OJJDP FY 17 Juvenile Justice Emergency Planning Demonstration Program

In 2009, the National Commission on Children and Disasters recommended that OJJDP assess the emergency preparedness among state, county, and local juvenile justice systems. OJJDP’s assessment found that juvenile justice emergency preparedness plans predominately focused on basic continuity of operations rather than comprehensive emergency planning, response, and recovery. The specific needs of children, youth, and families involved in the justice system during an emergency were typically not addressed or were a low priority.

In response, OJJDP collaborated with multiple federal agencies (including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education) and state and local juvenile justice and emergency management practitioners to develop Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities. This guide was designed to help state, tribal, county, and local juvenile justice facilities develop emergency preparedness plans to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and restore essential services as soon as possible. The guide also focuses on how facilities can ensure that youth receive the supports and services they require during the disruptions that emergencies inevitably cause.

This demonstration program will provide resources for state, tribal, local, municipal, and community organizations to develop, strengthen, and implement emergency preparedness plans for juvenile justice facilities. These plans should be based on the principles outlined in Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities and should address the specific needs of children, youth, and families involved in the justice system during an emergency.