ACTION ALERT:
Please click here to download this Action Alert in PDF.
On November 3, 2011, Congress convened its first meeting of the Conference Committee on H.R. 2112, to consider, among other things, funding for federal fiscal year 2012 (FY12) juvenile justice appropriations to states. The Conference Committee will negotiate the differences between the House and Senate proposals for federal juvenile justice funding and is expected to come to a final recommendation by early next week.
Neither proposal provides adequate resources for states and localities to protect youth and communities. Yet, the Senate proposal, which received bipartisan approval, is better.
WE NEED YOU! As negotiations proceed in the coming week, Conference Committee members MUST hear how important it is to adhere to the Senate recommended funding levels for Title II and Title V of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), and the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG).
Please see use the information below to locate your Senators and Representative(s) on the Conference Committee and deliver the following message:
Protect Children in the Justice System
Even in tough economic times, it is critical to retain a firm national commitment to provide states with the support necessary to protect youth and community safety. The House proposed funding levels for juvenile justice programs are insufficient and will severely jeopardize, and in some states completely devastate, highly effective and proven delinquency prevention and community safety programs. The lack of funding will also cripple efforts to implement cost-effective alternatives to detention and incarceration, to reduce racial and ethnic disparities, and to keep children out of adult jails.
Deep cuts federal juvenile justice programs undermine the implementation of federal juvenile justice laws and will:
- result in more youth incarcerated in adult jails -- costly and dangerous facilities where youth are placed at severe risk of suicide, physical and sexual abuse, recidivism, and a lifetime of disconnection from education and work;
- erode and jeopardize nationwide progress on juvenile justice improvements that have led to historic low rates in youth-offending across all U.S. states and territories; and
- eliminate support for cost-effective delinquency prevention programs and alternatives to incarceration shown to increase public safety and decrease recidivism, while producing cost savings to the public. For every $1 spent on prevention and community-based alternatives, taxpayers save up to $8 in lifetime criminal justice costs.
The proposed House cuts come on top of drastic reductions taken over the last decade. Since FY02, federal juvenile justice funds to states have been slashed by 90%. The Senate’s proposed funding levels do much better to ensure that all states, territories and DC will continue to receive necessary resources to adhere to federal standards, to prevent and reduce delinquency, and to continue to protect youth who come into contact with the system. I (we, our agency) urge(s) you to adopt the Senate proposal for juvenile justice programs, specifically Title II and Title V of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), and the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG).
LIST OF CONFEREES:
Please call your members of Congress using the Capitol Switchboard:202-224-3121.
See below for the full Conference Committee list, including Web site contacts:
SENATE:
Senator Herb Kohl (WI)
Senator Tom Harkin (IA)
Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA)
Senator Tim Johnson (SD)
Senator Bill Nelson (NE)
Senator Mark Pryor (AR)
Senator Sherrod Brown (OH)
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI)
Senator Patty Murray (WA)
Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Senator Roy Blunt (MO)
Senator Thad Cochran (MS)
Senator Mitch McConnell (KY)
Senator Susan Collins (ME)
Senator Jerry Moran (KS)
Senator John Hoeven (ND)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Senator Richard Shelby (AL)
HOUSE
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY-5)
Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL-10)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA-41)
Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-10-VA)
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA-1)
Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA-4)
Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL-4)
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO-8)
Rep. John Culberson (R-7-TX)
Rep. John R. Carter (R-31-TX)
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL-1)
Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH-14)
Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA-6)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3)
Rep. John Olver (D-MA-1)
Rep. Ed Pastor (D-AZ-4)
Rep. David Price (D-NC-4)
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA-17)
Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-29)