Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Justice dedicated to supporting state and local communities, as well as Native American tribal jurisdictions, in addressing juvenile delinquency, child abuse, and neglect. Established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, the OJJDP aims to deinstitutionalize and decentralize juvenile justice practices across the United States. This semi-autonomous office provides vital resources, including funding, training, and technical assistance to juvenile justice agencies, helping them enhance child services and public safety.
Over the years, the OJJDP has evolved its approach, focusing on prevention, risk assessment, and family dynamics while implementing graduated sanctions for youth offenders. In 2002, Congress reauthorized the act, allowing for increased funding and emphasizing research and information dissemination. Currently, under the leadership of administrator Liz Ryan, the OJJDP continues to convene discussions and share updates on juvenile justice matters, reflecting its commitment to improving outcomes for youth involved in the justice system.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
IDENTIFICATION: Branch of the US Department of Justice that provides support to states, local communities, and Native American tribal jurisdictions in an effort to treat and prevent serious juvenile delinquency, child abuse, and child neglect
SIGNIFICANCE: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, or OJJDP, was created to provide federal aid to states and local communities in a continued and comprehensive initiative to deinstitutionalize and decentralize the practices of the juvenile justice system throughout the United States.
A semiautonomous branch within the federal Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement Administration Agency (LEAA), the OJJDP provides information and funding to local, state, and tribal juvenile justice agencies. Through this provision, the OJJDP aids these agencies in child service provisions, public protection, research initiatives, and specialized training for justice system officials interacting with youth.
The OJJDP was established when the US Congress passed the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in 1974. Initial motivation for the creation of the office was the provision of funding to state and local jurisdictions involved in continued efforts to develop alternatives to confinement for juvenile offenders. This primary goal persisted throughout the 1980s.
During the 1990s, the OJJDP embraced a comprehensive approach to the study and treatment of juvenile delinquency, stressing prevention, assessment of risk and need, family factors, and graduated sanctions for youth. In 2002, Congress reauthorized the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, which provided for continued support of the OJJDP’s initial goals while increasing funding opportunities for communities and states, as well as placing a renewed focus on research, training, technical assistance, and the dissemination of information. In May 2022, Liz Ryan was appointed administrator of the OJJDP. As of 2024, Ryan hosted the monthly Webex series "Today in Juvenile Justice: Administrator Update."
Bibliography
Champion, Dean John. The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing, and the Law. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2003.
"OJJDP Welcomes New Administrator." OJJDP.OJP.gov, 5 May 2022, ojjdp.ojp.gov/ojjdp-welcomes-new-administrator. Accessed 5 July 2024.
Olson-Raymer, Gayle. Criminology: The Role of the Federal Government in Juvenile Delinquency Prevention—Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern School of Law Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 1983.
Rinker, Brian. "Q & A: Meet US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Chief Liz Ryan." Youth Today, 21 Feb. 2023, youthtoday.org/2023/02/qa-meet-u-s-office-of-juvenile-justice-and-delinquency-prevention-chief-liz-ryan/. Accessed 8 July 2024.
Tanenhaus, David S. Juvenile Justice in the Making. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.