OJJDP marks the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act, with the year-long observance "Looking Back, Moving Forward: Celebrating 50 Years of the JJDPA". Throughout 2024, the Office will observe the Act's golden anniversary with several events, culminating with the National Conference on Youth Justice in November.
Signed into law on September 7, 1974, the Act established OJJDP and charged the agency with supporting local and state efforts to prevent delinquency and improve the justice system. The Act represented the first federal legislation to address youth and unlawful acts in a comprehensive, coordinated way.
“For the last 50 years, the JJDPA has been the benchmark for juvenile justice reform, guiding states across the nation and championing investments in best practices that are grounded in research on adolescent development and more effectively reduce delinquency and advance community safety,” said OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent J. Cohen. “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.”
The Act authorizes OJJDP to provide funds to states that follow a series of federal protections for youth in the justice system. These "core protections" include deinstitutionalization of status offenders, separation of youth from adults in secure facilities, removal of youth from adult jails and lockups, and addressing disproportionate minority contact within the justice system. In 2018, the Juvenile Justice Reauthorization Act reauthorized and strengthened the original Act.
The focus of the JJDP Act is addressing youth victimization and crime by offering help and requiring accountability. These ideals—help and accountability—are prominently reflected in OJJDP’s three priorities: treating children as children; serving children at home, with their families and in their communities; and opening up opportunities for system-involved youth.
OJJDP Administrator Marks JJDPA's 50th Anniversary
In this video message, OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan describes how the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act marked a pivotal shift in how states and territories approached youth justice.
“This singular action by Congress changed how we treat children—based on support and accountability—and laid the groundwork for OJJDP’s three priorities: treating children as children; serving children at home, with their families and in their communities whenever possible and consistent with public safety; and opening up opportunities for youth involved in the juvenile justice system,” said OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the JJDPA, we remain committed to partnering with directly impacted youth and their families and to promoting racial equity and fairness.”
In Perspective: An Overview of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
View the fact sheet "An Overview of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act." This is the first fact sheet in the In Perspective series as part of the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.
OJJDP Asks: What Does the JJDPA Mean to You?
Diamond Lewis, an OJJDP Program Manager with the State and Tribal Relations Assistance Division, describes the significance of the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in this Staff Stories video.
| Liz Ryan Administrator | 2022-Present |
| Chyrl Jones Acting Administrator | January 2021–2022 |
| Caren Harp Administrator | 2018–January 2021 |
| Eileen M. Garry Acting Administrator | January 2017–March 2018 |
| Robert L. Listenbee Administrator | March 2013–January 2017 |
| Melodee Hanes Acting Administrator | January 2012–March 2013 |
| Jeff Slowikowski Acting Administrator | January 2009–January 2012 |
| J. Robert Flores Administrator | April 17, 2002–January 2009 |
| Terrence S. Donahue Acting Administrator | August 21, 2001–April 17, 2002 |
| John J. Wilson Acting Administrator | February 18, 2000–August 21, 2001 |
| Shay Bilchik Administrator | April 1994–2000 |
| John J. Wilson Acting Administrator | January 1993–April 1994 |
| Jerry Regier Acting Administrator | Spring 1992–January 1993 |
| Robert W. Sweet Jr. Administrator | 1990–Spring 1992 |
| Terrence S. Donahue Acting Administrator | 1989–1990 |
| Vernon L. Speirs Administrator | March 1987–1989 |
| Vernon L. Speirs Acting Administrator | 1986–1987 |
| Alfred S. Regnery Administrator | 1983–May 1986 |
| Charles Lauer Acting Administrator | 1981–1983 |
| Ira M. Schwartz Administrator | 1979–1981 |
| John Rector Administrator | 1977–1979 |
| Milton Luger First presidentially appointed Administrator | 1975–1977 |
JJDPA Legislative History
50 Years of the JJDP Act
This page chronicles legislative changes to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act from its passage in 1974 to its reauthorization in 2018.
The History of the 1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
This blog post captures the history behind the most comprehensive piece of juvenile justice legislation ever passed by Congress.