JJDPA (Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act)

The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act is the principal federal program through which the federal government sets standards for juvenile justice systems at the state and local levels, providing direct funding for states, research, training, and technical assistance, and evaluation.

The JJDPA was originally enacted in 1974. Although the JJDPA has been amended several times over the past 30 years, its basic composition has remained the same. As it was passed in 1974, the JJDPA focused largely on preventing juvenile delinquency and on rehabilitating juvenile offenders.

› JJDPA Fact Sheets, Case Examples, and Testimony
› Legislative Activity
› Laws, Regulations, and Implementation Materials
› Compliance

JJDPA Fact Sheets, Case Examples, and Testimony

Fact Sheet about the JJDPA

Fact Sheet about Changes to the JJDPA which would Improve Safety for Incarcerated Youth (Act4JJ)

Fact Sheet about Girls and the Juvenile Justice System (Act4JJ)

Fact Sheet about Community-Based and Home-Based Alternatives to Incarceration (Act4JJ)

Fact Sheet about Jail Removal and Sight and Sound Core Protections (Act4JJ)

Fact Sheet about Community Re-Entry Plans for Youth (Act4JJ)

Fact Sheet about Disproportionate Minority Contact (Act4JJ)

Case Examples: Jurisdictions across the Country that Have Removed Youth Prosecuted as Adults from Adult Jails (Campaign for Youth Justice)

Speaking out Against Prosecuting Children as Adults: Quotes from Researchers and Youth Prosecuted as Adults and their Families (Campaign for Youth Justice)

Legislative Activity

Act4JJ’s JJDPA Backgrounder

NJJDP Coalition’s Recommendations to Congress

Bills and Committee Reports

JJDPA in the 110th and 111^th Congress

S.678 Fact Sheet (111^th Congress)

S.678 Full Text (111^th Congress)

S.678 Committee Report (111^th Congress)

S.3155 Fact Sheet (110^th Congress)

S.3155 Full Text (110^th Congress)

S.3155 Committee Report  (110^th Congress)

Support Letters

CFYJ Letter in support of S.678

State and Local Sign-on Letter in Support of S.678

DOJ Letter in Support of  S.678

Laws, Regulations and Implementation Materials

Law

JJDPA, last reauthorized in 2002

Guidance Manuals

For Monitoring Facilities under JJDPA

For JJDPA Formula Grants (Vol. 1)

Introduction
Chapter 1: Policy Statements
Chapter 2: Legal Opinions
Chapter 3: Court Cases
Glossary

For JJPA Formula Grants (Vol. 2)

Introduction
Chapter 1: Legislative Authority and Funding
Chapter 2: State Plan Development
Chapter 3: General Implementation
Glossary

DMC Technical Assistance Manual

Federal Register Materials

Formula Grants: Consolidated Regulation, 28 CFR Part 31

Policy and criteria for exceptions to compliance with the JJDPA’s deinstitutionalization requirement

Criteria allowing for the placement of non-criminal juveniles in secure facilities for violating valid court orders

Criteria for determining the differences between secure and non-secure lockup for purposes of JJDPA compliance

Exceptions to compliance with JJDPA’s jail removal requirement

Final guideline for the Title V Delinquency Prevention Program

Compliance

State Compliance with JJDPA Core Act Requirements