The beginning of a new year is a special time for many of us. Whether you are planning to make resolutions or just enjoy some tranquility after the holiday rush, all of us at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, or OJJDP, would like to wish you a very happy new year. I am Liz Ryan, the Administrator of OJJDP.

As we prepare to mark the new year, our thoughts are with those families who cannot be together to celebrate this occasion. When a child is absent—because they are missing, incarcerated, or separated from their families due to substance use or mental health issues—an unfillable void remains.

Our office strives to enhance the welfare of America’s youth and broaden their opportunities for a better future. We do this by focusing on preventing delinquency whenever we can; intervening to help youth who are at risk to get their lives back on track; and helping states build safe and equitable juvenile justice systems, while prioritizing community safety.

In fiscal year 2023, OJJDP awarded more than $420 million in grants to states, Tribes, and communities throughout the country. This funding includes formula grants to states and discretionary grants awarded through a competitive application process.

In the area of prevention, there is perhaps no more impactful program than our robust mentoring efforts. An encouraging adult role model can help young people build positive relationships and productive futures. And research shows that mentoring works.

OJJDP provided more than $92 million in 2023 to increase access to mentoring and to improve the quality of existing programs. These programs include targeted efforts to serve young people impacted by the opioid epidemic or by a parent’s imprisonment.

The Office also distributed nearly $101 million to fund programs ranging from prevention, through intervention, to reentry. These efforts support drug courts serving youth and families facing substance use challenges. Delinquency prevention and intervention programs also receive vital financial assistance to help vulnerable, at-risk youth. Communities use grant dollars to establish and sustain effective youth reentry programs. Finally, we fund Tribal efforts to reduce delinquency and strengthen the juvenile justice system for American Indian and Alaska Native youth.

While I can’t highlight all of our incredible programs in this short message, I want to emphasize that we continue to focus on youth and families in every aspect of our work including programs, policies, and partnerships.

OJJDP realizes that we can only transform the juvenile justice system together—with the input, buy-in, and lived experiences of youth and families. Together, we can build a juvenile justice system that treats children as children; serves children at home, with their families, in their communities; and opens up opportunities for system-involved youth.

This new year means new opportunities to get the job done. Let’s keep working together.