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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has published Juveniles in Residential Placement, 1997–2008. Data cited in this fact sheet are derived from the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement and the Juvenile Residential Facility Census, both of which include 1-day counts of the juvenile placement population.

As the fact sheet confirms, the number of juvenile offenders in residential placement in publicly and privately operated juvenile facilities has declined steadily since 2000. In 2008, fewer than 81,000 juvenile offenders were housed in residential facilities at the time of the census, the lowest number since 1993.

Resources:
"Juveniles in Residential Placement, 1997–2008" is available online at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/229379.pdf.

Print copies may be ordered online at www.ncjrs.gov/App/ShoppingCart/ShopCart.aspx?item=NCJ+229379&repro.

On January 22, the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA) launched a national art contest for the cover of our annual Yearbook publication. The contest is seeking entries that interpret the following quote, “For a safer tomorrow, invest in our youths today.” This quote reflects CJCA’s support for investments in juvenile crime prevention and intervention programs as part of a comprehensive strategy to enhance public safety and improve outcomes for youths.

All youths committed to state juvenile corrections agencies are eligible to participate in the contest. Entries must be submitted by March 19. Click here to download the announcement and entry form.

Selections will be based on originality, quality of presentation and representation of the contest theme, “For a safer tomorrow, invest in our youths today.” Winning artwork will be featured on the cover of the 2010 CJCA Yearbook publication and gift cards for art supplies will be awarded. Winners will be announced in May 2010.

Questions?
Please contact Liz Mengers at 781-843-2663 or yearbook@cjca.net.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today named Marc A. Schindler as interim director of the District’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). “Marc Schindler has a good working knowledge of the agency as well as best practices in the field of juvenile justice and youth development,” said Mayor Fenty. “And I am confident he will maintain the progress and growth of the agency until a permanent director is in place.” Marc A. Schindler, Esq. Interim Director, Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services

Schindler has played an integral part of DYRS’s management team since March 2005. Prior to his appointment as interim director, Schindler served as chief of staff to the director since 2006, assisting with overall management of the agency and reforms, and was the agency’s point person on issues related to professional development, communications, legislative relations and internal investigations. He’s also served as DYRS’ first general counsel from 2005-2006, following the establishment of DYRS as a cabinet level agency. Prior to joining DYRS, Schindler served as a staff attorney with the Youth Law Center (YLC), a national public interest civil rights law firm dedicated to protecting the rights of young people in juvenile justice and child welfare systems nationwide, from 1997 to 2005. While at YLC he was involved with training, technical assistance, law reform litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy on legal issues related to children, with emphasis on improving the conditions of confinement for institutionalized children and addressing racial disparities in the justice system.

As an attorney with the YLC, he was involved in extensive advocacy on behalf of children in juvenile justice systems throughout the country, including in Maryland, Virginia, and the District.

Schindler also served as co-chair of the national Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Coalition in DC and was a founding member of the Justice for DC Youth Coalition, and taught children’s rights at American University’s Washington College of Law. Schindler has served on numerous boards and commissioners including:

• American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Committee (1993-2005)
• DC Police Complaints Board (2003-2005)
• Maryland Governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice (1996)
• Committee for Baltimore’s Children (1995)

In addition, Schindler has worked as an assistant public defender in Baltimore's juvenile court representing children in delinquency proceedings, where he was the recipient of the Cahill Award for outstanding commitment to service and chaired the Juvenile Law Committee of the Baltimore City Bar Association.

A graduate of Yale University and the University of Maryland School of Law, Schindler began his career more than 20 years ago. He has lived in the District for more than 10 years, currently residing in the Woodridge neighborhood with his wife and two children.

The National Reentry Resource Center will conduct a free webinar to help applicants respond to the Second Chance Act Section 101 solicitation for state and local reentry demonstration projects,which was released on December 22, 2009, by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Le'Ann Duran, director of the resource center, will host the webinar, which will feature Dr. Gary Dennis, BJA senior policy advisor for corrections, and Thomas Murphy, OJJDP state representative, who will explain the solicitation and application process and answer common questions. (The grant application deadline is March 4, 2010.)

