Quarterly Meeting of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention *

The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (“Council”) convened on March 4, 2005 in Washington to review progress and continue its work to coordinate federal juvenile delinquency programming in order to better serve at-risk children and juveniles.

After his opening remarks and the welcome remarks from Deborah A. Price (Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education), J. Robert Flores (Vice Chair of the Council and the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice) reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recommended that the Council establish a Working Group on gang prevention and suppression, to share data across agencies of the Council, and to exchange information about grants and other funding across agencies.

Bob Samuels (Acting Designated Federal Official of the Council) reviewed the progress of OJJDP’s proposed strategic planning tool–geographical information systems (GIS) mapping. As illustrated in North Miami Beach, Florida, youth services are inventoried by location and entered digitally into GIS software. Crime data are entered, also, to show the physical relationship between services and crime. ** Flores explained that the next step of the OJJDP GIS proposal would include the overlaying of the sites where grant monies and other funds are being used. John Foster-Bey (Senior Advisor, Corporation for National and Community Service or CNS) reported that CNS supports GIS mapping.

Gregg Weltz (Office of Youth Services, U.S. Department of Labor – http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/) discussed the potential effect of alternative youth sentencing on the labor market in a presentation of the Avon Lake impact study. Generally, youth who have been confined or detained will enter the labor market with deficits in education, job skills, and social development. These deficits can be expected to significantly reduce the wellness and productivity of previously incarcerated youth.

In addressing concerns from the field of practitioners, the Council discussed joint funding of proposed work, particularly in job training and mentoring. The Council considered opportunities for reserving some portion of funding for novice applicants. Michael J. Mahoney (Practitioner Member of the Council, Cassopolis, Michigan) suggested that the Council encourage states to replicate the Council’s model and coordinate juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs within the state and between state agencies and local agencies.

Flores described OJJDP’s concept for a comprehensive conference on juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. At OJJDP’s national conference that is scheduled for the week of December 5, 2005, Flores is recommending that members of the Council develop content for their agency-specific and coordinated efforts to improve the juvenile justice system and prevent delinquency. Theoretically, the proposed supra-conference would include tracked content related to Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, National Drug Control Policy, CNS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Homeland Security), among others.

Midway through the meeting, the new U.S. Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings greeted the Council and expressed her support for coordinating efforts across agencies.

William Modzeleski (Associate Assistant Deputy Undersecretary, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education), Kellie Dressler-Tetrick (Branch Chief, Demonstration Programs Division, OJJDP), and Marilyn Copeland (Jonesboro, Arkansas, Public Schools) presented an overview and case study of the Safe Schools / Healthy Students (SS/HS) initiative. The SS/HS initiative has been jointly operated by the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services since 1999. To date, SS/HS has awarded grants totaling nearly 800 million dollars. The CFA for FY2005 is expected to be released March 8, 2005. An estimated 40 grants will be awarded. ***

The last presentation was provided by Gary Rutkin (Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education). Rutkin presented a review of Title I, Part D, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Title I, Part D provides formula grants for educational programs for youth in state-operated institutions or community day programs and grants to local school district programs involving collaboration with locally operated facilities for neglected or delinquent youth.

* The Council was established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5601). The Council is an independent body within the executive branch of the federal government. The Council was established primarily “to coordinate all Federal juvenile delinquency programs (in cooperation with State and local juvenile justice programs), all Federal programs and activities that detain or care for unaccompanied juveniles, and all Federal programs relating to missing and exploited children, . . . to better serve at-risk children and juveniles.” The Attorney General serves as Chairman of the Council. The Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (J. Robert Flores) serves as Vice Chairman, who acts as Chairman in the absence of the Attorney General. The Council meets at least quarterly in Washington, DC. Sessions are open to the public. Please see http://www.juvenilecouncil.gov/ for additional information.

** Dennis L. White of the Hamilton Fish Institute has been preparing a similar strategic planning tool (minus the funding overlays) in cooperation with the GIS Manager, Franklin County (Ohio) Development Department. The strategic planning tool, entitled “Growing up safe and smart” will be presented at the 109th Annual PTA Conference and Exhibit in Columbus, Ohio in June.

*** Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; Safe Schools/Healthy Students; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005
(http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-4741.htm)

Page Updated: April 07, 2005