This issue of OJJDP News at a Glance contains feature articles on the U.S. Justice Department's observation of Missing Children's Day; OJJDP's implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act; a listening session on preventing and responding to school violence; OJJDP's hosting of an AMBER Alert symposium; and featured sections on training opportunities, OJJDP research, and upcoming events.
"Justice Department Observes Missing Children's Day" describes the ceremony on May 22, 2019, which recognized the efforts of law enforcement personnel and citizens in rescuing missing children and protecting children from harm. "Implementing the Juvenile Justice Reform Act" focuses on the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) efforts in implementing the Juvenile Justice Reform Act (JJRA) of 2018. It reauthorized and substantially amended the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. The JJRA becomes effective on October 1, 2019. It will grant the OJJDP Administrator the authority to increase the minimum allocation to states that are participating in the Formula Grants program, adds program areas states may support with formula grant funds, and includes new protections for youth who are charged and tried as adults; and it adds more stringent requirements for detaining low-level, nonviolent juvenile offenders who have violated a court order. "OJJDP Hosts AMBER Alert Symposium" reports on an event held April 16-18, 2019, in which attendees (Child Abduction Response Team members) from the United States, Mexico, and Canada participated in training sessions and shared best practices for improving the response to missing and exploited children. This issue also announces the availability of a new issue of The AMBER Advocate.