FWSN-advisorybd-repo.. - The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance

Justice 7 provided expert advice and information concerning “best practices” around the
country to the Advisory Board. The Board brought in experts from the Florida Network
for Youth and the PACE Center for Girls. Members conducted a site visit to the “Family
Keys” Program in Orange County, New York.
C. Overview of Federal and State Law
The federal law that created status offender systems envisioned a way to help parents,
schools and communities provide children with treatment, counseling and supervision to
remediate their difficult and risky behavior. The law and its subsequent amendments and
reauthorization emphasize the use of the least restrictive environment to provide services
and to avoid the negative stigma of court involvement.
The laws that govern the status offender system in Connecticut have, in many respects,
mirrored the evolving mandates on the federal level. As Congress modified the JJDP
Act, Connecticut responded in kind to create and modify its laws to comport with the
federal requirements. The need to comply with federal law is especially important to
ensure the provision of federal funding. Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management
is the recipient of funds under the JJDP Act, and it in turn provides money and other
assistance to state agencies and local communities for provision of preventive and
positive youth development services and programs.
The timeline below illustrates the evolution of the FWSN law in Connecticut.
Timeline Act Outcome of Passage
1979 P.A. 79-567 The FWSN Program was created. The initial act outlined
what constituted a FWSN, who could file a FWSN petition,
when a FWSN child could be place in temporary custody,
procedures for handling runaways, and preventing status
offenders from being placed in secure facilities.
1980 P.A. 80-401 Changed the effective date of P.A. 79-567 from July 1, 1980
to July 1, 1981.
1981 AAC Families with Service Needs was implemented.
1985 P.A. 85-266 The Act was modified so that violation of a FWSN order
could result in a child being placed in a secure facility.
1989 P.A. 89-273 The Act was modified to allow petition to have FWSN records
erased.
1990 P.A. 90-240 The Act was modified to allow school superintendents to file
FWSN complaints based on truancy.
1991 P.A. 91-303 The Act was modified to require school boards truancy
policies to include referring children to community services
7 The Vera Institute for Justice is a private, nonprofit organization that works closely with government to
improve services people rely on for safety and justice.
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