U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

Guidelines for Juvenile 

Information Sharing 

OJJDP Report 
Office of Justice Programs 

810 Seventh Street NW. 

Washington, DC 20531 

Alberto R. Gonzales 

Attorney General 

Regina B. Schofield 

Assistant Attorney General 

J. Robert Flores 

Administrator 


Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 


Office of Justice Programs 

Partnerships for Safer Communities 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp 

These guidelines were prepared by the Center for Network Development, and supported by grant number 2000–JN– 

FX–K004 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. 

Department of Justice. 

Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the 

official positions or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice 

Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the 

National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime. 
Guidelines for 


Juvenile Information Sharing 


Jennifer Mankey, M.P.A; Patricia Baca, Ed.D.; Stephanie Rondenell, B.S.; 


 Marilyn Webb, M.A.; Denise McHugh, J.D. 


Report 

October 2006 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 


NCJ 215786 

Acknowledgments 


The juvenile information sharing (JIS) guidelines were prepared by the Center for Network Development (CND) 

for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The guidelines suggest a course of action 

for key agency and organization stakeholders involved in a state or local effort to implement and sustain juvenile 

information sharing. 

The JIS guidelines draw on the experience and expertise of many who work in youth-serving agencies and 

information technology initiatives throughout the United States. 

Gratitude is extended in particular to the professionals who have served on the Juvenile Information Sharing 

Advisory Group and to those who served as peer reviewers of the draft guidelines. 

Appreciation also goes to J. Robert Flores, Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

(OJJDP), who has set an example for cross-agency collaboration and communication, and to Gwendolyn 

Dilworth, Program Manager, Demonstration Programs Division, OJJDP, who has worked steadfastly in support of 

juvenile information sharing as a means to improve services to youth. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing i 
JUVENILE INFORMATION SHARING ADVISORY GROUP


Paul Embley 

G&H International Services, Inc. 

Anne Gardner 

Assistant United States Attorney, 

U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District, Arkansas 

Julie Spence Gefke 

Former Privacy and Security Officer, 

State of Colorado, Department of 

Health Care Policy and Financing 

Ken Gill 

Former Technology Advisor,


Bureau of Justice, Office of Justice Programs


Jim Ham 

Information Technology Juvenile 

Justice Manager, Arizona Supreme Court 

Blake Harrison 

Program Principal, Criminal Justice, 

National Conference of State Legislatures 

Emmitt Hayes 

SASD Director, 


Travis County, Texas, 


Juvenile Probation Department 


Bill Hughes 

Information Technology 

Programming Specialist, Arizona 

Office of the Courts 

Bernie Martinez 

Director, Migrant Education Program, 

Colorado Department of Education 

James McMillan 

Principal Court Technology Consultant, National 

Center for State Courts 

Richard Morris 

Project Coordinator, U.S. Department 

of Labor, Office of Youth Services 

Carolyn Nava 

President, Youth Leadership International 

Leroy Rooker 

Director, Family Policy Compliance 

Office, U.S. Department of Education 

LaChundra Thomas 

Child Welfare Program Specialist, 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Gary Waint 

Division Director, Juvenile and Adult 

Court Programs, Missouri Office of 

State Courts Administrator 

Jennifer Zeunik 

Project Manager, Law Enforcement 

Technology Standards Council Technology Center, 

International Association of Chiefs of Police 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing ii 
JUVENILE INFORMATION SHARING GUIDELINES PEER REVIEWERS


Bobbie Chinsky Eileen Madigan 

Program Manager, Juvenile Justice Juvenile Justice Information System Coordinator, 

Services Division, Arizona Crime Prevention and 

Administrative Office of the Court Justice Assistance Division, Hawaii 

Department of the Attorney General 

Paul R. Eik 

Program Manager, Michael Overton 

State of New Mexico Children, Project Manager, 

Youth and Families Department Nebraska Crime Commission 

Doug Engle Tricia Schlechte 

Director, Office of Technology and Deputy Department Director, 

Information Services, Georgia Health and Public Health, 

Department of Juvenile Justice Missouri Department of Health 

and Senior Services 

Honorable Ernestine S. Gray 

Judge, Orleans Parish (Louisiana) Julie Slayton 

Juvenile Court Chief Research Scientist, Program 

Evaluation and Research Branch, 

Denise Hotopp Los Angeles Unified School District 

Director, Polk County (Iowa) 

Decategorization Wansley Walters 

Director, Miami-Dade Juvenile 

Nicole Lievsay Assessment Center 

Director, Juvenile Justice Initiatives, 

Harris County (Texas) 

William Lutz 

Director, Juvenile Assessment Center, 

18th Judicial District (Colorado) 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing iii 
Table of Contents 


Introduction................................................................................................................................................................ 1 


 Background ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 


The Need for JIS Guidelines ............................................................................................................................... 2 


The Development of JIS Guidelines ................................................................................................................... 3 


How the Guidelines are Presented....................................................................................................................... 4 


Chapter 1: Establish the JIS Collaborative ................................................................................................................ 5 


Chapter 2: Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices...................................................................................... 9 


Chapter 3: Implement JIS ........................................................................................................................................ 18 


Chapter 4: Promote Public Awareness ................................................................................................................... 20 


Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 


Glossary ................................................................................................................................................................... 26 


Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing iv 
Introduction 


State and local jurisdictions across the United States are working to improve information sharing among key 

agencies responsible for community safety and the health and wellbeing of at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. 

These juvenile justice and other youth-serving agencies often have difficulty receiving timely and reliable 

information needed for conducting assessments and determining appropriate supervision, sanctions, incentives, 

and services for youth. 

In concert with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) identified 

juvenile information sharing (JIS) as an essential tool to assist juvenile justice, education, health, and other youthserving agencies in their efforts to improve services for at-risk and delinquent youth and their families. JIS 

benefits jurisdictions by: 

• Enabling decisionmakers to electronically access and exchange critical information at key decision points. 

• Facilitating more efficient access to data and information from multiple locations. 

• Improving data quality. 

• Eliminating redundant data collection and entry. 

Achieving effective juvenile information sharing, however, requires a significant shift in the information sharing 

practices of many agencies. JIS institutes new processes and procedures for information sharing and requires the 

development and application of new knowledge and skills. 

In 2000, OJJDP awarded a cooperative agreement to the Center for Network Development (CND) to increase the 

capacity of jurisdictions to plan and implement juvenile information sharing through the Information Sharing to 

Prevent Juvenile Delinquency: A Training and Technical Assistance Project. A national needs assessment of JIS 

practices revealed that a variety of approaches were being used with varying degrees of success. Agencies 

typically were challenged in their efforts to: 

• Build effective collaborations of multiple agencies responsible for developing juvenile information sharing. 

• Develop and agree on confidentiality practices to protect private information based on statutes and policies 

relating to juvenile information exchange. 

• Employ appropriate technology to facilitate access to and secure information. 

Instructional training and followup assistance were delivered to help multiple agency teams across the country 

implement strategies to meet those challenges. 

Participants in regional JIS training workshops and other youth-serving professionals affirmed the need for 

assistance and further emphasized the value of a standardized approach for JIS development and implementation 

to bridge diverse information sharing practices and policies. 

In response, OJJDP endorsed the development of JIS guidelines as a critical step toward achieving agreement on 

appropriate information to share within jurisdictions and as mechanisms for effective and efficient information 

sharing. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Introduction 1 
Background 

The emergence of electronic information sharing for justice purposes began in the 1990s, when advances in 

technology made it possible to automate the collection of and access to information by various related justice 

agencies such as courts and probation. Arizona, a pioneer in automating juvenile justice information exchange, 

implemented the Juvenile Online Tracking System (JOLTS), a statewide juvenile probation and dependency 

system, in 1993. 

Concurrently, policies and service approaches for at-risk youth and juvenile offenders increasingly were moving 

toward the coordination of multiple agency efforts. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

(OJJDP), and other federal departments such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

and the U.S. Department of Education, were promoting information sharing among juvenile justice, education, 

and other youth-serving agencies to support a comprehensive continuum of care and services. State legislatures 

were endorsing information sharing to streamline services and protect communities. From 1993 to 2000, 35 states 

enacted new legislation regarding juvenile records. For example, laws allowing information sharing among 

juvenile justice agencies and school districts were enacted in response to incidents of lethal violence in schools 

and communities nationwide. In addition, policymakers requested that agencies provide accurate data to measure 

program effectiveness, costs, gaps, or redundancy. 