The webinar, supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, will be held at 2:00 P.M. (E.T.) on Thursday, January 14, 2010.

To register for the webinar, click here.

In 2009, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, with funding support from the Public Welfare Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Open Society Institute, developed a Reentry Checklist for state and local governments, and a Second Chance Act Fact Sheet for the reentry field. The resource center recently updated these materials.

• To view the updated checklist, click here.
• To view the updated fact sheet, click here.

The resource center is continually updating its website with materials relevant to the reentry field. To learn more about the resource center, including how to upload content to the site, please click here.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity for Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts.

The purpose of this program is to expand and enhance substance abuse treatment services in problem-solving courts that use the juvenile drug court model to provide alcohol and drug treatment, recovery support services supporting substance abuse treatment, screening, assessment, case management, and program coordination to juvenile defendants and offenders. Priority should be given to addressing gaps in the existing continuum of treatment.

Eligibility is restricted to current juvenile treatment drug courts or tribal, state, and local governmental proxies that may apply on their behalf. Grantees from the 2009 cohort of this program are ineligible. Applications must be received by February 23, 2010.

Resources:
For additional information about this funding opportunity, visit www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2010/TI-10-004.aspx.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) invite applicants from state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes under their joint Second Chance Act Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Demonstration Projects solicitation.

The Second Chance Act is intended to support the reentry of adult and juvenile offenders from prison, jail, or juvenile residential facilities into their communities.

The application deadline is March 4, 2010.

Resources:
For further information about this solicitation, see the Program Announcement at ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2010/SecondChanceMentoring.pdf.

Questions regarding the juvenile-related requirements of this solicitation should be addressed to Thomas Murphy, Grants Program Specialist, at thomas.murphy@usdoj.gov or 202-353-8734.

Questions regarding any other requirement of this solicitation, contact Dr. Gary L. Dennis, Senior Policy Advisor for Corrections, at gary.dennis@usdoj.gov or 202-305-9059.

CJCA is pleased to announce completion of the most recent white paper, Defining and Measuring Recidivism, which was reviewed and agreed upon at the 2nd Annual Leadership Conference in Chicago. The paper is a product of the proceedings of the Recidivism Committee created by CJCA President Bernard Warner and chaired by CJCA Vice President Barry Stoodley. The paper contains recommended national standards for measuring recidivism in the juvenile justice system.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published a Notice of its Proposed Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 in the December 1, 2009, Federal Register. The Proposed Plan describes discretionary program activities that OJJDP proposes to carry out during FY 2010.

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today appointed Vincent N. Schiraldi as Commissioner of the Department of Probation. Commissioner Schiraldi is a national leader in the field of rehabilitation, with more than 25 years of experience and a record of reform and success. He most recently led Washington, DC's Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, where he turned a troubled agency that was on the verge of being placed under court supervision into a national model.

His reforms were recently recognized by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government "Innovations in American Government" awards program for being among the "Top 50" most innovative programs in the country. He will replace Acting Commissioner Patricia Brennan, who has served ably as Acting Commissioner since the departure of Commissioner Martin Horn last summer and will return to her role as Deputy Commissioner for Juvenile Operations. The Mayor announced the appointment in the Blue Room of City Hall, where he was joined by Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs. Commissioner Schiraldi is expected to begin work at the Department of Probation in February.

"For nearly five years Vinny Schiraldi has been a tremendous asset to the District, aggressively reforming the city's juvenile justice system," said District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. "He's created and implemented innovative programs that will serve as national best practice models for years to come. Some of the District's most troubled youth have greatly benefited from his work and commitment during my Administration as well as the previous Williams Administration. I wish Schiraldi much success, and congratulate Mayor Bloomberg on an excellent choice for probation commissioner."

Commissioner Schiraldi founded the Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice, a non-profit dedicated to reducing society's reliance on imprisonment as a solution to social problems. He has published more than 30 articles and has served on 10 boards and commissions in the field. His professional experience includes work as Director of the District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, Founder and Executive Director of the Justice Policy Institute in Washington, DC, Western Regional Director of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives in San Francisco, California, Case Developer at the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives in New York City, Houseparent/Recreation Coordinator at the New York State Division for Youth, Foster Parent at the San Francisco Department of Social Service and lecturer on juvenile justice reform at San Francisco State and Georgetown Universities.

