Act4JJ Recommendations

A CAMPAIGN OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE & DELINQUENCY PREVENTION COALITION

http://www.act4jj.org/

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA)
Recommendations
The Act 4 Juvenile Justice campaign of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Coalition believes that the time is right for Congress to reauthorize the JJDPA. In recent years, events
across the nation have highlighted the need for juvenile justice system reform. Congress can take steps
now to assist states to improve conditions many juveniles endure while detained in youth correctional
institutions, boot camps and other facilities; to eliminate the placement of youth in adult jails and
prisons; and to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the justice system.
We believe JJDPA reauthorization should be grounded in recent research conducted by the Department
of Justice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other national and state organizations.
We also believe that any JJDPA reauthorization should include the following recommendations, which
address the most timely and critical juvenile justice reform issues:
1. Extend the jail removal and sight and sound separation core protections to all youth under the
age of 18 held pretrial, whether charged in juvenile or adult court.
2. Change the definition of “adult inmate” to allow certain States to continue to place youth
convicted in adult court in juvenile facilities rather than adult prisons without jeopardizing
federal funding.
3. Strengthen the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) core protection by requiring States
to take concrete steps to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
4. Strengthen the Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) core protection, which
prohibits the locked detention of status offenders, by removing the Valid Court Order and
Interstate Compact exceptions.
5. Provide safe and humane conditions of confinement for youth in state and/or local custody by
restricting use of JJDPA funds for dangerous practices and encouraging States to promote
adoption of best practices and standards.
6. Assist States in coming into compliance with the JJDPA and establish Incentive Grants to
encourage States to adopt evidence-based or promising best practices that improve outcomes
for youth and their communities.
7. Enhance the partnership between States and the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) by expanding training, technical assistance, research, and
evaluation and the partnership between OJJDP and Congress by encouraging transparency,
timeliness, public notice, and communication.
8. Expand juvenile crime prevention efforts by reauthorizing and increasing funding for JJDPA
Title V and Mentoring