As integrated information technology was evolving, so was the potential for its application to information sharing 

that included multiple youth-serving agencies outside of justice systems. Nevertheless, jurisdictions experienced 

other significant barriers to the sharing of multiple agency information including concerns of confidentiality and 

privacy of information, blurred lines of authority, gaps in data integration, service fragmentation, and distrust 

among different agencies. Through the OJJDP Information to Prevent Juvenile Delinquency: A Training and 

Technical Assistance Project, CND provided training and technical support to multiple agency jurisdictional 

teams who demonstrated interest in enhancing their information sharing capabilities. 

The scope and array of agencies that participated in the CND training and technical assistance activities illustrates 

that, despite the challenges of juvenile information sharing, youth service agencies are committed to improving 

information sharing and are searching for ways to implement it across agencies. One- hundred-seven (107) teams 

of youth service agencies from state and local jurisdictions across the country participated in JIS trainings, 

including: judges and court administrators, law enforcement, probation and parole officers, defense attorneys, 

prosecutors, school administrators, technology staff, child welfare administrators and case workers, government 

officials, state juvenile justice specialists, medical and mental health service providers, diversion program 

managers, juvenile corrections administrators and staff, pro-social service providers, family advocates, substance 

abuse treatment counselors, detention and institutional agency administrators, community-based prevention 

program administrators, and community representatives. There were also representatives of collaborations 

involved in a continuum of service programs; for example, Juvenile Accountability and Incentive Block Grant, 

Serious and Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program, Safe Schools/Healthy Students, Safe Start, and 

Safe Kids/Safe Streets programs. 

The Need for JIS Guidelines 

Because of the challenges posed by the diversity of information sharing practices and policies, agency 

representatives have requested a promising, research-based blueprint for JIS development, to include protocols 

and examples of practices for effective collaboration, confidentiality, and technology. 

To keep JIS training and follow-up assistance current, CND tracked developments in both adult criminal and 

juvenile justice information integration initiatives, resources, and programs. Over the past decade, the adult sector 

benefited from new technology, privacy protocols, and policies that facilitated the development of integrated 

models for adult criminal justice information sharing. In contrast, less attention and fewer resources were devoted 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Introduction 2 
to the development of standardized practices for the juvenile sector. Youth service agencies attempted to develop 

juvenile information sharing without the benefit of a framework specific to the principles of youth-serving 

agencies. As a result, juvenile information sharing approaches neither the level of practice nor prevalence of 

integrated information sharing found in adult criminal justice. Furthermore, the technology advances, protocols, 

and policies recommended for the adult sector cannot be adopted without significant modification for the juvenile 

sector due to differences in processes and scope. 

OJJDP made the development of JIS guidelines a priority for the Information Sharing to Prevent Juvenile 

Delinquency project, ensured coordination with the Office of Justice Programs’ Information Technology 

Initiatives, provided resources, and actively participated in the JIS Advisory Group deliberations. 

The Development of JIS Guidelines 

In January 2004, CND convened a JIS Advisory Group of professionals from various agencies and disciplines, 


and a family programs’ advocate to ensure that the guidelines incorporated the breadth of youth-serving agencies. 


The Advisory Group used a comprehensive guide of principles and practices compiled by CND through an 


extensive assessment of existing information sharing principles, practices, and standards of youth- serving


agencies. 


The investigation of collaboration principles and practices included: 


• Models for delinquency prevention. 

• Education. 

• Juvenile justice. 

• Mental health systems of care. 

• Adult criminal integrated justice policies and governance. 

• Community and nonprofit collaboration. 

The investigation of confidentiality practices and privacy protections included federal and state confidentiality 

laws relevant to: 

• Child welfare records. 

• Substance abuse treatment records. 

• Runaway and homeless youth records. 

• Mental health records. 

• Public records acts. 

• Juvenile court and juvenile probation records. 

• Child protection records. 

• Prosecution records. 

• Law enforcement records. 

• Public education records. 

• Medicaid. 

• Interstate compact records. 

• Federal youth offender records. 

• Self sufficiency program records. 

• Medical and behavioral health records (e.g., Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). 

In addition, recommended standards of practice included: 

• Information sharing principles and standards for multiple agency collaborations. 

• Professional licensing protocols. 

• Professional codes of ethics or conduct. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Introduction 3 
• Specialized services standards of practice (e.g., pre-trial release, detention). 

• Standards for multiple agency information sharing. 

The investigation of technology protocols, methods, and applications included: 

• Standards for specific process areas within justice and public safety (e.g. Probation Functional Protocols and 

Law Enforcement Functional Protocols). 

• Technology standards produced for local and state government and for the justice and public safety 

environment (e.g., Court Functional Protocols). 

• Extensible markup language (XML) applications in justice and other environments. 

• At-risk youth and juvenile justice specific data reference models. 

• Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System. 

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. 

• State technology standards. 

The JIS Advisory Group contributed local, state, and federal expertise in such areas as: multiple agency 

partnerships, confidentiality, technology, juvenile justice, behavioral health, law and policy, child welfare, youth 

and families, law enforcement, labor, and information systems management, design and implementation. The 

Group reviewed information sharing practices of youth-serving agencies and disciplines; deliberated relevant 

laws, policies, and practices; investigated various resources and technology advances in the adult and juvenile 

sectors; and identified essential principles for collaboration, confidentiality and technology. Members vetted and 

approved draft recommendations for JIS guidelines, and used the results of expert peer review to recommend 

modifications for the final version of the guidelines. 

How the Guidelines are Presented 

The guidelines are presented in four chapters that integrate the three critical components of juvenile information 

sharing—collaboration, confidentiality, and technology—into an effective developmental framework. Each 

chapter includes a brief introduction, guidelines, and a summary discussion of each guideline. A glossary of 

relevant terms and references is provided at the end of the Guidelines. 

Chapter One provides direction for establishing an effective JIS collaborative, as well as the governance structure 

and necessary project management. 

Chapter Two guides agencies through assessment, strategic planning, and policy and procedure development to 

ensure the protection and security of private information about youth, families, and victims, and achieve crossagency integration and interoperability. 

Chapter Three recommends the implementation of JIS policies and procedures, training, and continuous quality 

improvement to ensure effective juvenile information sharing. 

Chapter Four suggests policies for transparency, openness, and public communication regarding JIS policies and 

procedures. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Introduction 4 
Chapter 1. Establish the JIS Collaborative 


This chapter explores how to establish a juvenile information sharing (JIS) collaborative responsible for 

developing, implementing, and maintaining juvenile information sharing. An effective JIS collaborative relies on 

key stakeholders instituting evidence-based collaborative principles, providing appropriate structure, and ensuring 

project management. 

Collaborations arise from the need to solve complex problems. Agencies and individuals participate in a JIS 

collaborative when they perceive that they can accomplish more by working together than they can on their own. 

Although juvenile information sharing may be just one of several goals of the collaborative, for the purposes of 

these guidelines, this stakeholder group is referred to as the JIS collaborative. 

Guideline 1 


Establish a JIS collaborative that includes key decisionmakers from the following groups who have the


authority to make decisions on behalf of their agency or organization:


♦ Child welfare. 


♦ Community services. 


♦ Education. 


♦ Juvenile justice and corrections. 


♦ Law enforcement. 


♦ Mental health. 


♦ Primary health care. 


♦ Substance abuse. 


♦ Technology. 


The groups listed above represent the core services and systems responsible for the health and wellbeing of youth 

and their families. Leaders of these agencies should appoint a person of influence within their organization to 

champion juvenile information sharing. Some jurisdictions may also need to recruit decisionmakers from other 

agencies, (e.g., domestic violence) as needed to be members of the JIS collaborative. 

Guideline 2 


Engage youth and family representatives in the JIS collaborative. 


It is critical to involve youth and families in the planning and development of a juvenile information 

collaborative. By participating, youth and their families assume an active role and are included in the development 

of solutions that affect their lives. Sources for youth and family representatives include JIS collaborating agencies 

and youth or family advocacy organizations. 

