APA's president insists that pre-teens charged with murder should not be handled by the adult criminal justice system, pointing out that many juveniles are too young to understand the consequences of their actions.
Children are not just short adults, even when they are accused of violent crimes. The question of whether young children should be tried as adults in capital cases arose again recently in cases from two states, prompting APA to issue a statement reiterating its opposition to trying juveniles in adult criminal courts.
In one case, a 9-year-old Arizona boy was charged with shooting his father and his father's housemate to death. In Pennsylvania, an 11-year-old boy stands accused of shooting his father's pregnant girlfriend, and prosecutors are weighing whether to try him as an adult.
The younger boy, who was 8 at the time of the crime in November 2008, avoided trial as an adult by pleading guilty to negligent homicide. Sentencing is pending, but the boy will remain under court supervision, and possibly in detention, until he turns 18.
"I was appalled by the fact that this child was allowed by his attorney and the judge to plead guilty in this case," said APA President Nada Stotland, M.D., in an interview with Psychiatric News. "Anyone can understand that a 9-year-old doesn't understand enough to make that decision."
Many juveniles do not comprehend the consequences of their actions, either when committing a crime or in entering a plea, nor do they understand their legal rights and the lasting impact of criminal conviction on their lives, said Stotland. In fact, the Arizona boy's plea has been criticized by some, including his mother, for just that reason. He had also been interrogated alone by police, violating another of Stotland's points, that young children should not be questioned by police or courts unless a parent or guardian is present.
"We need to be clear that not all bad behavior is related to a psychiatric disorder, but an accused child should be evaluated to rule it out," she said. Children who commit crimes are often the victims of neglect and abuse, said Stotland. In each case of young children accused of a violent crime, there should be an inquiry into the child's history and circumstances to determine whether signs of abuse, neglect, and/or psychiatric problems were overlooked until the alleged crime occurred. Treating these children as adults, especially by processing them through a criminal justice system designed to deal with adults accused of crimes, makes it harder for them to rebuild their lives.
The status of the two boys exemplifies the conflict between the punitive, adversarial view of young defendants that typified juvenile courts in the 1980s and 1990s and research showing that the brains of teenagers and young adults are not fully developed, leading to more impulsivity.
Juveniles aged 15 and younger are significantly more likely than older adolescents and young adults to be impaired in ways that compromise their ability to serve as competent defendants in criminal proceedings, the APA statement pointed out. Also, they should never be allowed to waive their right to an attorney.
Both boys were held initially in isolation in adult detention centers because juvenile and adult prisoners are not supposed to be housed together. APA believes that children should not be subjected to such isolation, a form of punishment that is likely to produce lasting psychiatric symptoms.
"Those who are ultimately incarcerated in adult jails are often the victims of violent assault and suicide and are 34 percent more likely to be rearrested than those retained in the juvenile system," Stotland noted.
The APA news release "Incarcerated Juveniles Belong in Juvenile Facilities" is posted Here.
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 7:52 AM
New York Times article highlights Missouri's juvenile system
Click here to read Solomon Moore's article, "Missouri System Treats Juvenile Offenders With Lighter Hand."
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 5:06 AM
JJDPA Reauthorization Bill Introduced in the Senate
The Act-4-JJ Campaign of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition (NJJDPC) reports that a strong JJDPA Reauthorization bill, S. 678, has been introduced today, March 24, 2009, by Senators Leahy, Specter, Kohl and Durbin.
This new issue of JRP includes articles on: the impact of Megan's Law; the utility of a new internal benchmarking strategy for racial profiling surveillance; recent changes in homicide and robbery rates and whether they indicate a "gathering storm" of violence; and a comparison of the National Violent Death Reporting System and the Supplementary Homicide Report.
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 4:33 AM
Annual Report Describes OJJDP's Efforts on Behalf of Youth
The report provides information on OJJDP's activities in fiscal year 2008 to promote early intervention and delinquency prevention, support faith-based and community organizations, expand mentoring, improve the juvenile justice system, ensure public safety, curb child exploitation, combat youth gangs, and serve tribal youth. The report concludes with an overview of the Office's information dissemination efforts.
Assistance available through the Recovery Act will include the following:
$2 billion for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.
