OJJDP FY 2011 National Juvenile Probation Census Project

OJJDP has a specific mission to develop and disseminate knowledge about what works to prevent juvenile delinquency and violence and improve the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. § 5601 et seq authorizes the Administrator of OJJDP to conduct research or evaluations and undertake statistical analyses on a wide range of juvenile justice matters. OJJDP also provides funding to states and localities to carry out research, evaluation, and statistical analyses.

The OJJDP National Juvenile Probation Census Project will support the implementation and ongoing development and maintenance of two complementary national data collection programs that make up OJJDP's National Juvenile Probation Census Project (NJPCP): the Census of Juvenile Probation Supervision Offices (CJPSO) and the Census of Juveniles on Probation (CJP). OJJDP established the NJPCP to measure the number and characteristics of juveniles under probation supervision and the characteristics and practices of juvenile probation supervision offices in the United States. The goal of the National Juvenile Probation Census Project (NJPCP) is to develop a reliable count of the number and characteristics of youth under juvenile probation supervision in the United States and an understanding of the juvenile probation offices that supervise them. Westat and their subcontractor, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), will conduct the Census of Juvenile Probation Supervision Offices (CJPSO) and the Census of Juveniles on Probation (CJP). Westat will employ multiple resources to update the current NJPCP roster, using an approach based on each state's organization of juvenile probation supervision. After evaluating the current data collection instruments and incorporating stakeholder input, the survey design experts will revise them to enhance coverage and clarity while minimizing respondent burden. Using state-of-the-art survey methodology, Westat will field the surveys, increasing the response rate over previous administrations. A primary deliverable for the project includes the development of fully documented analytic data files that support reliable state and national estimates. Westat statisticians will develop the estimates, and will present them in summary reports at up to three national conferences. Ultimately, this program aims to provide reliable state and national juvenile probation estimates. Westat and the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), having been involved in OJJDP's juvenile justice statistics development for the past two decades, offer OJJDP an approach to enhancing the quality of the data and the timeliness of reporting. CA/NCF

This program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants and cooperative agreements for research and evaluation activities to organizations that OJJDP designates.

Westat and their subcontractor, the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), will implement the National Juvenile Probation Census Project (NJPCP): conducting the Census of Juvenile Probation Supervision Offices (CJPSO) and the Census of Juveniles on Probation (CJP). The goal of this project is to develop a reliable count of the number and characteristics of youth under juvenile probation supervision in the United States and an understanding of the juvenile probation offices that supervise them. Westat will employ multiple resources to update the current NJPCP roster of juvenile probation offices, using an approach based on each state's organization of juvenile probation supervision. After evaluating the current data collection instruments and incorporating stakeholder input, Westat's survey design experts will revise the instruments to enhance coverage and clarity while minimizing respondent burden. Using state-of-the-art survey methodology, Westat will field the surveys, increasing the response rate over previous administrations. NCA/NCF