January 2008 Declared National Mentoring Month by President Bush

President George W. Bush proclaimed January 2008 as National Mentoring Month. In his proclamation, he stated:

Millions of Americans lend their time, talent, and energy to become mentors and make a difference in children's lives. During National Mentoring Month, we honor these caring individuals for their dedication to changing our country one heart and soul at a time.

By sharing their knowledge and experiences, mentors serve as examples for young people and help teach them the skills they need to succeed in life. They also provide stability, instill important values, and build confidence in those they assist. Mentors are soldiers in the armies of compassion, and they encourage children to set goals and achieve their dreams.

My Administration is committed to helping our Nation's children realize their full potential by expanding opportunities for Americans to mentor. To raise awareness of the challenges facing our youth and encourage adults to connect with young people through family, school, and community, First Lady Laura Bush is leading the Helping America's Youth initiative. Through the USA Freedom Corps, we are connecting individuals with volunteer opportunities, including mentors who work with young people in schools and community organizations. By encouraging Americans to mentor, we are doing our part to see that more of America's children grow into strong, confident, and successful adults.

OJJDP Support of Mentoring

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has a long history of supporting mentoring programs. OJJDP has partnered with national organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership. Programs in previous years have included the Juvenile Mentoring Partnership, which directly sponsored local mentoring efforts, and the "Coach a Kid in the Game of Life" public service campaign, which was advertised in the official programs of Major League Baseball's League Championships and World Series.

In 2006, OJJDP provided $1.6 million to four mentoring partnerships under the Mentoring Initiative for System Involved Youth (MISIY). Its main objective is to identify effective mentoring programs and strategies and determine how to enhance and expand these approaches for youth involved in the juvenile justice system, reentry, and foster care. The MISIY awardees are: The Boys and Girls Aid Society (Portland, OR); Lutheran Family Services of Virginia (Roanoke, VA); City of Chicago, Department of Children and Youth Services (Chicago, IL); and The Mentoring Center (Oakland, CA).

In Fiscal Year 2007, grant awards from Support for Mentoring Initiatives for System Involved Youth were made to the following organizations: Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (Pennsylvania), Committed Partners for Youth (Oregon), Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capitol (District of Columbia), Girls Incorporated (New York), Girls Incorporated of Huntsville (Alabama), Messiah College (Pennsylvania), National Congress of American Indians (District of Columbia), National Organization of Concerned Black Men, Inc. (District of Columbia), Partnership for a Healthy Scott County, Inc. (Mississippi), People for People, Inc. (Pennsylvania), Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation (Pennsylvania), Plumas Rural Services (California), Team Focus, Inc. (Alabama), and Virginia Mentoring Partnership (Virginia). These awards support the implementation of initiatives that assist in developing and enhancing the capacity of community programs to provide mentoring services to at-risk youth.

Through its National Faith-Based Mentoring Recruitment Initiative, OJJDP supports the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM) in a campaign to recruit and refer adult mentors. For more information, visit NNYM's MentorYouth Web site.

White House Roundtable

On January 23, 2008, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) convened a Compassion in Action policy roundtable, highlighting the efforts of America's mentors to support our Nation's struggling and at-risk citizens. Hosted by OFBCI Director Jay Hein and keynoted by America's Promise Alliance Chief Executive Officer Marguerite Kondracke and Amachi mentoring program founder Wilson Goode, the roundtable assembled faith-based and community leaders, government officials, policymakers, foundation representatives, business leaders, and philanthropists to tout innovative mentoring partnerships and explore ways to expand effective public-private collaborations in communities throughout the country.

In recognition of National Mentoring Month, the event honored President Bush's call for all Americans to recognize the importance of mentoring and look for opportunities to serve as mentors in their communities. "President and Mrs. Bush believe every child in America deserves a compassionate adult in their lives. When a mom and dad are unable to play that role, at-risk children need mentors to stand in as role models," Jay Hein said. "[This] event celebrates our progress and reaffirms our commitment to closing this mentoring gap."

A Fact Sheet on OFBCI Mentoring Programs is available online. For more information on the OFBCI, visit the OFBCI Web site.