$225 million for the Edward Byrne Competitive Grant Program to help communities address targeted needs. This includes $97.5 million for mentoring initiatives to be administered by OJJDP.
$225 million for assistance to tribal law enforcement (construction of jails on tribal lands).
$125 million for rural law enforcement to prevent and combat drug-related crime.
$30 million for law enforcement along the Southern Border and in High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas.
$50 million for Internet Crimes Against Children initiatives.
$100 million for victim compensation and assistance.
Webinars to Discuss Privacy Laws' Impact on Juvenile Information Sharing
The Information Sharing To Prevent Juvenile Delinquency Project, a program of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will conduct a 2-part series of free Webinars designed to enable juvenile justice and other youth service professionals to explore information privacy protections provided in Federal and state laws and model state legislation.
State Juvenile Records Laws and Interagency Collaboration—Part 2 will expand the dialogue to include Federal laws and answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding privacy laws and the sharing of juvenile and youth records. It will be held on May 20, 2009, 1–2 p.m. E.S.T.
Washington - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder joined President Obama in Columbus, Ohio today at the Columbus Police Graduation Exercises to announce $2 billion in Recovery Act 2009 funding allocations for state and local law enforcement and criminal justice assistance available through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. In January, 25 Columbus police recruits learned that they would be let go rather than sworn-in; but because of Recovery Act JAG funds these police officers will keep their jobs protecting their community.
"This funding is key to helping our states and local governments fight crime and keep our streets safe," said Attorney General Holder. "The Department of Justice is moving ahead of schedule to allocate these resources so we can retain police officers, enhance law enforcement capabilities, and ensure that we have the tools and equipment necessary to build safer communities."
JAG Program funds can be used for a variety of efforts such as hiring law enforcement officers; supporting drug and gang task forces; funding crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and supporting courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. The breakdown of JAG allocations for states, territories, and units of local government can be viewed here: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recoveryJAG/recoveryallocations.html.
The procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding. Sixty percent of the allocation is awarded directly to a state and 40 percent is set aside for units of local government. Funding will be used by states and more than 5,000 local communities to enhance their ability to protect communities and combat crime.
The Recovery Act includes more than $4 billion overall to assist state, local and tribal law enforcement and for other criminal justice activities that help to prevent crime and improve the criminal justice system in the United States while supporting the creation of jobs and much needed resources for states and local communities.
Eight States Selected by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for NASHP administered national program Maximizing Enrollment for Kids
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today announced the launching of the Maximizing Enrollment for Kids program and named the eight state grantees competitively selected for the program. This $15 million, four-year initiative aims to increase enrollment and retention of eligible children in public health insurance programs like the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid. Under the direction of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), which serves as the national program office for Maximizing Enrollment for Kids, the program will help states strengthen their systems, policies, and procedures to maximize enrollment of eligible children.
More than 9 million of the nation's children are uninsured, and as many as 6 million of these are eligible for either Medicaid or SCHIP but not enrolled. In an effort to significantly increase the ranks of children with health coverage, Maximizing Enrollment for Kids will provide funding and technical support to eight states which were selected from among applicants from over the half the states. The program will also measure the impact of these changes, and will share findings nationwide throughout the four-year initiative.
Eight state agencies designated by their respective governors have been awarded up to $1 million, plus technical assistance, as part of this four-year initiative. The states to participate as Maximizing Enrollment grantees include: Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. For more information, go to the newly updated program website, www.maxenroll.org.
Established under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act, the role of FACJJ is to advise the President and Congress on matters related to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, to advise the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on the work of OJJDP, and to evaluate the progress and accomplishments of juvenile justice activities and projects.
The report addresses significant issues facing our nation's juvenile justice system. Primary among its concerns, FACJJ urges reauthorization of the JJDP Act.
This bulletin draws on data from the first national survey of suicides of youth in confinement, which was sponsored by OJJDP, to review juvenile suicides that occurred in confinement between 1995 and 1999. It describes the demographic characteristics and social history of the victims and examines the characteristics of the facilities in which the suicides occurred.
Last week, the CJCA Executive Board held its annual retreat in St. Petersburg, FL and voted to cancel the March Winter Business Meeting in Orlando. This is solely due to the serious budget constraints and related challenges faced by juvenile corrections agencies all over the country that is prohibiting most directors from traveling out-of-state. The board regrets any inconvenience this may cause.
