Roundup: BJS to Study Teens Transferred into Adult Justice System -- and More

•   How many youth are transferred from the juvenile justice system into the adult criminal justice system every year? No one knows. But the Bureau of Justice Statistics is initiating a study that should get us get closer to an answer to this an other questions about adult transfer practices. (Hat tip to Youth Today.)

• End the Byrne JAG formula grants? That's one of the Justice Policy Institute's (JPI) recommendations in a recent fact sheet on Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program spending. (JPI recommends replacing the formula grants with a competitive grant program focused on evidence-based programming.)

The JPI also recommended that juvenile justice funds be directed at "educational and community-based youth programming" and that substance abuse and mental health treatment services be funded through public health agencies, and not through the justice system: "By reaching people before they come in contact with the justice system, we can reduce future justice involvement and related costs, and reduce the chances that someone will have to deal with the collateral consequences of having a criminal record."

• Identifying and Engaging Reentry Mentors for Justice-Involved Youth. Did you miss the November 1st webinar on this topic? No problem: follow the link to download the PowerPoint slides, and you can watch the recorded webinar here.
• U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Funds Juvenile Justice Research Institute (JJRI) at Florida A&M University. Funding from the DOJ and Florida's juvenile justice advisory group launched the project. It appears the JJRI will provide direct services to moderate- to high-risk youth in the state's juvenile justice system, with a focus on reducing recidivism and addressing disproportionate minority contact. (Hat tip to Youth Today.) 
• Are Your Teens in Treatment Receiving Good Continuing Care? The Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network Messenger presents part 2 in its series on continuing care. In this issue: key differences between traditional aftercare and "adaptive assertive continuing care." (Also see William White's checklist for assertive continuing care.)
• Step Up to the Plate: Be a Mentor. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) placed "Be a Mentor" ads in nationally televised baseball games this year. Follow the link to check out OJJDP's mentoring resources.
• Call for Papers for 2011 NIATx and State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) Conference. The combined NIATx Summit and  annual SAAS conference will be held in Boston July 11-13, 2011. But if you want to present, you'll need to submit a brief description and title for your presentation by November 19, 2010. 
• Webinar Nov. 16, 2010: Measuring Performance in Mental Health Courts. A set of new performance measures for mental health courts developed by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) will be reviewed in this this webinar, sponsored by the Council of State Governments Justice Center.