Blueprints for Violence Prevention Conference Coming to Denver in March 2008

The Blueprints for Violence Prevention initiative will hold its annual conference March 17–19, 2008, in Denver, CO. Nancy Ayers, OJJDP's Deputy Administrator for Policy, will offer opening remarks on March 18. (March 17 is a preconference day.)

The Blueprints initiative is headquartered at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CPSV) at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The initiative began in 1996 with funding from Colorado and Pennsylvania State agencies and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. OJJDP became an active supporter of the project shortly after it started and has provided funding to sponsor program replications in sites across the United States. As a result, Blueprints has become a significant prevention initiative that reviews programs, designates model programs and promising programs, and provides training and technical assistance in selecting and implementing these programs. To date, more than 700 programs have been reviewed and the initiative continues to look for programs that meet selection criteria.

In addition to the opening remarks of Deputy Administrator Ayers, attendees at the 2008 conference will hear from five keynote speakers:

• Delbert Elliott, Director of CSPV, speaking on the future of violence prevention research and practice.
• Economist Steve Aos of the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, discussing the cost-benefit incentives of evidence-based prevention and juvenile justice programs.
• Mark T. Greenberg of Penn State University, whose presentation is called "It's Not a Sprint, It's a Marathon: Sustaining Quality Prevention Programming in Communities."
• Karen J. Mathis, current president of the American Bar Association, addressing youth at risk.
• Clay Yeager, former director of Pennsylvania's Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, whose presentation is called "The Power of Prevention—The Power of People."

The conference is intended to:

• Disseminate science-based information on youth violence, delinquency, and drug prevention programs.
• Motivate the prevention field to adopt evidence-based programs.
• Provide support, guidance, and tools to help practitioners implement these programs successfully in their own communities.

Seven programs will hold individual preconferences on March 17, five of which are open to all conference registrants. These are:

• Girls Study Group
• Life Skills Training
• Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care
• National Center for School Engagement
• Nurse-Family Partnership

Visit the Blueprints Conference 2008 Web site to learn more about the conference, to register, and to read the full conference brochure.

Administrator Flores Will Kick Off National Conference on Juvenile Justice in March

OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores will give the keynote address at the 35th National Conference on Juvenile Justice, which will take place March 9–12, 2008, in St. Louis, MO.

In his keynote remarks, Mr. Flores will applaud the dedication of juvenile justice professionals who tirelessly work in responding to the needs of children and youth in their daily workload. He will also address the need to provide comprehensive programs and services at the Federal, State, and local levels to prevent and reduce the contact of children and youth with the juvenile justice system.

The National Conference on Juvenile Justice is sponsored by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). The conference offers juvenile justice professionals a national perspective on the issues they face day to day. Sessions at this year's event will deal with a variety of topics, including truancy and safe schools, gangs, family violence and child abuse and neglect, juvenile sex offenders, and substance abuse.

Online registration and a conference brochure are available on both the NCJFCJ and NDAA Web sites.

     

OJJDP Sponsors Fatality Investigation Training at Child Maltreatment Conference

OJJDP offered a week-long training course on child fatality investigations (CFI) at the 22nd Annual San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, January 28–February 1, 2008. This continuing education event was presented by the Chadwick Center for Children and Families, part of Rady Children's Hospital and Health Center. OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores offered welcoming remarks on the first day of the training program.

Flores began by recognizing the somber nature of the gathering, and the significance of the work of child fatality investigators:

While it is a pleasure to be here in beautiful San Diego, the topic that has brought us together today, child fatalities that arise from abuse and neglect, is one of the most troubling that confronts us as juvenile justice professionals. Of all of the negative outcomes that can occur as a result of child abuse and neglect, a child's death is the most tragic.

At OJJDP, my staff and I focus daily on vulnerable children and children at risk for all kinds of negative outcomes. Nevertheless, we are not often forced to confront the reality of children who die at the hands of abusive or neglectful caretakers.

It heartens me that there is a cadre of professionals from many different systems who make it their work to see that the cases of child victims, whom we as a society could not protect during their too short lives, are handled with dignity and diligence. The work that you do to understand how these children became victims furthers our understanding of how best to support families who are struggling with the responsibility of caring for a child and to intervene effectively, when necessary, to protect children whose safety is endangered.

