The primary function of the Council is to coordinate all federal juvenile delinquency programs, all federal programs and activities that detain or care for unaccompanied juveniles, and all federal programs relating to missing and exploited children. The Council meets at least quarterly and is chaired by the Attorney General. The nine non-federal members are appointed without regard to political affiliation. Three members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three by the Majority Leader of the Senate, and three by the President. Each appointing authority appoints members for one, two, and three year terms and has authority to fill vacancies arising during a term, only for the remainder of such term.
Members can hold over after a term expires until a successor is appointed.
The Council reviews the programs and practices of federal agencies and reports on the degree to which federal agency funds are used for purposes which are consistent or inconsistent with the mandates of the JJDP Act regarding deinstitutionalization of status offenders, separation of juveniles from adults in institutions, and removal of juveniles from adult jails and lockups. The Council reviews the reasons why federal agencies take juveniles into custody and makes recommendations regarding how to improve federal practices and facilities for holding juveniles in custody. The Council makes recommendations on joint funding proposals among Council members. The Council makes recommendations to the President and the Congress, at least annually, on coordination of overall policy and development of objectives and priorities for all federal juvenile delinquency programs and activities. The Council also makes annual recommendations to the President and Congress on federal programs and activities that detain or care for unaccompanied juveniles and examines how federal programs can be coordinated with state and local programs to better serve at-risk youth.