U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

Making a difference for youth 

Collaboration: 


Leading by example 


Coordination 


Cooperation 


Dialog
 

Using technology 

Web-based planning tools 

Protecting America’s youth 

ICAC: Protecting 


children in cyberspace
 

AMBER Alert
 

Safe Start
 

Children’s Advocacy Centers OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

Working with faith-based 

organizations
 

Helping states comply 


with the JJDP Act 


Making a difference 

with research 

Keeping the nation informed 

Girls Study Group 

Juveniles in custody 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT
2005
 
 ANNUAL REPORT 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION

J. Robert Flores, Administrator 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

This Report covers activities undertaken by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

during fiscal year 2005 (October 1, 2004—September 30, 2005) 

NCJ 215560 
U.S. Department of Justice
 

Office of Justice Programs
 

810 Seventh Street NW. 

Washington, DC 20531 

Michael B. Mukasey 

Attorney General 

Jeffrey L. Sedgwick 

Acting Assistant Attorney General 

J. Robert Flores 

Administrator
 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
 

Office of Justice Programs 

Innovations • Partnerships • Safer Neighborhoods

www.ojp.usdoj.gov 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp 

Photos used in this report Copyright @ 2007 Alamy Images; Digital Vision; Fotosearch; Getty Images; 

Photodisc; Shutterstock; and Thinkstock. Photo on page 4 is courtesy of Sonny Odom, The Dixon Group. 

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 

Community Capacity Development Office; the National Institute of Justice; the Office for Victims 

of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and 

Tracking (SMART). 
FOREWORD
 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a component of the U.S. 

Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, leads the nation’s efforts to prevent and 

respond to juvenile delinquency and child victimization. Through this leadership role, OJJDP 

helps states and communities carry out effective prevention and intervention programs and 

implement strategies to create a juvenile justice system that protects public safety, holds 

offenders accountable, and meets the needs of juveniles and their families. 

This report details OJJDP’s activities during fiscal year (FY) 2005 across a range of program 

areas. Highlighted activities include OJJDP’s efforts to help states comply with the core protections of the JJDP Act, including reducing the overrepresentation of minority youth in the 

juvenile justice system, supporting programs that protect children from sexual exploitation 

and online predators, and collaborations with tribal communities. The report also describes 

OJJDP’s work to support vital research, provide technical assistance to the field, and inform 

the field about what OJJDP-sponsored research and data collection activities are telling us. 

OJJDP extended its outreach to the juvenile justice field during FY 2005 through two key 

strategies: (1) new and expanded collaborations with other federal agencies and public and 

private sector groups, and (2) innovative technological tools that help communities better 

assess their needs and find programs to respond to local issues. These efforts allowed us to 

better leverage and target available funds and resources to meet the needs of our constituents 

in the states and local communities. 

Our children are our hope and our future. They are at the center of everything we do at 

OJJDP. Together with our federal, state, and local partners, OJJDP is working for the day 

when every child will live in a safe and supportive community and will have the opportunity 

to reach his or her full potential as a productive, contributing adult. 

J. Robert Flores 

Administrator 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

CHAPTER 1: A Year of Accomplishments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Helping America’s Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

National Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

National Youth Court Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Hurricane Relief and Followup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

CHAPTER 2: Encouraging Coordination and Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Collaboration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
 

Court Coordination Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
 

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
 

CHAPTER 3 : Leveraging Technology To Improve Juvenile Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
 

Strategic Planning Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
 

Model Programs Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
 

OJJDP Web Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
 

Electronic Newsletter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
 

Satellite Videoconferencing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
 

CHAPTER 4 : Protecting America’s Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
 

AMBER Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
 

Children’s Advocacy Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
 

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
 

Internet Crimes Against Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
 

Safe Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
 

CHAPTER 5 : Facilitating State Compliance With the JJDP Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
 

Compliance Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
 

DMC Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
 

CHAPTER 6 : Supporting National Research and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
 

Girls Study Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
 

Longitudinal Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
 

Research on Child Victimization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
 

Focus on Program Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
 

School-Related Research and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
 

CHAPTER 7 : Providing Technical Support to the Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
 

Mental Health Services for Youth in Custody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
 

Gender-Responsive Programming for Girls, Track II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
 

Federal Grants Application Training for Community- and Faith-Based Organizations. . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
 
CHAPTER 8 : Collaborating With Tribal Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
 

Tribal Youth Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
 

Tribal Youth Program Grantees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
 

TYP Youth Evaluation Facilitation Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
 

Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Grant Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
 

Focus Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
 

Training and Orientation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
 

CHAPTER 9 : Keeping the Nation Informed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
 

National Juvenile Justice Data Analysis Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
 

Statistical Briefing Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
 

Data Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
 

New Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
 

Youth Gang Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
 

APPENDIXES
 

Appendix A: OJJDP Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
 

Appendix B: State Compliance With JJDPA Core Protections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
 

Appendix C: Publications Produced in FY 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
 
CHAPTER 1
 
2 

CHAPTER 1 Making a Difference for America’s Youth: 

A Year of Accomplishments 

The nation’s juvenile justice landscape is shifting. Juvenile delinquency cases, overall arrest 

rates, and victimization have declined, but significant concerns remain. The number of 

young people being sexually exploited is increasing alarmingly. Arrest rates for drug 

abuse violations and driving under the influence are on the rise. Although still far from the level 

of male juvenile offending, female juvenile offending continues to increase at a troubling rate. 

Youth with mental health problems are overwhelming many agencies that deal with juvenile 

offenders. And, despite recent improvements, minorities are still overrepresented in the juvenile 

justice system. 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is working hard to continue 

the positive trends and to address the new challenges. Two words are at the core of the Office’s 

accomplishments during fiscal year (FY) 2005: “collaboration” and “technology.” 

OJJDP has made great strides in bringing federal, state, and local partners together in new ways 

to address juvenile justice issues. These collaborative, multiagency efforts are making a difference in a number of areas, such as protecting children from sexual exploitation, addressing the 

needs of youth who are at risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system, and keeping 

youth safe from community and family violence. OJJDP’s major collaborative achievements are 

the focus of chapter 2. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
3 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

OJJDP is harnessing the latest technologies to help communities and practitioners develop 

their capacity to address critical juvenile justice issues. The Office’s wide-ranging technological accomplishments include developing electronic planning tools that help communities assess 

their juvenile justice needs, providing information about model programs, using listservs and 

electronic newsletters to keep the field abreast of OJJDP activities, and supporting Web sites that 

disseminate reliable, up-to-date information. Chapter 3 highlights OJJDP’s major technologyrelated accomplishments. 

In addition to its special focus on promoting collaboration and leveraging technology, OJJDP 

continued the critically important work of helping states comply with the core mandates of the 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, including reduction of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) within the juvenile justice system. OJJDP staff received consistently positive 

feedback from state juvenile justice specialists about the Office’s DMC efforts. Chapter 5 discusses OJJDP’s compliance activities. 

The achievements highlighted here and throughout this Report represent a sampling of OJJDP’s 

best efforts to make a difference for America’s children by being responsive to their needs and 

by keeping them and their communities safe. These achievements illustrate how OJJDP made 

FY 2005 a year of accomplishments. 

Two words are at the core of the Office’s 

accomplishments during FY 2005: 

“collaboration” and “technology.” 

—Office of Juvenile Justice and 

Delinquency Prevention 
Helping America’s Youth 

A major highlight for OJJDP in 2005 was participating in President Bush’s 

Helping America’s Youth (HAY) Initiative. Led by First Lady Laura Bush, HAY 

focuses on connecting at-risk children and teenagers with family, school, and 

their communities, with the goal of helping these youth reach their full potential. OJJDP is part of a team of White House offices and federal agencies that 

developed and manage the HAY Web site and an online guide for communities. 

Released in October 2005, the user-friendly Community Guide to Helping America’s 

Youth shows communities how they can identify the challenges they face and 

also describes specific actions they can take to meet these challenges. The Guide 

walks community groups through steps to build strong supports for youth, 

build partnerships, assess needs and resources, and select program designs they 

can replicate in their communities. 

Online Resource 

Read about Helping America’s Youth and access the Guide at www.helpingamericasyouth.org. 

National Conference 

With OJJDP support, the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention laid the groundwork in 2005 for a first-of-its-kind national 

conference, which took place in Washington, DC, in January 2006. The theme of 

the 5-day conference was “Building on Success: Providing Today’s Youth With 

Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow.” 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

Young people need positive influences in their lives, and with the 

Helping America’s Youth Initiative, we can make sure that happens. 

We want every child to be surrounded by caring adults who provide 

love, advice, and encouragement and who can serve as good role 

models. We’re taking action in the most important parts of 

a child’s life—family, school, and community. 

—First Lady Laura Bush 

Opening remarks at the national conference 

sponsored by the Coordinating Council on 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

January 10, 2006 

4 
CHAPTER 1 

The conference was notable for many reasons: 

•	 An unprecedented number of federal agencies with youth programs came 

together in one place to highlight programs and share information across a 

number of disciplines. 

•	 High-profile researchers and practitioners from a wide range of fields presented the most current information available about juvenile justice-related 

issues. 

•	 The conference drew more than 2,000 attendees. Participants represented a 

unique cross-section of constituencies and were able to network with colleagues in the fields of juvenile justice, mental health, violence prevention, 

substance abuse prevention, and more. 

First Lady Laura Bush, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and Assistant Attorney General Regina B. Schofield welcomed conference participants at the opening session. The conference featured several plenary sessions and 70 concurrent 

interactive workshops that highlighted successful and emerging community 

collaborations and coordinated approaches to better the lives of children, youth, 

and families across the country. Topics included cultural sensitivity, female juvenile offenders, mental health issues, evidence-based programs, and many others. 

The conference is a prime example of how OJJDP, through the Coordinating 

Council, is encouraging cooperation and dialog to help make a difference in 

juvenile justice and the lives of America’s youth. Read more about the Coordinating Council and other collaborative activities in chapter 2. 

Online Resource 

Conference highlights are reported in the January/February 2006 issue of OJJDP 

News @ a Glance, available on the OJJDP Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp). 

National Youth Court Center 

OJJDP’s National Youth Court Center, located in Lexington, KY, received the 

2005 “Excellence in Prevention Award” from the American Probation and Parole 

Association. The annual award is given to a person, group, or program that 

demonstrates how probation, parole, and supervision can be successfully incorporated into a prevention program. 

Youth courts are one of the fastest growing crime intervention and prevention 

5

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

programs in the nation, increasing from fewer than 100 programs in 1994 to more 

than 1,000 in 2005. Also known as teen courts and peer courts, youth courts offer 

an adjudicatory venue in which peers sentence nonviolent juvenile offenders. 
 

6 

The National Youth Court Center is an interagency effort funded by OJJDP, 

with additional support from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. 

Online Resource 

Visit the Web site of the National Youth Court Center at www.youthcourt.net. 

● ● ● SUCCESS STORY: Giving Kids a Second Chance 

OJJDP’s National Youth Court Center serves as a central point of contact for 

more than 1,000 youth court programs nationwide. Every day, these programs 

influence the lives of hundreds of young people in a unique and positive way. 

One boy’s story illustrates how: 

I am a 13-year-old male, and I am a former respondent in the New Bedford (Massachusetts) Youth Court. I got to youth court because I was trying to be “down” with the other kids in the school, showing that I was 

one of them, which led me to trouble. I was involved in intimidating others and damaging property. However, the kids that I wanted to be part of 

did not go to youth court. I was the one who got into trouble. 

Youth court was a good experience for me. It taught me lots of things 

I would never have thought about doing, like jury duty. Jury duty was 

one of the things I liked. It gave me a chance to see why I received the 

sanctions I did to make up for what I had done. Community service was 

another thing I liked, especially the “Paint Your Heart Out” program, 

where we helped paint and fix people’s houses who couldn’t do it themselves. This was different from the things that I had been doing, and I 

really like that I was helping others. Volunteering your time is not only 

good for others but it teaches you a lot of things. 

After youth court, I plan to stay out of trouble. I am not going to be a follower anymore. I will be a leader. I will concentrate on my schoolwork, so 

that I can go to college and do what I dream of doing every day. Lastly, I 

want to apologize to my parents for putting them through all of this. 

Hurricane Relief and Followup 

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, OJJDP’s National Center for 

Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) played a key role in reuniting thousands of missing/displaced children with their parents. As of January 4, 2006, 

NCMEC’s hotlines (including a special “Katrina/Rita Missing Persons Hotline”) 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
had received 33,093 hurricane-related calls. Of the 5,067 cases involving children 

looking for parents, 4,672 (92 percent) were resolved. 