To keep CJCA issues moving and members connected, the CJCA Regional Representatives below are working to hold regional meetings in the Spring. Look for more information on this.
CJCA Northeast Region Representative - Vinny Schiraldi, District of Columbia
CJCA South Region Representative - Steve Hornsby, Tennessee
CJCA Midwest Region Representative - Tim Decker, Missouri
CJCA West Region Representative - Dan Maldonado, Utah
Please mark your calendar to attend the CJCA Summer Business Meeting Aug. 7-9 in Nashville and of course the gala event of the year, CJCA’s 15th Anniversary celebration Sept. 30- Oct. 2 in Chicago, part of the CJCA Leadership Conference sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), US Department of Justice.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 4:12 AM
Wisconsin Governor's Juvenile Justice Committee Endorses Returning 17-Year-Olds to the Juvenile System
The Wisconsin Governor's Juvenile Justice Commission has unanimously endorsed returning 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system. Following a presentation by Wisconsin Council on Children and Families (WCCF), Wisconsin County Human Services Association (WCHSA), and the Sheriff's Association, the Committee took up the issue formally for the first time in December. In their statement regarding age of jurisdiction, the Commission endorsed the following conclusions and recommendations:
-The Commission supports legislation that would raise the age of general adult criminal jurisdiction to 18 as the sole modification of Chapter 938.
-The Commission endorses a balanced approach to juvenile justice.
-The Commission recommends that this change be contingent on the provision of sufficient fiscal resources to the affected entities.
The full statement by the Commission, including their reasoning for endorsing the change and more specifics on their conclusions and recommendations, can be found at the WCCF website:
This is the second Governor's Commission to endorse returning 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system. The Governor's Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Wisconsin Justice System endorsed this policy change last February.
Monday, February 2, 2009 at 6:10 AM
Jeff Slowikowski Designated Acting Administrator of OJJDP
Mr. Slowikowski has served as Associate Administrator of OJJDP's Demonstration Programs
Division since May 2004. Under his direction, the division manages a variety of grants that
support demonstration, research, evaluation, and training and technical assistance programs,
including drug court, gang, juvenile violence, mentoring, reentry, tribal youth, truancy, and
underage drinking initiatives. Mr. Slowikowski was instrumental in the development and
implementation of the performance measure system that assesses the efficacy of programs funded
by OJJDP.
Mr. Slowikowski joined OJJDP in August 1990 under the Presidential Management Intern
Program. From 1990 to 2003, he served in the Research and Program Development Division, as a
Program Manager and, subsequently, as Deputy Director. Since joining OJJDP, Mr. Slowikowski has
led the development and management of several demonstration and research projects, including
the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders and the
Evaluation of the Partnerships To Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence. He also worked closely with the
Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to develop a Youth
Focused Community Policing Program.
Mr. Slowikowski earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the
University of Baltimore in 1987 and a Graduate Certificate in Police Administration and Master
of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore in 1990.
Monday, February 2, 2009 at 5:51 AM
OJJDP Bulletin Describes Protective Factors in Girls' Delinquency
Part of OJJDP's Girls Study Group series, the bulletin describes how four factors (the presence of a caring adult, school connectedness, school success, and religiosity) influence girls' propensity for delinquent behavior.
The 2008 CJCA Yearbook Survey Distance Learning Call will be presented on Monday, January 12, 2009 at 10:00AM and 3:00PM EST. The presentation and PowerPoint covers Yearbook Survey timeline, application functionality, and a review of survey questions. The conference call information is presented on the opening slide. Download the presentation here
Friday, January 9, 2009 at 3:31 AM
NCJJ Report Provides Juvenile Court Statistics
The National Center for Juvenile Justice has published "Juvenile Court Statistics 2005." The report, developed with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), describes delinquency cases between 1985 and 2005 and petitioned status offense cases between 1995 and 2005 handled by U.S. courts with juvenile jurisdiction.
NDTAC Focusing On Family Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System
This month and next, NDTAC is focusing on the critical issue of family involvement in the juvenile justice system. We are pleased to announce the publication of A Family Guide to Getting Involved With Correctional Education, a new resource designed to assist juvenile justice stakeholders with promoting family participation and familiarizing parents with the process of becoming involved with their child’s education in a facility setting.
