JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES CHILDREN?S JUSTICE AND SAFETY
2,500 people attend Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's national conference

WASHINGTON?More than 2,500 people will gather this week to discuss juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and victimization at the Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) conference, Children's Justice and Safety: Unite, Build, Lead, from October 12-14, 2011, in National Harbor, Md.

"This conference provides a snapshot of juvenile justice today," said Jeff Slowikowski, OJJDP Acting Administrator. "During the next three days, we will present the latest research and evaluation findings, examine dominant and emerging issues in children?s justice and safety, and develop a vision to meet the challenges that lie ahead."

The conference theme "Unite, Build, Lead" corresponds with the three days of the conference. Day 1: Unite, focuses on bringing together the many fields of interest in juvenile justice, Day 2: Build, focuses on structuring effective programs for children and youth, and Day 3: Lead, features federal leaders addressing the future of juvenile justice. The conference?s workshops will address an array of timely issues, including:

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder, and General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army, will deliver remarks about the importance of mentoring the children of military families on Friday, October 14. Other participating Justice Department officials include Deputy Attorney General James Cole, Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli, and Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson.

Conference speakers include: R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Congressmen Chaka Fattah, Christopher S. Murphy, and Robert C. Scott; Elizabeth Smart, advocate and president of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation; Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Joe Torre, Major League Baseball legend and Chairman of the Board for the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation; and the Rev. Gregory Boyle, Homeboy Industries.

OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services for juveniles and families. For more information on OJJDP, visit: www.ojjdp.gov.

The conference agenda is available at: http://www.ojjdp.gov/2011conference/2011ConferenceProgram.pdf.

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OJP, headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at ojp.gov.