BY ALVIN W. COHN, D.CRIM.
President, National Juvenile Court Services Association

OJJDP Wins Award

OJJDP is one of five recipients of the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award from the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University and the Council for Excellence in Government. OJJDP received the award in recognition of its Performance-Based Standards for Youth Correction and Detention Facilities project. Developed by the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, the project collects information from juvenile facilities and tracks injuries, assaults, suicidal behaviors, time in isolation, and academic performance to make needed improvements. Barbara Allen-Hagen serves as the OJJDP Program Manager. For additional information: http://www.excelgov.org/displayContent.asp?keyword=aiHomePage.

OJJDP News @ a Glance

The July/August 2004 issue is now available and contains news about OJJDP activities, publications, funding opportunities, and events. The current issue's lead article presents an overview of training and technical assistance opportunities. The free bimonthly publication will be available online only with the close of the current year. It can be found at: http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11793.

Assessment Instrument

Assessing the Mental Health Status of Youth in Juvenile Justice Settings (NCJ 202713) reports the results of a study of the Voice DISC-IV, a self-administered version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). See: http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11718.

Publications Available

• Project Childsafe reports on a nationwide program that distributes free gun locks and teaches firearm owners how to handle and safely store their firearms. http://www.ncjrs.org/html/bja/204959/
  
  
• Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 2002 is the 30th edition. It provides data from over 100 sources and has over 600 tables. The CD-ROM includes the 1994–2002 editions. Ordering information is available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cd.htm#Sourcebook.
  
  
• Detection and Prevalence of Substance Abuse Among Juvenile Detainees presents study findings that indicate high rates of drug use among high-risk juvenile detainees. The authors conclude that self-reporting and urinalysis are the best approaches to detection. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11680.
  
  
• Prostitution of Juveniles: Patterns from NIBRS draws on data from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System to examine this underreported problem. The authors provide a profile of juvenile prostitution, noting how it differs from its adult counterpart. http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11663.
  
  
• Evaluating G.R.E.A.T.: A School-Based Gang Prevention Project. The Gang Resistance Education and Training program is a nine-hour gang prevention program administered by uniformed law enforcement officers to middleschool-aged youths; this is a summary of a five-year study. http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/198604.pdf.
  
  
• Weed and Seed Best Practices: Evaluation-Based Series, Vol. 2 shares programs and practices that have been successful in reducing crime, violence, and juvenile delinquency and increasing neighborhood vitality and economic strength. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/pdftxt/1769-02WeedSeed.pdf
  
  
• Access to Counsel examines access to legal counsel in the juvenile justice system. It describes problems affecting access at each stage of the juvenile justice process, discusses factors that hinder access to and the quality of counsel, and identifies elements of effective counsel. It also identifies five approaches to improving access, including program initiatives, legislation, administrative reforms, research, and litigation. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11679.
  
  
• America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2004 is a compilation of statistics about children's economic security, health, behavior, social environment, and education. OJJDP is one of 20 federal agencies collaborating to produce this report, which presents the most recent available data. http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11716.

Sexual Misconduct in Schools

More than 4.5 million students endure sexual misconduct by employees at their schools, from inappropriate jokes to forced sex, a report to Congress by Hofstra University states. The best estimate available shows nearly one in 10 students faces misbehavior ranging from unprofessional to criminal some time between kindergarten and 12th grade. The report was required by the No Child Left Behind law and is the first to analyze research about sexual misconduct at schools.

Federal Justice Statistics

BJS sponsors the Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center, which provides easy, online access to comprehensive case processing information describing persons:

• Arrested by federal law enforcement
• Investigated by U.S. attorneys
• Released or held before court disposition
• Prosecuted and sentenced in the federal courts
• Appealing conviction or sentence
• Under federal correctional supervision

See: http://fjsrc.urban.org

School Violence

The number of teens skipping school for fear of getting hurt climbed over the past decade, even though violence in the schools actually declined, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDCP attributes the increase in part to a rise in schoolyard threats and lingering fear from the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and other school shootings in the 1990s. More than one out of every 20 high school students—5.4 percent —skipped at least one day of school because of safety concerns in 2003, which is up from 4.4 percent in 1993. But the percentage of students who said they had been in a fight declined from 42.5 percent in 1991 to 33 percent in 2003.

Emphasis on New Math

Federal statistics show that the percentage of 13-year-olds taking algebra or pre-algebra has risen sharply from 35 percent in 1986 to 56 percent in 1999. The percentage of high school graduates who have taken algebra II also has risen, from 35.6 percent in 1982 to 64.3 percent in 2000. In many districts, it tops 90 percent. A popular algebra textbook from 1970, it is reported, had 460 pages. The 2004 edition has nearly 800 pages. The percentage of high school graduates earning minimum credits in general math has fallen since the 1980s as the percentage earning credits in algebra, geometry, and calculus has increased. In 1982, 4.7 percent of students took calculus; in 2000, the percentage rose to 11.6. With regard to geometry, in 1982, 45.8 percent of students took geometry; in 2000, the percentage increased to 78.3.

