The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Mission
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.
Achievements
Child Prostitution Initiatives. Addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children was an OJJDP priority in FY 2003 and 2004, and the Office supported several initiatives related to this effort. One program is helping two pilot communities develop model strategies for preventing and addressing the sexual exploitation of children. The Office also sponsored two summits—including one that provided a forum for sexually exploited youth—and a videoconference.
Disproportionate Minority Contact. One of the major changes introduced in the JJDP Act of 2002 was broadening the concept of disproportionate minority confinement to encompass minority youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system at any point. Long a leader in helping the nation address this issue, OJJDP further strengthened its efforts in FY 2003 and 2004. Activities included selecting a new tool to help states and localities determine the extent of minority representation in their juvenile justice systems, providing extensive training on legislative changes and other topics, and developing data collection methods.
Gang Reduction. According to the 2002 National Youth Gang Survey (the latest data available), 42 percent of law enforcement respondents indicated that their youth gang problem was “getting worse.” This is an increase from the 27 percent who indicated in the 2001 survey that the problem was getting worse. OJJDP began a new program in FY 2003 to help four pilot communities address a full range of factors that contribute to high levels of juvenile delinquency and gang activity. The program is unique in that it is targeting small geographic areas and addressing both the causes and effects of juvenile gang activity.
Research on Female Delinquency. OJJDP launched a major new initiative in FY 2004 to help provide much-needed information to the field about female delinquency and its causes. The Girls Study Group will develop the research foundation that communities need to make sound decisions about how best to address delinquency and violence by girls.
Tribal Youth Initiatives. During FY 2003 and 2004, OJJDP continued to support delinquency prevention programs and juvenile justice projects targeted to tribal youth. Respect for indigenous customs and tribal culture remained the cornerstone of many of these activities. In addition to providing funds for programmatic activities, the Office continued to support training and technical assistance projects and research and evaluation activities. It also initiated a program to strengthen tribal juvenile justice systems through accountability-based reforms. OJJDP held two conferences on tribal youth issues: one at Window Rock, AZ, the government seat of the Navajo Nation, and a Listening Conference in Washington, DC, to foster collaboration between tribes and the federal government.
Truancy Prevention. Truancy, which is a risk factor for delinquency and many other problems, affects not only students but also schools and communities. During FY 2003 and 2004, OJJDP strengthened its efforts to address truancy through several activities, including a new program that provides training and technical assistance to communities implementing truancy prevention programs. The Office also continued to support a truancy reduction demonstration program and began planning with the U.S. Department of Education for a national truancy conference to take place in December 2004.
Contact Information
J. Robert Flores
Administrator
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
810 Seventh Street, NW.
Room 3345, TechWorld Building
Washington, DC 20531
Phone: (202) 307-5911
Fax: (202) 307-2093
Website: www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org