If you have followed the travails of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) you know that I have written about the “twists and turns” that have resulted from concerns about compliance monitoring, with Wisconsin being the “highlight” (or perhaps lowlight) of the discussion.  My comments really focused on making sure we keep moving forward despite the distractions of the compliance concerns.

But, the whole story – and some will say the whole truth – remains obscured by the charges of fraud, the concerns about lack of consistency and overreach, and the diminishing of the critical federal-state partnership related to juvenile justice reform. 

Judge Steven Teske from Georgia adds an important perspective to this discussion, as he highlights his own state’s struggle to keep up with OJJDP requirements.

The bottom line is that we need to make this work.  I believe leadership at OJJDP is committed to that, and I believe that state leaders around the country are as well.  If we can avoid getting caught up in blaming others, we may be able to make it through for the benefit of children and youth.                             by Jim Moeser