Hispanics and College

Young Hispanic high school graduates are as likely as their white counterparts to enter college, yet half as likely to finish with a bachelor's degree, reports the Pew Hispanic Center. The lower college completion rate isn't necessarily a sign that Hispanic students are less prepared for college, though inadequate preparation in elementary and high schools remains a barrier, the study finds.

Even well-prepared Latino undergraduates disproportionately enroll in less selective colleges, which typically have lower bachelor's degree completion rates than more selective schools. And even when they enroll on the same campuses, white and Latino undergraduates have different experiences. Among the findings based on recent U.S. Department of Education data:

• Of the best-prepared students, nearly 60 percent of Latinos attend non-selective colleges and universities, compared with 52 percent of white students.
• Among students who are less prepared, nearly 66 percent of Latinos initially enroll in "open door" institutions such as public two-year colleges and vocational- technical institutes, while less than 45 percent of similarly prepared white students start college at such institutions. Among two-year college entrants who are "minimally qualified" for college, 16 percent of whites finished a bachelor's degree vs. seven percent of Hispanics.
• A "notable exception" occurs among the nation's most selective colleges and universities, where Latinos enroll at the same rate as their white peers. Latinos are also more likely to complete their bachelor's degree at such institutions than they are at less selective schools, though at lower rates than white students (83 percent vs. 90 percent). Still, the report stresses that the top schools represent "a very limited universe" of "highly qualified" students.

Back to School Advice

Advice and questions about sending youngsters back to school can be found online at life.usatoday.com or via email at betterlife@usatoday.com. Issues covered include:

• What can working parents do to be involved in school?
• How can parents help their kids adjust to having multiple teachers in middle school?
• How hard should a parent push a high school student to take the most challenging college prep courses?

Home Schooling

Almost 1.1 million students were homeschooled last year, up 29 percent from 1999, the last time the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics gathered data. In surveys, parents offered two main reasons for choosing home schooling: 31 percent cited concerns about the environment of regular schools and 30 percent wanted the flexibility to teach religious or moral lessons. Third, at 16 percent, was dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools. Still, the number of home-schooled students accounts for a small part—just 2.2 percent—of the school-age population in the U.S., ages five through 17. The National Center for Home Education, which promotes home-schooling and tracks laws that govern it, says the new figures accurately reflect the interest in home-schooling, but underestimate the number of children involved. It puts the number at two million.

Closed Autos and Children

A growing number of children are dying or being injured after being left alone in a hot car, and children's advocates say not enough is being done to prevent such deaths, which the government does not even track. A recent report indicates 214 cases of heat-related deaths from 1998 through July 31 of children who were left in cars. Last year, there were 42 cases, up from 25 in 1999. Most of the children were ages two months to five years old. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a recent report identified 116 deaths and 39 injuries in children nine and younger from 1998-2002.

Correctional Population

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports that the nation's combined federal, state, and local adult correctional population reached a new record of almost 6.9 million men and women in 2003, an increase of 130,700 people since December 31, 2002. Details can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/ppus03.htm.

Profile of Jail Inmates, 2002, including offenses, conviction status, criminal histories, sentences, time served, drug and alcohol abuse and treatment, and family background can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/pji02.htm.

BJS Statistics

The BJS Publications Collection as of December 31, 2003 (NCJ 205170) can be found on a CD-ROM, which contains all of the BJS publications that are available electronically. Documents are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF) and/or ASCII text. See: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cd.htm#publications.

Educational Attainments

More people are finishing high school and obtaining advanced degrees (percent of the population 25 and older):

	2000	2003
High school grad or GED	29.6	29.8
Some college, no degree	20.5	20.3
Associate degree	6.5	7.0
Bachelor’s degree	16.0	16.9
Graduate or professional degree	9.0	9.7
High school graduate or higher	81.6	83.6
Bachelor’s degree or higher	25.0	26.5

Youth and Mental Health Problems

There is a growing sense of crisis surrounding youth involved in the juvenile justice system who are experiencing mental health problems, many of whom have co-occurring substance abuse disorders. To respond to these needs, Policy Research Associates has established the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice with major support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and OJJDP. The Center has four key objectives:

1. Create a national focus on youth with mental health and co-occurring substance abuse disorders in contact with the juvenile justice system.
2. Serve as a national resource for the collection and dissemination of evidence-based and best practice information to improve services for these youths.
3. Conduct new research and evaluation to fill gaps in the existing knowledge base.
4. Foster systems and policy changes at the national, state, and local levels to improve services for these youths.

