Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators - CJJA

05/05/2026

This week, we recognize the strength, resilience, and dedication of correctional professionals across the country. Your work often goes unseen, but it is critical to the safety of our communities and the individuals in your care. Thank you for showing up every day with professionalism, courage, and commitment. We see you—and we appreciate you.

02/12/2026

Last week, TJJD staff attended the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators - CJJA Conference alongside our partners from El Paso, Travis, and Bexar Counties, joining juvenile justice leaders from across our state and the country to share ideas and strengthen collaboration.

Key discussions focused on expanding vocational program offerings, advancing innovative rehabilitative services, and strategies for building and leading effective teams in the corrections field. Our team was especially interested in sessions exploring how technology and AI can support a shift from reactive monitoring toward more proactive and preventative approaches that enhance safety and operations.

With the American Correctional Association (ACA) conference taking place nearby, staff also attended additional workshops to learn from professionals across the broader corrections field.

These opportunities to connect, learn, and exchange best practices help us strengthen services for youth, support our staff, and advance initiatives that continue to help Texas be a leader in the juvenile justice space.

02/02/2026

01/15/2026

The executive leadership team of a youth justice agency plays a critical role in shaping the organization’s vision, goals and operations. When members of this team work together thoughtfully, effectively, and collaboratively, they can collectively position the agency to achieve positive outcomes ...

11/26/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at CJJA!

09/30/2025

📣 CJJA is inviting individuals to apply for the Facility Director/Superintendent Training. The Facility Director/Superintendent Training (FST) Program will take place April 21–24, 2026, at the Bahia Resort Hotel, located at 998 W. Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109. The registration cost for the training is $5,352.

A preview of the agenda includes:
Ethics in Juvenile Justice
Facility Challenges & Innovations
Conditions of Confinement: Strategies to Maintain Safety & Security
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons (CRIPA) & Other Consent Decrees
Emergency Planning in Juvenile Facilities
Understanding the Youth Perspective
Understanding and Responding to Trauma in Context
Girls’ Programming in Juvenile Justice
Promoting Positive Youth Development within Juvenile Justice Facilities
Making Facilities Safe: Utilizing Behavior Management System in Responding to Incidents of Violence
Engaging and Empowering Families
Leadership in Youth Facilities
Walking Youth into Success: Optimal Transition and Reentry Practices
Recruitment and Retention: Multigenerational Workforce and Its Impact on Facilities
Human Resources & Collective Bargaining
Strategies to Maintain Staff Wellness and Life Balance in Juvenile Justice Systems
Opportunities for Networking, Team Building and Jurisdictional Planning

To be considered, participants must serve in a facility director/ superintendent (or deputy director/superintendent) role and be committed to the entire 6-month TTA program including webinars and coaching calls. Upon successful completion, of both the in-person training and virtual TTA/webinar participation, attendees will receive a certificate of completion for the training.

Monthly coaching calls will occur between May 2026 – September 2026.

Facility leaders who operate juvenile justice and detention facilities—whether at the county or state level or within tribal communities—are encouraged to apply. See Request for Applications for more details.

Interested jurisdictions must submit a completed application via Survey Monkey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GML2DJ5 no later than close of business on November 7, 2025.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

09/26/2025

✨ It’s a wrap! ✨

Our Deputy Director Training in Riviera Beach, Florida has officially come to a close. A huge thank you to our incredible presenters for sharing their expertise and to all the attendees for your energy, engagement, and commitment to strengthening juvenile justice leadership.

We’re leaving inspired and excited to see the impact of this work across the country! 💡👏

09/23/2025

We are excited to kick off our Deputy Director Training this week in Riviera Beach, Florida!

Deputy Directors are vital leaders in juvenile justice systems, and this training is designed to strengthen their skills, build connections, and provide the tools needed to support youth, staff, and communities.

A big thank you to our presenters and participants who are committed to leading with vision and impact. We look forward to a powerful few days of learning, sharing, and growth together!

08/23/2025

🌟 Honoring Excellence in Leadership & Innovation 🌟

The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA) is proud to recognize the recipients of our 2025 Awards for Outstanding Leadership and Innovation:

🏆 Outstanding Leadership Award – Steven Lafreniere
🏆 Outstanding Leadership Award – Brett Peterson
💡 Innovation Award – Representative Larry Klemin

These individuals have demonstrated remarkable dedication, vision, and commitment to improving outcomes for youth, families, and communities across the nation. Their leadership and innovation are helping to shape a more just, effective, and compassionate juvenile justice system.

Please join us in congratulating Steven, Brett, and Representative Klemin on these well-deserved recognitions! 👏

#2025

08/22/2025

We are pleased to be kicking off the 2025 CJJA Summer Juvenile Justice Leadership Forum in Denver, Colorado today! We look forward to the robust discussions and learning opportunities

06/05/2025

The Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators is pleased to release the "Strengthening Partnerships: Community-Based Organizations' Strategies for Programming and Reentry Services in Juvenile Detention and Corrections Facilities". The resource outlines common challenges facilities encounter when working with community-based organizations (CBOs), describes why CBOs are important, and provides practical strategies. Also included in the resource is a checklist for CBOs to improve their engagement with facilities, youth and their families. CBOs partnerships with juvenile detention and corrections facilities ensure youth receive the services and support they need to improve outcomes for the youth, their families and the community.https://cjja.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Strengthening-Partnerships-1.pdf