Engaging and learning from youth and families also results in better JIS decisionmaking. Based on their 

experience navigating between various systems and agencies, youth and families can advise decisionmakers about 

effective information sharing practices. 

Typically, at-risk and delinquent youth and their families are engaged with multiple agencies, each of which 

collects similar information as part of intake and processing. They know that when agency decisionmakers have 

the information needed to make good decisions, they receive the services and assistance they need. For example, 

if a judge has accurate information from schools and services, court orders reflect a youth’s current school 

performance and involvement in behavioral health treatment. 

For youth and families involved in juvenile information sharing, it is important that confidentiality continue to be 

recognized and maintained within the collaborative. Any disclosure of youth- and family- specific information 

needs to be based on appropriate legal authorization. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Establish the JIS Collaborative 5 
Guideline 3 


Consider other possible stakeholders in the JIS collaborative, such as: 


♦ Businesses.


♦ Elected officials. 


♦ Faith-based organizations. 


♦ Legal advisors, e.g., general counsels, prosecutors, defense attorneys. 


♦ Other collaborations serving youth. 


♦ Other youth-serving agencies and organizations. 


The JIS collaborative should examine gaps in resources or expertise and consider how involving other potential 

stakeholders may contribute to accomplishing their mission and performance goals. For example, an elected 

official with a known interest in improving juvenile justice processes may bring important knowledge of policy 

issues that may impact juvenile information sharing. Given the range of federal, state, and locally funded projects 

within a jurisdiction, it is also possible that other agencies or groups of agencies have made some progress 

towards cross-agency information sharing that is relevant to the goals of the JIS collaborative. 

Guideline 4 


Agree on and institute elements of effective JIS collaboration. For example: 


♦ Broad-based representation. 


♦ Commitment. 


♦ Communication and decisionmaking. 


♦ Leadership and institutional support.


♦ Mutual benefit. 


♦ Process and workflow. 


♦ Resources. 


♦ Rewards and incentives. 


♦ Rules of engagement. 


♦ Shared ownership. 


♦ Shared vision. 


♦ Training. 


♦ Trust and respect. 


The elements listed above assist in cultivating a collaborative culture that embodies trust, mutual respect, direct 

and open communication, and responsiveness to the varied organizational and cultural perspectives represented. 

In addition, it is useful to keep in mind that: 

• Collaboration is the process by which multiple stakeholders make a formal, long-term commitment to sharing 

resources to accomplish their vision. This process involves effective problem solving, negotiation, and 

willingness to compromise and commit to developing and implementing juvenile information sharing. 

• Agencies and individuals collaborate when there are benefits and incentives to do so, such as improved 

organizational effectiveness and efficiency, and increased capacity and skills for youth and families. 

• Even though many of the JIS collaborative agency members may maintain contact with some of their partner 

agencies, they rarely have a clear understanding of those agencies’ legal mandates, policies, procedures, and 

resources. Cross-training increases understanding of agencies’ missions, goals, and operations; contributes to 

a willingness to work together; and builds collaborative processes and procedures. 

• Trust is central to JIS decisionmaking and needs to be strategically nurtured. Before addressing 

confidentiality and information sharing issues , for example, members should have worked together long 

enough to have established mutual trust and understanding. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Establish the JIS Collaborative 6 
• Engaging JIS collaborative members in determining how decisions are made contributes to building trust and 

shared ownership. Consensus and voting are two decisionmaking methods used. Some collaboratives find it 

useful to engage the initial assistance of an outside facilitator to help create decisionmaking processes. 

Guideline 5 


Establish a governance structure for the planning, implementation, and maintenance of JIS. 


The JIS collaborative institutes a formalized governance structure to provide oversight and manage the 

development, implementation, maintenance, performance, and sustainability of juvenile information sharing. 

Members of the governing body may be a subset of a larger collaborative, and may also include additional ad hoc 

members with specific knowledge and expertise needed to achieve juvenile information sharing. Some 

jurisdictions use a multiple committee structure (e.g., executive/oversight, operational, and technical committees) 

to focus members’ skills and resources in their areas of expertise, and to ensure participation of end users in JIS 

planning, testing, and implementation. 

To be effective, the governance structure employs procedures that facilitate juvenile information sharing. Such 

procedures include how decisions are made; incentives for sustaining key stakeholder participation; and the 

frequency and management of meetings’ procedures. 

Effective structure and procedures provide an operational framework for addressing issues of funding, investment, 

commitment, and sustainability, and for reconciling the diverse confidentiality practices and technology systems 

of the JIS participating agencies. 

Guideline 6 

Designate, or hire, an individual or team to provide centralized project management for the development 

and implementation of JIS. 

Developing juvenile information sharing requires dedicated and expert project management. The designated 

individual or team is responsible for managing the process from planning through implementation. Project 

management helps to foster shared ownership, responsibility, and commitment, and is effective and successful 

when it is performed: 

• According to accurately defined and agreed upon objectives. 

• On schedule. 

• Within an approved budget. 

Guideline 7 

Initiate a planning agreement that articulates the purpose and agreed-upon actions for the development of 

juvenile information sharing. 

JIS collaboratives enter into a planning agreement to formalize the purpose of juvenile information sharing and 

each agency’s commitment to developing a collaborative. This planning agreement differs from the Memoranda 

of Understanding (MOU) discussed in Chapter 3, which relates to JIS participating agency commitments with 

regard to implementation and operations. Each of the following elements is essential to a complete planning 

agreement: 

• General covenants: what all JIS collaborating members agree to do collectively to develop juvenile 

information sharing. 

• Specific covenants: what each JIS collaborative member agrees to do individually to develop juvenile 

information sharing. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Establish the JIS Collaborative 7 
• Administrative provisions: the effective date of the agreement, procedures for monitoring and modifying it, 

etc. 

• List of JIS collaborative members and their signatures. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Establish the JIS Collaborative 8 
Chapter 2. Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and 

Practices 

This chapter examines the elements necessary to develop an effective JIS collaborative that provides participating 

agencies with timely and accurate information on a “need to know” basis, protects confidentiality of private 

information, and facilitates the exchange of information through integration and interoperability. As mentioned in 

Chapter 1, when youth-serving agencies form a JIS collaborative and governance structure, they are faced with 

the challenge of reconciling the diverse confidentiality practices and technologies of the participating agencies. 

Assessment and analysis of the legal authority to share information and existing technology infrastructure are 

therefore necessary to provide a foundation for strategic planning. Practices need to be determined to support the 

proposed operations and protect private information, policies, and procedures. Such practices are guided by legal 

authority, and best available and appropriate technology, and are made available to youth and families. 

Guideline 8 


Determine and agree on the purpose(s) for juvenile information sharing. Develop a written statement that 


describes:


♦ Purposes. 


♦ Public policy need(s). 


♦ Participating agencies’ ability to receive and disclose information on a “need to know” basis to fulfill 


their agency mandates. 

♦ How participating agencies will use the data that is shared. 

♦ Expected outcomes. 

The written purpose statement identifies information to be disclosed, accessed, and used by JIS participating 

agencies. Examples of JIS purpose areas are improving outcomes for youth, families, and communities protecting 

victims’ and public safety. The purpose statement is included in the JIS collaborative’s Memorandum of 

Understanding as described on page 17 in Chapter 2, and can be used to introduce juvenile information sharing to 

youth, families, policymakers, and the general public. 

Guideline 9 

Conduct an analysis of what information is currently collected by JIS participating agencies, and what 

additional information is necessary for agencies to achieve the JIS purpose(s). 

An inventory of all the types of information collected by JIS participating agencies is needed. This analysis 

identifies which JIS participating agencies collect which information needed to achieve the JIS purpose. It also 

reveals redundancies and gaps in information collected. 

Guideline 10 


Determine who needs the information (JIS users). 


It is necessary to identify those who need access to the information collected, including those who will be actively 

using the JIS system. An understanding of who the users are provides a cursory level definition of the types of 

data that might be incorporated into the JIS system. It also helps determine high-level policy and privacy issues at 

the planning stage. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 9 
Guideline 11 

Designate technology decisionmakers from each JIS participating agency to participate in JIS 

development. 

