This article describes the Brazilian juvenile justice system and the educational rights of incarcerated adolescents with learning disabilities, to discuss how and why they are "invisible" and deprived of adequate treatment for their specific needs. The main reasons reside (a) in the complex national legal structure of the juvenile…

The authors examined ecological risk factors associated with teen pregnancy with a sample of 1,190 court-involved female juvenile offenders between 11 and 18 years of age. Data were obtained from five Midwestern juvenile county courts using a recently developed youth risk assessment instrument called the global risk assessment device (GRAD). In…

An empirically-guided program designed to empower at-risk youth through increased knowledge of depression and prevention resources was developed and implemented. Ninety-three court-involved adolescents participated in the "Moods Matter" project, a four-part psycho-educational group experience rooted in the principles of Rational Emotive Behavior…

The author relates how the idea behind the school he founded came from events that transpired in the incarceration of a 16-year-old client, Eddie. Eddie, who was charged with trespassing and stealing, pleaded to the author that he wanted "a program" instead of going to jail. However, the court found him guilty and sent him to jail. Years later,…

The call for systems change in juvenile justice is a response to serious and pervasive problems throughout the existing system. Congress has responded to some of these problems by enacting the State Challenge Activities program under Title II of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. This program provides incentives for…

A sample of 197 incarcerated youth (n=197) responded to a survey designed to assess perceptions of the facilities, staff, and programming. Job training, computer training, arts and crafts, and recreation were highly rated for inside-facility programming. A safe place to go was one of the most highly rated programming options for outside of the…

This report describes work by Public/Private Ventures to mount a faith-based initiative that would produce credible evidence and lessons concerning the capacity, limits, and practices of faith-based organizations in working with high-risk youth. Organizations in 15 cities agreed to participate in the National Faith Based Initiative for High-Risk…

This bulletin describes the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's efforts to fight juvenile gun violence. The Office awarded four community demonstration grants to implement "Partnerships To Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence." Partnership goals include increasing the effectiveness of existing strategies by enhancing and…

During the past several years, national attention has focused increasingly on the many problems facing youth. The Federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974 was passed to address this growing problem. The Act stipulates that every Federal agency that administers a juvenile delinquency program must produce a juvenile…

Between 1985 and 1994 the rate of violent criminal acts committed by juveniles rose sharply. Juvenile homicides committed with a handgun more than doubled. This bulletin discusses the national evaluation of the Youth Firearms Violence Initiative (YFVI), a program initiated by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to fund…

This monograph, one of a series on disabled youth and the juvenile justice system, discusses the crucial role of advocacy for these youth, stressing the importance of understanding the connection between disabilities and problematic behavior. It describes the multiple barriers that often hamper youth with cognitive and other disabilities from…

This report describes practical policy and program development processes and promising program models for preventing and treating female delinquency. The report also provides a profile of female juvenile offenders, the problems they present, their needs, and the need to address them. More girls are entering the juvenile justice system, and it…

This monograph, one of a series on youth with disabilities and the juvenile justice system, focuses on the need for collaboration between the juvenile justice system and youth serving agencies. It begins with a discussion of the categorical, fragmented, and uncoordinated services that currently exist and describes collaboration as a viable option…

Presents preliminary evaluation findings from Florida's Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program that explore the relationships between educational program quality and program characteristics. Several program characteristics are found to be related to measurements of educational program quality, including proportion of teachers who are…

The Teens, Crime, and the Community Program presents practical information and problem-solving opportunities to help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to deal with crime issues. The program and its curriculum advance the idea that teens can contribute energy and talent to the improvement of their communities. This text is part of…