Legal Intershup: Statue of Lady Justice bronze statue holding Scales of justice and blue sky

OJJDP introduces law student volunteer internship program

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention last month introduced a volunteer internship program specifically designed for law students interested in pursuing careers in the youth justice and child welfare fields. The program will accept applications for semester-long positions starting in spring and summer 2024. During their internships, participants will engage in tasks such as legal research and analysis, and gain insights into federal, state, local and Tribal work encompassing prevention, intervention, and system involvement. Students may work remotely.

JJDPA: Building with American flag on roof.

Clear OJJDP Guidance Needed By States in Order to Implement JJDPA Updates

Two months ago today, on Dec. 21, 2018, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act was signed into law. The bill served as the first update to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in 16 years — a period long enough for millions of young people to age into and out of a dated juvenile justice system that had seen no major federal changes since 2002.

racial and ethnic disparities: African-American young woman with hands to head, looking in pain

We Need Stronger, Not More Simplified, Approach to Reducing Racial Disparities

Several states have announced they will continue collecting data on racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system, five months after Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Administrator Caren Harp announced the agency is rolling back these reporting requirements. The announcements came in the chat box of an OJJDP webinar focused on federal data on girls in the juvenile justice system.

ballot measure: Magnifying Glass and document close up

Most Juvenile Justice Reforms Happened at State Level This Election

Tuesday evening’s midterm elections were among the most closely watched in recent memory, in large part because of its potential implications at the national level. And there was certainly plenty of news there, but perhaps the bigger, untold story is what happened in the states. Some of the results may indicate a more progressive and comprehensive approach to justice and related issues.

OJJDP: Close-up Of Pencil Eraser Erasing Drawn Figures On Paper

OJJDP’s New Direction Is Juvenile Justice Policymaking By Erasure

The Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) have instituted policymaking by erasure. These agencies are rolling back juvenile justice data collection, rescinding manuals on best practices and changing policy language.