It is important that key technologists from each JIS participating agency be active in the planning and 

development processes. This involvement provides the JIS collaborative with technical support and a wellrounded knowledge base of the existing technologies and systems. 

Guideline 12 

Conduct a technology review of all available modeling tools and methodologies to capture detailed 

information of the JIS participating agencies. 

To begin the initial development of data exchange points for juvenile information sharing, the technology 

representatives should review all of the tools and services available. New technologies and methodologies now 

provide foundational practices for information sharing, and there are several tools developed specifically for use 

in the justice community (e.g., Global Justice Extensible Markup Language Data Model). 

Guideline 13 

Identify data exchange points and the information or data that is commonly exchanged between the 

members of the JIS collaborative. 

After completing the technology review, JIS participating agencies can create data exchange points using standard 

methods that will foster the exchange of information from disparate systems. Conceptual frameworks for these 

data exchange points have been developed for adult criminal justice and help define key events that trigger the 

need to share data, and to identify those agencies involved in the information sharing event (e.g., Justice 

Information Exchange Model [JIEM] developed by Search). A definition of JIEM can be found in the Glossary, 

see page 28. 

Guideline 14 

Conduct a legal analysis to identify private information that can be disclosed to and accessed by certain JIS 

participating agencies. 

Each state has a distinct mix of federal, state, and local legal authorities that guide the collection, disclosure, and 

use of personal information found in JIS participating agency records. The JIS collaborative must analyze the 

interaction of the relevant legal authorities to put appropriate protections in place for juvenile information sharing. 

For some agencies, both federal and state legal authorities may dictate information sharing practices (e.g., public 

education, child welfare, and health). In other agencies, information sharing practices such as law enforcement, 

courts, and probation, are primarily directed by state legal authority. In general, legal authority identifies: 

• What information in a record is protected, such as name, address, school attendance, treatment status, and 

mental health diagnosis. 

• Under what circumstances information can be released, such as imminent danger, suspected child abuse, or 

delinquency sentencing. 

• What individuals or agencies have access to protected information, such as parent, legal guardian, or court. 

• “Mechanisms” that allow release of information, such as a signed consent to release by the “client,” or 

guardian, or a valid court order. 

• Description of the responsibilities of recipients of information, such as no re-disclosure of information. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 10 
• Legal mandates, if any, for release of certain information to certain agencies or the public, such as, sex 

offender records. 

Guideline 15 

Assess the impact on privacy and security when deciding what information may be shared through juvenile 

information sharing. 

Based on the legal analysis performed in Guideline 14, a privacy and security assessment should be conducted to 

determine if juvenile information sharing meets basic privacy requirements. This assessment includes an 

examination of all relevant legislation, policies, and business practices that support electronic information sharing 

among JIS participating agencies. 

To ensure that privacy rights are protected, this assessment analyzes security practices regarding the types of data 

to be shared and maintained by JIS participating agencies. 

The results of the privacy and security assessment inform the development of policies and procedures for 

managing potential privacy risks. 

“The end result of the assessment process is documented assurance that all privacy issues have been appropriately 

identified and either adequately addressed or, in the case of outstanding privacy issues, brought forward to senior 

management for further direction.” (Treasury Board of Canada, 2002) 

Guideline 16 


Assess the enterprise architecture of the JIS participating agencies’ information technology systems. 


The development and design of juvenile information sharing maximizes use of the overall enterprise architecture 

of the JIS participating agencies. Decisions made from an enterprise-wide perspective will have a greater longterm value than decisions made from any one particular organizational perspective. 

Guideline 17 

Develop and agree on a shared vision, mission, goals, objectives, and outcomes for juvenile information 

sharing. 

A shared vision is vital to the JIS effort in the following ways: 

• It establishes the ideal as the standard toward which to aspire. 

• It helps improve upon existing conditions or creates a new way of doing business. 

• It serves as motivation for change. 

• It precedes success that is significant and lasting. 

• It creates conditions for having an aligned JIS collaborative. 

• It drives the mission and goals. 

A mission statement is a clear statement of the reason the JIS collaborative exists. Goals are general statements 

about what the JIS collaborative intends to accomplish and are consistent with the mission statement. Objectives 

are statements of intentions that refine goal statements and are specific, measurable, achievable, and consistent. 

Guideline 18 


Formulate a strategic plan to achieve juvenile information sharing. 


The strategic plan provides a roadmap for collaborative action and includes operations, performance, and 

monitoring. The plan delineates purpose, resources, milestones, timelines, a set of measurable outcomes, project 

management, actions, and the agencies and individuals responsible for executing the determined actions. The plan 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 11 
is realistic in scope and responsive to the available resources and capacities of the JIS collaborative. To measure 

progress and sustain commitment, it is important that the actions, timeline, and milestones are designed to realize 

both short- and long-term objectives with measurable outcomes. To promote flexibility and responsiveness, the 

plan can incorporate strategies for a continuous improvement process to generate ideas, make decisions, and 

execute plans. 

Guideline 19 


Identify and direct staff and funding resources that will be used for the JIS collaborative. 


As the JIS collaborative plans for cross-agency information sharing, it is important to address the costs to be 

shared among agencies, such as, building and testing the application, training staff, and providing supportive 

services. In addition, the JIS collaborative needs to consider how JIS will be maintained, managed, and supported. 

Guideline 20 


Develop the technical business requirements for juvenile information sharing, including all functions, 


businesses, processes and improvements to operations. 


Technical business requirements provide direction for the JIS technology design. Business requirements 

encompass the practices necessary to perform daily operations. They include procedures for new information 

systems and services as well as new or updated policies and procedures that enhance new technologies. 

One phase of developing business requirements is reviewing and modernizing processes related to the information 

that the JIS is attempting to incorporate. It is important to solicit input from the identified users on how this 

system will function, what events will trigger information sharing, and what will trigger data protection. 

Guideline 21 

Include technology representation in all discussions regarding legal issues and privacy concerns, and 

include security and privacy concerns in all technical planning and development for juvenile information 

sharing. 

As the JIS collaborative further examines and documents privacy and security requirements, it is important that 

technology representatives assist. Technology representatives should pay particular attention to how informed 

consent and security of personal information fit into the JIS design; these determine an agency’s accessibility to 

the needed information when it is appropriate. 

Guideline 22 

a.	 Agree that the information to be disclosed by each JIS participating agency is based on legal authority 

and/or an informed consent to release information by the youth and/or the youth’s parent or legal 

guardian. 

b.	 Agree that JIS participating agencies will not, without good cause, refuse to disclose the information 

necessary to achieve the JIS purposes. 

“The general rule of law as to disclosure of youth-serving agency records is that they are closed to both public 

dissemination and interagency sharing unless statutory exceptions apply.” (James, Bernard, 2005) Accordingly, 

an analysis of relevant laws identifies information that can be shared and what mechanisms are needed to 

authorize the disclosure; (e.g., a legal mandate to share certain information between agencies, informed consent 

by the individual(s) whose information is to be disclosed, or a court order). 

It is advisable that JIS participating agencies agree to disclose all specified information, unless good cause exists 

to refuse. Examples of good cause are that federal and/or state law prohibits disclosure or that the youth and/or 

parent or legal guardian refuse to consent to the release of the information. Consent is further discussed in 

Guidelines 26–28 on pages 14–15. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 12 
Guideline 23 


Agree that JIS participating agencies will only access information as permitted by legal authority. 


Whereas Guideline 22a deals with the disclosure of information, this guideline focuses on who may access this 

information. JIS participating agencies need to be fully informed on all sources of legal authority regarding 

confidentiality and information sharing of juvenile records, in order to determine who may access the information. 

These include federal or state laws, regulations, court order, court rules, case law, other legal authority, or by 

informed written consent provided as appropriate by a youth and/or his or her parent(s) or legal guardian. 

Guideline 24 

Agree that JIS participating agencies access and use only the information that is necessary to achieve JIS 

purpose(s) and to support defined activities. 

Disclosure of, and access to, information that supports the JIS collaborative’s purpose is further limited to 

information that is needed for the purposes of community safety, and youth and family wellbeing. In statutes and 

regulations, limiting agency access to the “minimum necessary” information to effectively conduct their activities 

is intended to control broad and unnecessary disclosure of private information. 