Just released, the Fall 2008 issue has 6 articles covering a variety of topics:
1. Guns and Homicide: Is the Instrument-Focused Approach to Deterrence Efficacious? James M. La Valle
2. Racial Disproportionality in the American Prison Population: Using the Blumstein Method to Address the Critical Race and Justice Issue of the 21st Century Brett E. Garland, Cassia Spohn, and Eric J. Wodahl
3. Guards or Guardians? A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of Parenting Styles in Juvenile Correctional Programs Susan Guarino-Ghezzi and Christopher Tirrell
4. Criminal History on a “Need To Know” Basis: Employment Policies that Eliminate the Criminal History Box on Employment Applications Jessica S. Henry
5. Alternative to Incarceration John F. Frana and Ryan D. Schroeder
6. Another Emerging ‘Storm’: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans with PTSD in the Criminal Justice System William B. Brown
Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 5:45 AM
OJJDP Bulletin Portrays Domestic Assaults by Juveniles
The bulletin
provides a detailed portrait of the attributes of domestic assaults by
juveniles known to law enforcement, including their locations, times of day,
and the weapons involved.
A new paper published by NASHP describes ways for states to better enroll and keep youth in the juvenile justice and foster care systems in Medicaid and SCHIP, and thus help encourage improved health and development in this vulnerable population estimated at between 2 and 2.5 million. Improving Access to Health Coverage for Transitional Youth discusses the many options states have to better cover transitional youth. The paper focuses on three important aspects of keeping these youth enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP: simplifying enrollment; enhancing retention through the transitions these youth undergo; and better integrating and coordinating services with partners. It also answers tough, frequently asked questions about eligibility at key transition points, and provides the federal guidance states need. In conjunction with the release of this paper, NASHP recently held a Web seminar on the same topic. The recorded program is available for viewing on NASHP’s Web site. Click here to view the program.
Monday, August 4, 2008 at 11:23 AM
CJCA Now Accepting Proposals
The Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA) is accepting proposals from qualified vendors to design, develop and host a web based survey and reporting application that will gather critical data required to produce and publish the annual CJCA Yearbook, Juvenile Corrections: A National Perspective. Proposals are due no later than 12:00pm/noon EDT, Friday, July 25, 2008.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 19th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book will be released on June 12, 2008. The annual Data Book is a national and state-by-state profile of the well-being of America’s children that seeks to enrich discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all kids. The Data Book ranks states on 10 key measures and provides data on the economic, health, education, and social conditions of America’s children and families. This year, the KIDS COUNT Data Book essay, “A Road Map for Juvenile Justice Reform” looks at the nearly 100,000 children confined to juvenile facilities on any given night in the United States, and what can be done to reduce unnecessary and inappropriate detention and incarceration and increase opportunities for positive youth development and community safety.
The 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book will be available beginning June 12, 2008 at www.kidscount.org.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 7:58 AM
CJJR Announces Two New Certificate Programs
The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University Public Policy Institute is launching two revolutionary Certificate Programs designed to advance multi-systems work to improve outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. One program is for Individuals and one is for Multi-Jurisdictional Teams called the Certificate Program/Breakthrough Series Collaborative. Both programs are designed to provide intensive study for leaders responsible for policy development and implementation in their jurisdictions in order to enhance systems integration and build a strong cadre of public agency leaders supportive of juvenile justice reform and better results for our young people. Participants will benefit from a deeper level of instruction and results- oriented activities. Faculty who will teach the modules are comprised of experts from across the country and within the Georgetown faculty.
Through the generous support of Casey Family Programs, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, participating jurisdictions will be able to benefit from expert guidance, professional resources, and financial assistance to support their work across the juvenile justice and related systems of care. Individuals and jurisdictions will receive financial support for the travel, lodging and tuition for the Certificate Program (details are outlined in the Request for Applications available on the Center’s website: http://cjjr.georgetown.edu).
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 8:36 AM
Visit IssueLab.com's Juvenile Justice Close-up
Officially launched in Spring 2006, IssueLab is a wide-ranging, searchable and browseable archive of critical publications from non-profit organizations. They are featuring a close-up on juvenile justice which can be viewed at http://www.issuelab.com/juvenile_justice.php.
Monday, December 17, 2007 at 5:22 AM
The Act 4 JJ Site is Live!
ACT 4 Juvenile Justice (ACT4JJ) is a campaign of the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition composed of juvenile justice, child welfare and youth development organizations exploring opportunities related to the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), scheduled for 2007.
MACARTHUR ACTION NETWORK TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH IN JUVENILE JUSTICE
Chicago, IL (June 19, 2007) – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which is investing $100 million to support and accelerate promising models of juvenile justice reform, is enlisting more states in its growing effort. MacArthur today announced the creation of two new national “Action Networks,” one of which is focused on helping to improve the nation’s juvenile justice system by addressing the way the system deals with young people with mental health issues. The Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network will be coordinated by the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice at Policy Research Associates in Delmar, NY. The NCMHJJ is currently accepting applications from states for participation in the Network as a Partnering State.
MacArthur has already committed $10 million each to reform efforts in Illinois, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington through its Models for Change initiative. Now, the Foundation wants additional states to join in these four states in a new national Action Network to improve the nation’s juvenile justice system.
The Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network will develop innovative solutions and strategies to better identify and treat youth with mental health needs. About 70 percent of youth in contact with the juvenile justice system have a mental health disorder and approximately 25 percent experience serious mental health problems. A significant proportion of these youth also have substance use disorders. This issue was selected because it is among the biggest challenges in developing a more effective juvenile justice system.
“With action already underway in the four core states, these networks will help to accelerate the pace of change around improving mental health services in youth serving systems,” said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton. “The Foundation is seeking additional partners to join the Models for Change states as leaders in system reform.”
The MacArthur Foundation is investing more than $1 million per year in each Network for each of the next three years, a total of more than $6 million. Participating sites, which will be selected in September through an open application process, will work with leading national experts in the field to identify and implement innovative solutions to critical problems common across the country. Possible strategies include the adoption of standardized mental health screening and assessment tools.
In addition to the MH/JJ Action Network, a second Action Network, one focusing on Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) will be administered by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy in Washington, DC. After being selected through an open application process, participating sites will also work with leading national experts in these fields to identify and implement innovative solutions to critical problems common across the country, and exchange information and ideas with other jurisdictions addressing these issues.
The Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network
There are four primary objectives of the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network:
Objective 1: Foster development and exchange of ideas among the Network Sites through peer learning and information sharing; Objective 2: Enhance and accelerate progress in the Network States by providing information, resources, and expertise; Objective 3: Develop and implement effective new strategies to better identify and treat youth with mental health needs in their juvenile justice systems; and Objective 4: Create leadership to drive change throughout the country.
States chosen to participate in the MH/JJ Action Network will receive support for their involvement in Network activities and will:
• Have access to leading experts in the field and the latest resources and information; • Participate in an Annual Meeting where critical issues and new strategies will be highlighted, and a rich array of networking opportunities will take place; • Engage in a new change process – the Strategic Innovation Groups – that will assist participating states in tackling complex issues with the advice and guidance of peers in other states and expert consultants; • Have the opportunity to form a strong network of relationships with other states and local jurisdictions concerned about mental health and juvenile justice, and striving to bring about change; and • Serve in a leadership capacity for other states and counties across the nation.
Application Process Four states will be selected to participate in the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network as Partnering States. Successful applicants will create a core team with representatives from juvenile justice, mental health, and other relevant state agencies, one to two local jurisdictions, and other key stakeholders.
In addition, states will be required to: • Participate in all Network activities; • Develop baseline measures of key benchmarks for assessing issues that are the focus of the Network; • Implement strategies and recommendations developed by the Strategic Innovation Groups; and • Monitor the benchmarks as the recommendations are implemented in order to track the effect of those changes.
To apply for the Network, interested states need to complete an application form. Applications will be evaluated on a series of criteria including: a demonstrated readiness for change as indicated by recent efforts to respond to justice involved youth with mental health issues; history of collaborative initiatives between involved agencies; involvement of senior level team members; and a commitment to using the Network to implement concrete changes.
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MacArthur’s Models for Change initiative supports the development of successful and sustainable models of juvenile justice reform through targeted investments in key states. The Foundation seeks to accelerate progress toward a more effective, fair, and developmentally sound juvenile justice system that holds young people accountable for their actions, provides for their rehabilitation, protects them from harm, increases their life chances, and manages the risk they pose to themselves and to the public.
In each state, a lead organization has identified targeted areas of improvement to leverage reform, and then partners with local, state and national partners to implement a plan to bring about system change in those targeted areas. By sharing the lessons learned about successful juvenile justice reform with other states and communities, the goal is to motivate other states to take on the challenge.
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States interested in applying to become members of the Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network should contact Meredith Ray-LaBatt, Associate Director, MH/JJ Action Network, NCMHJJ, at mraylabatt@prainc.com or (518) 439-7415 ext. 274.
States will be required to complete comprehensive applications about the issues and their efforts to address them. Applications for the MH/JJ Action Network must be submitted no later than August 13, 2007.
Local jurisdictions and states interested in applying to become members of the DMC Action Network should contact Lisa M. Garry, DMC Policy Director, CCLP, at lgarry@cclp.org or (202) 637-0377 ext. 103 for more information about the DMC Network and application due date.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 6:43 AM
Juvenile Justice Newsletter - The Link - Winter issue is online
Brought to you by the Child Welfare League of America:
The latest issue of The Link, CWLA's juvenile justice newsletter, is now online. The same Link you've relied on to explore the link between involvement in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems is now available only online as a downloadable PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
To download and read the latest issue of The Link, go to:
If you know of others who would like to receive e-mail alerts when the newest issue of The Link is available on the CWLA website, invite them to sign up at:
NIDA Releases New Drug Abuse Treatment Publication
The office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a member of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (
www.ncjrs.gov), would like to make you aware of the following resource. Please note that this item is not available from NCJRS.
*National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Releases New Drug Abuse Treatment Recommendations to Cut Costs, Save Money and Reduce Crime*
NIDA has released a FREE landmark scientific report showing that effective treatment of drug abuse and addiction can save communities money and reduce crime. Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/podatcj/) outlines some of the proven components for successful treatment of drug abusers who have entered the criminal justice system, leading to lower rates of drug abuse and criminal activity.
This comprehensive report offers 13 essential principles based on a review of the scientific literature on drug abuse treatment and criminal behavior.
Examples of important principles are that drug addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior, that recovery requires effective individualized treatment that may include medication, and that continuity of care is essential for drug abusers re-entering the community after a period of incarceration.
To order Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations please access the NIDA publications catalog at:
Just released, the Fall 2006 issue has 6 articles covering a variety of topics:
Degradation, Apathy, and Acceptable Casualties: Serving Time in a Women’s Federal Correctional Institute - Bernadette Olson
Improving Compliance and Producing Positive Outcomes in the Mental Health Court Setting, with a Brief Look at Dynamic Risk Management - Randal B. Fritzler
Adolescent Risk-Taking as a Justification for Paternalistic Legal Policy - John D. Hewitt, Robert M. Regoli and Christopher A. Kierkus
“Smart” Policy Decisions to Combat a Social Problem: The Case of Child Abductions 2002-2003 - Glenn W. Muschert, Melissa Young-Spillers and Dawn Carr
The System-Wide Effects of Capital Punishment on the American Criminal Justice System:The Use of Computer Modeling in Death Penalty Research – Wendy Hicks
6.Accreditation and Community Policing: Are They Neutral, Hostile, or Synergistic? An Empirical Test among Street Cops and Management Cops - Terry E. Gingerich and Gregory D. Russell
Monday, October 23, 2006 at 7:40 AM
Building Blocks for Institutional Safety
This bulletin Building Blocks for Institutional Safety is the first in a series to be published over the next 12 months.
These bulletins are being produced by the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice's Office of Research and Statistics under a grant from the National Institute of Justice to identify promising practices in the prevention and intervention of offender-on-offender sexual assaults. Researchers are working with experts in the field to identify juvenile facilities and jails with model policies and procedures which maintain safe environments.
For more information or to be placed on the mailing list contact: Peggy Heil at the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Peggy.Heil@cdps.state.co.us.
MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice (ADJJ) Conference, Sept. 2006
Adolescent Development & Juvenile Justice: Bringing Research to Practice in the Juvenile Justice System
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice (ADJJ) held a two- day conference Sept. 21-22, 2006 in Washington, DC that brought together the nation’s leading policy makers, practitioners and scholars in the field of juvenile justice. The conference highlighted the past 15 years’ work of the MacArthur Network, which was established to expand the base of knowledge of development, prevention and treatment of juvenile crime and delinquency, disseminate that knowledge, improve decision-making in the current system and prepare the way for the next generation of reform in juvenile justice policy and practice.
Presentations were made on a variety of issues regarding contemporary juvenile justice policy and practice and findings from the newest scientific research on adolescent development, including: • Adolescent Development and Criminal Blameworthiness: Is Immaturity a Mitigating Factor; • Research on Pathways to Desistance; • Youth’s Capacities as Decision-Makers in the Adjudicative Process; and • Adolescent Development and Legal Policy.
If you are interested in learning more about ADJJ’s Bringing Research to Policy and Practice, please click below to view PDF documents that include issue briefs, executive summaries and articles by ADJJ Network members.
The National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) is pleased to announce the availability of the "Blueprint for Change: A Comprehensive Model for the Identification and Treatment of Youth with Mental Health Needs in Contact with the Juvenile Justice System"… For more information click on: Blueprint for Change
Monday, July 24, 2006 at 8:38 AM
OJJDP News @ a Glance: May/June 2006
The May/June 2006 edition of OJJDP’s News @ a Glance has just been released and is featuring the following articles: - OJJDP and COPS Sponsor Gang Prevention Webcasts - HAY Initiative Promotes Positive Youth Development - Missing Children's Day Commemoration Honors Victims, Families, and Law Enforcement - AMBER Alert First Day of Issue Ceremony in Arlington, Texas - National Network of Youth Ministries Offers Mentor Recruitment Kit - Summer Training Opportunities
Check out the Child Welfare League of America’s (CWLA) quarterly newsletter: The Link. The Summer 2006 edition is featuring articles on: - Improving System Responses to Crossover Youth: The Role of Research and Practice Partnerships. - Project Redirect: Difficult Juveniles Get a New Outlook for the Future. - Public Policy Update: CWLA Joins in Cosponsoring Capitol Hill Briefings on Funding for Juvenile Justice. - Juvenile Justice News and Resources Click here to check it out!
Monday, July 10, 2006 at 6:16 AM
MADD Curriculum Helps Elementary Students Avoid Alcohol
MADD Curriculum Helps Elementary Students Avoid Alcohol
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Hazelden Foundation are collaborating to bring the evidence-based alcohol prevention curriculum, Protecting You/Protecting Me, to elementary students.
The curriculum teaches pupils in grades 1-5 about the impact of alcohol on the developing brain and how to protect themselves if riding in a car with an alcohol-impaired driver. Its series of 40 lessons covers ways to handle unsafe situations, make good decisions, resist peer pressure, and talk to parents and other adults, among other topics.
Bulletin Describes Juvenile Residential Facility Census
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) announces the availability of "Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 2002: Selected Findings." Written by Melissa Sickmund, Senior Research Associate, National Center for Juvenile Justice, this bulletin is part of OJJDP's National Report series.
The bulletin provides statistics on facilities and offenders by state and facility type, as well as national data on aspects of confinement, overcrowding, suicide, mental health screening, and deaths in custody.
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) has developed a series of training materials called "brown bags." To date, OCSE has released three training packages with plans to issue several more in the coming months. As each "brown bag" is released, it is posted on the OCSE website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs.cse.pubs/training/index.cfm. The "brown bag" series is designed so that the training can be conducted by local child support staff within a one-hour timeframe. Issues covered include child support, security awareness, and family violence.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 9:36 AM
Mental Illness Treatment
Thousands of American parents are turning their children over to social workers or the police because it is the only way for the children to receive treatment for mental illnesses, reports the General Accounting Office. More than 12,700 children were placed in the child welfare or criminal justice system in 2001, which was the first attempt by the government to assess the scope of the problem. The GAO report said 32 states, including the largest five, did not provide data on how many children with mental illness were sent to child welfare agencies to receive treatment. Data on the number who ended up in the criminal justice system were based on just 30 counties nationwide. The report states that adolescent boys with mental illnesses are more likely to "act out," and adolescent girls with similar conditions tended to "act in" and become withdrawn. The GAO report found that communities that were able to lower the incidence of mental illness and keep troubled children and families intact were those that focused on prevention and flexibility.
