The Purpose of the Juvenile Justice System
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention administers several programs to tackle common problems afflicting young people. Justice delivers programs in gang reduction and crime prevention, and it researches the causes of juvenile delinquency as well as providing grants and funding to support youth crime prevention initiatives.
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Courts
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While the Justice Department does not directly run the local courts, it maintains support and train for the courts. The Federal Youth Court Program creates the infrastructure and training to allow juveniles charged with minor delinquencies to be judged by peers. The Juvenile Drug Courts/Reclaiming Futures Program aims to help courts understand how to recognize addictions and substance-abuse issues and help offenders get their lives back on track. The Model Dependency Courts Initiative seeks to improve the courts' handling of child abuse and neglect cases.
Gangs
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The Gang Reduction Program is part of the department's anti-gang initiative. The program conducts research on gang activity and provides resources and support to specific areas to reduce gang-related crime. The National Gang Center is focused on assisting government, researchers and courts in developing and implementing effective prevention measures.
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Programs for Children
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Children's Advocacy Centers across the nation coordinate efforts related to the prosecution of child abuse and provides information and resources to victims. The Crimes Against Children Research Center aims to influence policy and educate practitioners. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children collects data and operates a nationwide toll-free hot line. The Safe Start Program works to lessen the affects of violence against young children.
Grants and Funding
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The Community Prevention Grants Program gives money to community-based juvenile delinquency efforts. The Formula Grants program supports state and local intervention efforts and improvements to the justice system. The Juvenile Mentoring Grants Program gives funding to organizations that aim to help juvenile delinquents through mentoring. The Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Program provides funding to help states increase accountability among offenders and the juvenile justice system.
Minorities
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The Disproportionate Minority Contact is a program that looks to address the problem of over-representation of minority youth at all stages in the justice system. The Girls Study Group focuses on issues related to female juvenile offenders. The Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Grants, and the Tribal Youth Program are targeted at helping tribal communities deal with delinquency prevention and intervention.
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References
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