Guideline 25 

Prohibit re-disclosure of personal information accessed through juvenile information sharing unless 

required or allowed. Also agree on the consequences for improper re-disclosure to third parties. 

Relevant legal authorities discourage re-disclosure of confidential information to third parties without client 

consent. For example, both the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Child Abuse 

Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPT) specify practice regarding re-disclosure, including prohibiting redisclosure of confidential information without the consent of the youth, parent or legal guardian; penalties for 

improper re-disclosure; and limited exceptions to the consent requirement. 

FERPA limits re-disclosure of education record information and establishes a penalty for its improper redisclosure (Melaris, Campbell, James, 1997). Specifically, if a third party is found to have improperly redisclosed personally identifiable information from an education record, the educational agency or institution may 

not allow that third party access to personally identifiable information from education records for at least five 

years (Authority: 20 U.S.C 1232g(b)(4)(B); 34 CFR §99.33(a)). There are certain exceptions to FERPA’s general 

rule regarding re-disclosure. These are when the prior consent of the “parent or eligible student” is not required 

under 34 CFR Part 99 Subpart D at §99.31 and the party complies with the reporting requirements found at 

§99.32(b). 

Re-disclosure of child welfare records is limited under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act and CAPTA. Title 

IV-B allows the release of confidential information contained in child welfare records only to certain persons or 

agencies that require the information for specific purposes. Once the information is released to these authorized 

recipients, they become subject to the same confidentiality rules as the releasing agency. For example, if a child 

welfare agency releases information to the court, the court cannot re-disclose that information except as permitted 

under 45 CFR 205.50. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005) Similar limitations are set for redisclosure of confidential child protective services (CPS) information. Authorized recipients of CPS information 

are bound by the same confidentiality restrictions as the CPS agency. Recipients of such information must use the 

information only for activities related to the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, and re-disclosure 

is permitted only in accordance with the CAPTA standards. 

In cases where re-disclosure is not prohibited, the JIS Collaborative might agree as a matter of practice not to redisclose the information to a third party without consent. Limiting disclosure to JIS participating agencies also 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 13 
addresses the public’s concern of uncontrolled dissemination of personal information through automated 

information sharing systems. 

Guideline 26 


Agree on a common process for obtaining informed consent for information release that provides adequate 


verbal and written notice and is linguistically appropriate to the youth and parent(s) and/or legal guardian. 


The criteria might include: 


♦ Juvenile information sharing purpose(s).


♦ The reason(s) for disclosing the information. 


♦ The way(s) that the disclosed information will be used. 


♦ Any limitations on the disclosure and/or use of the information. 


♦ Agency practices regarding sharing of non-confidential, as well as confidential information. 


♦ The way(s) youth and/or the youth’s parent/legal guardian can revoke their consent. 


♦ Policies for youth and/or youth’s parent/legal guardian to review their information. 


♦ Grievance procedures for suspected unauthorized disclosure or use of the information. 


♦ Penalties for unauthorized disclosure or use of the information. 


Most laws regarding confidentiality of agency records allow disclosure of personal information with written 

informed consent of either the youth, parent(s), or legal guardian, and in some cases, by court order. The JIS 

collaborative’s analysis of relevant legal authority governing release of information determines the need for 

informed consent. Whenever possible, written, informed consent is the preferred method for obtaining 

authorization to disclose confidential information. By providing written, informed consent, families are 

encouraged and supported to become active participants in service planning and in making decisions for their 

children (Constantine, Aronson, Shannan, 1997). 

“Informed consent” requires that the youth and/or parent(s), or legal guardian provide consent with a full 

understanding of what information is likely to be shared, with whom and under what circumstances, what 

information can be released to whom without their consent, and consequences for unauthorized disclosure. A 

common informed consent process provides adequate written and verbal notice and a consistent approach among 

the JIS participating agencies. To ensure that the consent is “informed,” JIS participating agencies need to be 

aware of any cultural or linguistic factors that may impact the youth and/or parent or legal guardian’s ability to 

understand the consent process, including the need for interpretive services. 

Guideline 27 


Use an approved form to obtain the written consent of the youth and/or parents or legal guardian to release 


information that at a minimum includes the following elements: 


♦ Identifies the individual(s) who the information is about. 


♦ Identifies the agency that is disclosing the information. 


♦ Identifies the information that will be disclosed. 


♦ Identifies the purpose of the disclosure. 


♦ Identifies the agencies that will access or receive the information. 


♦ States the expiration date of the consent to release information or the circumstances upon which the 


consent automatically expires (e.g., when a youth is successfully terminated from probation or court 

supervision). 

♦ Describes how a youth, parent, or legal guardian can revoke his or her consent. 

♦ States the date of consent with the youth’s parent(s) or legal guardian’s signature. 

♦ States that the subject of the information has a right to a copy of the release. 

A common consent form used by all JIS participating agencies reinforces the common informed consent process. 

The elements noted above are a common set found in relevant statutes and regulations, such as the Health 

Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and 42 C.F.R. Part 2: Federal Alcohol/Drug 

Confidentiality Regulations. The consent form can also include language explaining that once an agency discloses 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 14 
information to another pursuant to the youth, parent(s) or legal guardian’s written signed consent, the original 

agency is not responsible for any subsequent disclosures. However, JIS participating agencies need to agree on 

the penalties and processes for any such unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential information. Once agreed 

upon, a copy of these penalties and processes need to be provided to the youth, parent(s), or legal guardian. 

Guideline 28 

Provide an option for youth and/or the youth’s parent(s) or legal guardian to refuse consent when consent 

is required to release their private information to certain or all JIS participating agencies. 

Despite assurance of privacy protection, the youth, parent(s), or legal guardian may not want specific personal 

information disclosed. In these cases when a youth, parent(s), or legal guardian refuses to provide consent, in part 

or in total, they should not be denied services based on their refusal unless the information is necessary to 

determine eligibility for services. It is the JIS participating agencies’ responsibility to ensure that the youth, 

parent(s), or legal guardian understand that they are not required to consent to the release of any personal 

information; the consequences, if any, of not providing consent; and if their refusal may hinder the delivery of 

services. 

Guideline 29 


Develop and agree on common privacy policies that address the disclosure, access, and use of information, 


and provide a threshold level of confidentiality that all JIS participating agencies agree to meet. 


JIS participating agencies often bring different levels of information protection and policies to the JIS 

collaborative. Generally, well established child and family service agencies have fairly detailed confidentiality 

requirements. Community grass roots organizations may have less detailed requirements. Regardless of the JIS 

collaborative’s composition, a minimum level of confidentiality needs to be set and agreed to by all JIS 

participating agencies. 

Guideline 30 

Determine common administrative, physical, and technical security safeguards to protect against any 

reasonably anticipated threats to the integrity of juvenile information and to ensure the confidentiality of 

private information. 

After assessing the threats to privacy and security of private information, the JIS collaborative can determine 

appropriate and effective safeguards to address those risks. Administrative safeguards may include security 

clearance and pass codes, prohibiting attachment of unauthorized hardware to the system, and audits. Examples of 

physical security safeguards are secured desktop workstations, alarm systems, locking computer areas, and 

restricting access to authorized users within an agency. User access codes, firewalls, encryption, authentication 

passwords, unique user identification, and automatic logoff are all examples of technical security safeguards. 

Guideline 31 

Develop and make available privacy and information sharing policies to show the ability of JIS 

participating agencies to properly protect the privacy of the youth’s and family’s information. 

Privacy and information sharing policies protect JIS participating agencies and facilitate information sharing. 

These policies strengthen public confidence in the JIS collaborative and its participating agencies’ ability to 

handle information appropriately and support automated information sharing systems. Further, attention given to 

the development and implementation of these policies may prevent possible harm to individuals, public criticism, 

lawsuits, and legal liability. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 15 
Guideline 32 

Design procedures to ensure that information disclosed by JIS participating agencies is accurate and 

complete. 

To achieve the JIS purpose(s), the information that is accessed and used must be accurate and complete. 

Reasonable policies and procedures are put into place and monitored to ensure information accuracy. These can 

address training, data validation, how information can be updated, changed, or destroyed, and quality assurance of 

data inputs and outputs. 

