OJJDP National Conference Program - Office of Juvenile Justice ...

Dear Conference Attendees:On behalf of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), welcome to our national conference, “Children’sJustice & Safety: Unite, Build, Lead.”More than 5 years have passed since OJJDP last held a national conference of this magnitude, and much has happened in thejuvenile justice field during that time. This conference will provide a snapshot of where juvenile justice is today. During the next2½ days, you will learn what the latest research and evaluation findings are telling us, see how communities are investing in promisingpractices and programs, and examine the dominant and emerging issues of our time, all of which will help develop a vision toaddress the challenges that lie ahead.Conference participants will learn how communities generate solutions and how individuals and groups make a difference in theirown neighborhoods. Working together, individuals, groups, and communities can make real and sustained changes. You will hearabout major Department of Justice initiatives such as Defending Childhood and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention,in which communities are developing effective responses to children’s exposure to violence and youth violence. We have invitedtop experts to discuss anti-gang strategies, juvenile offending, truancy, mentoring, bullying, and youth violence, among many otherissues. There is literally something here for everyone in the juvenile justice field.We have planned many special events during the conference. Attorney General Holder will provide comments following a TownHall meeting featuring leadership from Department of Justice funding agencies. Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre willdiscuss his work with the child victims of domestic violence. We will unveil a new disaster planning guide for juvenile facilities.Missing children’s activist Elizabeth Smart will address the conference, as will top congressional leaders and federal governmentofficials.This conference will provide you with the tools you need to help youth in your community to become productive, law-abidingcitizens; protect our children and teens and keep them safe; and deter delinquent and criminal behavior. Much has already beenaccomplished to improve the lives of our nation’s children, but much work remains to be done. By continuing to create partnershipsthroughout our government and communities, we can build on previous successes to provide our youth with opportunities for abetter tomorrow.Thank you again for joining us at this important event.Sincerely,Jeff SlowikowskiActing Administratoriii