1. The Advisory
Council on Juvenile Justice is hereby reconstituted as set forth
in this Order. The Advisory Council shall consist of no fewer
than 21 or more than 26 members, and shall include:
a. The
Attorney General, who shall serve as Chairperson;
b. The
Commissioner of Human Services, who shall serve as Vice-Chairperson;
c. The
Secretary of State;
d. The
Commissioner of Community Affairs;
e. The
Commissioner of Corrections;
f. The
Commissioner of Education;
g. The
Commissioner of Health;
h. The
Commissioner of Labor;
i. The
Public Defender;
j. Between
seven and twelve public members chosen by the Governor on the
basis of their expertise and interest in making improvements
to the juvenile justice system.
In addition,
the Administrative Director of the Courts shall be invited to
participate on the Advisory Council. Also, the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each be asked to
select two individuals chosen on the basis of their expertise
and interest in making improvements to the juvenile justice system
to serve as members of the Advisory Council.
2. The Advisory
Council shall assist the Governor and the various State departments
in order to:
a. Expand
the range of diversion and disposition options available to
law enforcement, county prosecutors, social service agencies
and the courts, including the sharing of resources to allow
for more appropriate intervention programs on the local level.
b. Develop
a range of services and sanctions for committed youth, in particular
those youth committed to secure youth facilities.
c. Develop
a range of services and, where appropriate, sanctions for non-committed
youth who are involved or at-risk of involvement in the juvenile
justice system. Youth services shall include, but not be limited
to, prevention, intervention, education, treatment and rehabilitation
services.
d. Work
with the county youth services commissions to fulfill their
statutory responsibilities as outlined in P.L. 1982, c. 80,
sec. 16, as amended (C. 2A:4A-91).
e. Expand,
replicate and develop successful model programs that involve
families, schools, law enforcement and other community organizations
in the prevention of juvenile crime and youth violence, using
available resources.
f. Improve
record keeping and information sharing among State and local
agencies involved with at-risk youth.
g. Develop
job training and employment opportunities for at-risk youth.
h. Review,
evaluate and coordinate allocations of State and federal funds
to State departments, local governments and local agencies and
service providers that provide services and, where appropriate,
sanctions for youth involved in and at-risk of involvement in
the juvenile justice system.
i. Examine
State and local government systems for planning, coordinating,
providing, and funding services and, where appropriate, sanctions
for youth involved in and at-risk of involvement in the juvenile
justice system.
j. Work
cooperatively with any independent experts contracted to analyze
New Jersey's juvenile justice system.
3. By June
30, 1994, the Advisory Council shall present to the Governor recommendations
as to services and, where appropriate, sanctions for youth involved
or at-risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system that
can be expeditiously implemented using available resources.
4. By December
31, 1994, the Advisory Council shall provide the Governor and
the Legislature with recommendations for the long-term improvement
of New Jersey's juvenile justice system that shall include:
a. Recommendations
as to the proper allocation of State, local, and federal funds
to State departments, local governments and local agencies and
service providers that provide services and, where appropriate,
sanctions for youth involved or at-risk of involvement in the
juvenile justice system.
b. Recommendations
as to statutory, administrative, programmatic and structural
changes that should be undertaken to ensure the most timely,
uniform and cost-effective provision of services and, where
appropriate, sanctions for youth involved in or at-risk of involvement
in the juvenile justice system.
c. An
evaluation, in conjunction with the Jamesburg Board of Trustees,
of the operation of the New Jersey Training School for Boys
and the Juvenile Medium Security Center during the term of management
under Executive Order No. 93 (Florio) and recommendations for
future management of these facilities.
d. An
assessment and recommendations regarding the conclusions reached
by any independent experts contracted to analyze New Jersey's
juvenile justice system.
5. In performing
its responsibilities, the Advisory Council shall, to the extent
practicable, utilize existing data, reports, statistics, and other
sources and materials -- national, State and local -- including,
but not limited to:
a. Juveniles
in New Jersey Correctional Facilities, Community Mental Health
Center, College of Medicine and Dentistry, Rutgers University,
1981.
b. Beneath
the Labels, Association for Children of New Jersey, 1981;
Governor's
Committee on Children's Services Planning, 1985;
d. New
Jersey's Action Plan for Children, the Governor's Committee
on Children's Services Planning, 1985;
e. The
Division of Criminal Justice's Juvenile Justice Action Plan,
Draft Edition, 1988;
f. The
New Jersey Supreme Court's Final Report and Implementation Plan,
1989 Judicial Conference on Juveniles, Justice and the Courts;
g. Report
of the Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Advisory Committee, The Disproportionate Incarceration of Black
and Hispanic Youth in New Jersey, 1990;
h. A Report
of the Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Advisory Committee, A Primary Prevention Plan for New Jersey,
Towards a New Generation, 1990;
i. Principles
and Operating Procedures for the Family Division, Superior Court
of New Jersey's Pathfinders Report, 1991;
j. The
Report of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Family
Division, 1992;
k. The
Association for Children of New Jersey's Report on the Establishment
of an Office of Youth Services, 1992;
l. The
Report from the Cabinet Task Force on Children and Families,
An Agenda for Children and Families, 1992;
m. State
and County Profiles of Child Well-Being, Kids County New Jersey,
1992;
n. Publications
and reports of the Juvenile Delinquency Commission especially
its report, Profile 93;
o. State
of New Jersey Commission of Investigation, Criminal Street Gangs,
1993;
p. The
New Jersey Department of Education, Violence and Vandalism Prevention
Task Force, 1994.
For this
purpose, the Advisory Council shall collect from any State or
local government or any other appropriate source data, reports,
statistics and other materials which are necessary to carry out
its functions.
6. The Advisory
Council on Juvenile Justice shall be in, but not of, the Department
of Law and Public Safety.
7. The Office
of the Attorney General shall coordinate staffing needs of the
Advisory Council. Each Cabinet member of the Advisory Council
shall assign a representative of her or his department to be designated
as staff to the Advisory Council.
8. The Advisory
Council is authorized to call upon any department or agency of
State government to provide such information, resources or other
assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities
under this Order. Each department, officer, division and agency
of this State is hereby required, to the extent not inconsistent
with law, to cooperate with the Advisory Council and to furnish
it with such information, personnel and assistance as is necessary
to accomplish the purposes of this Order.
9. This
Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal
this 17th day of March in the Year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety-Four, and of the
Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Eighteenth.
/s/
Christine Todd Whitman
Governor