JJDPA Implementation

The JJDPA expired in the fall of 2007 and is two years overdue for reauthorization. On March 24, 2009, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member Senator Arlen Specter, and Senators Herb Kohl and Richard Durbin introduced Senate Bill 678 -- bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the JJDPA However, the law has not yet gone to a vote in either house.

To facilitate the timely and effective implementation of the reauthorized JJDPA when passed and signed into law, CCLP is already working to ensure that juvenile justice professionals are well equipped to put the law’s provisions into practice for youth in the system. This work, supported by the Open Society Institute, focuses on ensuring that federal and state officials understand changes in the law and are prepared to implement any new provisions. As part of this project, CCLP will provide written guidance, strategies for implementation, and direct technical assistance regarding the law's requirements.