With greater recognition of what works and greater attention to incorporating that knowledge
into the planning and implementation of juvenile justice programs in recent years, America�s
communities have made considerable progress in reducing juvenile crime and violence. The
U.S. arrest rate for violent juvenile crime, for example, plummeted 36 percent from its peak
in 1994 to 1999, the most recent year for which such data are available. Indeed, while the juvenile population increased by 8 percent from 1993 to 1999, the number of juvenile arrests
declined in every category of violent crime—with the juvenile arrest rate for murder down
68 percent in the same period.
Despite the steady progress of the past several years, however, serious challenges remain that
require the ongoing attention of the juvenile justice system. The Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is committed to fulfilling its statutory mandate to lead the
Nation�s efforts to combat delinquency, strengthen the juvenile justice system, enhance public
safety, and prevent youth victimization. OJJDP Annual Report 2000 describes OJJDP�s data
collection, research, evaluation, demonstration, training and technical assistance, and information dissemination initiatives in fiscal year 2000 to advance those worthy ends.
By working together on behalf of America�s children and their families, we can ensure that the
progress of the recent past shall be but a prologue to a brighter future in this new millennium.
