NCJ Number
118169
Date Published
Unknown
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The basic viewpoints, goals, and activities of the Washington Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (GJJAC) during 1988 are summarized.
Abstract
GJJAC was formed in 1982 to promote delinquency prevention and improve the juvenile justice system. It analyzes juvenile justice data to identify problems and delinquency prevention needs and to award Federal funds to innovative demonstration projects. Among its basic positions are opposition to efforts to criminalize status offenders; support for effective prevention, early intervention, and treatment services; support for applied research on the juvenile justice system; support for effective outreach for runaways and homeless youth; and support for effective efforts to protect exploited or missing children. Analysis of juvenile statistics for 1988 shows that the number of youths held in local detention facilities declined from the first 6 months of 1987 to the first 6 months of 1988, that about five times as many juveniles were arrested for alcohol-related offenses as for drug offenses, and that more than 5,600 females aged 10 to 17 became pregnant in the State in 1986. Concerns include the lack of statewide detention standards, the increase in the rate and numbers of serious and violent offenders, and the numbers of chronic offenders. Lists of projects funded by the GJJAC in 1988 and discussion of compliance with the Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.