A key part of the Center's mission is to provide practical assistance to all persons interested in mental health and juvenile justice issues. Available resources include:

• A comprehensive database of the best available research and information.
• A compendium of effective and innovative programs and policies.
• A list of experts and technical assistance resources.
• Publications that synthesize existing knowledge.
• For further information, phone 1-866-9NCMHJJ or Email: ncmhjj@prainc.com

Girls and Juvenile Justice

Over the past decade there has been a marked increase in the number of girls arrested in the U.S. Between 1989 and 1999, the number of adolescent girls arrested increased by 45 percent to an estimated 670,800. By contrast, between 1989 and 1999, the number of male juveniles arrested decreased by almost 10 percent.

In 1999, the number of arrests for girls under the age of 18 accounted for 27 percent of all juvenile arrests. In 1997, most girls who were adjudicated delinquent were placed on probation (60 percent) or in a residential setting (22 percent). Between 1988 and 1997, the number of cases resulting in probation or residential placement increased by over 100 percent, and the number of female cases that involved detention increased by 75 percent, surpassing the increase in detention rates for males. A recent study also indicates that 74 percent of the girls compared to 66 percent of the boys meet the criteria for a current mental disorder. Affective disorders were especially prevalent among females, with more than 25 percent meeting criteria for a major depressive episode. Almost half of all female offenders were found to have a substance abuse disorder and more than 40 percent met criteria for disruptive behaviors. For a list of references regarding female offenders, see www.ncmhjj.com/publications/

Victims of Violent Juvenile Crime

OJJDP has recently published Victims of Violent Juvenile Crime, an eight-page Bulletin written by Carl McCurley and Howard N. Snyder. It analyzes the extent and nature of nonfatal violent victimizations committed by juvenile offenders based on 1997–1998 data from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System. Incidents analyzed include aggravated and simple assault, sexual assault, and robbery. The Bulletin examines characteristics of victims and offenders (age, gender, and relationship), types of offenses, use of guns, and injuries. The authors note that juvenile offenders are involved in approximately one-fifth of nonfatal violent victimizations.

Most victims of juvenile violence are themselves juveniles and nearly all victims knew the offender. See http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11718.

Justice Expenditure and Employment Data

In 2001, the U.S. spent a record $167 billion for police protection, corrections, and judicial and legal activities. The nation's expenditure for operations and outlays for the justice system increased 366 percent from almost $36 billion in 1982 (a 165 percent increase in constant dollars). Local governments funded nearly half of all direct justice system expenditures. Another 35 percent came from the states. Criminal and civil justice expenditures comprised approximately seven percent of all state and local public expenditures in 2001. Compared to justice expenditures, state and local governments in the U.S. spent almost four times as much on education, almost twice as much on public welfare, and a roughly equal amount on hospitals and health care.

In March of 2001, the U.S. justice system employed nearly 2.3 million persons, with a total March payroll of $8.1 billion. More than half of all justice system employees worked at the local level (63 percent of these worked in police protection). A third were state employees (64 percent in corrections). The remaining nine percent were federal employees, of whom more than half worked in police protection. Since 1982, total justice expenditures more than quadrupled from nearly $36 billion to over $167 billion. The average annual increase for all levels of government between 1982 and 2001 was eight percent. Between 1982 and 2001, per capita expenditures for all levels of government and across all justice functions increased from $158 to $585, with corrections having the largest increase: from $39 to $200 (over 400 percent). Throughout the justice system, approximately 59 percent of all expenditures were for payrolls.

Per capita justice employment of all state and local governments was about 70 per 10,000 resident population in 2001. Per capita employment was lowest in West Virginia, with 42 full-time equivalent justice employees per 10,000 residents, and highest in the District of Columbia, with nearly 119 employees per 10,000 residents. Vermont had the fewest state and local sworn police per capita, with approximately 15 per 10,000 residents. The District of Columbia also had the highest per capita rate of employment of corrections employees (35), followed by Texas and New York (nearly 33 state and local officers per 10,000 residents). Maine had the fewest state and local employees in judicial and legal services (seven), while New Jersey had the most (25 per 10,000 residents). Full data can be found at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs.

Health Insurance Coverage

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 45 million lacked health insurance last year, which was 15.6 percent of the population, the highest since the share hit a peak of 16.3 percent in 1998. The ranks grew by 1.4 million over 2002. The proportion of children without health insurance did not change, remaining at 11.4 percent.

The percentages of uninsured children by age are:

Under 3 years	10.5 percent
3 to 5 years	10.1 percent
6 to 11 years	11.0 percent
12 to 17 years	12.7 percent

The percentages of uninsured by race are:

White	14.7 percent
White not Hispanic	11.1 percent
Black	19.4 percent
Asian	18.6 percent
Hispanic of any race	32.7 percent

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