Guideline 33 

Develop accessible processes and procedures for youth, parents, and legal guardians to review information 

that is collected about them and that may be disclosed. Provide them with the procedures and opportunity 

to approve and/or amend their information. 

Laws and other legal authority regarding confidentiality of agency records generally afford youth, parents, and 

legal guardians the right to see and have copies of their information. Additionally, providing opportunities for 

review and amendment can help ensure that information is accurate and current. JIS participating agencies should 

develop procedures for review and amending information, and notify youth, parents, and legal guardians of these 

procedures. Information regarding these procedures is typically provided through agency notices required by 

federal and state laws. 

It is recommended that JIS informational materials about confidentiality policies and procedures be “userfriendly,” that is, written in language that is developmentally appropriate, easily understood, and available in the 

primary languages of most affected youth and families. A user-friendly approach should also be used for materials 

that inform youth and their families on how to assert their privacy rights. 

Guideline 34 

a.	 Provide youth, parent(s), and legal guardians with all JIS policies and procedures addressing 

confidentiality and privacy protection. 

b.	 Provide youth, parent(s) and legal guardians with the procedures and opportunity to review and 

dispute these policies and procedures as well as the JIS participating agency decisions made pursuant 

to them. 

While assessing needs and providing services, agencies often require youth and families to share intimate and 

private information about themselves. If disclosed, this information may be embarrassing to the youth and family 

and may discourage them from using the services designed to help them. Disclosure may also result in differential 

treatment and threaten job and personal security; such as, in disclosure about HIV/AIDS or domestic violence 

situations. Given the strong interest in protecting their privacy interests, youth and families need the opportunity 

to review and challenge policies and procedures that would result in the unnecessary disclosure of private 

information, (Constantine, Aronson, and Shannon, 1997) as well as any decision to share information made 

pursuant to them. 

Guideline 35 

Develop a JIS policy framework that establishes or enhances the information sharing standards and 

guidelines for information management. 

Develop policies to guide the protection of information exchanged electronically between systems. Develop and 

maintain a process for identifying technology standards, records management practices and standards, privacy 

design principles, and security standards to ensure that the collaboration’s information sharing practices are 

performed using agreed-upon industry and organizational standards. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 16 
Guideline 36 

Develop a policy and procedural methodology for the incorporation of new agencies into juvenile 

information sharing. 

As the JIS collaborative identifies new agencies to participate in juvenile information sharing, the JIS business 

model should include policies and procedures to incorporate new agencies into the overall JIS design. It is 

important that new partnering agencies have a similar vision and goals to those of the existing JIS collaborative. 

As part of the design strategy this prevents redesign of the system architecture and data. 

Guideline 37 

Designate representative(s) from each JIS participating agency who will be responsible for their agency’s 

implementation of and compliance with JIS policies and procedures. 

JIS participating agencies are accountable for the implementation of and compliance with JIS policies and 

procedures within their own agency. Each participating agency needs to identify and make known the 

individual(s) from their agency who will be responsible for JIS privacy, security, and technology. 

Guideline 38 

Enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is signed and endorsed by each JIS participating 

agency. 

As the development and implementation of juvenile information sharing is a long-term endeavor, it is essential to 

capture participating agencies’ commitment to remaining consistent through changes in administration and 

leadership of the JIS collaborative. 

JIS participating agencies should use a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to verify the agreed upon 

arrangements of policies, procedures, practice, agency responsibilities, and resources for sharing information The 

MOU documents the agencies’ agreement on such criteria as: 

• JIS purpose(s). 

• Governance. 

• JIS participating agencies and their responsibilities. 

• Shared funding and costs. 

• Legal authority for and restrictions on disclosure of information. 

• Common consent form. 

• Access to and use of information. 

• Information that will be shared. 

• Privacy policies and notification requirements. 

• Infrastructure for information sharing. 

• Information security. 

• Penalties for improper disclosure or use. 

• Auditing requirements. 

• Continuous quality improvement. 

• Maintenance of technology and software. 

• Training. 

• Resources to support information technology for JIS participating agencies. 

• Communications support and resources. 

• Conflict resolution process. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Develop JIS Policies, Procedures, and Practices 17 
Chapter 3. Implement JIS 


This chapter discusses methods to effectively implement juvenile information sharing by complying with 

established policies, procedures and practices; training; and monitoring. Quality training, both initial and ongoing, 

enables JIS users to maximize the benefits of juvenile information sharing. Ongoing monitoring and assessment 

ensures that appropriate processes and procedures are in place to maintain the integrity and intended purpose of 

juvenile information sharing. Outcomes established by the JIS collaborative are measured by benchmarks and 

addressed through a continuous strategy for improvement that results in more effective services for youth and 

families. 

Guideline 39 


Implement JIS policies, procedures, and practices.


JIS participating agencies should implement the JIS policies, procedures, and practices that were determined 

through strategic planning and delineated in the Memorandum of Understanding. Compliance is monitored by 

individual agencies, project management, and the JIS collaborative as a whole. JIS participating agencies monitor 

implementation and compliance within their own agencies. JIS project management and the JIS collaborative 

monitor compliance across the JIS participating agencies, and address compliance issues and requests for 

modifications. 

Guideline 40 

Agree that JIS participating agency managers and staff participate in thorough and ongoing instructional 

training on JIS polices, procedures, and practices. 

Successful JIS occurs when users are trained in all aspects of the system including purpose, benefits, expected 

outcomes, policies, and procedures. Training is designed to be ongoing and flexible. Effective training 

incorporates a combination of teaching methods to accommodate the trainees’ learning styles, readiness for 

change, and experience with technology. Training typically includes a combination of online or CD-Rom 

instruction, classroom tuition, and one-on-one assistance. 

Because JIS requires changes in privacy policies and procedures, it is critical to provide frequent and thorough 

user instruction to ensure that agency personnel including employees, contractors, volunteers, and anyone with 

access to youths’ information adhere to the privacy policies and practices, including the common informed 

consent process. 

Guideline 41 

Determine a set of measurable outcomes for youth, their families, and their communities. Youth and 

families assist in determining these outcomes. 

A primary purpose for juvenile information sharing is to improve outcomes for youth, families, and communities. 

Enlisting their involvement in determining these outcomes should inform the development of performance 

measures and benchmarks. 

Guideline 42 

Determine performance measures and benchmarks to achieve juvenile information sharing and agree that 

JIS participating agencies provide the necessary data for measurement. 

A good planning process operates continuously and links planning with results. To determine measurable 

outcomes, the plan needs to include process and outcome evaluation benchmarks, and agency commitment to 

provide the necessary data. Examples of indicators for transparency, openness, and public communication are 

annual reports, public relations material, accessible minutes and reports, and newsletters. Mission and planning 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Implement JIS 18 
performance indicators could include: a written mission statement, a written strategic plan, risk management 

policies, and program outcome measures. Benchmarks are set to document interim achievements and demonstrate 

progress towards JIS. A Memorandum of Understanding, for example, indicates readiness to begin JIS 

implementation. 

Guideline 43 

Conduct periodic assessments of JIS policies and procedures to ensure that new requirements are included 

within the technological frameworks of participating agencies. 

Periodic assessments are conducted to ensure that policies and procedures foster an effective JIS environment and 

support JIS users. The JIS collaborative and project management are responsible for ensuring alignment of JIS 

policies, procedures, and technology with periodic examinations and reviews. As policies and procedures are 

introduced or modified, the new requirements they present should be incorporated into the JIS technology 

framework to ensure that they are supported by appropriate information exchange and security methods. 

Guideline 44 

Reach agreement on JIS participating agencies’ responsibilities for auditing user activities involving 

juvenile information sharing. Determine how long audit logs are to be retained. 

An audit trail is important to track appropriate access to JIS information and provides the JIS governance structure 

with information needed to monitor confidentiality and security. An audit trail records activities such as event 

type, date and time of event, user identification, success or failure of access attempts, and security actions taken 

by system administrators or security officers. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Implement JIS 19 
Chapter 4. Promote Public Awareness 


This chapter recommends a policy of transparency, openness, and public communication regarding juvenile 

information sharing. Juvenile information sharing affects youth, families, and communities with regard to health, 

wellbeing, safety, and privacy. Educating the public and policymakers about JIS processes, policies, procedures, 

and impacts is critical to engendering trust and support. 

