Thank you, Pat, for your introduction. I applaud your leadership helping kids in the juvenile justice system. I also want to thank members of The Coalition for Family and Children’s Services for inviting me to join you today.
We’re all here for a common purpose: to promote a better future for the next generation.
It’s inspiring to be here today at Drake University to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Since everything these days goes by an acronym, I’ll refer to this federal law as the JJDPA.
President Gerald Ford signed the landmark legislation into law on September 7, 1974. That was a couple months before I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Back then, I never imagined I would someday chair the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, one of the original standing committees in the United States Senate.
From this platform, I’ve dug into the details of the JJDPA.
Over the years, through conversations with stakeholders here in Iowa and my oversight work with whistleblowers, I’ve seen how the law has helped deliver services and outcomes for youth in our local communities.
I’ve also seen where the law – and DOJ’s implementation – have fallen short.
As key stakeholders in this space, I count on you at the grassroots to inform my work at the policymaking table. My philosophy is pretty simple.
The government is a service to the people. So, I work to make sure government serves the people, not the other way around.
The goal of my work to improve policies and programs for at-risk youth is straight-forward: to prevent crime and create pathways for success.
The JJDPA is designed to help put fires out before they start. It supports evidence-based diversion programs and secures better outcomes for kids who encounter the juvenile justice system.
As the ink was drying on President Ford’s signature fifty years ago, the president commented on the strategic partnership among federal, state and local authorities to reduce juvenile delinquency.
He said Congress’ strong passage affirmed the nation's commitment to, “keep juveniles from entering the treadmill of the criminal process.”
The landmark legislation overhauled a fragmented system to consolidate federal supports and programs under one umbrella.
As a taxpayer watchdog, I also agree with the concerns for fiscal discipline President Ford expressed at that time.
Like every taxpayer dollar sent to the U.S. Treasury, when it comes to JJDPA grants, we need to make sure every penny is appropriately put to work.
JJDPA grants should be strictly used to foster better outcomes for youth and uphold public safety.
That means ensuring you at the grassroots have the tools and guidance you need to do your jobs and fulfill the vocational calling you answer each and every day.
You wouldn’t be sitting here today if you didn’t care about helping young people stay out of trouble and on the right path.
Here in Iowa, Title II Formula grants authorized by the JJDPA go to our eight judicial districts. People at the grassroots know best which prevention services to fund at the local level.
So, when those federal dollars are divided among the districts, you -- the stakeholders -- determine where to put those dollars to get the most bang for the buck.
From my work with anti-drug community coalitions, foster youth organizations and juvenile justice providers, I know involving people who put in the work, day in and day out, paves the way for effective results.
We need all hands on deck to support at-risk youth. That includes judges, juvenile court officers, social workers, law enforcement, attorneys, treatment providers, educators and family members.
When Congress hashed out reauthorization of the JJDPA in 2018, it took three years of bipartisan elbow grease to get it across the finish line.
Along the way, I fought efforts to eliminate funding for juvenile justice intervention programs.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and I pushed for reforms that had backing from 150 grassroots organizations.
Specifically, I worked to ensure the Department of Justice stepped up to detect fraud and legal violations before sending dollars out the door.
Thanks to whistleblowers who reported wrongdoing, I got the Justice Department to own up to its failures.
President Trump signed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act on the same day he signed the First Step Act, a historic overhaul of federal criminal justice reform that I also steered through Congress.
I’m continuing to keep my thumb on the scale in Washington to ensure the scales of justice treat our youngest citizens fairly. At-risk kids and teenagers deserve the best chance to turn things around.
In America, hope springs eternal for a better tomorrow. The JJDPA provides that lifeline for troubled youth, giving them the pathway to happiness and America’s promise of prosperity.
Just last month, Senator Whitehouse and I introduced legislation to reauthorize JJDPA again through 2029.
I look forward to partnering with you to ensure our juvenile justice system works better than ever for the next 50 years and beyond.
As your senator, I want the JJDPA to empower you to meet the needs of your communities and give kids who are on the downside of advantage the opportunity to get their lives on the right track.
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