Flores noted the troubling statistics showing that the victims' parents—often young, single parents—are involved in 80 percent of child abuse and neglect cases, including fatality cases. He explained:

Frequently, the perpetrator is a young adult in his or her mid-20s, without a high school diploma, living at or below the poverty level, depressed, and who may have difficulty coping with stressful situations. Lower income, increased stress caused by the total burden of family responsibilities, and fewer supports are thought to contribute to the risk of single parents maltreating their children. In many instances, the perpetrator has also been a victim of violence.

Making matters worse is a "disturbing trend. . . in which one or a stream of boyfriends may be introduced into the home" of children being raised by single mothers. Flores pointed to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics that found that children living in households with unrelated adults are nearly 50 times as likely to be fatally abused as children living with their two biological parents.

Flores reiterated the Bush Administration's commitment to protecting children by helping to strengthen families. He quoted President George W. Bush:

Research has shown that, on average, children raised in households headed by married parents fare better than children who grow up in other family structures. Through education and counseling programs, faith-based, community, and government organizations promote healthy marriages and a better quality of life for children. By supporting responsible child-rearing and strong families, my Administration is seeking to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe and loving home.

Flores offered a list of ways to help protect children from abuse and neglect:

• Supporting parents in developing nurturing behaviors, and fostering parent-child attachment.



• Making sure parents are educated about effective parenting strategies and child and youth development.



• Assessing and fostering parental resilience to deal with the physical and emotional challenges of raising children.



• Helping parents make social connections in their communities, so that they can draw upon support from their peers and more experienced parents in their neighborhoods, workplaces, community organizations and churches, and their children's schools.



• Providing concrete supports for parents through education and formal support groups, and assisting families who need resources to meet basic needs.

The purpose of the CFI training program was to provide law enforcement, child protective services workers, medical professionals, and other juvenile justice system professionals with comprehensive instruction on the detection, intervention, investigation, and prosecution of cases involving fatal child abuse and neglect. Topics covered included crime scene and forensic evidence, interviewing and interrogation, the role of the medical examiner, and case management and interagency collaboration.

On the Web, you can find a listing of other 2008 Regional Training Opportunities offered by OJJDP. For more information on ways to prevent child abuse and neglect, visit the Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Administrator Flores Opens Training Combating Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

On January 14, 2008, OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores addressed the Anti-Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Community Intervention Project's Training the Trainer Institute. The Institute, sponsored by OJJDP and held January 14–16 in Washington, DC, trained individuals from nongovernmental, law enforcement, and prosecutorial agencies in the DC metropolitan area. The attendees, in turn, are expected to facilitate similar training in their respective communities.

Administrator Flores informed the participants that for the past decade "the Department [of Justice] has made child exploitation issues an important focus of [its] activities." He explained:

Starting with its initial efforts to address child sexual exploitation through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program and the FBI's Innocent Images National Initiative in 1998, the Department has expanded its efforts to include commercial sexual exploitation of children.

In 2003, OJJDP sponsored a summit on the prostitution of children. That same year, OJJDP provided funds to Atlanta and New York City to support efforts to address commercial sexual exploitation of children.

With the advent of Project Safe Childhood, which was launched by Attorney General Gonzales in 2006, the Department has organized the resources of Federal, State, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to aggressively attack child sexual exploitation.

The Department is working to develop a deeper understanding of this issue and to facilitate the exchange of information and promising practices and collaborative efforts among Federal, State, and local officials.

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Community Intervention Project is supported by The Salvation Army, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS, a nonprofit organization providing services to young women who are at risk for or have experienced sexual exploitation and violence), and the Polaris Project (an organization devoted to combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery). Rachel Lloyd, founder of GEMS, conducted the DC training. Similar training institutes took place in Chicago and Atlantic City, NJ.

In his remarks, Administrator Flores quoted President George W. Bush in stressing the importance of the training event:

In every region in the world, children can be vulnerable—not just here at home, but children everywhere. Each year, about a million girls and boys are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Such trafficking is nothing less than a modern form of slavery; an unspeakable and unforgivable crime against the most vulnerable members of the global society. All these dangers put children at risk. All these dangers demand action to protect our children from harm.

The Department of Justice Recognizes AMBER Alert Awareness Day

The U.S. Department of Justice commemorated the 12-year anniversary of the AMBER Alert program on January 13, 2008, by outlining the tremendous success of this initiative, which has saved the lives of hundreds of children nationwide.

