On April 17, J. Robert Flores was sworn in as Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. His nomination had been confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 12.

In setting forth the goals for his tenure at OJJDP, Mr. Flores has emphasized the importance of protecting public safety and the significance of failing to prevent delinquency. “When we fail with children, the economic costs are great, but the costs in terms of lost opportunity are astronomical,” he notes.

Mr. Flores envisions an expanded role for private organizations and community groups in delinquency prevention efforts and believes it is critical that these local groups receive the support they need. He also hopes to expand OJJDP’s collaboration with other agencies, citing the Office of Justice Programs’ Going Home: Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative as an example of what can be achieved through interagency partnerships.

Viewing the issue of disproportionate minority confinement as an important one for OJJDP, Mr. Flores is dedicated to the proposition that all individuals must receive fair and equal treatment within the juvenile justice system. He also expects OJJDP to focus on juvenile justice issues in Alaska Native and American Indian communities and will look for innovative ways to assist these communities in their efforts to reduce delinquency.

Mr. Flores brings experience in both the public and private sectors to his new position. From 1989 to 1997, he served in the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Before joining the Justice Department, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan. More recently, he served as Vice President and Senior Counsel for the National Law Center for Children and Families and as Legal Counsel to the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Mr. Flores also was a member of the congressionally appointed Commission on Online Child Protection.

His experience in juvenile justice has given Mr. Flores a respect for the accomplishments of the past and strengthened his hopes for the future.“While we have made progress, we cannot rest on our success. Young people are among our greatest resources. When the adult community makes the interests and well-being of our youth a priority, we all benefit.”

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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.