Provides highlights for 28 diverse juvenile justice reform topics
(Reno, Nev.) – The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) has released a powerful new feature on the Juvenile Justice Geography, Policy, Practice & Statistics website (JJGPS) website that profiles each state with the most recent state trend data on juvenile arrests and custody issues from national data collections, and compares state data to national data.
The profiles highlight policy, practice and statistics across six key areas for comparing and contrasting juvenile justice policy, practice, and statistics: jurisdictional boundaries, juvenile defense, racial and ethnic fairness, juvenile justice services, status offenses and systems integration.
“The new state juvenile justice profiles on the JJGPS website let state policy makers see where they stand, what other states have accomplished, and be inspired to make improvements in their own systems.” said Melissa Sickmund, Director of the NCJJ. “We hope people will use the information about the different state policies and practices to help understand the variations in juvenile justice statistics.”
This new generation of state profiles are the most comprehensive ever released by the NCJJ. The information collected and made accessible allows a much fuller national and historical overview. The JJGPS site is designed to increase clarity on critical issues and encourage reform. It is a project of the NCJJ funded through the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change Initiative. The NCJJ is the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ).
“The new JJGPS state juvenile justice profiles exceed those NCJJ has assembled in the past,” said Hunter Hurst, JJGPS Project Director at NCJJ. “With the addition of a courtroom shackling topic, the state profiles now span 28 juvenile justice issues – from age boundaries and transfer to criminal court through systems integration on behalf of dual-status youth.”
The JJGPS is the first of its kind and will provide a much fuller national and historical overview of the juvenile justice system. It was created with the purpose of increasing clarity on critical issues and encouraging reform.
About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nev.-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, is the nation’s oldest judicial membership organization and focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation’s juvenile and family courts. A leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the field of juvenile and family justice, the 2,000-member organization is unique in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide.
About the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ):
The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), located in Pittsburgh, PA. is the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and is the oldest juvenile justice research group in the United States, having conducted national and sub national studies on crime and delinquency since 1973. NCJJ is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is effective justice for children and families through research and technical assistance. For four decades, NCJJ has conducted research and provided objective, factual information that professionals and decision makers in the juvenile and family justice system use to increase effectiveness. NCJJ’s success stems from a unique blend of technical skill and practical experience that has enabled us to make complex research and statistical information understood by juvenile justice professionals and decision makers.