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REAUTHORIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE JJDPA NOW!!!

ACTION ALERT - July 2, 2008
On June 18, 2008, Senators Leahy, Specter, and Kohl introduced S. 3155, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008.  This bill reauthorizes the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, one of the main federal laws dealing with juvenile justice issues.  For a brief two-page summary of the bill, put together by the ACT 4 Juvenile Justice campaign (ACT4JJ), click here.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to move the bill through the Committee as early as next Thursday, July 10th.  Given this tight schedule, we are asking you to take action now to urge Congress to strengthen and reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA).  Fax a letter ASAP from your national organization to either the entire Judiciary Committee and/or field offices to their State's Judiciary office.  For a template support letter, please click here.

        SENATE JUDICIARY MEMBERS CONTACT INFO:

For more information on the JJDPA and the Act 4 Juvenile Justice campaign, visit www.act4jj.org.

Your support is crucial as we move forward in our efforts and we look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Act 4 Juvenile Justice Campaign

The JJDPA
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act is the most important piece of federal legislation affecting youth in juvenile justice systems across the country. It is the principle federal program through which the federal government sets standards for juvenile justice systems at the state and local level, providing direct funding for states, research, training, and technical assistance, and evaluation.
 
The original enactment of the JJDPA occurred in 1974; Congress passed the first comprehensive piece of juvenile justice legislation to date. Although the JJDPA has been amended several times over the past 30 years, its basic shape remains similar to that of its original concept. As it was passed in 1974, the JJDPA focused largely on preventing juvenile delinquency and on rehabilitating juvenile offenders.
           
The JJDPA contains four “core protections” which require states to comply as a condition of receiving federal juvenile justice funding. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act prohibits, with certain exceptions, the use of adult jails and lockups for the incarceration of juveniles. The four “core protections” are listed below:

1. Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders. This requirement specifies that non-secure alternatives must be found for juveniles who are charged with or have committed acts that would not be against the law if committed by an adult.

2. Sight and Sound Separation. This requirement states that juveniles being securely detained must be "sight and sound" separate from adult detainees.

3. Jail Removal. This requirement stipulates that no juvenile shall be detained or confined in any adult jail or lockup. The following exceptions are made:

• Juveniles accused of a crime may be held for up to six hours for processing.
  
• Juveniles waived to adult court may be detained because they are no longer under the jurisdiction of the JJDP Act.

4. Disproportionate Minority Confinement. If the number of juveniles from minority groups who are confined in secure detention facilities exceeds the proportion such groups represent in the general population, then such confinements should be addressed.

In 2007, some researchers estimate that as many as 200,00 youth have their cases processed in the adult criminal court each year as a result of prosecutorial or judicial waiver, statutory exclusion (for certain offense categories), or because these youth reside in states with a lower age of criminal jurisdiction (age 16 or 17). These youth, because they are not under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, are not covered by JJDPA protections. Right now, juvenile arrest rates are at historically low rates – lower than any levels recorded since the 1980s. 

Please visit for more information about the JJDPA and the 2007 Reauthorization - www.act4jj.org

 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) Briefing Book
We have provided you with a briefing book on the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) which is scheduled for reauthorization in 2007. The JJDPA provides crucial funding for state delinquency prevention and juvenile justice programs. The JJDPA was most recently reauthorized in 2002 with bi-partisan support.

This fact book contains the following items:

• a statement of principles highlighting our goals in the JJDPA reauthorization;
  
• fact sheets providing information about the JJDPA and the juvenile justice system;
  
• a list of sources for additional information on the JJDPA and related topics; and,
  
• a complete list of Act 4 Juvenile Justice Working Group members with contact information;

JJDPA Briefing Book (PDF 1.5 MB)
 
Statement of Principles
This document urges Congress to adhere to the following four principles in approaching the Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). These principles are grounded in research and their efficacy underscored by the fact that the JJDPA has for more than 30 years provided direction and support for juvenile justice system improvement and, thereby, significantly contributed to the diminution of juvenile crime and delinquency. 

JJDPA Statement of Principles (PDF 2.6 MB)
 
National Council on Crime and Delinquency Fact Sheet: Negative Impacts on Youth Processed in the Adult System
This fact sheet presents statistics and issues related to persons under the age of 18 involved in the adult criminal justice system in the US, regardless of whether their state considers them adults or juveniles. In all cases, the latest available data is represented.

NCCD Fact Sheet (PDF 140 KB)
 
National Juvenile Defender Center: Ten Core Principles for Providing Quality Delinquency Representation, through Indigent Defense Delivery Systems
This fact sheet presents The Ten Core Principles for Providing Quality Delinquency Representation through Indigent Defense Delivery Systems. The Principles also serve to offer greater guidance to the leadership of indigent defense providers as to the role of public defenders, contract attorneys or assigned counsel in delivering zealous, comprehensive and quality legal representation on behalf of children in delinquency proceedings as well as those prosecuted in adult court.

NJDC 10 Principles Fact Sheet (PDF 132 KB)