Community Juvenile Justice Coalition (CJJC) Description and Membership
What is the CJJC?
The Snohomish County Community Juvenile Justice Coalition (CJJC) (formerly named the Snohomish County Program Development Unit) is a standing committee of the Snohomish County Children's Commission and has existed as a collaboration between the county's Juvenile Court, Human Services Department and community stakeholders since 1991 (re-energized in 2011).
The CJJC works to identify local juvenile justice needs, advocate for system improvements, and facilitate the coordination of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention efforts in Snohomish County. The CJJC promotes evidence-based practices as identified by the Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (GJJAC), the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), and the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Current efforts are focused on examining juvenile justice issues and reducing service gaps for youth, particularly gang prevention/intervention, mental health issues, gender-focused detention services, juvenile crime trends and disproportionate minority contact.
Membership
CJJC members represent diverse fields, including: law enforcement, mental health, youth, schools, substance abuse, non-profit services, employment and training, concerned citizens and government. We meet quarterly and have committed to:
Coordinating and sharing information with local groups concerned with juvenile justice
Promoting best practices in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention
Facilitating collaboration with local decision makers about alternatives to detention
Examining barriers to receiving services in detention (including mental health services)
Advocating for responsive funding
Acting as a resource to the Snohomish County Council
Assisting in the development of the Children's Commission's annual Legislative Agenda
Examining gender issues in juvenile justice
Assessing the representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system with information and data from the Relative Rate Index to develop strategies that address racial disparity.
Contact
If you'd like more information or you want to attend a meeting of the Community Juvenile Justice Coalition please contact Pam Wessel-Estes at (425) 339 8703 or email her at
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20March2012