The Department of Probation gives adult and juvenile offenders the tools they need to redirect their lives and holding them accountable if they fail to lead a law-abiding life. Probation works to strengthen families and reduce the number of juveniles removed from their homes. The department works with community groups and other criminal justice agencies, providing information and services to the courts and giving victims a voice in the justice system.

The W. Haywood Burns Institute, a leading organization in the field of juvenile justice and ethnic and racial disparities reduction, released The Keeper and the Kept, a report that examines local obstacles to reducing disparities in juvenile justice systems. The publication is the second in a series, following Adoration of the Question: Reflections on the Failure to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Desparities in Juvenile Justice Systems.

The National Juvenile Court Services Association has designed an online training curriculum to train juvenile justice managers. Sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Professional Juvenile Justice Manager (PJMM) certificate program includes a series of online courses. Students will spend two weeks on each course, working on basic lecture material, specialized readings, and self-assessment questions.

The program is designed to train staff and to provide certification for supervisors currently in the field. Those who successfully complete the program will receive certification from the American Probation and Parole Association.

Resources:

To access a list of PJMM courses and register online, visit www.njcsacertification.org/course/ca tegory.php?id=29.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is currently accepting applications for the Offender Reentry Program. The purpose of the program is to expand or enhance substance abuse treatment and related recovery and reentry services to sentenced juvenile and adult offenders returning to the community from incarceration for criminal/juvenile offenses. Programs should help those who have been incarcerated make a stable transition back to the community, provide treatment for drug and alcohol abusers, and reduce future offending.

Grants will be awarded through SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, for fiscal year 2010. The deadline for submitting applications is January 19. The full grant announcement is available online.

Resources:

Read the full grant announcement online at www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2010/TI-10-006.aspx.

For more information about SAMHSA, go to www.samhsa.gov.

On November 16, 2009, the Youth Reentry Task Force of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition, along with the Sentencing Project and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, organized an educational panel to brief House and Senate members on the importance of meeting the needs of juveniles who reenter a community after a period of incarceration — a population consisting of about 100,000 youth a year. OJJDP Acting Administrator Jeff Slowikowski, who spoke at the briefing, emphasized the agency's commitment to supporting these youth, citing several OJJDP-sponsored programs and initiatives that have helped ex-offender youth find employment, complete education programs, and keep from reoffending.

Speakers reviewed best practices for service providers, federal laws that support reentry services, studies of reentry services that reduce recidivism, and current perspectives from the field. The speakers also made recommendations on how to bolster national policy to better support juveniles' reentry needs.

The task force also released a research report that outlines current findings on juvenile reentry issues.

Resources:

Read the research report online at www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/CC_youthreentryfall09report.pdf.

For more information about the Sentencing Project, visit www.sentencingproject.org.

For more information about the National Alliance to End Homelessness, visit www.naeh.org.

On November 3, 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued the following press release:

On October 26th, 2009, OJJDP's National Training and Technical Assistance Center launched the Training and Technical Assistance Needs Assessment, an online survey that asks participants to describe their training and technical assistance needs and preferences. OJJDP will use the information to better provide the juvenile justice community with the tools and resources they require to enhance their organizational capacity, and to develop new curricula and training programs that are timely and responsive.

OJJDP Acting Administrator Jeff Slowikowski has issued an open invitation to the juvenile justice community to complete the needs assessment. He remarked, "This is an exciting opportunity to hear the voice of the field."

It is OJJDP's hope that the needs assessment will foster greater awareness and understanding of the current issues in the field. A systematic, nationwide assessment such as this provides a rich dataset that can inform federal understanding of local needs and help community stakeholders build capacity and sustainability among juvenile justice organizations.

Resources:

The OJJDP Needs Assessment is available online at: www.nttac.org/JJNeedsAssessment.

