Announcing the 2015 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate Program

The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University‘s McCourt School of Public Policy has announced that the application window for the 2015 Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate Program is now open through May 15, 2015.

The Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Juvenile Justice Certificate Program, held August 3-7, 2015, is an intensive training designed to support local jurisdictions in their efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in their juvenile justice systems. The program is operated jointly by the Georgetown Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and the Center for Children's Law and Policy.

The three primary goals of the certificate program are to help jurisdictions reduce:

1. Overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system;
2. Disparate treatment of youth of color as compared to white youth within the juvenile justice system; and
3. Unnecessary entry and movement deeper into the juvenile justice system for youth of color.

Through the examination of the key decision points in the juvenile justice system, the program’s curriculum provides participants a better understanding of the disparate treatment of youth of color may be experiencing as compared to white youth within the juvenile justice system.

The program will also focus on the relationship between disproportionality in the juvenile justice system and disparate treatment in other child serving systems, including child welfare and education.

After completing the program, participants will be responsible for the development of a capstone project – a set of actions each participant will design and undertake within their organization or community to initiate or continue collaborative efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system.

Visit the CJJR website where you will find further information about the program, including how to apply, tuition, and available subsidies for those with financial need. Questions can be sent to  jill.adams@georgetown.edu.