Youth Justice Action Month

October is Youth Justice Action Month. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) joins our partners to raise awareness and educate the public about the impact of the justice system on children. President Joseph Biden has issued a proclamation making October National Youth Justice Action Month.

"Our young people are the kite strings that keep our national ambitions aloft — the future of our Nation is in their hands. During National Youth Justice Action Month, we recommit to expanding opportunities for all of our Nation's children and building a justice system that allows our youth to thrive."

—President Joseph Biden

Cohosted by OJJDP, the National Juvenile Justice Network, and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the initiative underscores OJJDP’s commitment to youth justice reform by showcasing the Office’s three priorities: treating children as children; serving children at home, with their families, and in their communities; and opening up opportunities for system-involved youth.

The theme is "Justice Is ____." The YJAM theme gives impacted youth, families and allies an opportunity to collectively imagine new possibilities for systems of support, healing and restorative justice—particularly within local communities around the country.

YJAM began in 2008 as Youth Justice Awareness Month, when a grieving mother, Tracy McClard, sought meaningful system reform after her teenage son, Jonathan, died by suicide while locked in solitary confinement in an adult jail. Ms. McClard advocated for an end to the prosecution and incarceration of youth in the adult criminal justice system—OJJDP’s primary, most pressing goal. In 2016, Youth Justice Awareness Month was renamed Youth Justice Action Month to encourage advocates, legislators, and governments to take concrete actions to show their commitment to youth justice.

"YJAM asks us all to recommit to actions that promote youth justice reform—to ensuring that all children get a fair shot at reaching their potential. We must recommit to offering system-involved kids support and services that steer them toward positive change, and we must sustain those supports when youth reenter their communities after incarceration."

—OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan

OJJDP envisions a juvenile justice system that emphasizes reform, support for youth, and opportunities. It begins with keeping children out of adult criminal court. Youth must never be housed in adult jails and prisons, where they are at heightened risk for suffering assault, sexual abuse, and other crimes. Furthermore, adult facilities do not offer youth age-appropriate care, therapy, and educational and vocational training. Time in an adult facility often leaves youth with lasting trauma.