JJPOC

What is the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC)?

In 2014, the State of Connecticut established the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) through Public Act 14-217 to oversee the continued reform of the juvenile justice system. This Committee was tasked with the following:

  • Recommending changes in state law regarding juvenile justice.
  • Crafting a standard definition of recidivism.
  • Setting goals for reform.
  • Assessing the impact of the Raise the Age legislation.
  • Assessing the quality of education within the juvenile justice system.
  • Planning for implementation of Results-Based Accountability (RBA) by agencies and as a juvenile justice system.
  • Analyzing the existence of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) across the juvenile justice system.
  • Reporting to the state on the quality and effectiveness of a variety of programs in community supervision, congregate care, diversion, behavioral health, and other areas.

Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee's "Statewide Diversion System" Plan (Jan. 2017)

In 2015, the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) adopted a strategic goal to increase diversion over a three-year period. A diversion workgroup was convened to develop strategies to achieve this goal. Section 18 (k) of Public Act 16-147, An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, requires the JJPOC to submit a plan, including cost options, for the development of a Community-Based Diversion system.

The Community-Based Diversion System Plan provides a roadmap for effective, developmentally appropriate, community-based responses to divert youth from the juvenile justice system. By creating a “system” of early identification, assessment and intervention, the individual criminogenic, social/emotional, behavioral, mental health and academic needs of at-risk pre-delinquent and delinquent youth can be addressed within the context of their family, school, and community such that no child is entered into the juvenile justice system without having exhausted appropriate community resources.

The Community-Based Diversion System Plan focuses on the underlying symptoms of the behavior and puts early intervention supports in place. Ensuring screening and service matching to the needs that led to the behaviors has been proven to ensure long-term behavior change versus imposing sanctions. By getting at and addressing the root cause of the behaviors, continued involvement in the juvenile justice system is likely to decrease. The diversion decision points range from the identification of the defiant or illegal behavior either at or prior to the point of police contact, to pre- and post-petition, and up to the time just prior to formal adjudication in Juvenile Court.

Click Here to see the Community Based Diversion System Plan
2017 JJPOC Testimony: Community Based Diversion System  -  
Click Here
For more information please visit The Tow Youth Justice Institute website - Click Here

Link to JJPOC's December Meeting, includes presentations by CYSA's JJ Consultant and Dillinger