Centers
Poly Victimization in Girls
There is considerable evidence that victimization is pervasive in the backgrounds of delinquent girls. Violence exposure within this population is of particular interest not only because these girls experience numerous other health risks, but also because of the behavioral risk that victimization may pose according to emerging theory on girls' and women's crime.
Attorney General Holder Addresses Pediatrics Conference on Children's Exposure to Violence
In remarks addressing the recent annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Attorney General Eric Holder commended the Academy for addressing the problem of children and violence, which has been a long-term "personal and professional concern."
A Pivotal Moment: Sustaining the Success and Enhancing the Future of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
Coalition for Juvenile Justice
Published: September 2009
Based on a survey, recommends ways to enhance the partnership of federal, state, tribal, and territorial governments to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and reform juvenile justice systems, such as increasing training and technical assistance.
Article Critiques the Valid Court Order Exception for Incarceration of Status Offenders in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
In “Status Offenses and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act: The Exception that Swallowed the Rule,” Patricia J. Arthur and Regina Waugh discuss a major loophole in the JJDPA that allows judges to lock up status offenders if they violate a valid court order (VCO). One of the core requirements of the JJDPA is that status offenders not be placed in secure confinement. However, the so-called “VCO exception” has resulted in the detention and incarceration of youth who have not committed a criminal offense. The article, in the Seattle Journal for Social Justice, details the harmful effects of the exception and offers model reform efforts from three states that are seeking to reduce the use of confinement for status offenders. Visit the ACT4JJ Campaign’s Web site to learn more about about status offenders and the JJDPA. Click “Read more” to read the article.
New Girls Study Group Bulletin Reviews Suitability of Assessment Instruments for Delinquent Girls
A new bulletin from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Girls Study Group (GSG) examines the extent to which standardized risk and need assessment instruments are valid for girls. “Suitability of Assessment Instruments for Delinquent Girls” reviews 143 instruments and provides detailed results for each instrument. GSG reviewed two main types of instruments: risk and risk/needs assessment instruments to predict outcomes, most often recidivism; and treatment-focused instruments used to determine treatment needs or diagnose various disorders. The report offers detailed findings and recommendations for practitioners; GSG also has created a searchable online database of the instruments. Click “Read more” to read the bulletin.
Newspapers Focusing on Juvenile Life Without Parole
In “Life in Prison for Minors: Cruel and Unusual?” (October 5), the Wall Street Journal examines the issue of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) and the two cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on November 9. The article includes a link to a video discussing the issue. Op-eds in both the Los Angeles Times (“Sending Children to Prison for Life,” October 5) and The Boston Globe (“Don’t Throw Away the Key on All Juvenile Killers,” October 3) call for an end to JLWOP. The op-eds emphasize the potential for rehabilitation of youth, international standards that reject JLWOP, the cost of life imprisonment of youth, and the fundamental differences between children and adults. A letter to the editor in The Arizona Republic (“Don’t Give Teens Life Sentences,” October 10) by Beth Rosenberg of NJJN member Children’s Action Alliance also calls for an end to JLWOP. For more information on JLWOP visit the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth’s Web site or click “Read more” to visit NJJN’s Web page on JLWOP.
OPPAGA Report Jan 2009- DJJ Should Monitor Network and PACE Administrative Services and Revise Policies to Serve Appropriate Youth
The department should revise its performance measures for the Network and PACE to better assess their services.
Epidemiology of Substance Abuse Among Florida Girls and Women 2000-2006
Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking-Shared Hope Report
NCCD Report: A Rallying Cry for Change
Charting a New Direction in the State of Florida's Response to Girls in the Juvenile Justice System
Girls in the Juvenile Justice System: Toward Effective Gender-Responsive Programming
Children's Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey
More than 60 percent of the Nation's youth have been exposed to violence within the past year