Helping state advocates attain fair and appropriate treatment for all youth in the justice system.
The vision of the National Juvenile Justice Network is that juvenile justice systems in all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia will have laws, policies and programs that ensure the healthy development and fair and equitable treatment of all children and youth, through the work of a movement of local, state and national advocates for children and youth, working collaboratively to advance a common juvenile justice agenda and through a state-based network that is an effective and respected force for state level juvenile justice reform.
The growing membership of NJJN currently stretches across the country comprising forty members in thirty-three states.
NJJN’s members embrace and promote the following core principles:
1. Reduce Institutionalization
2. Reduce Racial Disparity
3. Ensure Access to Quality Counsel
4. Create a Range of Community-Based Programs
5. Recognize and Serve Youth with Special Needs
6. Create Smaller Rehabilitative Institutions
7. Improve Aftercare and Reentry
8. Maximize Youth, Family and Community Participation
9. Keep Youth Out of Adult Prisons
The National Juvenile Justice Network enhances the capacity of state-based, juvenile justice coalitions to advocate for fair, equitable and developmentally appropriate adjudication and treatment for all children, youth and families involved in the juvenile justice system.