The AMBER (America's Missing: Broadcasting Emergency Response) Alert Program is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. Its name was inspired by Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old who was abducted and brutally murdered in 1996. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.

In October 2002, President Bush hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Missing, Exploited and Runaway Children. Following the 2002 White House Conference, the Attorney General appointed the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs to serve as the national AMBER Alert Coordinator and a national strategy was developed to create a seamless national network of alert systems. The PROTECT (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today) Act, which President Bush signed into law in April 2003, statutorily established the national AMBER Alert Coordinator role. Since that time, AMBER Alert has made remarkable progress.

• All 50 States have statewide AMBER Alert plans, creating a network of systems nationwide to aid in the recovery of abducted children.



• A secondary distribution effort undertaken in partnership with wireless companies, online service providers, and other private and public entities enables AMBER Alerts to be sent directly to the public.



• Tribal nations are developing their own plans tailored to their specific needs so that children in Indian country may benefit from AMBER Alerts.



• More than 90 percent of the 393 AMBER Alert recoveries have occurred since AMBER Alert became a nationally coordinated effort in 2002.



• Anecdotal evidence demonstrates that perpetrators are well aware of the power of AMBER Alert and, in many cases, have released an abducted child upon hearing the alert.

Wireless users can sign up to receive geographically specific messages on their wireless devices or cell phones by registering on the Wireless Amber Alerts Web site or by visiting their wireless carrier's Web site.

For more information and to view current AMBER Alerts, visit the Office of Justice Programs AMBER Alert Web site.

Administrator Flores Offers Federal Perspective at Child Abuse Prevention Symposium

OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores spoke on the Federal Government's perspective on preventing child abuse and neglect at a symposium called "Time for Reform: Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect," sponsored by Kids Are Waiting (KAW, a project of The Pew Charitable Trusts) and Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA). The symposium was held January 29, 2008, in Washington, DC.

The event began with the release of two reports. The first addresses the estimated economic impact of child abuse and neglect in America. The economic costs associated with child abuse and neglect rose to a staggering $103.8 billion in 2007. (Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States, published by PCAA.) The second report revealed that currently only 10 percent of Federal money dedicated for child welfare (approximately $741.9 million) can be used to strengthen families and prevent child abuse from occurring. (Time for Reform: Investing in Prevention: Keeping Children Safe At Home, published by KAW.)

In his remarks, Administrator Flores observed:

OJJDP and the President, like Prevent Child Abuse America and the Pew Charitable Trusts, recognize that the only way to address a problem of this magnitude and with these compelling financial and human costs is through an approach that builds stronger parents and stronger families who are prepared to weather the inevitable stresses and hardships of raising children in this world. ...

...I am pleased that there is a motivated group of professionals and academicians who see primary prevention as the key for keeping children out of the protective and delinquency systems.

When we do not think in a holistic way about how to help children and their families develop protective factors that insulate them from the risk of maltreatment and delinquent behavior, we find ourselves stepping in with too little, too late.

He congratulated the symposium participants "for the foresight and energy it takes to 'go back to the beginning' as you are doing to frame the problem of child maltreatment as one of prevention."

The PCAA report, Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States, can be read online by going to the PCAA Web page on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect (free registration required). The KAW report, Time for Reform: Investing in Prevention: Keeping Children Safe At Home, is available on the KAW Web site's Report page, along with other reports in the Time for Reform series.

OJJDP Offers Training on Faith-Based Groups, Tribal Youth, and Disproportionate Minority Contact

Conferences To Assist Community and Faith-Based Organizations

OJJDP will conduct two training conferences designed to assist community and faith-based organizations in building and sustaining financial security for their efforts on behalf of youth. Called "Navigating the Future: Accessing and Sustaining Resources for Community & Faith-Based Organizations," the training will be offered in these cities:

• Philadelphia, PA
  March 19–20, 2008

• Los Angeles, CA
  April 1–2, 2008

The conferences, which will be addressed by OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores, will include such topics as:

• Applying for government funding.



• Attracting private funding.



• Managing financial growth.



• Managing and planning for organizational growth.

While there is no registration fee, early registration is recommended, as seating is limited.

To obtain further information about these conferences, visit the conference Web site.

