In Support of the Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act
Resolution 8: In Support of the Reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act
WHEREAS, the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) is the main law governing federal efforts to support effective juvenile justice and delinquency prevention activities; and
WHEREAS, the last major revision to the JJDPA was in 2002, which consolidated most of the grant purpose areas under a larger Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Block Grant; and
WHEREAS, in recent years Congress has tended to focus on more punitive efforts to deal with offending youth such as harsher penalties and reduced protections; and
WHEREAS, in response to several high-profile criminal incidents involving juveniles, there have been prior legislative efforts to federalize juvenile justice prosecution; and
WHEREAS, state and local governments have developed extensive and sophisticated mechanisms for the adjudication and treatment of juveniles and have compiled a wealth of knowledge and experience in these matters; and
WHEREAS, state courts have provided the adjudicatory forum for addressing matters of juvenile delinquency and have remained willing and able to continue to provide this service;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conferences support the reauthorization of this important legislation subject to the following:
- Ensure Judicial Participation in State Planning: It is critical that the judiciary be viewed at all levels as a full participant in the juvenile justice system and have a meaningful role in state funding decisions and in developing and implementing state plans for improvements.
- Maintain Flexibility in Administering the Juvenile Delinquency Programs: Administrators of juvenile justice programs, including those involved in the adjudication of juveniles, need flexibility to carry out their responsibilities and to tailor appropriate responses that will be effective for each youth in each set of circumstances. Federal lawmakers should respect the institutional knowledge that state and local practitioners have achieved in this area and recognize the variations in juvenile justice systems across the states.
Adopted as proposed by the CCJ/COSCA Courts, Children and Families Committee on August 1, 2007.