Six months after the hurricanes, a series of focus groups in the Gulf states assessed 

the impact of the storms on the juvenile justice system. The focus groups revealed 

widespread disruption throughout the system—in juvenile and family courts, 

probation, detention and confinement facilities, and foster care. However, prior 

emergency planning helped to moderate the impact of the storms, particularly 

when juvenile justice officials had networked with other agencies and jurisdictions 

to create coordinated emergency response plans. These networked jurisdictions 

were far better prepared to make and carry out the complex decisions necessary 

to ensure the safety of youth and communities. Nevertheless, rapid relocation of 

youth and families led to conflict between residents of host communities and new 

arrivals—conflicts amplified by cultural differences and the migration of gangs. 

Focus group participants stressed the importance of structured activities to restabilize the lives of youth and prevent problem behavior, delinquency, and crime. 

Participants also reported a need for expanded mental health services to address 

7 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 1 

OJJDP STAFF MEMBERS ASSIST 

HURRICANE VICTIMS 

OJJDP was proud to send three staff members to help victims of Hurricane 

Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Gwen Dilworth, Tom Murphy, and Scott 

Pestridge were among the many U.S. Department of Justice and other 

federal employees who volunteered to work through the Federal 

Emergency Management Administration to support federal hurricane relief 

efforts. Ms. Dilworth and Mr. Pestridge were part of a team of applicant 

service specialists who spent 30 days at the disaster recovery center 

in New Iberia, LA. Working 12–13 hours a day, 7 days a week, the 

team guided about 4,000 victims through the disaster assistance 

system. Mr. Murphy went to Abbeville, LA, with a team that 

helped residents of Vermilion Parish, one of the areas hit hard 

by the storm surge and winds from Hurricane Rita. 
a dramatic rise in the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder and other serious 

mental health problems among youth and juvenile justice staff. 

8 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

ABOUT OJJDP 

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) was 

established by Congress through the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974, Public Law 93–415, as amended. A component of the 

Office of Justice Programs within the U.S. Department of Justice, OJJDP works to 

prevent and control juvenile delinquency, improve the juvenile justice system, and 

protect children. 

Mission Statement 

OJJDP 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. 

Organization 

OJJDP is organized into five components: 

the Office of the Administrator, the Office 

of Policy Development, and three program 

divisions (Child Protection, Demonstration 

Programs, and State Relations and 

Assistance). Appendix A summarizes 

each component’s role. 

Our nation’s children— 

America’s future—are at the 

heart of everything we do at 

OJJDP. The goal of OJJDP’s 

programs and initiatives is to 

reach out to youth who are 

victimized, at risk, and in 

need, and our efforts include 

initiatives to address the 

special needs of minorities, 

tribal youth, and girls. 

—J. Robert Flores 

OJJDP Administrator 
CHAPTER 2
 
10 

CHAPTER 2	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Encouraging Coordination 

and Dialog 

Encouraging interagency cooperation and collaboration, especially at the federal level, is 

critical to providing the services that children need. One of OJJDP’s goals during 2005 was 

to make the federal government more responsive to the needs of young people by supporting initiatives that pool fiscal and human resources. This is especially important as budgets 

at all levels of government are being stretched to do more with less. Moreover, many children 

in the juvenile justice system, and many at risk of entering the system, cope with critical issues 

such as substance abuse, education, family, and socioeconomic risk factors. But, by working 

together, schools, drug treatment programs, social services agencies, housing programs, juvenile 

justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations can make a big difference in the 

lives of children and their families. 

During FY 2005, OJJDP had many successes in furthering collaboration and dialog among a 

diverse group of constituents. The achievements include supporting a number of interagency 

initiatives through the Concentration of Federal Efforts (CFE) program, increasing meaningful 

participation by member agencies in the work of the federal Coordinating Council on Juvenile 

Justice and Delinquency Prevention, working on a new court coordination initiative, and reaching out to work in partnership with faith- and community-based organizations. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
11 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

Services’ Substantive Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to better align planning and development of treatment services for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. 

One of OJJDP’s goals during the past year was to make 

the federal government more responsive to the needs 

of young people by supporting initiatives that pool 

fiscal and human resources. 

Collaboration 

Support for Interagency Initiatives 

Furthering interagency cooperation at all levels of government—federal, state, and local—was a 

major priority for OJJDP during FY 2005. As part of this effort, OJJDP for the first time provided, 

through the Coordinating Council, CFE funding specifically to assist other federal agencies in 

improving coordination of youth activities. For example: 

•	 OJJDP provided CFE funds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for 

a public housing youth initiative. The money is being used to implement and assess youthfocused collaborations in San Francisco, CA, and Philadelphia, PA/Camden, NJ. Lessons 

from the project will help federal agencies make more effective use of their resources at the 

local level. 

•	 CFE funding provided by OJJDP is being used by the Department of Health and Human 

Researchers, practitioners, and tribal communities are also participating in this effort. 
12 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA: 

PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR 

COOPERATION IN ACTION 

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) offer a safe haven to youth in public 

housing and other settings and help instill in them a sense of competence, 

usefulness, and belonging. During 2005, BGCA touched the lives of some 4.6 

million children and teens nationwide—many through programs supported by 

federal funds and carried out in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. 

OJJDP administers these funds, which Congress provides through the budget of the 

Bureau of Justice Assistance. The appropriation for FY 2005 was $85 million. 

Project Learn 

BGCA’s Project Learn program works to enhance the academic performance 

of economically disadvantaged adolescents who live in public housing. Project 

teams include BGCA staff, representatives from local schools and public housing 

organizations, and parent leaders. Each week, projects engage youth in several 

hours of structured activities such as creative writing, leisure reading, homework, 

discussions, and games that draw on cognitive skills. 

Project Learn was evaluated in a 30-month study of 238 youth at 15 sites. 

OJJDP’s Model Program Guide rates the program as “effective.” 

Online Resource 

Learn more about Project Learn in the Model Program Guide (www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ 

programs/mpg.html) and in the Community Guide to Helping America’s Youth 

(www.helpingamericasyouth.org). 

• CFE funds helped the federal Corporation for National and Community

Service establish an interagency mentoring council (cochaired by the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services) and a working group on mentoring. Together, the council and working group comprise representatives 
from federal, state, and local public and private agencies and organizations. 

Their aim is to increase the number of mentors for disadvantaged youth by 2 

million over the next 5 years. 

•	 These funds are also helping the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) further 

its efforts to coordinate workforce development and education programs 

to better serve at-risk youth. These efforts grew out of a series of regional 

youth forums sponsored by DOL in collaboration with the Departments of 

Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services. Specific plans are to 

provide technical assistance to selected states to help them link programs and 

resources for at-risk youth. 

Coordinating Council 

OJJDP plays a leadership role in efforts to enhance interagency collaboration 

through the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Council’s primary function is to coordinate federal programs related to 

delinquency prevention, missing and exploited children, and detention and care 

of unaccompanied juveniles. The Attorney General is the ex-officio chairperson 

of this group, and the OJJDP Administrator serves as vice chairperson. 

OJJDP has worked diligently to engage member agencies in enhancing coordination to improve services and programs directed to youth who are disadvantaged 

and at risk. As a result, partnerships between Council agencies are stronger, and 

more agencies and staff are coordinating their efforts. 

OJJDP’s leadership efforts are paying off in other ways, as 

evidenced by the following Council accomplishments: 

•	 Member agencies played a key role in the develop ment of 

the White House Community Guide to Helping America’s 

Youth, a Web-based tool that helps communities identify 

problems and take steps to improve the lives of their 

youth. Council agencies contributed information to the 

Guide’s community assessment/community resource 

inventory feature. The Guide is part of Helping 

America’s Youth (HAY), a nationwide effort initiated 

by President George W. Bush and led by First Lady 

Laura Bush. Mrs. Bush spoke on behalf of the initiative at the Council’s January 2006 national conference. (For more about the Guide, HAY, and the 

conference, see chapter 1). 

Online Resource 

The Community Guide to Helping America’s Youth is available 

at www.helpingamericasyouth.org. 

13 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 2 

t of 

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14 

•	 With OJJDP’s leadership, the Council identified recommendations from the 

2003 White House Task Force Report on Disadvantaged Youth that can be pursued 

in joint efforts. One result is the development of a focused federal partnership, led by the U.S. Department of Labor, to help states respond to the needs 

of disadvantaged youth. As part of this effort, titled “A Shared Vision for 

Youth,” the Departments of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, 

and Justice are working with states to develop specific resources, programs, 

and tools that will prepare youth for success in a global economy. 

Online Resource 

The White House Task Force Report on Disadvantaged Youth is available at www.ncfy.com/ 

disadvantaged/FinalReport.pdf. 

•	 Through several staff-level working groups, the Council is addressing joint and 

coordinated funding of special initiatives in the following areas: mentoring, 

state and local community planning, Geographic Information System mapping 

and Integrated Justice Information Systems (GIS/IJIS), job training/reentry, 

and gang prevention. The mentoring group, for example, is focusing on special initiatives for children of prisoners, and the GIS/IJIS group is developing 

an interactive tool for policymakers that will enable mapping and analysis of 

crime, demographic, and resource data to inform state and local planning. 

Online Resource 

Information about the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

including members and meeting summaries, is available on the Council’s Web site at 

www.juvenilecouncil.gov. 

● ● ●	 SUCCESS STORY: Collaborating To Combat 


Underage Drinking
 

OJJDP’s Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program supports 

innovative efforts to enforce state laws prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors. As illustrated by one of the many EUDL success stories, collaboration is often at the heart of these efforts: 

Supported by EUDL funds, a multijurisdictional task force in Piscataquis 

County, ME, worked together to cover a rural area where youth drinking parties were common. A before-and-after study showed that the comprehensive 

enforcement effort paid off: 13 percent fewer high school students said they 

thought it was easy to get alcohol, and 32 percent more perceived that police 

would apprehend underage drinkers. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
Court Coordination Program 

OJJDP has launched an innovative new program to help juvenile and family 

courts provide more coordinated, individualized services to youth with multiple 

needs. The Court Coordination Program reflects OJJDP’s numerous discussions 

with judges and court administrators about what can be done to help courts 

make a positive difference in the lives of youth. 

This program is exploring whether hiring a court coordinator can enhance 

the court’s ability to improve service delivery and outcomes for juveniles in 

cases that require intensive, specialized care from more than one agency. The 

program’s goal is more efficient, effective delivery of services; speedier resolution of cases; and reduced recidivism rates. OJJDP is also exploring whether the 

court coordination concept can be used to reduce the disproportionate number 

of minority youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. 

The Court Coordination Program is an opportunity for OJJDP 

to model the cooperative approach it recommends to others. 

For example, the eight communities participating in the 

Court Coordination Program have strong leadership both 

in their courts and in their Weed and Seed projects. (Weed 

and Seed is a community-based coordination initiative, 

funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, to prevent and 

control crime and improve the quality of life.) In addition 

to working with the Weed and Seed sites and their U.S. 

Attorneys, OJJDP is partnering with other federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services. By helping to coordinate federal resource 

streams, OJJDP hopes to improve local courts’ access 

to these resources on behalf of children who come to 

the attention of the courts. 

Online Resource 

For more information about the Court Coordination Program, including a list of par 

ticipants, visit www.dsgonline.com/ccp_index.asp. 

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives 

One of President Bush’s first official acts was to create the White House Office of 

Faith-Based and Community Initiatives within the Executive Office of the President. The Office encourages and empowers faith-based and community organizations to apply for federal social services grants. The President believes that 

15 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 2 

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16 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

the government can and should work in partnership with these 

ganizations. In keeping with the President’s commitment in 

ea, OJJDP supports a number of programs. 

help encourage dialog between the government and 

faith- and community-based programs, OJJDP developed a 

training and technical assistance program called Accessing 

ces for the Community. This program helps educate these groups about applying for discretionary grants. 

presented the program in four communities during 

The National Network of Youth Ministries, 

located in San Diego, CA, is using an OJJDP grant to 

uit adults from faith-based groups to mentor at-risk 

youth in their communities. The Network also sponed a forum in May 2005, which focused on training 

ovided opportunities for networking. 

Visit the National Network of Youth Ministries Web site at www.youthworkers.net. 

• The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice was awarded a grant to develop a 

Faith- and Community-Based Delinquency Treatment Initiative, which incorporates faith-based resources into five juvenile corrections programs. The 

initiative seeks to improve the life skills of juvenile offenders and to reduce 

repeat offending. It is providing residential and aftercare services to approximately 200 youth. 