Guideline 45 

Approve a general policy of openness about developments, practices, and policies with respect to the 

management of personal information and data. 

The JIS collaborative agrees on a general policy of transparency and openness that enables the public to have 

access to JIS policies. This is not to be interpreted to mean that the public has access to confidential information. 

Rather, the public has access to policies that explain how confidential information is protected and shared to 

demonstrate that the JIS participating agencies properly protect the privacy of youth and families. 

Guideline 46 

Agree that JIS collaborative decisionmaking processes, plans, practices, policies, and evaluation results are 

open to the public and made available on a timely and predictable basis. 

The public has an interest in agencies’ effectiveness, efficiency, information privacy, and security. Open 

processes and policies for juvenile information sharing afford the public the opportunity to learn about JIS 

purposes, development, design, and outcomes. Openness can also garner public engagement and support, and is 

important to addressing public concerns about how juvenile information sharing complies with legal authority for 

information exchange and protects private information. 

Guideline 47 


Establish a JIS collaborative communications plan and media strategy. 


A JIS communications plan determines all aspects of how information about JIS is conveyed to various audiences, 

including JIS collaborative agencies, other interested parties, the media, and the public. This plan covers both 

internal and external JIS collaborative communications and the means by which they are delivered. The JIS 

collaborative should periodically review, assess, and adjust the plan as needed. This will ensure that 

communication remains open and direct. It will also provide an opportunity to address any communication issues 

that may arise. 

Guideline 48 

Educate the public, including lawmakers and policymakers, about the purpose of juvenile information 

sharing, how private information is protected, and how information sharing facilitates improved wellbeing 

of youth and family, safety of the public and victims, and interagency collaboration. 

JIS participating agencies should reach agreement on messages that are used to promote juvenile information 

sharing; such as on improved efficiency and outcomes. Public education communicates the JIS purpose and 

outcomes, and how information is gathered to achieve the goals of improved outcomes and increased community 

safety. Public education also covers limits on disclosure and use of information to authorized users only on a 

“need to know” basis. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Promote Public Awareness 20 
Other reasons for juvenile information sharing, such as those identified by the California Interagency Data 

Collaboration Standards for Managing Confidential Data (Constantine, Aronson, and Shannan, 1997) include: 

• Conduct comprehensive assessments. 

• Provide all necessary services. 

• Coordinate services and avoid duplication. 

• Facilitate monitoring of service plans. 

• Make services more family-focused. 

• Serve the needs of the broader community. 

Further, it is important to reach agreement on how these messages and other relevant information are 

disseminated. For instance, the JIS collaborative can develop an informational, public-based Web site to post 

information for the general public and potential partnering agencies. The Web site can provide information on 

how to participate in the JIS collaborative, the juvenile information sharing history, funding sources, information 

sharing in general, and information on and links to each JIS participating agency. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Promote Public Awareness 21 
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Confidentiality and Privacy Protection 

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Retrieved August 3 on Office of Justice Programs Web site: 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/archive/topics/integratedjustice/PIAFinal.pdf. 

Office of Justice Programs. Justice Standards Registry for Information Sharing. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved August 3, 2006 at OJP Web site: 

http://it.ojp.gov/jsr/public/. 

Slayton, J. 2000. Establishing and Maintaining Interagency Information Sharing, Juvenile Accountability 

Incentive Block Grants Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. Office 

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Retrieved August 3, 2006 on Web at 

http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/jiabg_blltn_03_1_00/13.html. 

Soler, M. and Peter, C. 1993. Confidentiality and Information Sharing in Service Integration. Washington, DC: 

Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department. of Health & Human Services. Retrieved August 2, 

2006 from Early Head Start Web site at: 

http://www.ehsnrc.org/InformationResources/ResourceArticles/ftconf.htm. 

West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development. 1994. Standards for Data Exchange and Case 

Management Information Systems In Support Of Comprehensive Integrated School-Linked Services (Version 

2.0). San Francisco, CA: Youth Law Center. 

Technology 

Harris, K. 2000. Integrated Justice Information Systems Governance Structures, Roles and Responsibilities, 

Sacramento, CA: SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics. Retrieved August 3, 

2006 from Web at: http://www.search.org/files/pdf/GovernanceStructures.pdf. 

International Association of Chiefs of Police. 2000. Toward Improved Criminal Justice Information Sharing. 

Alexandria, VA: International Association of Chiefs of Police. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from Web at: 

http://www.theiacp.org/documents/index.cfm?fuseaction=document&document_id=133. 

National Governors Association Addresses IT Governance Structures Within a Number of Information Sharing 

Publications. Washington, DC: National Governors Association; Retrieved August 4, 2006 from NGA Web site 

at: http://www.nga.org. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Bibliography 24 
Office of Justice Programs. Information Technology Initiatives. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from OJP Web site at: http://it.ojp.gov/. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Bibliography 25 
Glossary 


Authorization to disclose information – Permission granted by federal, state, or local legal authority; written 

consent to release information by the youth and/or parent or legal guardian; or court order to reveal, release, 

transfer, disseminate or otherwise communicate all or any part of any individual record (see “legal authority,” 

page 29). 

Access – The ability or the means necessary to read, write, modify, or communicate data/information or otherwise 

use any system resource. 

Administrative safeguards – Administrative actions, policies, and procedures to manage the selection, 

development, implementation, and maintenance of security measures to protect electronic information, and to 

manage the conduct of the agencies’ workforce in relation to the protection of the information. 

Agencies – Public entities funded by municipal, state, and/or federal governments or private nonprofit 

organizations. 

Assessments – Methods that identify common factors and characteristics influencing the JIS collaborative process 

of gathering and interpreting information about program effectiveness. 

Automatic disclosure – Authorized release of an individual’s record; does not require written permission. 

Audit (security) – Examines how secure a site is through systematic, measurable technical assessment of how an 

organization’s security policy is employed at a specific site. 

Benchmark – The standard by which something can be measured or judged. 

Broad community representation – Representation inclusive of youth, families and their communities. 

Client consent – Gives written permission to an agency or individual to release personal protected information to 

another agency or individual; can also be a requirement for release of personal protected information. Consent is 

given in writing, usually on a form provided by the agency requesting the information that complies with law and 

agency regulations for client consent. To release private information related to children and youth under the age 

of 18 years, consent by a parent or legal guardian is typically required. Exceptions include state laws related to 

medical, mental health, and substance abuse that might allow youth to consent prior to the age of 18 without 

parent or legal guardian consent (see “informed consent,” page 28). 

Computer security – The protection afforded to an automated information system in order to attain the 

applicable objectives of preserving the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of information system resources 

(including hardware, software, firmware, information data, and telecommunications). 

Confidentiality – The legal duty of someone who has received personal information in trust to protect that 

information and disclose it to others only in accordance with applicable legal authority. Confidentiality practices 

safeguard information from unauthorized disclosure to third parties. 

Confidentiality laws –Federal, state, or local legal authority laws that direct practice for the collection, 

disclosure, access, and use of private information. 

Continuous quality improvement – Knowledge-driven feedback to plan and achieve quality. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Glossary 26 
Core services – Basic services provided by agencies for youth and families to improve their outcomes for 

success. 

Court order to disclose/access information – Under court jurisdiction, federal and state law can allow judges to 

issue a court order authorizing disclosure of certain information about youth and family to specified agencies and 

others. The court can also issue a subpoena along with the individual’s consent to obtain all or any records. 

Disclosure – Includes permitting access to, revealing, releasing, transferring, disseminating, or otherwise 

communicating all or any part of any individual record orally, in writing, or by electronic or any other means to 

any person or entity. 

Due process – The entitlement of a citizen to proper legal procedures and natural justice. 

Duty to report – Many states require specified professionals to report to appropriate agencies and authorities 

whenever there is actual or suspected child abuse (physical, sexual, neglect, emotional and psychological abuse, 

unlawful sexual intercourse). 

