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For Immediate Release: For Further Information:
Octoberber 23, 2014

Office of The Attorney General
- John J. Hoffman, Acting Attorney General
Juvenile Justice Commission
- Kevin M. Brown, Executive Director

Media Inquiries-
Sharon Lauchaire
609-292-2288
 

Citizen Inquiries-

609-984-5828
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New York State Visits New Jersey to Examine
Juvenile Detention Reform
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TRENTON - A delegation from New York State, including the Acting Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services (NYS OCFS), the JDAI State Coordinator, a supervising Family Court Judge, the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services representing the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and representatives from the Office of Court Administration, are in New Jersey to attend a two-day working session focusing on the statewide implementation of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). 
               
On behalf of the two lead implementing agencies, Kevin M. Brown, Executive Director, Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC) and Judge Glenn A. Grant, Administrative Director of the New Jersey Courts, addressed the visiting delegation at the Princeton Marriot describing New Jersey’s successful detention reform efforts.

Juvenile detention is a temporary placement of a youth accused of a delinquent act, while awaiting the final outcome of his or her case in court. The purpose of detention is to house youths who, by virtue of their alleged offenses or documented prior histories, pose serious threats to public safety or are thought to be flight risks. A primary goal of JDAI is to make sure that secure detention is used only to ensure that serious and chronic youthful offenders are detained, and that effective alternatives are available for other youths who can be safely supervised in the community while awaiting final court disposition. The initiative provides a framework of strategies that help reduce the inappropriate use of secure juvenile detention, while maintaining public safety and court appearance rates. A major focus of the work is to reduce the disproportionate use of detention for minority youth. 

“The ability to deprive someone of his or her freedom should never be taken lightly. It is even more significant when it involves young people. We know that one of the greatest predictors of re-offending is to have been incarcerated in the first place,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman. “JDAI has allowed New Jersey to maximize its resources, to keep low-level juvenile offenders in their communities and with their families, and to deliver critical rehabilitative services as arrest rates have continued to decrease.”

“We are pleased to welcome leaders from New York to discuss our efforts to implement JDAI statewide,” said New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner. “JDAI has had a positive impact on individuals, families, and communities in New Jersey, and we are glad to be a part of the Casey Foundation’s efforts to expand the program in other states.” 

In April 2004, New Jersey was selected as an official replication site for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) and was awarded an annual grant of up to $200,000 by the Foundation. As the lead agency, the JJC works in partnership with the Judiciary, and other state and local agencies through the statewide Council on Juvenile Justice System Improvement (CJJSI) which guides the statewide initiative. Each participating county also relies on a local county council for collaboration, leadership, and data to make improvements in the county juvenile justice system.
  
"With today’s visit, delegations from 13 states have traveled to New Jersey with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to learn about the outstanding results and thoughtful approach to spreading detention reform statewide,’’ said Nate Balis, Director of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Justice Strategy Group. “We hope that other states can emulate the impressive infrastructure that New Jersey has built to stimulate change at the county level, while garnering political and administrative support. The Casey Foundation appreciates New Jersey’s willingness to share its experiences and its success with these other states." 

The results achieved through JDAI have brought New Jersey significant recognition. While nationally JDAI is operational in 39 states, New Jersey is the only state to be designated as a national model for detention reform by the Casey Foundation. This designation was bestowed upon NJ in late 2008 as a result of the impressive outcomes New Jersey had achieved since JDAI inception. New Jersey receives funding from the Casey Foundation to support JDAI, and specifically to conduct two-day working sessions with delegations from other states interested in replicating New Jersey’s JDAI success. New York State is the thirteenth state to participate in New Jersey’s JDAI “Model Site” Program. Delegations from Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Nebraska, Washington State, and South Dakota have also attended the workshops.

“With the majority of New Jersey’s counties now fully implementing JDAI, thousands of juveniles have avoided secure detention. We have reduced the use of detention by over 60 percent, while our juvenile arrest rate continues to decline.  This reform of the juvenile justice system has helped us turn around the lives of troubled youths while keeping our communities safe,” said Brown.

NYS OCFS Acting Commissioner Sheila J. Poole said, “New York is in its second full year implementing JDAI, and already we are seeing progress. The state’s Family Court judges have been trained in its core strategies, and along with the help of our six pilot counties and New York City, our agency will continue moving forward to reform the juvenile justice system, reduce the inappropriate use of detention and placement, and provide community alternatives to improve the lives of New York’s youth while enhancing public safety.”

To date, 18 New Jersey counties are participating in JDAI, including Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Union and Warren. Cape May County and Sussex Counties are the most recently named JDAI counties to join the initiative.

For more information on JDAI, please visit: www.nj.gov/oag/jjc/localized_programs_jdai.html

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