An Introduction to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) was created by Congress in 1974 to help states and communities prevent and control delinquency and improve their juvenile justice systems.¹ A component of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), OJJDP is the primary federal agency responsible for addressing juvenile crime and delinquency and the problems of abused, neglected, missing, and exploited children and for coordinating federal efforts in these areas.

Although the nature and extent of delinquency and abuse continually change, the Office remains committed to providing national leadership and supporting a broad array of activities to help states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions meet the many juvenile justice challenges facing them. These challenges include preparing juvenile offenders to return to their communities following release from secure correctional facilities; dealing with the small percentage of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders; holding offenders appropriately accountable for their unlawful actions; combating alcohol and drug abuse; helping states address the disproportionate confinement of minority youth; and helping children who have been victimized by crime and child abuse.

The mission of OJJDP is to provide national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile offending and child victimization. OJJDP accomplishes this mission by helping states, local communities, and tribal jurisdictions 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.

OJJDP sponsors a wide range of research and evaluation efforts, statistical studies, and demonstration programs; provides technical assistance and training; produces and distributes online and printed documents and other products containing reliable and relevant information about juvenile justice topics; manages programs that address situations involving missing and exploited children; and administers formula, block, and discretionary grant programs. Together, these activities form a continuum of programs necessary to respond effectively to juvenile delinquency, crime, and victimization.

This Report highlights OJJDP's major activities and accomplishments during fiscal year (FY) 2002. These highlights reflect the Office's continuing commitment to programs that have the greatest potential for reducing juvenile delinquency and the victimization of children and for improving the juvenile justice system.

¹The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 5601 et seq. (JJDP Act), established OJJDP.