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CJJ Releases Resources to Help Better Understand the JJDPA Reauthorization
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice has released a series of new resources to help states navigate the recently reauthorized Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) and its implications for states. Additional resources from the Act 4 Juvenile Justice Coalition, a network of national organizations co-chaired by Campaign for Youth Justice and the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, can be accessed here.

On Dec. 21, 2018, the JJDPA was reauthorized after more than 16 years of efforts by juvenile justice advocates across the country. H.R. 6964 included a series of changes that will directly impact the State Advisory Groups, including changes to membership requirements, state plans, and each of the core protections.

To learn more about the JJDPA reauthorization watch CJJ's recent webinar on the JJDPA, or click here to view a summary of the bill and other tools.
Join Us in Washington, D.C. for CJJ's 2019 Annual Conference
CJJ's 2019 Annual Conference   " Bridging The Gap: Improving Outcomes For All Youth " will take place June 19-22 at the   Hyatt Regency Washington   in Washington, D.C.  To register for the conference, click   here . A draft of the conference agenda can be viewed here .

Each year, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice hosts a national conference uniquely focused on improving juvenile justice and delinquency prevention systems, services, practices, and policies. More than 350 juvenile justice practitioners, policymakers, and advocates from across the country are expected to attend. 

CJJ's 2019 Annual Conference will focus on the latest research, developments, and challenges facing our field today. Specifically:

  • How do changes to the JJDPA impact states' work?
  • How can states and communities serve as leaders in shaping a better juvenile justice system for our most vulnerable youth? 
  • How can we improve collaborations with young people with lived experiences in the systems we work with?  
  • What can be done to leverage partnerships to help improve physical and mental health services, and better address youths' needs for education and housing? 
  • What role does advocacy play as communities seek to improve services and provide for trauma-informed care for children and youth?  

For more information on the 2019 Annual Conference and registration, click  here .  

For questions, please contact Laura Armstrong at  armstrong@juvjustice.org

Awards:
Each year, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice honors leaders in the field of juvenile justice during our Annual Conference.

The  Tony Gobar Award   is given in honor of a state juvenile justice specialist who has done outstanding work to improve juvenile justice. The   A.L. Carlisle Child Advocacy Award   is presented by CJJ annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to youth, to juvenile justice improvement efforts, or in the broader area of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention concerns. The   Spirit of Youth Award   recognizes and celebrates a young adult who overcame personal obstacles in their life, and is now making significant contributions to society.

Award nominations are due March 8 and can be found here.

Sponsor/Exhibitor Opportunities:
CJJ invites you to consider becoming a sponsor or exhibitor at our Annual Conference on June 20-21 at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C. Sponsoring or exhibiting is an easy and affordable way to promote your program, publication, or institution to a targeted professional audience while supporting CJJ’s continuing efforts towards juvenile justice reform and leadership development.

Click   here   to learn more. Click  here  to apply to exhibit, or contact CJJ Executive Director Naomi Smoot at  smoot@juvjustice.org  for more details. 

CJJ will hold elections during the conference for the following Executive Board positions. Nominations are due May 20 for: 

To apply for one of these positions, please click  here.

Hill Day:
Join us on June 19th for CJJ's Annual Hill Day. This event is a unique opportunity for CJJ members to meet with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill and educate them about juvenile justice. This year, Hill Day will kick off with two training opportunities at 7 and 10 a.m. to help prepare participants for their visits.

Attendees are required to schedule their own visits with lawmakers. For information on how to do this, or other questions related to Hill Day, please contact Naomi Smoot at smoot@juvjustice.org.

Volunteers:
A limited number of volunteer opportunities are available for individuals who are interested in attending the conference. Volunteers receive complimentary conference registration. Spots are available on a first come, first served basis. For more information on serving as a volunteer, contact Naomi Smoot at smoot@juvjustice.org .
Federal Policy Updates
F ederal Appropriations:
Earlier this month, Congress and the President approved a final spending package for Fiscal Year 2019. The full budget bill is available  here . The package included $287 million in federal funding for juvenile justice programs, including:

  • $60 million for Title II;
  • $24.5 million for Title V;
  • $95 million for mentoring;
  • $22.5 for Victims of Child Abuse Programs;
  • $82 million for Missing and Exploited Children Programs; and
  • $3 million for judicial training. 

Title V funding continues to be earmarked   for specific programs in FY19. Funding from Title V will be used as follows: $5 million for Tribal Youth; $500,000 for Children of Incarcerated Parents Web Portal; $2 million for girls in the juvenile justice system; $9 million for opioid affected youth initiatives; and $8 million for children exposed to violence. 

Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program:
A bill to reauthorize and update the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) program has passed the House of Representatives. H.R. 494 , was introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) earlier this year, and was approved by the House on Feb. 11.

The legislation would provide $30 million in funding for the JABG program, a once robust source of juvenile justice funding that has not been included in the federal budget for the past several years.

The measure next goes to the Senate for consideration.
21 Day Racial Equity Challenge
Help Support CJJ's Emerging Leaders Committee! 
Each year, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice partners with 10 rising stars in the juvenile justice field and offers them the opportunity to join CJJ's Emerging Leaders Committee (ELC). This year's cohort includes five young people who are currently incarcerated. Participants hail from six states. Over the upcoming year, these young leaders will advise CJJ on policy and projects and provide their valuable perspective as youth and young adults. Participants will also receive valuable professional development and public speaking opportunities. 

