The JAC was established in 1974. It has guided the expenditure of Federal formula grant funds to the most promising and effective juvenile justice programs in the State. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency has also called upon JAC's expertise to recommend a strategy for the expenditure of other funding streams that can be used to impact the juvenile justice system and reduce juvenile delinquency. In 1996 Governor Tom Ridge entrusted the JAC with the task of developing "a strategic plan to take Pennsylvania's juvenile justice system into the next century." In July 1997, the JAC presented the first annual strategic plan, "Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice: Analysis and Recommendations." This document proposes a new mission statement and guiding principles for the State's juvenile justice system and recommendations for system reform. During the following year, the Ridge administration implemented four priority recommendations: the hiring of a Balanced and Restorative Justice Specialist, the hiring of a Prevention Specialist, a study of managed care, and an update of the strategic plan.