Tribal Youth Program Training

OJJDP seeks to enhance law enforcement in Indian country and improve the quality of life in tribal communities as a means to address juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. Since fiscal year (FY) 1999, OJJDP has awarded Tribal Youth Program (TYP) cooperative agreements to federally recognized tribes throughout the Nation to develop and implement culturally sensitive delinquency prevention programs, alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs, interventions for court-involved youth, improvements to the juvenile justice system, and mental health services.

Beginning with FY 2006, OJJDP allowed TYP applicants the opportunity to designate the first year of the 4-year award as a "planning year." During this planning year, those newly-funded applicants who have requested it are provided training and technical assistance to help them in developing a comprehensive strategic plan and the capacity to collect and utilize program evaluation and performance management data during the remaining 3 years of the award. Grantees learn about OJJDP's STRAT PAC curriculum, developed specifically for creating the comprehensive strategic plan. Training attendees have the opportunity to network with their peers and community stakeholders as well as meet with their assigned OJJDP program manager.

Two training sessions were held in early 2008 for FY 2007 TYP grantees to begin the process of developing the comprehensive plan: Santa Fe, NM, January 22–25, 2008 and Seattle, WA, February 5–7, 2008.

Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator Training

A training program for new State Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Coordinators was held January 28–30 in New Orleans, LA. A training-for-trainers program for experienced State DMC Coordinators was held February 25–27 in Phoenix, AZ. The trainings focused on the role of a DMC coordinator, the ability to communicate clearly what disproportionate minority contact is, how to measure it, and how to design data-based DMC-reduction strategies. The trainings were also designed to enhance participants' group facilitation skills to help community groups and State advisory groups work collaboratively, systematically, and continuously toward DMC reduction.

HAY Regional Conference Held in Portland, OR

The sixth Helping America's Youth (HAY) Regional Conference was held February 27–28 in Portland, OR. Participation in the conference was by invitation only.

HAY is a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing America's youth, particularly at-risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community. As the leader of the HAY effort, First Lady Laura Bush spotlights programs which are effectively helping America's young people.

OJJDP continues to be a key partner with other Federal agencies and the White House in helping caring adults learn about the Community Guide to Helping America's Youth. This online resource, available on the HAY Web site, is designed to assist communities in supporting positive youth development.

For more information on the initiative, visit the HAY Web site, where you can also find information about the Portland conference.

New Publications

Title V Community Prevention Grants Program: 2004–2005 Report to Congress

Established by Congress in 1992, the Title V Program supports State and local efforts to reduce risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency and enhance protective factors that promote healthy personal and social development. This Report reviews the background of the Title V Program; highlights local, State, and Federal activities in 2004 and 2005; and outlines OJJDP's plans for enhancing the positive impact of limited Title V funds in the future. (NCJ 215559)

Updates to Statistical Briefing Book

• Easy Access to NIBRS: Victims of Domestic Violence (EZANIBRSDV) allows users to analyze state-level data on victims of domestic violence based on information collected by the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). With EZANIBRSDV, users can explore the characteristics of domestic violence victims, including demographic information of the victim (age, sex, and race), victim injury, and the victim-offender relationship. Data are based on incidents reported in 2004 from law enforcement agencies in 24 States.

• Three new fact sheets have been added based on data from Juvenile Court Statistics 2003–2004:
• Delinquency Cases in Juvenile Courts, 2004
• Drug Offense Cases in Juvenile Courts, 1985–2004
• Petitioned Status Offense Cases in Juvenile Courts, 2004

News From the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will meet next on Friday, March 7, 2008, at The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), 750 17th Street NW., 5th Floor Conference Room, Washington, DC.

The preliminary agenda includes a presentation on Federal efforts to reduce demand for illicit drugs and the nonmedical use of prescription drugs among youth and a discussion of the efficacy and impact of ONDCP's Youth Media Campaign.

To register and to find meeting summaries, information about the Council's mission, and links to related resources, visit the Council's Web site at www.juvenilecouncil.gov.

News From the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice

The Spring meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice (FACJJ) will be held on April 6-8, 2008, at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC.

FACJJ meetings are public and anyone may register to attend and observe. For additional information, including information on past meetings, visit FACJJ's Meetings Web page.

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