Our Mission

The Florida Juvenile Justice Association promotes the availability and accessibility of comprehensive, high quality services to pre-delinquent and delinquent youth and their families.

Our Purpose

The Florida Juvenile Justice Association strives to:

• Promote public awareness and education of juvenile justice issues;
• Contribute to the development of public policy regarding juvenile justice issues;
• Support evaluation and research of juvenile justice issues;
• Provide training, technical assistance and consultation to Association members and related parties.

Guiding Principles

Balanced Continuum of Services
We believe that public safety is best served by promoting the development of a balanced continuum of juvenile justice services that include prevention, intervention, probation, commitment and aftercare.

Ethical and Professional Standards
We believe that all youth deserve services that are delivered in a manner that meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

The Right Services the First Time
We believe that all placement decisions should be individualized and based on the results of a comprehensive evaluation utilizing defined assessment protocols.

Policies and Services Research Based
We advocate for sound legislation and Department policies/procedures that are based on research and that contribute to and supports effective juvenile justice services.

Kids are Different than Adults
We recognize that the needs of children and adolescents are different than adults and we advocate for a responsive justice system that translate into effective policies, programs, and services.

Blend Public Safety and Treatment
We believe that programming is most effective when there is a balance between treatment and public safety considerations and we advocate for the least restrictive care to change lives and protect the public.

Access to Specialty Services
We believe that all youth in need of specialty services such as mental health and substance abuse must receive these services as part of the juvenile justice intervention.

Academic and Vocational Education are the Keys to Success
We understand that education is a key ingredient of a youth’s success and advocate for dynamic and individualized educational and vocational services geared to the learning level of the youth served.

Adequate Funding for Quality Services
We understand that effective programming and successful public safety initiatives and the development of a professional workforce can only be achieved with adequate funding.