Policy Recommendations

The Coalition for Juvenile Justice releases policy recommendations to the Administration and to Congress every year.  Through a collaborative process of the Government Relations Committee, the final recommendations represent the collective voice of CJJ member states, territories, and allies.

2025 CJJ’s Recommendations to the 119th Congress

Our full recommendations are available here. 

2023 CJJ’s Recommendations to the 118th Congress

  1. Restore appropriations for juvenile justice programs
  2. Ensure appropriate implementation and oversight of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
  3. Eliminate the Valid Court Order (VCO) exception
  4. Address and end racial and ethnic disparities within the justice system
  5. Build on proven strategies to increase school engagement and success for all youth and prevent the conflation of school discipline policy and juvenile justice system sanctions, also known as the “school-to-prison pipeline”
  6. Reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
  7. Ensure that trafficked youth are treated as survivors instead of being criminalized
  8. Pass the REDEEM Act

Our full recommendations are available here. 

2021 CJJ’s Recommendations to the Administration

  1. Appoint a permanent administrator for OJJDP
  2. Reinforce the critical role of the federal government in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention by strengthening OJJDP
  3. Prioritize implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA)
  4. Restore robust levels of federal investment in delinquency prevention and juvenile justice reform
  5. Prevent the conflation of school discipline policy and juvenile justice sanctions, also known as the “school-to-prison pipeline” and build on proven strategies to increase school engagement and success for all youth

Our full recommendations are available here.