Juvenile Justice
Youth are a particularly vulnerable population within the criminal justice system. Youth are often inappropriately detained at great expense, with long-lasting negative consequences for both public safety and youth development.
The Pretrial Justice Institute has been an active partner of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) since it began in 1992. As a technical assistance provider, the Institute has worked with many sites to ensure success in implementing programs that effectively work with youth. JDAI believes that all youth involved in the juvenile justice system should have opportunities to develop into healthy, productive adults. There are now more than 100 JDAI sites in 24 states and the District of Columbia.
In 2006, PJI’s partnership with the foundation expanded with the establishment of the JDAI Help Desk.
JDAI Help Desk
The JDAI Help Desk is a resource for advocates, practitioners, policymakers and others interested in improving the detention component of their juvenile justice system. The JDAI Help Desk features materials generated by JDAI sites in the course of their detention reform endeavors to achieve fairer, more effective and more efficient juvenile justice systems.
Visit the JDAI Help Desk at www.jdaihelpdesk.org to learn more about our work in juvenile detention reform.