Fewer Nonviolent New Jersey Juveniles in Detention, Report Says

County agencies across New Jersey are safely reducing the unnecessary use of secure detention for nonviolent juveniles.  That's according the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission's Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) Annual Data Report for 2011.  The initiative is a joint effort of the Juvenile Justice Commission, New Jersey Judiciary and numerous county agencies. 

"Due to the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative, New Jersey continues to make great strides in reducing the unnecessary use of juvenile detention, while maintaining community safety," said Gloria R. Hancock, Ed.D., Acting Executive Director, JJC.  "JDAI is a partnership.  By working together, we will continue to examine and improve our juvenile justice system and expand the reach of JDAI."

A primary goal of JDAI is to make sure that secure detention is used for serious and chronic youthful offenders and that effective alternatives are available for other youth who can be safely supervised in the community while awaiting final court disposition.

Across all 15 sites, average daily population has decreased by 54.8 percent when comparing to the year prior to JDAI.  On any given day, there were 446 fewer youth in secure detention.  More than 6,000 fewer youth were admitted to detention, which is a decrease of 59.8 percent.

"New Jersey has been tremendously successful in reducing the number of youth waylaid in detention facilities while awaiting the outcome of their cases," said Judge Glenn A. Grant.