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SPECIAL TASK FORCE 

OJJDP is an active participant in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Task 

Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This special task force helps to 

ensure equal access to federal grant opportunities for all interested and qualified 

service providers, including faith-based groups that offer social services. Faithbased and community organizations working together with other local groups 

(e.g., educators, law enforcement officers, parents) can enhance efforts to help atrisk youth make better life choices and avoid involvement with the justice system. 

The purpose of the DOJ task force is to highlight best practices, bring innovative 

programs to the attention of the nation, and provide information to help faithbased and community groups have an equal opportunity to compete for grants. 
•	 The Juvenile Ready4Work Initiative, developed by Public/Private Ventures 

of Philadelphia, PA, is helping five sites build effective partnerships with 

local faith-based, community-based, corrections, and business organizations 

to reduce crime and recidivism. The program is working with juveniles and 

young adults released from custody in Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Camden, 

NJ; Los Angeles, CA; and Seattle, WA. The initiative provides case management, mentoring, and job training and placement. 

•	 The Amachi Mentoring Program, which is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of 

America, has established 12 pilot sites and more than 200 church partnerships as part of its effort to recruit volunteers from the faith-based community to mentor children of prisoners. 

OJJDP also convened a meeting in 2005 to examine faith-based approaches to 

preventing and reducing youth involvement in gangs. Participants, including 

faith leaders from around the country, identified programs and strategies that 

have proven effective and also discussed how faith-based organizations can 

work most effectively with OJJDP to counter gang activity. 

Online Resources 

To learn more about DOJ’s task force and other resources for faith-based and community 

groups, visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fbci. Read about OJJDP’s related activities in the March/April 

2005 issue of OJJDP News @ a Glance, available on the OJJDP Web site (www.ojp.usdoj. 

gov/ojjdp). 

17 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 2 

SPECIAL HELP FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS 

OJJDP is working with Girls and Boys Town (GBT) to provide specialized treatment 

services to female juvenile offenders in short-term residential facilities. GBT, a wellknown, faith-based program with headquarters in Nebraska, has been helping 

abandoned, abused, and at-risk children in America for many years. 

The program for girls offers individualized treatment plans, provides a secure 

environment and positive role models, and promotes healthy relationships. 

It teaches competency development and incorporates a balanced and 

restorative justice approach to instill civic responsibility. 

OJJDP is funding the GBT program in Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and 

Philadelphia. In addition, OJJDP has partnered with the Office of Justice 

Program’s National Institute of Justice to evaluate the GBT teaching model. 

Developmental Services Group, in Bethesda, MD, is conducting the evaluation. 

CHAPTER 3
 
20 

CHAPTER 3	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Leveraging Technology To 

Improve Juvenile Justice 

Advances in technology hold the promise of improving the juvenile justice system in new 

and dramatic ways. Recognizing this potential, OJJDP concentrated many of its efforts 

in FY 2005 on developing and supporting exciting new electronic tools to help communities and practitioners respond to juvenile justice challenges. In addition to enhancing capacity development, leveraging state-of-the-art technologies has the added benefit of facilitating 

improved collaboration. Because technology and collaboration often go hand in hand, several of 

OJJDP’s technology-related activities involved partnerships with public and private groups. 

Accomplishments during FY 2005 include new initiatives (such as funding an online strategic 

planning tool for communities) and enhancements of existing initiatives (e.g., expanding an electronic guide to model prevention and intervention programs). In addition, OJJDP redesigned its 

Web page in 2005, introducing a dynamic new format that makes it easier for users to find the 

information they need. Although diverse in nature, OJJDP’s technical achievements have one 

thing in common: They are all designed to help make a difference for America’s children. 

Strategic Planning Tool 

One of OJJDP’s most exciting technological achievements has been the development of the 

Strategic Planning Tool, an innovative online tool to help communities assess and address local 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
youth gang problems. The Strategic Planning Tool illustrates OJJDP’s commitment to helping practitioners and communities use technology in the best way possible. Originally created 

by OJJDP and the National Youth Gang Center, Tallahassee, FL, for the cities participating in 

OJJDP’s Gang Reduction Program, the tool can be used by any community to assess and address 

local youth gang problems. (The Gang Reduction Program is helping four communities combine 

21 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

Access a database containing descriptions of numerous gang prevention, intervention, and 

suppression programs, strategies, and activities, as well as juvenile delinquency prevention 

Examine research-based risk factors for delinquency by age (developmental) periods and risk 

Although diverse in nature, OJJDP’s technical achievements 

have one thing in common: They are all designed to help 

make a difference for America’s children. 

local, state, and federal resources to develop and implement plans that incorporate a broad spectrum of proven, research-based interventions to combat juvenile gangs.) 

The Strategic Planning Tool helps to identify community needs and the resources available to 

meet those needs. The tool can help communities: 

•	 Inventory and record information about community organizations, programs, services, and 

activities that could be incorporated into a collaborative, comprehensive approach to youth 

problems. 

• 

and intervention programs. 

• 

factors that are correlated to gang behavior. 
22 

OJJDP Web Site 

•	 Search a matrix database of programs, including program description and 

information about the age range of clients served by each program in the 

database. 

Online Resource 

The Strategic Planning Tool is available at www.iir.com/nygc/tool. 

Model Programs Guide 

The OJJDP Model Programs Guide is another innovative electronic tool OJJDP 

is providing to help communities prevent and intervene in juvenile delinquency. 

Initially developed to support OJJDP’s Title V Community Prevention Grants 

Program, the Guide is a user-friendly, online link to scientifically tested and 

proven programs that address a range of issues across the juvenile justice spectrum, from prevention to intervention to aftercare and reentry. 

In keeping with its commitment to encourage collaboration, OJJDP has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance 

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Drug 

Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Departments of 

Education and Labor to identify evidence-based programs that focus on at-risk 

and delinquent youth. As a result of this collaboration, the Guide, which served 

as the foundation for the development of the White House Community Guide to 

Helping America’s Youth (see chapter 1), includes proven programs that focus on 

youth problems such as tobacco use, trauma exposure, academic failure, poor 

interpersonal skills, family dysfunction, social and community disorganization, 

and sexual activity/exploitation. 

The Guide now profiles more than 190 scientifically tested and proven programs and can help communities zero in on those that best suit their needs. The 

Guide’s database of programs currently addresses prevention, immediate sanctions, intermediate sanctions, residential programs, and reentry. Users can search 

the database by program category, target population, risk and protective factors, 

effectiveness rating, and other parameters. 

Online Resource 

Access the Model Programs Guide at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/programs/mpg.html. 

OJJDP continues to take advantage of the latest technology to ensure that its Web 

site is always current, and easily accessible and navigable by users. In response 

to user comments and visitor data, OJJDP redesigned the Web site’s home page 

in 2005. The new home page gives users more of the information they want and 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
 

23 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 3 

continhasis 

ly 

DP 

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includes several special links (e.g., links to guide first-time users, students looking 

for research information, and users seeking funding information or statistics). 

The heart of the Web site is its database-driven capability, which gives users quick 

access to comprehensive information. For example, by visiting the “Topics” page 

and selecting a specific topic (or subtopic), users can access all items related to that 

topic, such as funding opportunities, programs, events, and publications. 

OJJDP continually updates its Web site, striving to keep the content fresh and 

dynamic. The OJJDP Web site has consistently exceeded and outperformed the 

government benchmarks for user satisfaction across all categories (including 

content, functionality, look and feel, and navigation). The site received more 

than 48 million hits in FY 2005. 

Online Resource 

Visit the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp. 

Electronic Newsletter 

OJJDP News @ a Glance, a bimonthly newsletter now in its fifth year, continues to grow in popularity. A cornerstone in the Office’s growing emphasis 

on electronic dissemination, the newsletter converted to electronic-only 

dissemination with its January/February 2005 issue. All subscribers 

receive their issues via e-mail, and issues are also available on the OJJDP 

Web site. 

In addition to making the newsletter more cost efficient, the change 

means that subscribers have faster access to its content. Readers receive 

expanded coverage of conferences and other events, more photos, and 

additional features (such as links to other online information) that 

make News @ a Glance even more useful. A new e-mail feature makes 

it easy to share an issue with a colleague. In the first 6 months of 

online-only dissemination, the newsletter added almost 2,000 e-mail 

subscribers; as of September 30, 2005, it had 12,145 subscribers. 

Online Resource 

To subscribe to OJJDP News @ a Glance and browse past issues, go to the 

OJJDP home page (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp) and click on “E-News” and 

select OJJDPNews @ a Glance. 

Satellite Videoconferencing 

OJJDP has been using satellite video technology since 1995 to share information 

with practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. Videoconferences are a win-win 
 

24 

prison. 

activity because they save participants and sponsors both time and money. They 

allow viewers to participate in discussions, learn about new programs, and gather 

information without the expense of traveling to a conference site. OJJDP sponsored two videoconferences in FY 2005: 

•	 “Strategies, Programs, and Resources To Prevent Truancy,” cosponsored 

by OJJDP and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and DrugFree Schools, provided an overview of the truancy issues addressed in the 

two agencies’ December 2004 conference “Partnering To Prevent Truancy: 

A National Priority.” The videoconference was seen by approximately 6,400 

viewers. 

•	 “Graduated Sanctions: An Effective Intervention Strategy for Addressing 

Delinquency” took place during the 2005 annual meeting of the National 

Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). Seen by approximately 

2,000 viewers, the videoconference highlighted the efforts of OJJDP and the 

Juvenile Sanctions Center to support and implement effective graduated sanctions strategies. It also provided examples of community efforts to improve 

collaboration, implement successful intervention strategies, and enhance public 

awareness surrounding the issue of graduated sanctions. (The Juvenile Sanctions Center was established by OJJDP through a grant to NCJFCJ). 

Online Resource 

Videoconferences may be viewed at the Juvenile Justice Teleconferencing Web site (www.trc. 

eku.edu/jj/archive.html) and may be ordered in videotape or DVD format at https://www. 

puborder.ncjrs.gov. 

● ● ●	 SUCCESS STORY: Combining Technology and 

Collaboration To Keep Children Safe 

In 2005, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Child 

Victim Identification Program discovered images and videos of young girls being 

sexually abused in a private home. A NCMEC analyst noticed that a girl’s name 

was imprinted on one of the videos; through the American Student List database, 

NCMEC identified the girl as an elementary school student in Indiana. NCMEC 

relayed the information to Sergeant Chris Hunt of the Indiana State Police and 

the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who immediately contacted Special Agent Tom Rothrock of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Working with local school officials and the Indianapolis Family Advocacy 

Center, they learned the suspect’s identity from the victim and located the suspect 

in Ohio. A search of the suspect’s computer revealed hundreds of pornographic 

images of children, at least four of whom he had molested. The suspect was 

arrested and extradited to Indiana, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged him 

with production of child pornography; he is currently in custody facing life in 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
CHAPTER 4
 
26 

CHAPTER 4	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Protecting America’s Youth 

Nothing is more heart wrenching, and no crime is more heinous, than the victimization 

of a child. These crimes are committed by both family members and strangers and 

range from physical and sexual abuse to kidnapping and sometimes murder. In addition, many children witness violence in their families and communities. 

Protecting children from the dangers of today’s world continues to be an OJJDP priority. Coordination and technology are at the heart of many of the Office’s efforts to meet the needs of victimized children. For example, an initiative that addresses the commercial sexual exploitation of 

children focuses on coordinating services that prevent this exploitation, assist and treat victims, 

and prosecute offenders. Technology plays a key role in a program that alerts the nation to missing and abducted children and in a program that helps law enforcement agencies combat Internet crimes against children. 

The activities discussed in this chapter—and a new guide to help law enforcement officers investigate child fatalities (described in chapter 9)—highlight OJJDP’s major efforts to address the 

insidious crimes of child victimization. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
2 7

2005 ANNUAL REPORT

AMBER Alert

The Office of Justice Programs, with the support of OJJDP, continues to help keep children safe 

by overseeing the AMBER Alert program. Established as a national program in 2002 by President Bush, the program promotes the nationwide broadcast of emergency messages, primarily 

through radio and television, about abducted children who are in imminent danger of harm. 

Some areas also post the alerts on electronic highway signs; individuals can also sign up to 

receive alerts on their cell phones. AMBER, which stands for America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response, exemplifies how local partnerships, such as those between the media and law 

enforcement agencies, can make a difference when a child has been abducted. All 50 states have 

statewide AMBER Alert plans, and 27 regional and 37 local plans also have been established. 