To purchase a t-shirt to support this year's ELC please click  here . Proceeds will help pay members' hourly stipends and travel expenses. T-shirts were designed in partnership with CJJ's 2018 ELC. 
Today, February 21 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern
The reauthorization of the JJDPA includes a requirement for State Advisory Groups to include membership from a Tribal representative in states where Indian Tribes are located. This new requirement highlights the importance of developing collaborative partnerships between states and Tribes. Join us for a discussion exploring critical issues in relationship-building between state and Tribal governments and hear about the partnerships built in Idaho.

Tribes in Idaho partnered with the state to develop a Tribal Juvenile Justice Council which serves in an advisory capacity to the State Advisory Group. The Chair of the Tribal Juvenile Justice Council is a voting member of the State Advisory Group. 
 
Presenters: 
Alan Miller, Juvenile Justice Specialist & DMC Coordinator, Idaho 
Del Rae Kipp, Administrative Specialist,  Nez Perce Tribe Prosecutors Office

To register, click here.

March 21 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern
The JJDPA prohibits young people from being held in secure detention or confinement if they are charged with a status offense. Common examples of status offenses include skipping school, running away from home, and missing curfew.

An exception continues to exist in the law known as the valid court order (VCO) exception. Since its addition to the JJDPA in the 1980s, the VCO exception has caused thousands of young people to be incarcerated for status offense behaviors, with professionals citing detention as a sanction that works to curb the status offending behaviors. Hear from Colorado about research that was conducted in the state to better understand the outcomes for truants who have been detained, with a close look at the characteristics which are significantly associated with use of secure detention for truancy, and action steps the Division of Criminal Justice and the JJDP Council (State Advisory Group) have taken to change their state policies. This webinar will also address the changes to the Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) core protection and the additional requirements for the VCO exception under H.R. 6964, as well as best practices for addressing status offense behaviors.

Presenters: 
Diane Fox , Principle, Infinite Frontier Consulting, LLC
Lisa Pilnik , Senior Consultant, Coalition for Juvenile Justice 
Naomi Smoot , Executive Director, Coalition for Juvenile Justice 
Meg Williams , Juvenile Justice Specialist, Colorado 

To register, click   here.  
 
April 18 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern 
Research shows youth confined in adult jails and lockups are more likely to come back into contact with the system and that, while confined, are at pronounced high risks for suffering assault and committing suicide. This webinar will explain how H.R. 6964 extends the jail removal and sight and sound core requirements to keep youth awaiting trial in criminal court out of adult jails and lockups and to ensure sight and sound separation in the limited circumstances where they are held in adult facilities.

Presenter: 
Rachel Marshall,  Federal Policy Counsel,   Campaign for Youth Justice

To register, click   here.  

This webinar is free to CJJ members. To become a member, click  here .
Would You Like to Blog for CJJ?
CJJ is looking for bloggers for  CJJ Today   to author stories and posts about juvenile justice. We're particularly interested in stories from  State Advisory Group members   or staff, CJJ  individual   or  youth members , and CJJ  organizational members , about issues at the state or local level, interesting programs or approaches, and perspectives about the course of juvenile justice reform at the local or state level. We also welcome blog posts from other juvenile justice system stakeholders. Blog posts can be between 400-750 words in length. Click  here  to see our other guidelines for blogs.  

Suggested topics could include:  
  • School to Prison Pipeline
  • Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
  • Remedying Racial and Ethnic Disparities
  • Adolescent Brain Development 
  • Evidence-Based Practices
  • Status Offenses
  • Family and Youth Involvement
  • Promising Practices or Program Spotlights
  • If interested please email info@juvjustice.org for more details. 
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Member Spotlight: Mississippi
The Mississippi Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee-State Advisory Group and the Division of Public Safety Planning are gearing up for the 42nd Annual Juvenile Justice Symposium. The Juvenile Justice Symposium offers cutting edge training to juvenile justice practitioners and advocates through training sessions conducted by professionals who are leaders in their respective fields at the state and national level.

The Symposium is tentatively scheduled for July 31-August 2 at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Biloxi, MS. More information regrading registration and hotel accommodations will be available in the coming weeks.

In addition to the upcoming Symposium, the Mississippi Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee-State Advisory Group is deeply invested in working with the Office of the Attorney General to expand the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) footprint and passing statewide juvenile justice detention standards.
Other News and Events
EVENTS AND TRAININGS




  • Join the Act4JJ Coalition Feb. 26 at Capitol Visitor Center for a briefing to discuss the latest developments in federal juvenile justice reform in the wake of the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA).


NEW PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

  • The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) is producing a series of videos and blogs highlighting California Counties’ best practices.


  • The work of young people appointed to CJJ's Emerging Leaders Committee is highlighted in this article from The Chronicle.


CJJ invites you to share news from your SAG, organization, state, or region! Inclusion and editing of submissions are subject to CJJ editorial guidelines.
The Juvenile Justice Monitor is brought to you by staff and volunteer leaders of the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, and supported by membership fees paid by CJJ's State Advisory Group Members, Members at Large, Organizational Members, and allies. We are grateful to all for their ongoing support. 

Coalition for Juvenile Justice
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Washington, DC 20004
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