Daryl Fox: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the December 19, 2023 installment of “Today in Juvenile Justice: Administrator Update.” We’re glad you’re able to join us today. All audio lines are muted, as this is a listen-only briefing. For reference, this recording will be posted tomorrow to the OJJDP website. At this time, it’s my pleasure to introduce Liz Ryan, OJJDP Administrator, for today’s update.
Liz Ryan: Hello. Welcome to “Today in Juvenile Justice.” I’m Liz Ryan, Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, or OJJDP. Happy Holidays everyone. Today, I want to talk briefly about our accomplishments in 2023 and highlight some of the exciting plans we have for the New Year!
Throughout 2023, OJJDP worked to enhance the welfare of America’s youth and broaden their opportunities for a better future.
Our Office awarded more than $420 million in grants to states, Tribes, territories, and communities throughout the country.
Our grant awards provide vital funding to programs for youth and families impacted by the justice system.
These programs help provide mentoring to youth at risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system, engage youth and families in drug courts, protect children from real-world and online threats, and combat gangs and gun violence.
To learn more about OJJDP grants awarded in 2023, visit our website at ojjdp.ojp.gov.
This is also a great place to learn about future funding opportunities!
Another item you can find on our website is our award-winning newsletter, OJJDP News @ a Glance.
The newsletter provides essential information for stakeholders interested in youth justice.
We currently have more than 37,000 subscribers!
You’ll find information about youth justice trends, current research, training opportunities, and other OJJDP activities.
In January, we will debut a revamped version of the newsletter. This will include a new look and feel, making the content more readable and engaging.
The new version will be issued monthly instead of every two months, allowing us to deliver more current and relevant information.
The newsletter will also feature a new “From the Administrator’s Desk” section that will tell you what I’ve been up to.
In this section, you’ll find recent photos of my site visits and speaking engagements, as well as links to blogs and speeches.
Visit our website to sign up for the newsletter and have it delivered to your inbox!
As many of you may know, September 7, 2024 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, also known as the JJDPA.
The Act created OJJDP to support local and state efforts to improve youth justice systems and advance prevention and intervention efforts.
As part of our year-long observance, in January, OJJDP will launch a new webpage dedicated to all activities associated with the anniversary.
For instance, we’re really excited to host a national convening that will bring together young people and their families, along with researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates from across the country to help advance youth justice goals for the next 50 years.
Stay tuned for additional details.
The webpage will also feature a JJDPA legislative timeline, media library with historical documents, and a section dedicated to activities occurring throughout the country.
We hope that you will help us celebrate!
Finally, I want to emphasize how much we want to hear from you!
We now have an “Ask the Administrator” box where you can submit questions directly to me!
If you want to know about policies, programs, funding, or upcoming initiatives, ask me!
I will answer select questions ON AIR. We’ll also make sure you get detailed answers from staff members.
You can find the “Ask the Administrator” box on the Administrator’s webpage on ojjdp.ojp.gov.
This new line of communication is another way that OJJDP is demonstrating its commitment to hearing from the field and listening to the field. We’ve already received a few questions from Texas and Iowa about current and future funding opportunities and eligibility requirements. You can find this information and more on our website under the ‘Funding’ tab.
I also recommend you subscribe to JUVJUST, which provides notification of current funding opportunities.
Let’s keep the lines of dialogue open.
In closing, I’d like to say that in 2023, we focused on LISTENING and LEARNING from our stakeholders, particularly young people and their families who have experienced the juvenile justice system firsthand.
In 2024, we will continue to make sure that all of our efforts are built on the input of people with lived experience.
I look forward to talking to you.
Thanks for listening!