Almost 250 children have been recovered as a result of AMBER Alerts.

During FY 2005, the AMBER Alert program released four new publications:

• Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets. 

• A brochure: Bringing Abducted Children Home. 

• A fact sheet: Effective Use of NCIC (National Crime Information Center).

AMBER, which stands for America’s Missing Broadcast 

Emergency Response, exemplifies how local partnerships, such 

as those between the media and law enforcement agencies, 

can make a difference when a child has been abducted.
28 

•	 A pocket card for law enforcement officers: U.S. Department of Justice 

Recommended AMBER Alert Criteria. 

The first two publications are also available in Spanish. The Office of Justice 

Programs also released a Report to the Congress on AMBER Alert in July 2005. 

Online Resource 

For detailed information about AMBER Alert, visit www.amberalert.gov. 

HONORING THE MEMORY OF
 

AMBER HAGERMAN
 

U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Assistant 

Attorney General and National AMBER Alert 

Coordinator Regina B. Schofield, and Deputy Postmaster 

General Patrick Donohue unveiled a new AMBER Alert 

stamp during a ceremony on January 13, 2006. The 

stamp, which entered public circulation in May 2006, 

depicts a reunited mother and child. January 13 was 

designated AMBER Alert Awareness Day in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of 

the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman. The ceremony took place 

on the last day of the “Building on Success” national conference sponsored by the 

Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. 

Children’s Advocacy Centers 

Abused children are often inadvertently further traumatized by the very interventions designed to protect them. OJJDP’s Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) 

program is helping to make sure that this does not happen. CACs are community-based programs that coordinate the investigation, prosecution, and treatment 

aspects of child abuse cases. Because child abuse is a multifaceted problem, 

CACs involve teams of professionals from a range of agencies—child protective and victim advocacy services, medical and mental health agencies, and law 

enforcement and prosecution. These teams provide coordinated services to both 

victims and nonoffending family members. 

As part of this program, OJJDP supports regional CACs in the Midwest, Northeast, South, and West. The regional centers encourage communities to establish 

local CACs and also provide local CACs with training, technical assistance, and 

other services. More than 600 CACs are in various stages of development. As 

a result, abused children across the country are receiving the coordinated help 

they need to deal with the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of their 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
29 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 4 

maltreatment. OJJDP also supports the National Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit 

membership organization with headquarters in Washington, DC, that provides 

services to local CACs. 

A recent OJJDP-funded evaluation of CACs found that these innovative agencies have promising effects in areas such as ensuring that children get medical 

examinations and mental health referrals. 

Online Resource 

For more information on Children’s Advocacy Centers, including the locations of the regional 

centers, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and click on the “Programs” 

section. Read about the national evaluation of CACs at www.unh.edu/ccrc/multi-site_ 

evaluation_children.html. 

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children 

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), including child prostitution 

and trafficking for sexual purposes, is one of the most overlooked and egregious 

forms of child abuse. Because of the nature of this abuse, no validated national 

statistics are available, although estimates of the number of children affected 

range into the hundreds of thousands. Reports from law enforcement and those 

concerned with child protection have made it clear to OJJDP that CSEC is a critical 

problem and that increasing numbers of children and youth are being sexually 

exploited through prostitution and pornography in the United States. CSEC also 

has an international dimension, with many victims throughout the world. 

OJJDP is helping to make a difference for the victims of child prostitution 

through a pilot program in two cities—Atlanta/Fulton County, GA, and New 

York City, NY. The sites are developing model strategies to prevent and address 

the sexual exploitation of children. These strategies include increasing the number of offenders and traffickers prosecuted, enhancing services to victims, and 

using education, training, and enforcement activities to prevent exploitation. 

One of the most pressing needs of exploited youth is secure housing while 

they receive the medical, educational, vocational, and counseling services that 

can help them build exploitation-free lives. Both of the demonstration sites are 

engaged in community planning to support (Atlanta) and develop (New York) 

secure housing for victims. 

OJJDP also supports other agencies that serve commercially sexually exploited 

children: Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE) in San Francisco, CA, 

which provides outreach and comprehensive health, legal, advocacy, and other 

support services to these youth; and the Paul & Lisa Program, headquartered in 

Westbrook, CT, and serving the eastern United States, which helps children, teens, 

and women escape from prostitution and establish positive and productive lives. 
30 

room investigations. 

During 2005, OJJDP developed two CSEC solicitations that were released in 

2006: one to conduct research on risk and resiliency factors, victim characteristics, incidence and prevalence, and exploitation of boys; the other to develop a 

capacity-enhancing program to help communities adopt best practices, implement training, and foster interagency collaboration. 

Internet Crimes Against Children 

Every day, thousands of children and teenagers go online to research homework 

assignments, play games, and chat with friends. And, every day, sexual predators 

roam the Internet, posting and/or looking for child pornography and soliciting 

minors to engage in sexual activity. Not only are these sex-related crimes heinous 

but they also pose formidable challenges for law enforcement, who must adapt 

their investigative techniques to a constantly evolving array of technology. OJJDP 

is helping law enforcement agencies across the country meet these challenges 

through the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. 

This program has created a network of state and local law enforcement cyber 

units across the country that investigate cases of child sexual exploitation. By 

the end of FY 2005, OJJDP had established 45 ICAC task forces. The task forces 

use aggressive investigations, prosecutions, computer forensics, and community 

outreach to address cyber crime. Moreover, they have become regional clusters 

of technical and investigative expertise, offering both prevention and investigative services to children, parents, educators, law enforcement officers, and other 

individuals working to protect children from sexual exploitation. 

Coordination across agencies and jurisdictions is one of the cornerstones of the 

ICAC Task Force Program, and partnerships with the U.S. Federal Bureau of 

Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and the 

U.S. Postal Inspection Service have helped ICAC task forces make an indelible 

mark on child exploitation investigations. In fact, as of September 2005, ICAC 

task forces were credited with investigating tens of thousands of cases that have 

led to nearly 6,000 arrests and convictions since 1998. 

OJJDP also provides training and technical assistance to law enforcement 

officials across the nation and around the world. Training topics include 

investigative techniques, child sex offender accountability, and undercover chatOJJDP provides technical assistance in a number of ways. Experts may be flown 

in to assist with investigations when additional expertise is needed. Local 

agencies may send personnel to an established task force operation to witness 

firsthand how a unit is set up or how an investigation is conducted by more 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
 

31 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 4 

experienced personnel. Finally, a peer review process is evolving in which 

experts from established ICAC teams will be available to conduct onsite performance assessments for new sites. 

Online Resource 

For more information on the Internet Crimes Against Children Program, including state 

task force contacts, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and click on the 

“Programs” section. 

● ● ● SUCCESS STORY: Protecting Children in Cyberspace 

OJJDP’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, through its network of specialized units, is helping communities keep their children safe from 

online predators. These units are fast and effective. For example, in one case, 

parents notified task force investigators of their concerns about a chatroom relationship their 14-year-old son had developed with a stranger. Officers assumed 

the boy’s online identity. Within 2 days, the suspect had made arrangements for 

a sexual encounter with the boy. 

Safe Start 

The Safe Start Initiative is another example of OJJDP’s efforts to help communities coordinate services to protect their children. The initiative seeks to prevent 

and reduce the impact of family and community violence on young children 

(primarily from birth to 6 years of age) by helping communities create more 

comprehensive service delivery systems to meet the needs of children and their 

families. The initiative strives to expand partnerships among the agencies that 

provide services to youth and families, such as early childhood education/ 

development, health, mental health, child welfare, family support, substance 

abuse prevention/intervention, domestic violence/crisis intervention, law 

enforcement, and legal services. 

Created by OJJDP in collaboration with federal partners in the Office of Justice 

Programs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the first Safe 

Start demonstration project, begun in the late 1990s, awarded grants to 11 sites 

to implement systems changes and enhance policies and practices for identifying 

and serving children exposed to violence. 

The second phase, Safe Start: Promising Approaches for Children Exposed to 

Violence, is focusing on effective approaches for reducing the harmful effects of 

children’s exposure to violence. Fifteen communities received 4-year grants in 

August 2005 to implement promising practices and evidence-based programs. 

OJJDP also awarded a grant to Rand Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, to evaluate 

the second phase of the initiative. The evaluation will determine what works— 
t to 

32 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

and what doesn’t—and the findings will be disseminated so that communities 

may replicate best practices in reducing the harmful effects of children’s exposure to violence. 

Online Resource 

For more information on the Safe Start Initiative, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj. 

gov/ojjdp and click on the “Programs” section. 

NCMEC: THE NATION’S CENTRAL CHILD 

PROTECTION RESOURCE 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is an 

OJJDP-funded organization that provides 24-hour services and suppor 

families, children, law enforcement agencies, and federal agencies on all 

aspects of missing and exploited children. NCMEC highlights for FY 2005 

include the following: 

• National Missing Children Telephone Hotline. During 

FY 2005, NCMEC answered 93,481 calls on its hotline and 

assisted in the recovery of 9,193 children. 

• CyberTipline. Both private citizens and Internet Service 

Providers (ISPs) use NCMEC’s online reporting system 

to report child pornography on the Internet. Leads are 

referred to law enforcement for investigation. NCMEC’s 

CyberTipline handled more than 107,000 reports of child 

pornography in FY 2005. 

• Child Victim Identification Program. This program has identified 

more than 260 children in pornographic images and videos. 

• Photo distribution program. NCMEC works with the private sector to distribute photos of missing 

children. During FY 2005, 221 children were found as a result of this program. 

• Computer imaging. NCMEC uses computer technology and graphic artists to age-progress photos of 

missing children. Almost 600 missing children whose photographs were age enhanced have been located, 

and 20 deceased children have been identified through NCMEC imaging specialists’ work on facial 

reconstructions. 

• TEAM ADAM is a group of retired law enforcement officers experienced in working with missing children 

cases. In FY 2005, NCMEC deployed “TEAM ADAM” to communities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina 

and Rita to assist in the search for missing children. 

Visit the NCMEC Web site at www.missingkids.com 

HILD 

n 

rt to 

n all 

2005 

identified 
CHAPTER 5
 
34 

CHAPTER 5	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Facilitating State Compliance With 

the JJDP Act 

ongress established OJJDP and created the Formula Grants Program in 1974 to support 

local and state efforts to prevent delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system. 

The Formula Grants Program provides funds directly to states to help them implement 

comprehensive juvenile justice plans based on detailed studies of needs in their jurisdictions.1 

To receive a formula grant from OJJDP, a state must address four core requirements of the 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. It must deinstitutionalize status offenders 

(DSO), separate juveniles from adults in secure facilities (separation), remove juveniles from 

adult jails and lockups (jail removal), and reduce disproportionate minority contact (DMC) with 

the juvenile justice system.2 

1 In this chapter, the term “states” also encompasses U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Wyoming does not participate in the 

Formula Grants Program. 

2 In 1988, Congress first required states participating in the Formula Grants Program to reduce the disproportionate confinement of minority youth in secure facilities. The issue was elevated to a core requirement in 1992, and then broadened in 2002 to encompass disproportionate representation of minorities at any point in the juvenile justice system. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
35 

The extensive training and technical assistance that OJJDP 

provides to support state compliance activities 

appear to be paying off. 

Compliance Progress 

The extensive training and technical assistance that OJJDP provides to support state compliance activities appear to be paying off. All participating states have made significant progress in 

achieving compliance with the four core requirements. For example, a comparison between baseline violations (based on data submitted when a state first begins participating in the Formula 

Grants Program) and current violations (based on 2003 compliance monitoring data) illustrates 

the progress states have made: 

• DSO violations have decreased 96.5 percent, from 171,183 to 5,982. 

• Separation violations have decreased 97.7 percent, from 83,826 to 1,942. 

• Jail removal violations have decreased 97.6 percent, from 148,442 to 5,040. 

Moreover, compliance rates have remained consistently high in recent years, with the vast majority of states reporting minimal or no violations of DSO, separation, and jail removal requirements. Although DMC compliance cannot be measured in terms of violations, OJJDP’s review of 

information in the states’ comprehensive 3-year plan updates indicates that all states but one are 

in compliance with the DMC core requirement. 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 
36 

In FY 2005, nearly every state qualified to receive the maximum amount of its 

formula grant funds on the basis of compliance status. (For more compliance 

information, see appendix B.) 