On November 9, 2009, the Office of Justice Programs issued the following press release:

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention recognized Baltimore City's Pre-Adjudication Coordination & Transition Center (PACT Center) as one of its best practices for DMC reduction in 2009. Baltimore City is a DMC Action Network Partner Site. Officials and advocates in Baltimore City have something to celebrate: the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) recognized the city's Pre-Adjudication Coordination and Transition Center (PACT Center) with its 2009 Best Practices Award for DMC reduction. The program was one of three to receive the honor from OJJDP this year.

The PACT Center emerged from the recommendations of the city's DMC Advisory Board, which highlighted the need for additional community-based alternatives to secure detention. The program focuses on those youth who would otherwise be detained because of a lack of success in less intensive alternatives to detention.

Located in West Baltimore, the program provides support services to youth to ensure that they attend scheduled court hearings, avoid re-arrest, and appear in court with a comprehensive needs assessment and individualized plan that is designed to identify community resources that will help the youth avoid future delinquency. The PACT Center has successfully diverted over 300 African-American males from secure detention in the past two years.

In the face of budget cuts, the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority has managed to preserve its community-level services by reducing the number of secure correctional facilities throughout the state while also reducing the number of youth in correctional facilities system-wide. Some recent signs point to economic recovery, but state and local governments are still feeling the pinch of the recession. This past July, the New York Times reported that juvenile justice reform efforts were suffering, as “[a]cross the country, depleted coffers . . . prompted state and local officials to pare programs intended as alternatives to the mere incarceration of juvenile lawbreakers.”

Across Kansas, the state’s Juvenile Justice Authority (JJA) has an entirely different story to tell. Faced withbudget cuts, the JJA has not sacrificed its community-level programs, but has instead closed two secure correctional facilities to make ends meet.

Earlier projections estimated that approximately 700 youth would be in the state’s correctional facilities at this time. Today, the number is less than half that, and new estimates predict that the population will continue to fall below 300. According to Commissioner Jennings, “the reduced number is an indication of how we’ve strengthened community-level services and how community corrections partners have implemented evidence- and research-based practices. We’re demonstrating that believing, following, and selling research to key decision makers works.”

Reforms in Sedgwick County, the largest county in Kansas, have helped drive these results. In 2008, the county's use of objective detention screening, alternatives to detention and other strategies led to a 45% reduction in secure detention days. According to Mark Masterson, director of the county's Department of Corrections, the gains stem from "state and local partnerships, sustained leadership, commitment to the use of research-based practices, and making continuous improvements. Sustained commitment by the Legislature to fund prevention, intervention and graduated sanctions programming and shared decision-making and funding by local governing bodies has resulted in effective early assessment and intervention to reduce delinquency."

The budget crunch has also prompted officials to think creatively about uses for the two closed correctional facilities. After closing the Atchison Juvenile Correctional Facility, the JJA quickly contracted to convert the facility into a Youth Residential Center II, which provides treatment and programming to youth in a highly structured setting. Within seven months, the agency opened the doors to a non-secure 54-bed facility. Additionally, the JJA plans to introduce legislation in January to convey the land on which the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility is situated, which had been a gift from the city, back to the community. The JJA is also working with local officials on potential uses of the vacated facility.

In Kansas, JJA officials have responded to the financial crisis by reducing reliance on secure correctional facilities and prioritizing community-level programs. According to Commissioner Jennings, “This was a balancing that needed to occur. The positive side of the economic downturn is that it created the political will to do what should have been done before.”

Tell us how you’ve sustained DMC reduction efforts in light of budgetary challenges: email jszanyi@cclp.org.

On October 23, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) hosted a forum featuring the report "Strengthening Indian Country Through Tribal Youth Programs."

Speakers included Jeff Slowikowski, Acting Administrator, OJJDP; Sarah Pearson, author, "Strengthening Indian Country Through Tribal Youth Programs;" David Fullerton, Cultural Resource Manager, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Laura Ansera, Tribal Programs Coordinator; and Patrick Dunckhorst, Program Manager, OJJDP.

