NCJ Number
218367
Date Published
December 2006
Length
45 pages
Annotation
This annual report to the United States President and U.S. Congress outlines critical concerns and issues in juvenile justice identified by the States for 2006, along with recommendations based on these concerns and issues discussed.
Abstract
Of the 37 States that responded to the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice’s (FACJJ's) questionnaire identifying States’ primary juvenile justice concerns, more than half or 28 percent reported that the disproportionate number of minorities who had contact with the juvenile justice system was their top concern. Fifteen States indicated that addressing the mental health disorders of youth in the juvenile justice system was a major problem. Nearly all the responding States (31) stressed the need for the President and Congress to adequately fund Federal juvenile justice programs. Additional concerns and issues identified by the states included: (1) the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 2002; (2) adoption of evidenced-based juvenile programs proven through research and evaluation; (3) effective legal representation for juveniles; and (4) the sentencing of young offenders to lengthy mandatory minimum sentences or life without parole. Based on the concerns presented and discussed, FACJJ presents 18 recommendations to the President of the United States and the U.S. Congress. The FACJJ is an advisory body established by the JJDP Act of 1974. The role of FACJJ is to advise the President and Congress on matters related to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, to advise the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator on the work of OJJDP and to evaluate the progress and accomplishments of juvenile justice activities and projects. FACJJ is comprised of representatives of the State Advisory Groups (SAGs) of the 50 States, District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. Recommendations were developed using questionnaire responses from nearly 40 SAGs. References