Progress toward achieving the goals embodied in the JJDP Act’s four core 

requirements has been remarkable. However, the hard work of sustaining that 

progress remains. OJJDP continues to provide an intensive program of training 

and technical assistance to help states address compliance issues. In 2005, the 

Office facilitated and/or provided 17 onsite training and technical assistance 

visits, up from 9 the previous year. 

Online Resource 

To learn more about the Formula Grants Program, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj. 

gov/ojjdp and click on the “Programs” section. 

DMC Activities 

Despite recent improvements, minorities remain overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. Long a leader in the nation’s efforts to reduce DMC, OJJDP 

continues to increase the scope and number of its resources—including training, 

technical assistance, and publications—to help states address this issue. 

OJJDP has seen a growing momentum and focus on DMC at the state level. For 

example, during FY 2005, the Office noted an increase in the number of state 

DMC coordinators (32) and the number of states (21) with targeted local DMC 

reduction sites. These increases are attributable in part to OJJDP-sponsored 

training and technical assistance, which emphasize the importance of focusing 

on DMC by designating state and local DMC coordinators, forming DMC subcommittees, compiling coordinator job descriptions, and establishing coordinator listservs to enable efficient peer communication and support. 

OJJDP’s other major DMC accomplishments include the following: 

•	 Convening a team of DMC researchers and practitioners to revise OJJDP’s 

DMC Technical Assistance Manual. In keeping with OJJDP’s commitment to 

using the latest technology, the new version of the manual is electronic. The 

online manual includes links to reference materials and will be updated 

annually. 

•	 Developing a Web-based DMC data entry system. Because of frequent turnover among state Juvenile Justice Specialists and DMC coordinators, many 

states cannot retrieve DMC data collected in earlier years. This new data 

entry system serves as an online repository for all DMC data collected by 

states and their targeted DMC reduction sites. With this repository, OJJDP, 

states, and localities can track DMC trends and produce other useful reports. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
During FY 2005, OJJDP also awarded a congressional ear-­

mark grant to the Youth Law Center, Washington, DC, to 

examine and reduce DMC among Hispanic youth in two 

targeted sites: Reno, NV, and Travis County, TX. The 

sites will collect data on Hispanic youth in the juvenile 

justice system and examine ways to reduce DMC at critical points in the system. 

Online Resources 

To learn more about OJJDP’s DMC efforts, go the OJJDP 

Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and click on the 

“Programs” section, or visit the DMC Web page at 

http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/dmc. 

37 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 5 

CHAPTER 6
 
40 

CHAPTER 6	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Supporting National Research 

and Evaluation 

OJJDP supports a wide range of research and evaluation activities designed to determine 

the causes and correlates of juvenile delinquency and the ways in which communities 

can protect at-risk youth and their families. The information generated by these OJJDP 

initiatives informs and enhances the collaborative efforts of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to prevent and reduce delinquency and victimization. In this way, research translates 

into action. 

This chapter highlights a few of OJJDP’s many research and evaluation initiatives during FY 

2005. OJJDP also sponsors the nation’s primary efforts to gather data and statistics on juveniles 

and crime and has taken the lead in making this information accessible to the field (see chapter 

9, “Keeping the Nation Informed”). 

Girls Study Group 

Despite the recent declines in overall juvenile offending, some challenges remain. One of these 

challenges is the growing number of female offenders entering the juvenile justice system. 

Although still far from the level of male juvenile arrests, female juvenile arrests are increasing 

more (or decreasing less) than male arrests in most offense categories. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
41 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

The seeds planted by sound research will bear 

productive fruit in the planning and implementation 

of programs that improve the lives of youth 

and their families. 

—OJJDP Research Report 

To help understand and solve this problem, OJJDP created a Girls Study Group, 

whose 15 researchers and practitioners are identifying risk and protective factors associated with female juvenile offending, life consequences for young 

women who engage in this behavior, and effective strategies for preventing and 

reducing female involvement in delinquency and violence. 

Specifically, the study group is reviewing and analyzing 

existing literature, federal initiatives that address female 

offenders, and programs that are effective or promising (or counterproductive) in preventing and reducing 

female offending. The group is also developing program 

models for field testing. 

Online Resource 

OJJDP has launched a Girls Study Group Web site (http:// 

girlsstudygroup.rti.org) to disseminate information to the field. 

The study group urges researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and others who are interested in the issue of girls’ 

delinquency to submit their comments and suggestions 

via the Web site. 

ng 

ale 

g 

am 
42 

federal-private sector cooperative efforts. 

Longitudinal Studies 

Causes and Correlates of Delinquency 

OJJDP’s Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Juvenile Delinquency has supported three coordinated longitudinal research projects (located 

in Denver, Pittsburgh, and Rochester) since 1986. These studies represent a 

milestone in delinquency research because they constitute the largest sharedmeasurement approach ever achieved. The three research teams worked 

together to ensure that they used similar measurement techniques, allowing for 

analyses that produce more generalizable results. 

The Causes and Correlates studies are helping us understand serious delinquency, violence, and drug use by examining how individual youth develop 

within the context of family, school, peers, and community. Many important 

findings have stemmed from these projects. One of the most consistent findings is that the earlier the age when offending begins, the more likely a career of 

chronic, serious delinquency. 

Online Resource 

Many of the reports from the Causes and Correlates studies are available on the OJJDP Web 

site at www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ccd/index.html. 

Pathways to Desistance 

Several longitudinal studies have helped researchers understand the development of antisocial behavior in adolescents, and the results of these studies have 

informed the policy and practice decisions of juvenile justice and child welfare 

professionals. However, little is known about how to deal with adolescents who 

are already deeply involved in the juvenile justice system. Many of these youth 

decrease or stop their antisocial activity in late adolescence: How does this 

“desistance” occur? 

Through a partnership with the National Institute of Justice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the William T. Grant Foundation, OJJDP is sponsoring a study that is 

intensively following a sample of 1,200 serious adolescent offenders in Philadelphia, PA, and Phoenix, AZ, as they navigate late adolescence. Pathways to Desistance: A Prospective Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders has brought together 

a number of respected researchers and is demonstrating the effectiveness of 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
43 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 6 

Research on Child Victimization 

OJJDP supports the Crimes against Children Research Center (CCRC) at the 

University of New Hampshire, which provides research and statistical information about juvenile victims of crime to policymakers, practitioners, and the 

media. During 2005, CCRC reported the first-ever scientific estimates of the 

number of arrests for Internet-related sex crimes against children. The report 

noted the extensive cooperation among law enforcement agencies and the 

prominent role of undercover operations in combating these crimes (for more on 

this subject, see chapter 4). CCRC also published a guide to the “juvenile victim 

justice system”—the set of agencies that respond to juvenile victims. 

Online Resource 

Visit the Crimes against Children Research Center Web site at www.unh.edu/ccrc. 

PATHWAYS TO DESISTANCE: 

HIGHLIGHTS OF FINDINGS TO DATE 

Using state-of-the-art statistical methods to identify different “trajectories” of selfreported offending among seriously delinquent adolescents, Pathways investigators 

have identified distinct patterns of antisocial activity over a 2-year followup period. 

• About 30–40 percent of youth reported consistently low levels of offending 

across the followup period. A much smaller group (about 6 percent) 

reported consistently high levels of offending. 

• Substance use problems and entrenched attitudes about the acceptability

of delinquent behavior appear to have played important roles in 

differentiating adolescents with lower versus higher levels of self-reported 

offending after court involvement. 

• Even adolescents who reported very little antisocial activity still spent about 

30 percent of the followup period in institutional care. This may suggest 

that expensive institutional placements are often unnecessary. 

• Involvement in substance use treatment reduced the level of substance

use (particularly alcohol); decreased substance use subsequently reduced 

involvement in antisocial activities. This finding provides evidence that 

treatment, as conducted in the justice system, has a positive effect on 

substance use and offending. 
44 

Focus on Program Evaluation 

Since its inception in the mid-1970s, OJJDP has supported evaluations and 

funded research activities that inform best practices and effective strategies. The 

Office’s approach has generally been to identify emerging issues in delinquency 

prevention and to target promising and/or widely used prevention/intervention 

strategies for further investigation. Some evaluations focus on OJJDP-funded 

programs, but the Office also evaluates prevention efforts funded by other entities. Because the delinquency prevention field is so broad, and programs exist at 

the local, state, and national level, this multi-tiered approach is likely to yield the 

most informative results in the most cost-effective way. 

Recently completed evaluations have focused on Child Advocacy Centers (see 

chapter 4) and the Tribal Youth Program (see chapter 8). This section highlights 

some evaluations currently in process. 

Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws—Community 

Trial Initiative 

In FY 2003, the OJJDP-funded National Evaluation of the Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM) launched a community trials initiative with the ultimate goal 

of developing a model for states and communities that are working to reduce 

underage drinking. Five states—California, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, and 

New York—were selected to implement “best or most promising practices” in 

seven communities per state. A national team is conducting impact and process 

evaluations of these projects and will share their findings with the field. 

Free To Grow 

Free To Grow, a national demonstration program supporting implementation of 

best or promising approaches to building stronger families and communities, 

started in 2001 as a partnership of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the 

Doris Duke Charitable Foundations, OJJDP, Columbia University, WFUSM, and 

18 local Head Start agencies. An OJJDP-funded WFUSM evaluation of 15 Free To 

Grow sites is assessing their implementation processes and their impact in building strong community partnerships and reducing the risks and increasing the 

resilience of families and neighborhoods. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
45 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

CHAPTER 6 

Substance Abuse Prevention 

With OJJDP funding, the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), 

Calverton, MD, is conducting process and outcome evaluations of two substance 

abuse prevention/reduction programs, Project ALERT and Project SUCCESS, 

in multiple sites. These programs are currently classified as “promising” and 

could possibly reach “model” status if the outcome evaluations produce positive 

results. The evaluations are using a longitudinal randomized control design and 

will last about 30 months, allowing for a 1-year followup of participants. 

Parents Anonymous® 

Parents Anonymous® operates a network of parent-led, professionally facilitated, community-based groups that offer help and support to parents at risk of 

maltreating their children. In an OJJDP-funded evaluation, the National Council 

on Crime and Delinquency is assessing the effectiveness of Parents Anonymous® 

programs in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect in Spanishspeaking families. 

Child Development-Community Policing Program Model 

In the Child Development-Community Policing (CD–CP) program model, law 

enforcement and mental health professionals collaborate to respond proactively 

to children who are exposed to violence in their communities. An OJJDP-funded 

evaluation conducted by ICF/Caliber Associates, Fairfax, VA, is studying implementation of the CD–CP program model in New Haven, CT, and Charlotte, NC. 

One important goal of the evaluation is to assess the short-term effects of CD–CP 

treatment on the well-being of children who have witnessed violence. 

Gang-Free Schools and Communities 

Program Evaluation 

The Gang-Free Schools and Communities Program was launched in 2001 to 

implement a community-based response to gangs, with emphasis on school 

involvement. The framework for the program is OJJDP’s Comprehensive Gang 

Model. Four sites (East Cleveland, OH; Houston, TX; Miami/Dade County, FL; 

and Pittsburgh, PA) were selected to assess their gang problems and develop 

a strategy for implementing the comprehensive model. Their efforts are being 

evaluated in an OJJDP-funded study conducted by COSMOS Corporation, 

Bethesda, MD. 
46 

School-Related Research and Evaluation 

Comprehensive Study of Bullying, Truancy, 


and Delinquency 


In 2005, OJJDP provided funds to the National Center for School Engagement/Colorado Foundation for Families and Children to conduct a study that 

will examine the relationships of bullying behavior and victimization among 

youth who are truant, suspended, or expelled as well as examining the predictive power of these relationships for delinquency. One study component will 

examine antibullying programs in Colorado middle and high schools. The Comprehensive Study of Bullying, Truancy, and Delinquency is being conducted in 

partnership with the Colorado Trust, the Colorado Department of Education, 

and the Promising Practices Network at RAND Corporation. 

Safe Schools/Healthy Students 

In recent years, OJJDP has partnered with the U.S. Department of Education 

and other federal agencies to launch several school-related demonstration 

programs that include national evaluations. One important effort is the Safe 

Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The evaluation of this initiative is carefully 

documenting its activities and outcomes at 77 sites. The evaluation encompasses 

the formation of community collaboratives, the impact of the collaboratives on 

school safety and health, student development, economic analyses, surveillance 

of core indicators, and intensive outcome analyses. 