In describing the activities of five diverse sites, the report examines how the Tribal Youth Program is improving the lives of tribal youth and strengthening their families.

Resources:

For additional information about the forum, visit www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2009/fb102309.htm.

To access the report, visit www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2009/documents/TYPReportfinal.pdf.

A more comprehensive report will be issued later, as will be announced on JUVJUST.

On October 26, 2009, at 2 p.m. E.T., the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), in collaboration with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, will host a Web Forum to discuss best practices for helping children exposed to domestic violence.

The 1-hour session, which is cosponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), will be led by Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., coauthor of the OJJDP Bulletin "Children's Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey," and Miriam Berkman, J.D., M.S.W., coordinator of the Child Development-Community Policing Program's Domestic Violence Intervention Project.

Resources:

Further information about this OVC Web Forum, including instructions on how to participate, is available at ovc.ncjrs.gov/ovcproviderforum.

For additional information about children's exposure to violence, visit OJJDP's Safe Start Center at www.safestartcenter.org/.

NEW YORK – The Vera Institute of Justice today announced the development of a national Knowledge Bank for Cost-Benefit Analysis in Criminal Justice to inform practitioners and policymakers about the budgetary impacts of criminal justice policy choices. The Knowledge Bank, a project of Vera’s Cost-Benefit Analysis Unit (CBAU), will provide decision makers with tools to help incorporate cost-benefit analysis into policy development.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published "Children's Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey."

Understanding the nature and extent of children's exposure to violence is essential to mitigating its effects. To this end, OJJDP, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sponsored the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence, whose findings are reported in this bulletin, the first in a series.

The survey, the first to measure children's exposure to violence in homes, schools, and communities across all age groups, found that more than 60 percent of the children surveyed were exposed to violence within the past year, either directly or indirectly (e.g., as a witness to a violent act; by learning of a violent act against a family member, neighbor, or close friend; or from a threat against their home or school).

Resources:

"Children's Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey" (NCJ 227744) is available at ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=249751.

On October 23, 2009, in Washington, DC, the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will host a forum on OJJDP's Tribal Youth Program, which provides funds to federally recognized American Indian tribes to support and enhance tribal efforts to prevent delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for American Indian and Alaska Native youth ages 10-17.

Tribal Youth Program: Empowering Youth in Indian Country will showcase the release of the joint AYPF and OJJDP report "Strengthening Indian Country Through Tribal Youth Programs."

The report examines how the Tribal Youth Program is improving the lives of youth and strengthening families via case studies of five program sites. Speakers will include OJJDP staff and tribal officials.

Resources:

For further information about this forum, visit www.aypf.org/forumbriefs/2009/fb10230 9.htm.

To guide decisions within the juvenile justice system, judges, case managers, probation staff, and related professionals often rely on standardized instruments to assess the risks and needs of youth.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published "Suitability of Assessment Instruments for Delinquent Girls."

Risk assessment instruments are often used to determine the programs and services that best serve the needs of youth within the juvenile justice system. Part of OJJDP's Girls Study Group series, the bulletin provides a comprehensive guide for juvenile justice practitioners to assist them in selecting an instrument which is suitable for assessing the needs of delinquent girls.

Resources:

"Suitability of Assessment Instruments for Delinquent Girls" is available online at ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=248526.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's National Youth Gang Center has posted updated findings and analyses from OJJDP's National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) on its Web site.

Conducted annually since 1995, NYGS is a systematic survey of law enforcement agencies across the nation that assesses the presence, extent, and characteristics of local gang problems.

The National Youth Gang Center Web site provides survey data from 1996 through 2007. Available data include annual numbers of gangs and gang members from 1996 through 2007, the change in the number of gang-problem jurisdictions from 2002 to 2007, and gang member demographics.

Resources:

To access this youth gang resource, visit www.iir.com/nygc/nygsa/.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published "Reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact: Preparation at the Local Level."

The ABC Primetime documentary featuring the Missouri Division of Youth Services is scheduled to air on Wednesday, September 9 from 9:00 – 10:00 pm (Central Time).  It will be broadcast by your local ABC affiliate stations.

