.