Truancy Reduction and Prevention 

OJJDP has long supported implementation and evaluation of several truancy 

prevention and intervention programs. OJJDP’s Administrator has identified 

truancy as a “priority area” and has worked to promote related evidence-based 

programs and practices. This work was highlighted in the FY 2005 researchbased conference, “Partnering To Prevent Truancy: A National Priority,” 

cosponsored by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education. More than 700 

attendees participated in workshops on topics such as family involvement, motivating at-risk youth, collaboration building, and program evaluation. The workshops emphasized programs that target underserved populations (e.g., youth 

with disabilities, tribal youth, children in foster care, immigrant youth, and 

youth reentering the community from the juvenile justice system). 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
CHAPTER 7
 
48 

CHAPTER 7	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Providing Technical Support 

to the Field 

OJJDP’s mission is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent 

and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. A major component of these 

efforts is the provision of training and technical assistance (TTA) to address the needs 

of juvenile justice practitioners and support state and local efforts to build capacity and expand 

the use of evidence-based practices. TTA involves planning, developing, delivering, and evaluating activities designed to achieve specific objectives, resolve problems, and foster the application 

of innovative approaches to juvenile delinquency and victimization. 

To assist policymakers and practitioners in strengthening local juvenile justice systems, OJJDP 

has developed a network of more than 70 providers dedicated to delivering targeted training 

and technical assistance. OJJDP and its network of providers offer an array of services, including 

the following: 

• Problem identification and assessment. 

• Strategic planning. 

• Program enhancement and operations support. 

• Sustainability planning. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
49 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

• Evidence-based practice and model programming. 

• Team building and collaboration. 

• Community mapping and resource identification. 

• Partnership development, team building, and community collaboration.

• Staff development and retention. 

• Information management.

• Performance measurement and program evaluation. 

Any state, tribe, unit of local government, or organization supporting the justice system’s response 

to juvenile delinquency and victimization is eligible to receive technical assistance from OJJDP. 

OJJDP uses the National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) to support its network of TTA providers by coordinating and sharing resources, tracking and monitoring the 

delivery of TTA, and providing direct services to Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) 

program grant recipients. 

To assist policymakers and practitioners in strengthening 

local juvenile justice systems, OJJDP has developed 

a network of more than 70 providers dedicated to 

delivering targeted training and technical assistance. 
50 

OJJDP is currently assessing its TTA activities and working with NTTAC, providers, and state and local representatives to improve the quality, breadth, and 

responsiveness of services. 

Online Resource 

For detailed information on training and technical assistance, go to the OJJDP home page 

(www.ojp.usdoj.gov) and click on the “Programs” section, where the Training and Technical 

Assistance page offers an overview of OJJDP’s TTA resources, and individual program pages 

provide program-specific TTA information. 

NTTAC conducted a number of noteworthy training events in FY 2005; some 

of these events are highlighted below. OJJDP will seek to replicate all training 

deemed successful, as warranted. 

Mental Health Services for 


Youth in Custody 


In April and October 2005, OJJDP conducted workshops on how to deal effectively with youth in custody (detention or corrections) who have mental illnesses. The workshops addressed screening, assessment, treatment, and system 

integration. Although the focus was youth in custody, the information presented 

and the issues covered were applicable to a broad audience, meeting the needs 

of practitioners at all points along the continuum of services—including intake, 

courts, detention, residential treatment, and aftercare. 

Gender-Responsive Programming 


for Girls, Track II 


Conducted in March 2005, this OJJDP workshop addressed girls’ unique experiences and the biases that affect girls. Participants discussed issues related to 

race, culture, development (emotional, intellectual, and physical), and economic 

status—all in the context of gender-responsive programming for girls. The 

workshop was useful for those seeking to enhance community-based prevention programs for at-risk girls, intensive residential programs, and the variety 

of programs offered by state institutions that serve girls. This curriculum offered 

advanced-level training for individuals who had completed the Track I curriculum and/or had previous experience working with gender-responsive programming. The advanced training focused on topics such as system integration, 

innovative and evidence-based practices, assessment, and outcome measurement. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
y, 

51 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 7 

Federal Grants Application Training for 

Community- and Faith-Based Organizations 

Through NTTAC, the Accessing Resources for Community- and Faith-Based 

Organizations (ARC) initiative offered free 2-day workshops in May and June 

2005 entitled “Navigating the Federal Funding Process: Federal Grants Application Training.” The workshops were designed to assist organizations in 

developing successful grant-writing strategies, so they can apply for federal 

funding to grow and sustain their programs. Interactive sessions covered topics 

such as the Office of Justice Program’s online Grants Management System, federal funding opportunities, developing competitive grant applications, writing 

winning proposals, creating partnerships, grants management, data collection, 

recordkeeping, program evaluation, and capacity building. 

OJJDP’S NTTAC WEB SITES INFORM 

THE YOUTH-SERVING COMMUNITY 

NTTAC’s main Web site (www.nttac. 

org) features a TTA provider director 

detailed information on TTA and 

funding resources, and an online 

discussion forum. Additional sites 

provide TTA resources through 

the Juvenile Accountability 

Block Grants (JABG) program 

TTA initiative (http://jabg. 

nttac.org) and the Accessing 

Resources for Community- and 

Faith-Based Organizations 

(ARC) initiative (http://arc.nttac.org). 

Together, the three sites recorded more than 637,000 hits 

(number of times a site was accessed) and 111,000 visits (number of 

times a user viewed the site) in 2005. 

c. 

ry, 

g). 

ore than 637,000 hits 

CHAPTER 8
 
 

54 

CHAPTER 8	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Collaborating With 

Tribal Communities 

Many American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities face chronic underfunding for their justice systems, lack access to meaningful training for law enforcement and justice personnel, and also lack comprehensive programs that focus on 

preventing juvenile delinquency, providing intervention services, and imposing appropriate 

sanctions. Furthermore, although violent crime arrest rates have declined throughout the United 

States, they continue to rise in tribal communities. According to data from the Bureau of Justice 

Statistics,3 American Indians experience violent crime at a rate twice that of the general population. Of particular concern to tribes and OJJDP is the increasing number of violent crimes committed by and against tribal youth. OJJDP is collaborating with tribes on a number of programs 

to address this disturbing trend. 

Tribal Youth Program 

OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program (TYP) assists tribes in their efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for AI/AN youth. Since FY 1999, OJJDP has 

awarded 270 grants to tribes throughout the nation to help them develop and implement 

3 S. Perry, American Indians and Crime: A BJS Statistical Profi le, 1992–2002, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice 

Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2004. 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
culturally sensitive delinquency prevention programs, alcohol and substance abuse prevention 

programs, interventions for court-involved youth, and improvements to the juvenile justice 

system. A TYP mental health component, established in 2000, helps tribes provide substance 

abuse prevention/intervention and mental health services to tribal youth. 

Online Resource 

OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program (TYP) assists tribes in their 

efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve 

the juvenile justice system for AI/AN youth. 

For more information about the Tribal Youth Program, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and 

click on the “Programs” section, or visit the TYP Web page at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/typ. 

Tribal Youth 

Program Grantees 

The adjacent map from the Tribal 

Youth Program Web page shows 

states that have TYP grantees. Web 

page visitors can click on the states to 

access descriptions of TYP projects. 

55 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 
Pr

r

56 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

TYP Youth Evaluation Facilitation Project 

To further assist tribes, OJJDP funded the TYP Youth Evaluation Facilitation 

Project. Conducted by the Michigan Public Health Institute, Okemos, MI, the 

project involved five tribes: Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc. (AK); the Hannahville 

Indian Community (MI); the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (WA); the Navajo 

Nation (AZ/NM); and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians (WA). Facilitators helped 

the tribes conduct evaluations and become more self-sufficient in solving problems and making decisions. Facilitators and local assessment teams developed 

an evaluation model that addresses TYP processes and outcomes. They also 

analyzed the structure and operation of the juvenile justice and tribal justice 

systems, identified how TYP activities fit within the systems, and examined 

how tribal, county, state, and federal government agencies relate to each other 

in terms of juvenile justice responsibilities and operations. 

oject researchers compared the participating tribes with five 

other TYP-funded tribes and found that the participating tribes 

benefited from the evaluation assistance. The research produced 

an additional finding: Comparison tribes expressed interest in 

eceiving similar assistance. 

Online Resource 

The Tribal Youth Evaluation Facilitation Project Final Report is available online through the Michigan Public Health Institute’s Center 

for Collaborative Research in Health Outcomes & Policy (go to 

www.crhop.net and click on “Publications”). 

TRIBAL FACTS 

• The United States has 561 federally

recognized tribes. 

• These tribes are located in 34 of the 50

states. Ten states have more than nine tribes. 

Alaska has 227, and California has 108. 

• Almost one-third (177) of the tribes have received

one or more TYP or TYP mental health grants 

from OJJDP since the program began in 1999. 

OFF ICE OF JU V EN ILE J U

Project 

other 

benef 

an ad 

rece 

On 

Th 

a 

f 
Tribal Juvenile Accountability 

Discretionary Grant Program 

OJJDP also administers the Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Grant 

(JADG) program, which funds efforts of federally recognized tribes to strengthen 

tribal juvenile justice systems and promote reforms that hold AI/AN youth 

accountable for their delinquent behavior. Funds may be used to address one or 

more of 16 specific purpose areas. Two projects supported in FY 2005 illustrate 

how Tribal JADG funds are making a difference in tribal communities: 

•	 The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Northern Minnesota, is reducing the backlog of juvenile cases in its court system by enhancing pretrial 

diversion and referral services and hiring additional staff, including a juvenile prosecutor. Red Lake is also implementing interagency case-tracking 

software for the prosecutor’s office, tribal court, police, probation office, 

and schools. 

•	 The Squaxin Island Tribe, Washington State, is implementing a courtsupervised, early intervention program that provides alternatives to prosecution and sentencing for juvenile offenders. Program components include 

regular appearances before the court, family skill-building, and counseling 

for family members. The program’s functional family therapy design is an 

outcome-driven approach that follows five steps: engagement, motivation, 

assessment, behavior change, and generalization. 

Focus Group 

One of OJJDP’s major TYP-related activities in FY 2005 was designed to help 

ensure that the program is truly making a difference for tribal youth. OJJDP convened a focus group to identify significant tribal youth issues, discuss the role 

of government in effectively addressing those issues, and recommend how TYP 

can support tribes in responding to areas of concern. Focus group participants 

included representatives from tribal communities and federal agencies who 

work with tribal youth. The participants told OJJDP that they were most pleased 

with the flexibility TYP allows grantees in developing and implementing relevant programs within tribal communities. A detailed report from the focus 

group is available on OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Web page. 

57 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

CHAPTER 8 

Focus group participants told 

OJJDP that they were most 

pleased with the flexibility 

TYP allows grantees in 

developing and implementing 

relevant programs within 

tribal communities. 
Training and Orientation 

To further enhance TYP, OJJDP provides a comprehensive program of ongoing 

training for current grant recipients and orientation for new grantees. During 

FY 2005, OJJDP held regional TYP training in Albuquerque, NM; Orlando, FL; 

and San Francisco, CA. It also provided orientation and training to 39 new 

grantees who received FY 2005 funding. 

The mandatory training provided information about TYP program areas, grant 

management, and mental health services. In keeping with OJJDP’s support of 

community-based partnerships, the training was designed to help tribes build 

on their proven strengths and life experiences as a way of enhancing their capacity to develop and maintain programs that are valuable to their communities. 

58 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

TYP REGIONAL TRAINING TOPICS 

FOR 2005 

• Strategies to reduce truancy. 

• Effective treatment programs.

• Adolescent brain development.

• Effects of alcohol and drugs.

• Use of graduated sanctions

in tribal communities. 

• Programs to empower

AI/AN girls. 
CHAPTER 9
 
60 

CHAPTER 9	 Making a Difference by . . . 

Keeping the Nation Informed 

As part of its mission to provide national leadership, OJJDP is committed to keeping 

practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public up to date on the latest juvenile justice information. The Office funds a number of activities to gather data on 

juvenile crime and the response of the juvenile justice system, including information about 

juvenile detention and corrections populations, probation caseloads, and court activities. 

OJJDP also supports several Web-based activities that offer users easy access to a wide range 

of national data. 

OJJDP keeps the field informed through both online and printed documents (some documents 

are available exclusively online, and nearly all print publications are also posted on the OJJDP 

Web site). Electronic publishing keeps costs down (saving taxpayer dollars), makes it possible to 

update statistical information soon after new data become available, and allows readers to incorporate information from OJJDP documents into their own materials. 