The documentary was filmed and produced over a period of about 14 months.  It is expected to provide an in-depth look at the Missouri approach to treatment and education of juvenile offenders. 

http://i.abcnews.com/GMA/missouris-juvenile-justice-system/Story?id=8511600&page=1

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) seeks information on initiatives that help states achieve or maintain the deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO). To that end, OJJDP invites state agencies and others to nominate programs and strategies that have shown promise in keeping status offenders out of jail or removing status offenders from juvenile or adult detention, regardless of funding source.

On September 2, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of Justice Programs issued the following press release:

In remarks addressing the recent White Conference on Gang Violence Prevention and Crime Control, Attorney General Eric Holder commended Los Angeles' Summer Nights Light program, an initiative of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Gang Reduction Program, as a "different innovative approach to crime fighting."

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration has released the report "Evaluation of the YouthBuild Youth Offender Grants". The report summarizes findings from an implementation and outcomes evaluation of DOL's YouthBuild Youth Offender grants.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is pleased to announce its support of the annual Lights On Afterschool initiative. Scheduled for October 22, 2009, this nationwide effort calls attention to the importance of afterschool programs and the resources needed to keep their lights on and doors open. More than 7,500 events will be held across America in schools, malls, and other venues.

Studies have shown that children participating in afterschool programs demonstrate increased school attendance and enhanced academic achievement. Afterschool programs also reduce juvenile offending, while promoting public safety and positive child development. Yet while millions of children take part in afterschool programs, millions more have no place to go after school.

Resources:

To learn more about Lights On Afterschool, access planning tools, and register or attend your community's event, visit ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/lightson.

Since 1995, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) National Youth Gang Center has addressed issues involving juvenile gang members, featuring prevention and intervention efforts and promoting a comprehensive strategy to combat gangs.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Safe Start Center has published "Healing the Invisible Wounds: Children's Exposure to Violence."

The guide, which is available in English and Spanish, offers informative tips on how to recognize the signs of children's exposure to violence and helpful advice on helping children thus exposed.

Exposure to violence is a pervasive problem that crosses all ages, and the guide provides specifc information pertaining to children of various ages, as well as a list of useful resources.

Resources:

"Healing the Invisible Wounds: Children's Exposure to Violence" and related resources, including a Quick Reference Guide, are available at www.safestartcenter.org.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has released a new edition of its Disproportionate Minority Contact Technical Assistance Manual.

This fourth edition presents methods for calculating and analyzing disproportionate minority contact (DMC) and describes how jurisdictions may use data to facilitate informed decision making, multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches and partnerships, promising intervention strategies, performance measurement and evaluation.

The updated edition features new chapters on DMC data and intervention strategies for serving Hispanic youth in the juvenile justice system and the role of State DMC coordinators.

Resources:

The latest edition of the Disproportionate Minority Contact Technical Assistance Manual is available at www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/dmctamanual/index.html.

CJCA is pleased to partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation as a 2009 KIDS COUNT Outreach Partner. The 20th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book calls for improvements to the nation's ability to design and evaluate programs and policies aimed at the needs of children and families living in poverty. The 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book is complemented by a new online and mobile-friendly Data Center (http://datacenter.kidscount.org) that contains hundreds of measures of child well-being covering national, state, county, and city informations. Visitors to the website can access customizable graphs and geographic profiles on education, economin well-being, the number of children in immigrant families, health, and many more topics.

The Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority (JJA) recently launched a new application for enhanced viewing of juvenile justice data and performance indicators for each of the state's judicial districts. JJA MAPS (Managed Administrative Performance Stats) includes data on 12 specific performance indicators that visitors can use to observe trends in local juvenile justice systems, make comparisons among judicial districts and assess the effectiveness of the system.

JJA MAPS allows visitors to create reports that include rankings, charts and the ability to export data to Excel. The new application creates a healthy competitive environment among community corrections partners and facilitates exchange of strategies and solutions for challenges shared by local systems.

Visit www.jja.ks.gov to explore JJA MAPS.

