Celebrating 50 Years of the JJDPA
September 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), the nation's main law governing state juvenile justice systems. In 1974, the JJDPA changed the face of youth justice—setting basic standards for state systems and establishing four core protections for young people in the system.
The JJDPA allows states to fund innovations and reforms that keep more kids out of jails and detention facilities and connected to safe, proven supports in their communities. Many states have used the JJDPA to modernize and improve their programs in ways that give kids the supports they need to get their lives back on track while at the same time helping make communities safer.
Signed into law on September 7, 1974, the JJDP Act established OJJDP and was the first federal law to address juvenile justice comprehensively. It set key protections for youth, including the deinstitutionalization of status offenders, separation of youth from adults in detention, and addressing disproportionate minority contact in the justice system. The Act was reauthorized in 2018 through the Juvenile Justice Reauthorization Act, which further strengthened these core protections.
For the past five decades, the JJDP Act has been the cornerstone of juvenile justice reform, promoting practices grounded in adolescent development research to better reduce delinquency and increase community safety. The Act’s core values of help and accountability continue to guide OJJDP's priorities: treating children as children, keeping youth in their homes and communities, and opening up opportunities for system-involved youth.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act with a year-long observance, "Looking Back, Moving Forward: Celebrating 50 Years of the JJDPA". The year’s events will culminate with the National Conference on Youth Justice, taking place November 19th - 21st. This conference will bring together juvenile justice advocates, practitioners, policymakers, and youth leaders to reflect on progress made and look ahead to the future of juvenile justice reform.
Brent J. Cohen, Acting Assistant Attorney General of OJP, remarked, “As we move forward, let us build on this legacy with renewed dedication to ensuring that communities have the resources and tools to nurture the full potential of our children.”
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OJJDP Act for 50 Social Media Toolkit