The dissemination activities discussed in this chapter and in chapter 3 illustrate how OJJDP 

makes a difference by efficiently and effectively “getting the word out.” 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
61 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

National Juvenile Justice Data Analysis Project 

OJJDP’s National Juvenile Justice Data Analysis Project has significantly changed the landscape 

of juvenile justice statistical information availability by creating an infrastructure of data and dissemination tools that have become indispensable resources for informed policy decisionmaking. 

The project’s primary dissemination vehicles are the online Statistical Briefing Book (see below) 

and the Juvenile Offenders and Victims report series. In FY 2005, the project published several 

Bulletins; in addition, writing and production were underway for Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 

2006 National Report, OJJDP’s flagship statistical publication. 

Statistical Briefing Book 

The Statistical Briefing Book (SBB) section of OJJDP’s Web site is a popular online information 

tool for practitioners, policymakers, the media, and the public. SBB provides reliable, timely data 

about juvenile offending, victimization of juveniles, and the response of the juvenile justice system to these problems. The user-friendly site offers statistical answers to frequently asked questions about a range of juvenile justice issues. It also provides data analysis tools and links users 

OJJDP’s National Juvenile Justice Data Analysis Project has 

significantly changed the landscape of juvenile justice statistical 

information availability by creating an infrastructure of data 

and dissemination tools that have become indispensable 

resources for informed policy decisionmaking. 
to a variety of national data sets. With SBB’s “Easy Access” 

materials and downloadable spreadsheets, users can create mat 

their own national, state, and county tables on juvenile popu­ the 

lations, arrests, court cases, and corrections lat populations.

In recent years, SBB has become a primary source of infor62 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

released in FY 2005.) 

to a 

I 

mation on juvenile crime and the juvenile justice system 

for individuals in the United States and throughout the 

world. Its user community is large and growing. During 

FY 2005, nearly 1.7 million pages were requested from 

the SBB site—more than 4,600 per day. The typical visitor session lasts about 12 minutes. 

The National Center for Juvenile Justice, in Pittsburgh, PA, maintains SBB, The National Center fo 

continually updating the site to ensure that users will find the latest available continually updating t 

information. 

Online Resource 

To access the Statistical Briefing Book, go to the OJJDP Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp 

and click on the “ Statistics” section. 

Data Archive 

The National Juvenile Court Data Archive (Archive) provides access to a wealth 

of information about cases handled by courts with juvenile jurisdiction. OJJDP 

established the Archive to provide automated juvenile court data sets to assist 

researchers and policymakers. The Archive is maintained by NCJJ. Visitors to 

the Archive Web site can view and download user guides to data sets housed in 

the Archive and search for data sets that meet specific research interests. NCJJ 

produces OJJDP’s annual Juvenile Court Statistics reports from Archive data. The 

Juvenile Court Statistics report series, one of the nation’s oldest justice statistical 

publications, dates back to the late 1920s; the edition released in FY 2005 was the 

most downloaded OJJDP publication, with more than 250,000 downloads. 

Online Resource 

Visit the National Juvenile Court Data Archive at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/ojstatbb/njcda. 

New Publications 

OJJDP’s publications continue to receive praise from the field for their quality and usefulness. This section highlights some of the noteworthy documents 

released in FY 2005. (See appendix C for a listing of all OJJDP publications 
Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines 

Juvenile Delinquency Guidelines identifies comprehensive and effective practices for juvenile delinquency 

courts, defines key principles of a “juvenile delinquency court of excellence,” and sets forth essential elements of 

With support from OJJDP, the National Council of Juvenile 

6 3

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

CHAPTER 9 

This publication contains 

information to ‘bring my 

message home.’ Thank you!” 

October 18, 2005 

le 

tant new document in FY 2005 to help guide juvenile courts 

and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) introduced an imporurts 

in improving the juvenile delinquency system. Juvenile 

Delinquency Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Juvenile 

 Delinquency Cases is “aspirational” and focuses on what 

should be happening as opposed to what is happening in 

juvenile courts. The guidelines are practical and usable, 

and the recommendations in the document are based on 

the most recent research and promising practices. 

ents of 

effective practice for each court process involved in handling delinquency cases, ling delinquency cases 

from intake through postdisposition review. The document also discusses implementation issues and provides checklists, a glossary, and resource materials. 

A READER’S PRAISE 

Mental Health Screening and Assessment Guide “Thank you for your 

Research indicates that many youth who come into contact with the juvenile publication, Statutory Rape 

justice system may have mental health and substance abuse disorders. Address- Known to Law Enforcement. 

ing these disorders remains a critical issue. Screening and Assessing Mental Health It was interesting and and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: A Resource informative. I do child abuse Guide for Practitioners offers information to help juvenile justice practitioners 

identify troubled youth and provide them with appropriate treatment. prevention presentations and 

professional trainings for 

The online guide, prepared for OJJDP by the National Center for Mental Health various audiences. When 

and Juvenile Justice, Delmar, NY, contains comprehensive, user-friendly infor- I talk to high school age mation about instruments that can be used to screen and assess youth for mental 

health- and substance use-related disorders at various stages of the juvenile children they often think 

justice process. It includes profiles of more than 50 instruments, guidelines for of child sexual abuse as 

selecting instruments, and best practice recommendations for diverse settings something that happens to 

and situations. their younger brothers and 

sisters rather than themselves. 

Juvenile Justice Practices Series 

OJJDP Juvenile Justice Practices series is an important online resource for 

juvenile justice policymakers, funding decisionmakers, and professionals who 

develop and administer programs for youth. The Bulletins in this series distill 

the latest information—research findings, lessons learned, promising practices, 
64 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

useful tools, and organizational resources—for specific juvenile justice program 

areas. Three Bulletins were released in FY 2005: 

• Alternatives to the Secure Detention and Confinement of Juvenile Offenders recommends developing objective, valid, and reliable tools to make placement 

decisions among alternative programs and expanding the existing range of 

alternatives for juvenile offenders. 

• Planning Community-Based Facilities for Violent Juvenile Offenders as Part of a 

System of Graduated Sanctions presents basic information regarding planning 

smaller community-based or regional facilities to provide secure confinement 

for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. 

• State Ombudsman Programs describes the role of an ombudsman and examines how Connecticut, Georgia, and Tennessee have designed diverse 

ombudsman programs to serve the needs of children and youth. 

ELECTRONIC OUTREACH 

OJJDP uses a variety of outlets to reach a wide audience: 

• The comprehensive, user-friendly OJJDP Web site is an invaluable source 

of information on juvenile justice. The award-winning site recorded more 

than 48 million hits in 2005. 

• The bimonthly electronic newsletter, OJJDP News @ a Glance, highlights 

programs and events for more than 12,000 subscribers. 

• The JUVJUST listserv alerts its 15,300 subscribers to important funding 

opportunities, publications, and events. 

• Satellite videoconferences bring indepth, interactive coverage of critical

topics to thousands of viewers. 

These outreach activities are one way that OJJDP uses technology to improve 

juvenile justice (see chapter 3). 
CHAPTER 9 

Portable Guides 

In response to requests from law enforcement jurisdictions across the United 

States for guidelines on investigating child abuse and neglect, OJJDP developed 

a series of Portable Guides. The most recent, Investigating Child Fatalities, was 

written by Bill Walsh, a former lieutenant with the Crimes Against Children Unit 

of the Dallas Police Department. This Guide provides concise, practical information to assist law enforcement officers in investigating cases in which it is 

believed that abuse or neglect may have caused or contributed to a child’s death. 

It describes how child fatalities differ from other homicide cases and offers 

guidelines for conducting the investigation, documenting the case, interrogating 

suspects, and testifying in court. 

The Portable Guides are compact (5 by 9 inches), for easy storage in the glove 

compartment of a police cruiser, and concise (16 to 24 pages), for quick reference. Since their development almost a decade ago, the Guides have consistently 

been among OJJDP’s most requested publications. 

Online Resource 

To access OJJDP publications (including the documents noted above) online, go to the OJJDP 

Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and click on the “Publications” section. Search by topic, 

series, or keyword. 

Youth Gang Symposium 

More than 1,400 participants attended OJJDP’s fourth 

National Youth Gang Symposium in Orlando, FL, in June 

2005. Unlike other gang-related conferences that focus 

solely on law enforcement, OJJDP’s symposium was open 

to all professionals who work with youth gangs. The 2005 

symposium focused on innovative and successful gang-­

prevention programs and strategies and provided current 

information on youth gang activities and trends from top 

national experts. Workshops addressed gang awareness, 

practical prevention and intervention strategies, law 

enforcement, schools and gangs, program management, and the justice system and gangs. The symposium was sponsored by OJJDP and cohosted by the 

Boys & Girls Clubs of America and OJJDP’s National 

Youth Gang Center, Tallahassee, FL. 

Online Resource 

For gang-related news, information, and other resources, visit the National Youth Gang Center 

Web site at www.iir.com/nygc. 

65 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 
66 

JUVENILES IN CUSTODY 

Since OJJDP’s inception, an important part of its information dissemination role has been to gather and report data on 

youth held in public and private juvenile custody facilities. The Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement (CJRP) and 

the Juvenile Residential Facility Census (JRFC), administered by OJJDP in alternate years, provide comprehensive data on 

juveniles in custody and the facilities that house them. In addition, the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP) 

asks youth about their background and experiences. This section highlights key findings from CJRP and briefly summarizes 

information on deaths of juveniles in custody. 

Characteristics of the 

Juvenile Custody Population 

The biennial Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement 

provides a 1-day “snapshot” of youth held in public 

and private juvenile detention and correctional facilities, 

including offense, gender, race, age, and other data. 

The following highlights are primarily from the census 

conducted on October 22, 2003. 

Overview 

•	 Nearly 97,000 youth—307 per 100,000 youth 

in the general population—were held in juvenile 

residential placement facilities on the 2003 census 

date. Of this number, 91,831 were held for 

delinquency offenses, and 4,824 for status offenses. 

•	 About a third of the youth in custody had been 

placed in a facility by a juvenile court judge 

because they had committed a person offense, and 

about a quarter had committed a property offense. 

The most common delinquent offenses were assault 

and burglary. The most common status offense was 

ungovernability. 

Online Resources 

•	 For most offenses, fewer juveniles were held in 

2003 than in 1997. 

Gender and Age 

Although males dominate the juvenile custody population, 

the female proportion has grown over the years. 

•	 Nearly 15,000 female juvenile offenders were in 

custody on the 2003 census date—15 percent of 

all offenders held. 

•	 Between 1991 and 2003, the number of female 

juveniles in custody increased 52 percent, 

compared with 23 percent for males. The increase 

for delinquent offenders was 96 percent for 

females, and 26 percent for males. The number of 

status offenders in custody decreased 38 percent 

for females, and 26 percent for males. 

•	 Female juvenile offenders in custody tend to be a 

bit younger than their male counterparts. In 2003, 

juveniles age 15 or younger accounted for 46 

percent of females in custody, compared with 33 

percent of males. The most common age was 16 

for females, 17 for males. 

Most of the data in this section were taken from Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report, which is available through 

the “Publications” section of the OJJDP Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp). The custody chapter of the National Report includes 

detailed information about detained and committed juvenile offenders, residents’ time in placement, security features of facilities, overcrowding, substance abuse screening, and sexual violence in facilities. Detailed information on juvenile corrections is 

also available through OJJDP’s online Statistical Briefing Book (go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp and click on the “Statistics” 

section). 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
67 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

CHAPTER 9 

(Juveniles in Custody, continued page 68) 

In 2003, public facilities held 64,662 delinquents and private facilities held 27,059 delinquents on the 

2003 census date 

Juvenile offenders in residential 

placement, 2003 Percent change 1997–2003 

Type of facility Type of facility 

Most serious offense All Public Private All Public Private 

Total offenders 96,655 66,210 30,321 –8 –12 3 

Delinquency 91,831 64,662 27,059 –7 –12 11

 Person 33,197 23,499 9,671 –6 –13 21

 Criminal homicide 878 803 73 –54 –56 –28

 Sexual assault 7,452 4,749 2,698 34 20 68

 Robbery 6,230 5,157 1,073 –33 –35 –22

 Aggravated assault 7,495 5,745 1,741 –21 –24 –7

 Simple assault 8,106 4,984 3,113 22 21 25

 Other person 3,036 2,061 973 38 22 87

 Property 26,843 18,740 8,073 –16 –18 –10

 Burglary 10,399 7,481 2,904 –17 –21 –7

 Theft 5,650 3,793 1,848 –22 –26 –12

 Auto theft 5,572 3,756 1,812 –15 –14 –16

 Arson 735 514 220 –19 –25 0

 Other property 4,487 3,196 1,289 –4 –4 –6

 Drug 8,002 4,851 3,137 –12 –23 15

 Drug trafficking 1,810 1,284 522 –37 –41 –24

 Other drug 6,192 3,567 2,615 0 –14 28

 Public order 9,654 6,782 2,866 0 –5 11

 Weapons 3,013 2,346 665 –28 –29 –24

 Other public order 6,641 4,436 2,201 20 16 29

 Technical violation 14,135 10,790 3,312 14 5 56 

Status offense 4,824 1,548 3,262 –29 –11 –36

 Ungovernability 1,825 253 1,570 –36 –45 –34

 Running away 997 417 577 –33 –14 –43

 Truancy 841 207 634 –37 –49 –32

 Curfew violation 203 65 138 5 –18* 21

 Underage drinking 405 210 186 27 86 –10 

Other status offense 553 396 157 –14 98 –64 

For most offenses, fewer juveniles were held in 2003 than in 1997. For some offenses (e.g., drug offenses other than trafficking), 

the public facility population decreased but the private facility population increased. For several offenses (e.g., simple assault), both 

public and private populations increased. 

