About Youth Justice Action Month
October is Youth Justice Action Month. Each year, 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 proclaimed October as National Youth Justice Action Month.
"By investing more in all children's health and well-being, our youth can build a foundation for full lives and our whole country can benefit from their unlimited potential."
—President Joseph Biden
This year, OJJDP, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ), and the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) are hosting YJAM 2022.
This year's 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.
Youth advocates began observing Youth Justice Awareness month in 2008. Tracy McClard sparked the movement in 2007 after she lost her teenage son, Jonathan, to suicide during his time in an adult jail in Missouri. Ms. McClard organized a 5K race in October 2008 to raise awareness about the harmful practice of treating children as adults in the justice system.
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.
"October is Youth Justice Action Month—a time to reflect on the actions we must take to ensure that our juvenile justice system is truly just and helping to improve youth outcomes and community safety. This means a renewed focus on keeping young people out of confinement and in their communities."
—Administrator Liz Ryan
OJJDP has three priorities that reflect the Office's guiding philosophy: to enhance youth justice transformation and provide resources and opportunities that support youth and encourage them to thrive.
Over the summer, OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan held a series of listening sessions with youth justice stakeholders, national partners, and justice-involved youth and families. Feedback from these listening sessions will inform OJJDP's approach to advancing the Office's three priorities.
What Youth Justice Means to Youth: A Vision for the Future
On October 27, 2022, OJJDP held a panel discussion, “What Youth Justice Means to Youth: A Vision for the Future. Co-hosted with the Coalition for Juvenile Justice and the National Juvenile Justice Network, the event featured youth leaders with lived experience in the juvenile justice system, who presented their recommendations for a "Youth-Centered Vision of Justice" to OJJDP leadership.
Youth Justice Action Month: Why We Act
In observance of Youth Justice Action Month, OJJDP provides a brief history of YJAM and how the story of Tracy McClard, a mother in Jackson, MO, who lost her 17-year-old son to suicide in an adult facility, sparked nationwide juvenile justice advocacy work, awareness, and reform.
Youth Justice Action Month: Creating Brighter Futures for Our Nation's Youth
OJJDP, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and the National Juvenile Justice Network held a webinar on October 3, 2022 to discuss the history of Youth Justice Action Month and actions we can each take during October and beyond to create brighter futures for the nation's youth.
New Blogs During Youth Justice Action Month
Administrator Liz Ryan's blog posts during Youth Justice Action Month will focus on OJJDP's three priorities and how the Office is working to achieve them. The three priorities that guide OJJDP's work: 1) Treat children as children. 2) Serve children at home, with their families and in their communities. 3) Open up opportunities for system-involved youth. Read the Blog Posts
Youth Justice Action Month: A Message from John Legend
In an exclusive video, John Legend, singer and advocate, thanks youth justice advocates from across the country for their efforts during Youth Justice Action Month to raise awareness and educate the public about the impact of the justice system on youth. He also discusses successes in juvenile justice reform and reiterates the need to continue this work.
Upcoming Events
| OJJDP Observes Youth Justice Action Month |
|---|
| October 3, 2022 - Youth Justice Action Month: Creating Brighter Futures for Our Nation's Youth - OJJDP, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and the National Juvenile Justice Network held a webinar to discuss the history of Youth Justice Action Month and actions we can each take during October and beyond to create brighter futures for the nation's youth. Watch the webinar recording |
| October 18, 2022 - Youth Justice Action Month Virtual Dinner - The Players Coalition, Café Momentum, CJJ and NJJN hosted an evening of meaningful and actionable conversations amongst athletes, youth justice leaders and Momentum Ambassadors from the Café Momentum program. Watch the video |
| October 26, 2022 - Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Meeting - The council met to carry out its advisory functions. Watch the video |
| October 27, 2022 - What Youth Justice Means to Youth: A Vision for the Future - OJJDP hosted a presentation in which youth leaders with lived experience in the juvenile justice system presented their recommendations for a "Youth-Centered Vision of Justice." The platform emphasizes youth involvement in decisions affecting them, with a focus on young people from marginalized communities. Watch the presentation |
| October 28, 2022 - Girl's Justice Day - Rights 4 Girls hosted the 7th annual Girls' Justice Day. The event works to raise awareness during Youth Justice Action Month about the conditions that fuel the criminalization of girls across the country. |
Toolkit & Partners
Resources
- Arrests of Youth Declined Through 2020, Data Snapshot
- Expunging Juvenile Records: Misconceptions, Collateral Consequences, and Emerging Practices, Bulletin
- Improving Youth Defense, In Focus Fact Sheet
- Juveniles in Residential Placement, 2019, Bulletin
- Juvenile Reentry & Aftercare FAQs and Publications from the Statistical Briefing Book
- Model Programs Guide: Reentry/Aftercare, Evidence-Based Programs
- Reentry Starts Here: A Guide for Youth in Long-Term Juvenile Corrections or Treatment Programs
- Trends in Youth Arrests, Fact Sheet
- Youth Reentry and Family Engagement, In Focus Fact Sheet