The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Program To Evaluate State Monitoring Reports

GAO presented preliminary observations concerning the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) program to evaluate State monitoring reports as well as the administration's opinions regarding accomplishments under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. Key objectives of the act are to: (1) deinstitutionalize juvenile status offenders and those not charged with an offense; (2) separate juveniles from incarcerated adults; and (3) remove juveniles from adult incarceration facilities. GAO assessed the validity of the conclusions drawn by the Department of Justice from the State reports which monitor aspects of juvenile offenders' encounters with the juvenile justice system. GAO found that OJJDP does not evaluate the reliability and validity of the relevant State data and, furthermore, that the States continue to exhibit monitoring problems because of inaccurate and incomplete local records as indicated in prior GAO reports. GAO does not consider these State reports reliable enough to measure progress in meeting the act's objectives. GAO noted that OJJDP has not completed its efforts in response to prior GAO recommendations. GAO commented on the effectiveness of the act based on its own assessment and noted that, in Texas and North Carolina, fewer status offenders were being held but there were incidents of inadequate separation. Criminal Justice Council officials and many officials associated with the juvenile justice system support continued Federal funding and leadership.