CJJ Today

12
Nov
0

Developmental Competency: Putting a Developmental Approach into Practice

Co-authored by: Lisa H. Thurau, Executive Director, Strategies for Youth, Inc. Amanda Petteruti, Senior Research Associate, Justice Policy Institute An overwhelming body of empirical research in psychology and biology has shown that a young brain processes and responds to stimuli differently than an adult, therefore, creating very different reactions. The National Research Council recently released a study saying that adolescents are “less able to regulate their own behavior in emotionally charged contexts…more sensitive to peer pressure and immediate rewards…[and] show less ability to make judgments and decisions that require future orientation.”
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29
Oct
0

Improving Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

By Elizabeth Seigle, Policy Analyst, Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center There has been significant progress in juvenile justice reform, with youth confinement rates decreasing by nearly 50 percent from 1997 to 2011, and juvenile arrest rates in 2011 at their lowest level in more than 30 years. While much progress has been made diverting youth from involvement in the juvenile justice system, there is still a great need to measure, and ultimately improve, the recidivism rates and other outcomes for youth under system supervision. With over 60,000 youth still in confinement on any given day and hundreds of thousands more on probation, policymakers and juvenile justice professionals are seeking guidance on how to ensure that system interventions and limited resources are used most effectively to promote youth’s transition from involvement with the juvenile justice system to a crime-free and productive adulthood.
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01
Oct
0

Engaging your State Advisory Group: Tips for Young Leaders

By Robert Vickery, Executive Director, Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission It’s pretty common to hear State Advisory Group (SAG) members talk about engaging youth members. Less often do I hear discussions about how youth can actively engage their SAG. Getting involved with a SAG offers a great opportunity for young adults wanting to share their experience, influence policy, learn about grant making procedures, and interact with government officials. And involvement with SAGs doesn’t have to be limited to formal membership to meet federal requirements. Young leaders can engage on specific SAG projects or issues, provide youth voice on policy topics, and give feedback on grant making activities.
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08
Sep
0

Why the JJDPA Still Matters

By Marie Williams, Executive Director, Coalition for Juvenile Justice When first enacted in 1974, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) revolutionized juvenile justice practice across the United States. While not commonly discussed as such, the JJDPA is, at its core, reform legislation. By establishing core protections for young people who come into conflict with the law (and incentives for states to adopt those protections), it codified at the federal level several truths that practitioners and advocates on the state level had already accepted as self-evident.
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