Appointments to and Operations of the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the activities of the National Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for fiscal years 1982 and 1983 to determine if it has been operating since January 1981 in compliance with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

GAO found that the appointments to and the operations of the Advisory Committee did not comply with the act. The President did not appoint new members within 90 days after prior members resigned in January 1981; therefore, the Advisory Committee did not have sufficient membership to form a quorum until November 1982, which prevented it from holding quarterly meetings or transacting official business until that date. Since the President did not appoint any members under the age of 24 until November 1982 and did not appoint two youth members with experience under the juvenile justice system until July 1983, the views of youth members were not represented as required by the act. GAO also reviewed the propriety of two meetings held without a quorum prior to November 1982. GAO determined that, although these meetings could not be considered official, they constituted legitimate activities in preparation for official meetings and, therefore, the expenditure of public funds for them was authorized and proper.