NCJ Number
245429
Date Published
July 2011
Length
45 pages
Annotation
Results are presented from the International Association of Chiefs of Police's (IACP's) Juvenile Justice Training Needs Assessment Survey, a national survey that received 672 responses from law enforcement officials representing 404 law enforcement agencies from 49 States and the District of Columbia.
Abstract
The survey identified respondents' agencies most pressing issues and concerns regarding juvenile crime, delinquency, and victimization. The public safety issues that involve juveniles include substance abuse; physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse; juvenile repeat offenders; bullying/cyberbullying; gangs; Internet crimes that involve juveniles/youth as perpetrators/victims; runaways; and school safety. The survey responses as well as the anecdotal evidence provided by survey participants indicate law enforcement officials have a strong motivation to improve how they address juvenile justice and youth safety issues. This concern relates to the structure of juvenile operations and the delivery of training that specifically addresses priority youth issues that are challenging law enforcement agencies; however, the survey also found that the primary reasons that inhibit law enforcement agencies from receiving juvenile justice training are lack of funding and agency personnel. Just over half of responding agencies had a decrease in, or abolishment of training budgets in the last 5 years. 13 charts and appended survey questionnaire and a listing of responding agencies