NCJ Number
219500
Date Published
August 2007
Length
40 pages
Annotation
This report outlines critical concerns and issues regarding juvenile justice.
Abstract
This 2007 Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ) Annual Recommendations Report to the President and Congress of the United States is the committee’s fourth annual report and outlines critical concerns and issues identified by FACJJ members and their State Advisory Groups (SAGs). It contains 15 recommendations that illustrate why juvenile justice must remain a national priority and emphasizes the importance of reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act. The recommendations were developed using questionnaire responses from SAGs from 47 States and territories, which identified their States’ primary juvenile justice concerns. FACJJ solicits input from the SAGs through an Annual Request for Information (ARI). The responses received from 47 States and jurisdictions to the 2006 ARI helped shape the recommendations in this report. The States identified three topics as the most critical issues confronting their juvenile justice systems: disproportionate minority contacts (DMC) (48 States), mental health assessment and treatment (30 States), and detention reform (22 States). A number of States also mentioned 3 other issues: substance abuse treatment (18); coordination of services and resources (15); and juvenile substance abuse (15). There was also a large increase in the number of States calling for an emphasis on evidence-based programming. State suggested recommendations to the President and Congress and to the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Program (OJJDP) focused on providing training and technical assistance on delinquency prevention and intervention, and mental health and substance abuse programs. States also want OJJDP to prioritize and support evidence-based programs, mental health assessments and treatment, and DMC reduction activities. References and appendix