Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee Message From Chair

A message from the Chair…

I am excited to send my first message as Chair of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee at such a challenging yet promising moment for juvenile justice policy in Washington. Our state’s commitment to evidence-based programs and reliable data gathering has placed us in the forefront of the national discussion on these issues. This prominence has persuaded the MacArthur Foundation to include us as one of four states hosting its Models for Change systems reform initiative. Ongoing support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the State Legislature has enabled several counties to continue developing their alternatives to secure detention. As noted in GJJAC’s recent annual reports, juvenile arrest rates remain at historically low levels.

Notwithstanding these positive developments, our youth and our communities will suffer from even temporary complacency. In many parts of the state, there is increasing concern about youth gang membership and related criminal activity. Youth of color continue to enter the justice system more often than their white counterparts and to experience more adverse consequences once involved. There is a growing recognition that long after they end their court involvement, youth who have been through the Washington juvenile justice system still carry the burdens from that experience, in the form of criminal records and debts that frequently thwart their efforts to launch successful adulthoods.

Our courts and communities, and especially our youth, face these and other challenges at a time when state and local governments are wrestling with substantial budget shortfalls and families are feeling the strain of the current economic climate. The staff and volunteers at GJJAC are committed to sustaining and deepening our partnerships with traditional juvenile justice system stakeholders (e.g., judges, court staff, attorneys, service providers, volunteers and community leaders) while developing strong ties to our newer partners such as the Center for Children and Youth Justice and others involved in the Models for Change initiative. Such collaboration will be the best course through our current challenges.