The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) provides for:
- a nationwide juvenile justice planning and advisory system spanning all states, territories and the District of Columbia;
- federal funding for delinquency prevention and improvements in state and local juvenile justice programs and practices; and
- operation of a federal agency ([1] the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) dedicated to training, technical assistance, model programs, and research and evaluation, to support state and local efforts.
Established in 1974 and most recently authorized in 2002 with bipartisan support, the JJDPA is based on a broad consensus that children, youth and families involved with the juvenile and criminal courts should be guarded by federal standards for care and custody, while also upholding the interests of community safety and the prevention of victimization.
[1]: http://www.ojjdp.gov/