Education record – The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) defines an education record as a 

compilation of records, files, documents, and other materials that contain information directly related to a student 

and maintained by education agencies or institutions, or by an individual acting on behalf of the agencies. A 

record means any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, computer 

media, video or audio tape, film microfilm, and microfiche. Sometimes referred to as a student record, an 

education record may include a variety of details about a student such as the birth date, date of enrollment, bus 

route, immunization history, achievement test scores and grades, enrollment and attendance, awards, degrees 

achieved, and special education plans and evaluation. 

Encryption – The use of an algorithmic process to transform data into a form in which there is a low probability 

of assigning meaning without use of a confidential process or key. 

Enterprise architecture – A framework for understanding all of the different elements that make up the 

enterprise and how those elements interrelate. 

Enterprise – Any collection of organizations that has a common set of goals/principles and/or single bottom line. 

In that sense, an enterprise can be a whole corporation, a division of a corporation, a government organization, a 

single department, or a network of geographically distant organizations linked together by common objectives. 

Elements – In this context, elements are all the components of the categories of people, processes, business, and 

technology. In that sense, examples of elements are: strategies, business drivers, principles, stakeholders, units, 

locations, budgets, domains, functions, processes, services, information, communications, applications, systems, 

infrastructure, etc. 

Fair information practice principles – Widely accepted principles concerning fair information practices for 

collection and use of personal information. Developed for the private sector, but have been adopted for 

application in criminal justice information sharing as well. The principles are (1) notice/awareness (2) 

choice/consent (3) access/participation (4) integrity/security; and (5) enforcement/redress. 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (See 

“education record,” above). 

Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative – A group of justice professionals who work collaboratively to 

address the policy, connectivity, and jurisdictional issues that have hampered effective justice information 

sharing. The Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative Advisory Committee is an advisory body to the 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Glossary 27 
Assistant U.S. Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, and the U.S. Attorney General, created to advise on 

issues related to broad scale exchange of justice information. 

Good cause – Sufficient legal standard or reason. 

Governance structure – The vehicle through which agencies, stakeholders, and users participating in juvenile 

information sharing strategically plan for integrated systems implementation. Governance structure is composed 

of a governing body, whether by executive order, statute, informal organization or a Memorandum of 

Understanding that establishes a mission, membership, and decisionmaking structure for the JIS collaborative to 

implement successful juvenile information sharing. 

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) – Provides national standards for electronic 

health care transactions. Entities that are covered by HIPAA are health plans, health care clearinghouses, and 

health care providers who electronically transmit protected health care information. HIPAA requires these 

covered entities to implement standards to protect and guard against misuse of individually identifiable health 

information. 

Infrastructure – An underlying base or foundation for an organization or system; the basic foundation needed for 

a system to function. 

Information privacy – The interest an individual has in controlling, or at least significantly influencing, the 

handling of data about him- or herself. Privacy in this context means “information privacy,” an individual's claim 

to control the terms under which personal information—information identifiable to an individual—is acquired, 

disclosed, and used. 

Informed consent – Consent must be given by an individual voluntarily, based on his or her understanding of 

risk, benefits, and alternatives. The individual’s ability to give informed consent depends on: adequate 

presentation of information in language that is understood by the individual, the individual’s comprehension of 

presented information, freedom of choice, and his or her capacity for decisionmaking (see “client consent,” page 

26). 

Integrity – The quality of information that has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. 

Interoperability –The ability of different information technology systems and software applications to 

communicate and exchange data accurately and effectively. 

Justice Information Exchange Model (JIEM) – Provides a conceptual framework, methodology, and software 

tool to collect requirements from users for electronic information sharing, documenting both the business context 

and information content of information exchange as it currently exists. 

Juvenile Information Sharing (JIS) – The sharing of essential information between multiple agencies and 

across systems using structured processes and procedures to improve outcomes for youth and families. 

JIS collaborative – Youth, family, community, and agency representatives who work together to improve 

outcomes for youth, families, and communities. 

JIS participating agencies – Those agencies that participate in, share, and receive information through juvenile 

information sharing. 

JIS planning agreement – A means to formalize linkages and responsibilities between JIS participating agencies. 

The planning agreement outlines the purpose and actions necessary to develop a JIS plan. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Glossary 28 
Key stakeholders – Agencies or individuals who have a stake in the implementation of an effective JIS 

collaborative. Examples are youth, parents or legal guardian, child welfare, law enforcement, courts, probation, 

education, mental health, government, substance abuse and prevention, other youth-serving agencies, and 

communities. 

Legal analysis – Identifies and analyzes the relationships and primacy of the relevant federal, state, and local 

legal authority that guides the collection, disclosure, access, and use of personal information contained in agency 

records. 

Legal authority – Provides for the ability to disclose, access, or use information pursuant to federal, state, or 

local statutes, regulations, rules, case law, and court orders. 

Legal guardian – An adult (not the biological parent of the child), or a licensed child caring agency, to whom a 

court has granted legal care and custody of a child. 

Memorandum of Understanding – A written document that delineates an understanding of agreed-upon actions 

and responsibilities among multiple parties. 

Minimum necessary – Refers to access to the minimum amount of information necessary to achieve the purpose 

of juvenile information sharing and the JIS participating agencies. 

Mission statement – A formal statement of objectives that provides a blueprint for a group’s actions and goals. 

Need to know – A requirement for disclosure and receipt of private information. The information needs to be 

directly related to the legitimate stated purpose of the disclosure and the agency need for the information in order 

to perform its duties and responsibilities. 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) – A component of the Office of Justice 

Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, that provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent 

and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to 

develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the 

juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and 

rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families. 

Physical safeguards – Physical measures, policies, and procedures in place to protect the privacy of personal 

information, agencies’ electronic information systems, and related building and equipment. from natural and 

environmental hazards and unauthorized intrusion. 

Privacy – The interrelated values, rights, and interests that are unique to individuals, and to which the individual 

has a right to control or limit the access of others. Privacy interests include privacy of the person, privacy of 

personal behavior, privacy of personal communication, and privacy of personal data (information privacy). 

Privacy impact assessment – An assessment of any actual or potential effects that an activity or proposal may 

have on individual privacy, and the ways in which any adverse effects may be mitigated. 

Privacy protection – Protection of private information from unauthorized collection, use, and disclosure 

provided by security measures in information systems and agency practices and policies. 

Private/personal information – Information of a personal nature about youth and families. Typically, it is 

protected against disclosure. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Glossary 29 
Project management – Dedicated and expert management by an individual or team who can guide the process 

from planning through implementation, and foster shared ownership, responsibility, and commitment among the 

JIS participating agencies. 

Public record –The public records of some states are in the public domain; that is, juvenile records (e.g., 

concerning felony offenses or sex offenders) are open to everyone. 

Re-disclosure – When an agency that has received personal information discloses that information to other 

agencies that are bound by similar confidentiality requirements. Occurs only when the client has consented to the 

re-disclosure of the information, or if the agency seeking the re-disclosure of the information would originally 

have been able to access the protected information. 

Regulation – A rule issued by a public agency or administrative body that directs practice. 

Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) – The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 

1993 provided states with federal financial support for the development of statewide systems that automate the 

collection of federally mandated child welfare data and provide support for the delivery and management of child 

welfare services. 

Security – Encompasses all administrative, physical, and technical safeguards in an information system. 

Sex offender registries – A state central registry of sex offenders, who are required to register under state law. 

These registries make information about offenders available to the public. 

Strategic plan – A plan of action that is essential to attain a successful information sharing system which is 

congruent with the collaborative’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives and identifies actions to reach a shared 

vision. The plan must address implementation and management activities. 

Sustainability – The ability to keep in existence or maintain. 

Systems – Normally includes hardware, software, information, data, applications, communication, and people. 

Team culture – Team-related strengths, weaknesses, concerns, and expectations that encompass behavioral 

patterns and invisible beliefs of the group’s members. 

Technical safeguards – Policy and procedures regarding the use of technology that protect electronic information 

and control access to it. 

Third party disclosure – Disclosure that occurs when an individual has received information from an agency and 

then provides that information to another. 

User – A person or entity with authorized access to a system. 

Workstation – An electronic computing device, for example, a laptop or desktop computer, or any other device 

that performs similar functions, with electronic media stored in its immediate environment. 

Guidelines for Juvenile Information Sharing—Glossary 30