PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Tell the Senate: Invest in Juvenile Justice
  1. Signatures
    188 out of 10,000
    Petitioning
    1. The U.S. Senate
  2. Created By
    Campaign for Youth Justice
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering over $120 million in cuts to juvenile justice funding in the Department of Justice.  Only $40 million would be available for juvenile justice nationwide under the House proposal. 

Juvenile justice programs strengthen the nation's juvenile justice system, and support prevention and early intervention programs that make a critical difference for young people and their communities, and contribute to the prevention and reduction of youth crime and violence. 

These programs enable states and communities to improve the juvenile justice system so that it provides critical treatment and rehabilitative services, in safe conditions, that are tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families; protects public safety; and, holds youthful offenders accountable.  This reduction will gut proven state and community juvenile justice intervention programs that localities have used to keep youth and families safe, and keep juvenile crime rates down. 

As the Senate Appropriations Committee considers the CJS Appropriations Bill, it is urgent that juvenile justice funding is restored to increase public safety, and ensure the protection of children from the dangers of adult jails, improve safety for youth in custody, and increase fairness in the justice system. 

Contact your Senators to urge them to support investing in effective juvenile crime prevention programs and protect youth in the juvenile justice system.

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Invest in Juvenile Justice

Dear Senator,

I am writing to ask that you ensure adequate funding for critical juvenile justice programs in the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill at these funding levels:

• $80 million for the JJDPA Title II State Formula Grants Program;
• $65 million for the JJDPA Title V Delinquency Prevention Program with no earmarks; and
• $55 million for Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program.

For more than 35 years, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) has provided critical federal funding to states to comply with a set of core requirements designed to protect children from the dangers of adult jails and lockups; keep status offenders out of locked custody; and address the disproportionate treatment of youth of color in the justice system.

Title II of JJDPA funding supports state compliance with these core protections and helps ensure that states have the resources to build effective state systems and Title V is the only federal program that provides delinquency prevention funding at the local level to reach youth at risk and help keep them out of the juvenile justice system. In addition to these JJDPA programs, funding through the JABG program supports state efforts to effectively strengthen supports for court-involved youth.

The modest federal investment in these programs has been essential in supporting state and local prevention and intervention initiatives and improving public safety in communities across the states.

Unfortunately, appropriations for federal juvenile justice programs have declined by 50 percent over the last decade, and the budget agreement for Fiscal Year 2011 accelerated the pace of cuts, reducing funding for juvenile justice programs by another 17 percent. In July, the House Appropriations Committee passed a CJS appropriations bill for FY12 that would cut Title II by an additional $20 million and eliminate funding for the Title V and JABG programs. Federal cuts of the magnitude currently being proposed by Congress would seriously cripple these on-going efforts.

As you work to pass appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year 2012, I urge you to ensure that juvenile justice programs receive the necessary federal funds to continue to improve outcomes for youth and to protect public safety.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,



[Your name]

Press Inquiries