The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) was established by the President and Congress through the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974, Public Law 93–415, as amended. Located within the Office of Justice Programs of the U.S. Department of Justice, OJJDP’s goal is to provide national leadership in addressing the issues of preventing and controlling juvenile delinquency and improving the juvenile justice system.

OJJDP sponsors a broad array of research, demonstration, and training initiatives to improve state and local juvenile programs and to benefit private youth-serving agencies. These initiatives are carried out by seven components within OJJDP, described below.

Research and Program Development Division develops knowledge on national trends in juvenile delinquency; supports a program for data collection and information sharing that incorporates elements of statistical and systems development; identifies the pathways to delinquency and the best methods to prevent, intervene in, and treat it; and analyzes practices and trends in the juvenile justice system.

Training and Technical Assistance Division provides juvenile justice training and technical assistance to federal, state, and local governments; law enforcement, judiciary, and corrections personnel; and private agencies, educational institutions, and community organizations.

Special Emphasis Division provides discretionary funds to public and private agencies, organizations, and individuals to develop and support programs and replicate tested approaches to delinquency prevention, treatment, and control in such pertinent areas as mentoring, gangs, chronic juvenile offending, and community-based sanctions.

State and Tribal Assistance Division provides funds for state, local, and tribal governments to help them achieve the system improvement goals of the JJDP Act, address underage drinking, conduct state challenge activities, implement prevention programs, and support initiatives to hold juvenile offenders accountable. This Division also provides training and technical assistance, including support to jurisdictions that are implementing OJJDP’s Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders.

Information Dissemination and Planning Unit produces and distributes information resources on juvenile justice research, statistics, and programs and coordinates the Office’s program planning and competitive award activities. Information that meets the needs of juvenile justice professionals and policymakers is provided through print and online publications, videotapes, CD–ROMs, electronic listservs, and the Office’s Web site. As part of the program planning and award process, IDPU identifies program priorities, publishes solicitations and application kits, and facilitates peer reviews for discretionary funding awards.

Concentration of Federal Efforts Program promotes interagency cooperation and coordination among federal agencies with responsibilities in the area of juvenile justice. The Program primarily carries out this responsibility through the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, an independent body within the executive branch that was established by Congress through the JJDP Act.

Child Protection Division administers programs related to crimes against children and children’s exposure to violence. The Division provides leadership and funding to promote effective policies and procedures to address the problems of missing and exploited children, abused or neglected children, and children exposed to domestic or community violence. CPD program activities include supporting research; providing information, training, and technical assistance on programs to prevent and respond to child victims, witnesses, and their families; developing and demonstrating effective child protection initiatives; and supporting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The mission of OJJDP is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile offending and child victimization. OJJDP accomplishes its mission by supporting states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective, multidisciplinary prevention and intervention programs and improve the capacity of the juvenile justice system to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and provide treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of individual juveniles and their families.