On October 28-30, 2009, in Chapel Hill, NC, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Girls Study Group will conduct an Evaluation Technical Assistance Workshop. The workshop is designed to equip organizations to carry out rigorous evaluations of their gender responsive delinquency prevention and intervention programs designed specifically to meet the unique needs of girls.

   A new report released by The Sentencing Project finds a record 140,610 individuals are now serving life sentences in state and federal prisons, 6,807 of whom were juveniles at the time of the crime. In addition, 29% of persons serving a life sentence (41,095) have no possibility of parole, and 1,755 were juveniles at the time of the crime.
 
   No Exit: The Expanding Use of Life Sentences in America represents the first nationwide collection of life sentence data documenting race, ethnicity and gender. The report's findings reveal overwhelming racial and ethnic disparities in the allocation of life sentences: 66% of all persons sentenced to life are non-white, and 77% of juveniles serving life sentences are non-white.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Recovery, Accountability, and Transparency Board have announced that Webinars will be held the week of July 20, 2009, to provide information on implementing the guidance set forth in OMB Memorandum M-09-21, Implementing Guidance for the Reports on Use of Funds Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, released on June 22, 2009. If you are unable to attend the sessions listed below, the Webinars will be posted on the Recovery.gov website to view at your convenience.

The Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) encourages its grantees receiving funding under the Recovery Act to participate in these Webinars. Also, please note that DOJ/OJP is developing a Webinar scheduled to be held in August 2009 that will address agency-specific issues related to Recovery Act reporting requirements. Further details on the DOJ/OJP-sponsored Webinar will be provided to our grantees in the near future.

Each OMB Webinar will focus on a major section of the guidance and the technology solution for central reporting. To register for an OMB Webinar session, please visit the Recovery Act Web site at http://www.recovery.gov/?q=node/658. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance for the live sessions as space will be limited.

Webinar Schedule

July 20, 2009

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Section 1 - General Information
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Section 2 - Basic Principles and Requirements of Recovery Act Recipient Reporting 
Section 5 - Reporting on Jobs Creation Estimates by Recipients
 
July 21, 2009

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Section 3 - Recipient Reporting Process
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Technology Solution from an Agency Perspective
 
July 22, 2009

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Technology Solution from a Prime Recipient Perspective
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Technology Solution from a Sub-Recipient Perspective
 
July 23, 2009

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Section 4 - Data Quality Requirements

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice.

On June 22, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued "Implementing Guidance for the Reports on Use of Funds Pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009." The guidance consists of 39 pages of questions and answers and two supplements. The first supplement is a list of programs subject to recipient reporting. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is working with OMB to correct inaccurate DOJ program listings. The second supplement is the Recipient Reporting Data Model. Questions regarding the requirements provided in the guidance should be addressed to OMB at recovery@omb.eop.gov.

OMB anticipates holding a series of Webinars in July concerning the reporting guidance. Staff from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will participate in these Webinars, and OJJDP will keep JUVJUST subscribers informed as additional information becomes available. News will also be posted on OJJDP's Recovery Act page.

Resources:

The National Prison Rape Elimination Commission releases its report and standards tomorrow, June 23.  Please log on to www.nprec.us Tuesday to view the report and standards.

Press Conference:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 10 a.m.
National Press Club
Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street NW, 13th Floor
Washington, DC 20045
To RSVP, please email your name and affiliation to abosquez@rabengroup.com.

Organizational Teleconference:

Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 3 p.m.
To RSVP, please email your name and affiliation to hgriffin@rabengroup.com.  Space is limited.  Call in details will be distributed to registered participants prior to the event.

OJJDP Fact Sheets Provide Data on Juveniles in Court

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following funding opportunities related to mentoring:

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published "Juvenile Arrests 2007." The 12-page bulletin draws on data from the FBI's "Crime in the United States 2007" to analyze trends in juvenile arrests.

The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has awarded grants to six theater companies to support performances and educational activities targeted to at-risk youth and youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The awardees are among 37 recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) 2009-2010 Shakespeare for a New Generation grants, which introduce middle and high school students to the power of live theater and the masterpieces of William Shakespeare.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following funding opportunities: