U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Working for Youth Justice and Safety

Learn more about OJJDP
© Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com (see reuse policy).

OJJDP Priorities

OJJDP's three priorities reflect the Office's guiding philosophy: to enhance the welfare of America’s youth and broaden their opportunities for a better future. To bring these goals to fruition, OJJDP is leading efforts to transform the juvenile justice system into one that will—

The juvenile justice field's decisionmaking must be informed by science and research to ensure young people are adjudicated fairly and given opportunities to learn and recover from youthful mistakes.

Community-based programs that involve families as a critical component enhance youth outcomes, increase public safety, and strengthen neighborhoods.

Juvenile justice practitioners must recognize and address the barriers to success that involvement with the juvenile justice system creates for youth.

The Latest from OJJDP

Available Funding Opportunities

View current FY 2023 funding opportunities and related webinars. 

OJJDP News @ a Glance, January/February 2023

The January/February newsletter highlights OJJDP's commitment to pursue racial equity and fairness in the juvenile justice system, Administrator Liz Ryan's comments at the National Mentoring Summit, two OJJDP-funded mentoring programs, and National AMBER Alert Awareness Day.

Learn about Funding

Learn about Funding

OJJDP funding programs support state and community efforts to develop effective prevention and intervention programs and to improve juvenile justice systems.
Access Resources

Access Resources

OJJDP produces and sponsors numerous publications and products each year that focus on different aspects of juvenile justice.
Find Programs

Find Programs

OJJDP sponsors programs to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization and improve juvenile justice systems.
Participate in Events

Participate in Events

Learn about upcoming webinars and in-person conferences and training opportunities that support OJJDP's mission.

Preventing Youth Hate Crimes & Identity-Based Bullying  Initiative

Discover more about OJJDP's Preventing Youth Hate Crimes & Identity-Based Bullying  Initiative. This national initiative focuses on prevention and early intervention from a youth-based perspective.