*Percent change is based on a denominator less than 100. 

Note: Total includes juvenile offenders held in tribal facilities. 

Source: Authors’ analysis of OJJDP’s Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement for 2003 [machine–readable data files]. 
68 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

Race 

Nonwhite youth account for the majority of juveniles 

in custody. 

• More than 59,000 minority youth were in custody

on the 2003 census date—61 percent of all 

offenders held. Black youth accounted for 38 

percent of the juvenile custody population. 

• Between 1997 and 2003, the overall juvenile

custody population decreased 8 percent. The 

decline for white youth (5 percent) was half that for 

minority youth (10 percent). 

• Nationally, the custody rate was highest for black 

youth and lowest for Asian youth. For every 

100,000 black juveniles living in the United States, 

915 were in custody in a juvenile facility on the 

2003 census date; the rate was 496 for American 

Indians, 348 for Hispanic youth, 190 for Whites, 

and 113 for Asians. 

Deaths in Custody 

The death rate for youth in custody is lower than that for 

youth in the general population, and OJJDP’s latest data 

indicate that deaths of juveniles in custody are relatively 

rare. According to the Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 

27 youth died while in custody in juvenile facilities in 

2004, compared with 26 in 2002, 30 in 2000, and 44 in 

1994. Suicide was the leading cause of death according 

to the 2004 census, accounting for 16 deaths. Five deaths 

resulted from illness or other natural causes, four from 

accidents, and two from homicides. The death rate was 

generally higher for private than for public facilities. 

Age profile of offenders in custody, 2003 

Age Total Male Female 

Total 100% 100% 100% 

12 and younger 2 2 2 

13 4 4 6 

14 10 10 14 

15 19 18 24 

16 26 25 27 

17 25 26 20 

18 and older 14 16 7 

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding. 

Juvenile offenders in custody, 2003 

Race/ Percent change 

ethnicity Number Percent 1997–2003 

Total 96,655 100 –8 

White 37,347 39 –5 

Minority 59,308 61 –10

 Black 36,740 38 –12

 Hispanic 18,422 19 –5

 Amer. Indian 1,771 2 10

 Asian 1,462 2 –34

 Other/mixed 913 1 62 

Note: Detail may not total 100% because of rounding. 
APPENDIXES
 

71 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

APPENDIX A 

OJJDP is organized into five components: the Office of the Administrator, which provides leadership and direction; the Office of Policy Development, which advises and assists the Administrator; and three program divisions (Child Protection, Demonstration Programs, and State Relations and Assistance), which offer a multidisciplinary approach to 

juvenile justice issues that includes research, training and technical assistance, and information 

dissemination. 

• The Office of the Administrator establishes OJJDP’s priorities and policies, oversees the 

management of the Office’s divisions, and fosters collaboration with federal, state, and local 

agencies and associations that share OJJDP’s commitment to preventing and combating juvenile delinquency and addressing the problem of missing and exploited children. 

• The Office of Policy Development assists the Administrator in coordinating national policy 

on juvenile justice; advises the Administrator on policy issues and how OJJDP can best 

accomplish its mission; and provides leadership and direction for OJJDP’s research, training 

and technical assistance, and information dissemination efforts. 

• The Child Protection Division (CPD) administers programs related to crimes against children and children’s exposure to violence. CPD provides leadership and funding to promote 

effective policies and procedures to respond to the problems of missing and exploited children, children who have been abused or neglected, and children exposed to domestic or community violence. 

• The Demonstration Programs Division (DPD) provides discretionary funds to public and 

private agencies, organizations, and individuals to develop and support programs and replicate tested approaches to delinquency prevention, treatment, and control in areas such as 

OJJDP Organization 
7 2

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION

ENHANCING INTERAGENCY 

COOPERATION 

OJJDP’s efforts to enhance cooperation and coordination among 

federal agencies with responsibilities in the area of juvenile justice 

are organized through the Concentration of Federal Efforts Program. 

This program works primarily through two bodies: the Coordinating 

Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the 

Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice.

Online Resources

Visit the Web pages for the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (www.juvenilecouncil.gov) and the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice 

(www.facjj.org).

mentoring, gangs, chronic juvenile offending, and community-based sanctions. DPD also supports and coordinates efforts of tribal governments to 

expand and improve tribal juvenile justice systems.

• The State Relations and Assistance Division (SRAD) provides funds to help 

state and local governments achieve the system improvement goals of the 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, implement delinquency 

prevention programs, and support initiatives to hold juvenile offenders 

accountable for their actions.

Administrator

 Deputy Administrator Deputy Administrator

 for Policy for Programs

 Child Protection Demonstration State Relations

 Division Programs Division and Assistance

 Division

Office of Policy

Development

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Delinquency

e on Juvenile Justice 
73 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

The status reported in this summary is current as of November 21, 2005. DSO, separation, and jail/lockup removal compliance is based on 2003 state monitoring reports. DMC compliance is based on FY 2005 Formula Grants Program comprehensive plans. 

Wyoming did not participate in the FY 2005 Formula Grants Program. 

Section 223(a)(12)(A): Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders and 

Nonoffenders (DSO) 

Full compliance—zero violations: American Samoa, Delaware, Montana, New Mexico. 

Full compliance—de minimis exceptions:a Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, 

Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, 

North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, 

Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West 

Virginia, Wisconsin. 

Not in compliance: Mississippi, Washington, Virgin Islands. 

Section 223(a)(13): Separation of Juveniles and Adult Offenders 

Full compliance—zero violations: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, 

a Fewer than 29.4 violations per 100,000 persons under age 18 in the state. 

APPENDIX B 

State Compliance With 

JJDPA Core Protections 
74 

Puerto Rico. 

1995, Federal Register. 

Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana 

Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South 

Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin. 

Full compliance—exception provision:b Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, 

Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, 

Virginia. 

Not in compliance: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands. 

Section 223(a)(14): Jail and Lockup Removal 

Full compliance—zero violations: Alabama, American Samoa, District of 

Columbia, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, 

Virgin Islands. 

Full compliance—de minimis exceptions:c Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 

York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, 

Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin. 

Not in compliance: Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina. 

Section 223(1)(23): Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) 

In compliance: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, 

Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, 

Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North 

Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, 

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, 

Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Virgin Islands, Wisconsin. 

Not in compliance: Mississippi. 

Exempt from DMC requirement (racially homogeneous population): 

b OJJDP regulatory criteria set forth in Section 31.303(f)(6)(ii) of the OJJDP Formula Grants Regulations (28 C.F.R. 

31), published in the May 31, 1995, Federal Register, allow states reporting noncompliant incidents to continue in the 

program provided the incidents are not in violation of state law and no pattern or practice exists. 

c State was found in compliance on the basis of numerical or substantive de minimis standard criteria set forth in 

Section 31.303(f)(6)(iii)(B) of the OJJDP Formula Grants Regulations (28 C.F.R. 31) and published in the May 31, 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 
Core Protections Compliance Summary Totals 

(as of November 21, 2005) 

Requirement and Compliance Status Number of Jurisdictions 

Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) 

Full compliance—zero violations 4

 Full compliance—de minimis exceptions 48 

Not in compliance 3 

Separation of Juvenile and Adult Offenders 

Full compliance—zero violations 40 

Full compliance—exception provision 13 

Not in compliance 2 

Jail and Lockup Removal 

Full compliance—zero violations 9

 Full compliance—de minimis exceptions 43 

Not in compliance 3 

Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) 

 In compliance 53 

Not in compliance 1 

Exempt from DMC requirement 1 

75 

2 0 0 5 A N N U A L R E P O R T 

APPENDIX B 

Note: States’ eligibility to receive FY 2005 formula grants was determined on the basis of 2003 

monitoring reports for compliance with JJDP Act core protections regarding DSO, separation, and jail 

and lockup removal and on the basis of information in FY 2005 Formula Grants Program comprehensive plans for compliance with the DMC core protection. One state did not participate in the 

FY 2005 Formula Grants Program. 

77 

2005 ANNUAL REPORT 

Alternatives to the Secure Detention and Confinement of Juvenile Offenders (Juvenile Justice Practices 

Series online Bulletin), NCJ 208804 

AMBER Alert: Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets (AMBER Alert Guide), 

NCJ 208481 (English), NCJ 209519 (Spanish) 

Bringing Abducted Children Home (AMBER Alert Brochure), BC 000712 (English), BC 000716 

(Spanish) 

Child Pornography: Patterns From NIBRS (Crimes Against Children Series Bulletin), NCJ 204911 

Effective Use of NCIC (National Crime Information Center) (AMBER Alert Fact Sheet), FS 000308 

(English), FS 000309 (Spanish) 

Highlights of the 2002–2003 National Youth Gang Surveys (Fact Sheet), FS 200501 

Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program, Final Report (Report), 

NCJ 206177 

Investigating Child Fatalities (Portable Guide), NCJ 209764 

Juvenile Arrests 2003 (Bulletin), NCJ 209735 

Juvenile Court Statistics 2000 (Report), NCJ 209736 

Juvenile Firesetting: A Research Overview (Bulletin), NCJ 207606 

APPENDIX C 

Publications Produced 

in FY 2005 
78 

Mathematics of Risk Classification: Changing Data Into Valid Instruments for Juvenile 

Courts (online Report), NCJ 209158 

National Estimates of Missing Children: Selected Trends, 1988–1999 (NISMART 

Series Bulletin), NCJ 206179 

National Estimates of Children Missing Involuntarily or for Benign Reasons 

(NISMART Series Bulletin), NCJ 206180 

Overcoming Barriers to School Reentry (Fact Sheet), FS 200403 

OJJDP Annual Report 2003–2004 (Report), NCJ 206630 

OJJDP News @ a Glance (Newsletters online only, beginning January/ 

February 2005)
 

November/December 2004, Vol. III, No. 6, NCJ 207328
 

January/February 2005, NCJ 208700
 

March/April 2005, NCJ 209154
 

May/June 2005, NCJ 209734
 

July/August 2005, NCJ 210414
 

September/October 2005, NCJ 211153
 

Planning Community-Based Facilities for Violent Juvenile Offenders as Part of a 

System of Graduated Sanctions (Juvenile Justice Practices Series online Bulletin), 

NCJ 209326 

Screening and Assessing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Among Youth 

in the Juvenile Justice System: A Resource Guide for Practitioners (online Report), 

NCJ 204956 

State Ombudsman Programs (Juvenile Justice Practices Series online Bulletin), 

NCJ 204607 

Statutory Rape Known to Law Enforcement (Bulletin), NCJ 208803 

Title V Community Prevention Grants Program: 2003 Report to Congress (Report), 

NCJ 207694 

U.S. Department of Justice Recommended AMBER Alert Criteria (Pocket Card), 

LT 000498 (English), LT 000505 (Spanish) 

OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Of OJJDP Report fice of Justice Programs ice of Justice Programs 

Office of Jice of Jice of Juvenile Juvenile Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention *NCJ~215560 

Washington, DC ashington, DC 20531 

Official Business icial Business 

Penalty for Private Use $300 ate Use $300 

PRESORTED STANDARD
 

POSTAGE & FEES PAID
 

DOJ/OJJDP
 

PERMIT NO. G–91