The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) released a bulletin detailing the results of a study on the impact of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act on the prosecution of cases involving the sexual exploitation of children for commercial purposes. The authors draw on cases processed in federal courts between 1998 and 2005 to examine how current laws addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children are enforced, identify key features of successful prosecutions, and describe how legislation has affected the sentences imposed on perpetrators. The study also reviews the legislation’s effects on the services provided to victims.

With recommendations for policy and practice, the bulletin is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to address child exploitation in all its forms. To further pursue these crimes, Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction. The strategy provides a comprehensive assessment of the dangers that children face from multiple sources, including commercial sexual exploitation, as well as a plan for responding to these crimes.

To order a printed copy of the bulletin, visit the NCJRS Web site.

To raise awareness and enhance services to victims of elder mistreatment, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has released several new resources for victim service providers, law enforcement officers, judges, court personnel, community corrections staff, and other allied professionals.

In Their Own Words: Domestic Abuse in Later Life, a DVD-guidebook package, uses the voices of victims to demonstrate that age offers no protection from abuse, including the story of a 96-year-old grandmother who experienced longtime abuse by family members and ultimately survived a brutal sexual assault by her grandson. These compelling personal stories are complemented by interviews with victim service providers and criminal justice professionals. The package will facilitate dialogue about the dynamics of abuse, barriers for victims, and effective responses by service providers.

Responding to Elder Abuse, features a set of three DVDs targeted to meet the needs of specific audiences, including judges, court personnel, law enforcement officers, and community corrections professionals.

These and other resources can be ordered online.

Research about elder abuse is available on the National Institute of Justice’s Web site.

The online Reentry Programs Database will help policymakers, practitioners, and citizens share innovative programs and promising practices for reentry. The database was developed by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and funded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

The Reentry Programs Database will allow state, local, and tribal reentry program administrators to create profiles of programs. All information is self-reported and does not necessarily represent best practices. The program descriptions will, however, help professionals understand what is being done in other communities.

Using customized search functions, database users can generate targeted lists of programs by state or topic area. Topic areas include employment, housing, law enforcement, and families.

The new database is part of BJA’s growing array of practical tools for professionals in the reentry field. BJA also administers, through CSG, the National Reentry Resource Center, which provides resources for professionals and offenders. Complete information about BJA’s reentry initiatives is available online.

Three tribes are partnering with local universities to include environmentally sustainable activities in reentry programs for youth in detention. Funded through OJJDP’s Tribal Juvenile Detention and Reentry Green Program, these partnerships use agricultural and green technologies as a platform for deepening the pride that youth have in their traditional tribal cultures, fostering community service, promoting academic and vocational skills, and reducing alcohol and other drug use.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is planning a community garden at its Youth Justice Center in consultation with tribal elders and Mississippi State University. In Rosebud, South Dakota, the Sioux Tribe is teaming with Sinte Gleska University, a tribally chartered institution of higher education, to provide training to adjudicated youth in organic farming, bee keeping, and other activities and to teach them about wind and solar energy and alternative fuels. Youth from the Hualapai Indian Tribe of Peach Springs, Arizona, are designing and building a greenhouse, designing and planting gardens, and otherwise landscaping the grounds of the youth detention center. For more information on these programs, see OJJDP’s online newsletter OJJDP News @ at Glance.

The Intellectual Property Crime Summit, to be held on September 30, 2010, in Pasadena, California, will feature information on the economic impact of intellectual property crime, as well as its role in financing the unlawful activities of gangs, organized criminals, and terrorists. In February, DOJ launched a new task force that will work to confront the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes.

Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson is the co-chair of the education and outreach working group and is helping to direct the department’s efforts. In fiscal year 2010, BJA will award up to $4 million in competitive grants to states, local jurisdictions, and tribes to help them fight intellectual property crime.

Community Justice Training

The Center for Court Innovation and BJA invite judges, lawyers, court administrators, clinical staff, and others to the International Conference of Community Courts on October 19–20, 2010, in Dallas, Texas. More information is available online.

OJJDP State Training Day

OJJDP’s State Relations and Assistance Division will host a training day for new juvenile justice specialists, compliance monitors, and disproportionate minority contact (DMC) coordinators on October 22, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson in Jersey City, New Jersey. The training day will be held in concert with the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s National DMC Conference, scheduled for October 23–25, 2010, at the same location. Online registration is available.

International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference

On October 23–26, 2010, the International Association of Chiefs of Police will hold its annual conference and law enforcement education and technology exposition in Orlando, Florida. Registration information is available online.

Sexual Assault Advocate Training

OVC is providing training for sexual assault advocates, counselors, volunteers, or staff at rape crisis centers on October 26–27, 2010, in Fairfax, Virginia. A detailed description of the training and registration options are available online.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During this month, and throughout the year, OVC offers links to resources that are available for victims and the professionals who serve them. Professionals also can find educational materials and program and policy development strategies online.

Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. As part of its efforts to promote cyber security, the National Cyber Security Alliance has launched a new Web site that includes customizable materials, media tools, and an event calendar for organizations, companies, and government agencies.

American Society of Criminology Meeting

The American Society of Criminology is holding its annual meeting November 17–20, 2010, in San Francisco, California. A preliminary program and registration details are available online.

Financial Management Training Seminars

OJP’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer offers 2-day financial management training seminars throughout the country for individuals responsible for the financial administration of discretionary or formula grants.

Registration is still open for the two remaining seminars in 2010. The first is being held in Austin, Texas, on November 3–4, 2010. The final 2010 seminar is scheduled for December 8–9, 2010, in Washington, D.C.

OJP Grant Awards

OJP’s Web site includes a list of all grant awards made in fiscal year 2010.

Contact Us

If you have questions or comments, please contact OJP’s Office of Communications.

Justice Resource Update provides valuable information about federal resources, advancements in the field, and training opportunities to help criminal justice practitioners stay informed and better serve their constituents. We strive to provide information you can use, and we welcome your input.

E-mail: AskOJP
Web site: www.ojp.gov
Phone: 202-307-0703