OJJDP recently streamlined its organization to integrate research and other critical functions with program activities. The goal of the reorganization is to improve the agency’s effectiveness and efficiency.

The reorganized OJJDP contains three program divisions—State Relations and Assistance, Child Protection, and Demonstration Programs—and an Office of Policy Development. Staff with expertise in core functional areas—research and evaluation, training and technical assistance, and information dissemination— are now integrated within these four components.

For OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores, the linking of research and program development is particularly important. “I have often spoken about the need to ensure that all of our programming is research based and fully evaluated. This is not simply my view—the President, the Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, and a broad consensus of professionals in the field have also called for such changes.”

Administrator Flores emphasizes that the reorganization should not affect OJJDP’s interactions with the field: “This is an internal reorganization; the field should experience very little disruption in communication and coordination with OJJDP staff.”

To learn more about the reorganization, visit OJJDP’s Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp.