OJJDP Administrator Addresses the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference
In remarks offered during the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan reflected on the field’s contributions to youth justice reform thanks to partnership, commitment, and innovation. Administrator Ryan participated in Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott’s Issue Forum on September 13, a panel discussion examining the 50-year history of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA).
The JJDPA was pivotal legislation when it was signed by President Gerald Ford on September 7, 1974, Administrator Ryan said. It provided—for the first time—federal guidance and standards to ensure a minimum level of safety and equitable treatment for young people impacted by the juvenile justice system, including “core requirements” for the states. In 1974, the requirements specified deinstitutionalizing youth who committed status offenses and separating youth from adults in secure facilities. Subsequent JJDPA reauthorizations expanded the requirements, adding the removal of youth from adult jails and lockups. The most recent reauthorization—under the 2018 Juvenile Justice Reform Act—strengthens the requirement for racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.
Most of the 50 states are meeting the core requirements, Administrator Ryan noted. “As a result of these efforts, we have seen significant reductions in the use of detention and secure confinement, as well as the placement of children in adult jails,” she said. “And we have seen an increase in the use of community-based programs. Keeping young people in their communities, with their families, helps to advance community safety and create more opportunities for youth.”
The event’s other panelists included James Dold, CEO and founder of Human Rights for Kids; Jasmine Tyler, Executive Director of the Justice Policy Institute; and moderator Bobby Vassar, who serves on the Justice Policy Institute’s board of directors. Congressman Scott, who represents Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives, hosted the event. Administrator Ryan called him an “unsung hero and true visionary on comprehensive juvenile justice reform” and recognized his contributions to the 2018 JJDPA reauthorization.
“His persistence and his community-based, prevention-focused, and evidence-driven approach represented a significant shift in thinking and helped shape the direction of juvenile justice policy over time,” Administrator Ryan said. “We are indebted to Congressman Scott’s leadership on behalf of youth.”
Coordinating Council Discusses Collaborations To Help Youth Thrive
The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has approved its 2024 report to Congress and the White House, the culmination of nearly 2 years of listening to and learning from the youth justice field. The Council reviewed the report during its meeting on September 19, 2024.
“The report emphasizes cross-agency collaboration, because no single agency or organization—acting alone—can answer all youth needs,” OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan said during the meeting. “Young people need all of us, working together.” Administrator Ryan noted that Council recommendations within the report reflect a renewed commitment to cross-agency federal partnerships that enhance opportunities for youth across the continuum of care, supporting their development into healthy, productive adults.
“From helping to meet basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare, to expanding opportunities for education and employment, to identifying positive role models in young people’s lives—we know if we can work together more effectively, we can disrupt the pipelines that feed into the justice system,” said Brent J. Cohen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, during opening remarks.
The Council heard about a partnership between OJJDP and AmeriCorps to support programs that assist justice-involved youth as they transition back into their communities. There are 12 programs spanning 37 states and serving 4,000 young people, offering them a variety of services, including 1-to-1 mentoring by credible messengers and community outreach. Opportunities for environmental stewardship, educational support, and job training also help participants overcome barriers during reentry and contribute to their communities.
Another presentation focused on a partnership between OJJDP and the Agriculture Department’s Division of Youth and 4-H to launch the Mentoring At-Risk and Rural Youth program (MARRY) in six states: Indiana, Maine, New York, Ohio, Utah, and West Virginia. MARRY will offer 1-to-1 and group mentoring through the 4-H program to 400 youth in grades 4 to 12. MARRY is targeting three subgroups of youth: those living in rural communities, those involved in the juvenile justice system, and those who are at risk for system involvement.
The Council also heard about a collaboration between OJJDP and the Agriculture Department’s Food and Nutrition Service to enhance nutrition for justice-involved youth. Nutrition Service programs—including the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program—provide low-cost or free meals to children in schools and residential childcare institutions, and are available to youth in publicly funded out-of-home placements.
Visit the Council website to see presentations from the meeting, and drafts of the Council’s Report to Congress and a report by practitioner Council members.
New OJJDP Data Snapshots Report on Youth in Placement, Judicial Waivers to Criminal Court, and Rates of Depression Among Youth
OJJDP has added three new data snapshots to the online Statistical Briefing Book:
- Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) Among Youth, 2022 reveals alarming rates of depression among young people. For example, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that 1 in 5 youth ages 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2022, including 28 percent of girls.
- Characteristics of Cases Judicially Waived from Juvenile Court to Criminal Court reports a 57-percent decline in the number of cases judicially waived in 2021 (2,800 cases) when compared to the number waived in 2005 (6,500 cases). Racial disparities persist, however. Among male youth age 17 and older, 55 percent of those judicially waived in 2021 were Black. This snapshot draws on data from OJJDP’s National Juvenile Court Data Archive.
- Highlights from the 2022 Juvenile Residential Facility Census reveal a 75-percent drop in the number of youth in placement in 2022 (27,587 young people) when compared to 2000 (108,802 young people). While the number of youth in placement increased 10 percent between 2020 and 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic had significant effects on all stages of the juvenile justice system, including residential facilities for youth.
The Statistical Briefing Book was developed for OJJDP by the National Center for Juvenile Justice. It contains statistics on a wide range of topics related to youth justice, including arrests, victimization, and juvenile court. It also includes the Racial and Ethnic Disparities Databook, which describes the measurement of racial and ethnic disparities at various stages of the juvenile justice system.
Number of Youth in Adult Jails and Prisons Has Fallen Dramatically Since 2008
The number of youth in adult jails and prisons peaked in 2008, with a combined total of 10,420 youth, according to Youth in the Adult Criminal Justice System, a 2024 literature review in OJJDP’s Model Programs Guide. That number decreased 78 percent by 2021, when state and federal adult prisons held 290 youth and local jails held 1,960 youth.
In addition to providing the most recent data on the number of youth in adult jails and prisons, the literature review explains legal procedures dictating how the juvenile and criminal justice systems process youth (including detaining and confining them with adults), investigates the impact of these practices on youth, and describes reform efforts supporting rehabilitation and individualized justice. Research links delinquency and criminal activity to adolescent brain development and maturation, which continues well into young adulthood, the review concludes.