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Hello, I’m person behind the Reclaiming Futures Twitter account. As you know, Twitter is a free service where people post very short updates and links.
If you’re like many professionals in the fields of juvenile justice and adolescent substance abuse, you might think that Twitter has nothing to offer you. And while that might once have been true, nothing could be further from the truth now.
 
What are some of the ways you can use Twitter and to support your work?

• Exchange ideas about juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment. 
• Many people post links, so use it like a search engine. 
• Show support for others by following them. 
• Demonstrate the good work of your organization.

Adolescent Substance Abuse and Related Treatment News

• Is marijuana a "gateway" to other drug use? Not so much, according to new research, and "over-criminalizing" its use can contribute to young adults' use of other illicit drugs. According to the study, race and ethnicity are the best predictors of whether someone will use illicit drugs besides marijuana: non-Hispanic whites are more likely to use them than are (in order) Hispanics or African Americans. Furthermore, although marijuana use in one's teen years might lead to use of other drugs, youth apparently "age out" of that when they reach 21. Unemployment is a factor too, which suggests that, as one researcher concluded, "over-criminalizing youth marijuana use might create more serious problems if it interferes with later employment opportunities." (Hat tip to Robert Ackley.) Related reading: Jeff Butts on "The Enduring Gateway Myth."
• Teen use of alcohol and drugs can be significantly reduced with brief, school-based interventions by mental health therapists or even by teachers given minimal training, according to a new study from the U.K. Researchers evaluated their use of alcohol and drugs at six months post-intervention, so it's not clear if the effects would need to be repeated on a regular basis.

A New Journal Focused on Juvenile Justice

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will launch the Journal of Juvenile Justice in March 2011. It'll be published twice a year for researchers, clinicians, practitioners, administrators, policy analysts, educators, and students.
 
How to Submit

Manuscripts will be peer-reviewed; topics can cover what the journal's web site calls "the full range of issues in juvenile justice," including juvenile victimization. Prospective authors can find guidelines and more by logging on here.
 
Questions?

Email the journal's managing editor, Monica Robbers, Ph.D.

Adapted from a post by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is pleased to announce the availability of five six new e-learning courses for substance abuse treatment professionals:

• Prescription Medication (Part 1): Misuse, Abuse, and Dependence;
• Prescription Medication (Part 2): Addressing Addiction;
• Organizational Development: Governance and the Board of Directors;
• Organizational Development: Marketing as Collaboration; 
• Organizational Development: Using Financial Information as a Nonfinancial CEO; and
• Acamprosate: A New Medication for Alcohol Use Disorders

These courses provide an opportunity for professional growth as well as one continuing education unit per module for maintaining certification or licensure. Learn more.

These courses are a great development. Looking forward to SAMHSA adding more courses -- especially some that are specific to adolescent substance abuse treatment!

Representing America's Youth: Addressing the Juvenile Justice Paradox, a symposium hosted by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS), will be held on October 10-13, 2010, in San Antonio, TX. (Hat tip to OJJDP.)
The NPJS is made up of the National Association for Juvenile Correctional Agencies, the National Juvenile Detention Association, the Juvenile Justice Trainers Association, the Council for Educators of At-Risk and Delinquent Youth, and the National Association for Children of Incarcerated Parents. 
 
Workshop training sessions will address:

 
Hello, I'm the new voice of the Reclaiming Futures Facebook page. I'm new to the fields of juvenile justice and adolescent treatment but I’m learning fast. I thought I'd share what I'm learning and ask for your advice.
 
Helpful Facebook Pages

Here are two lists of Facebook pages that have been helpful to me in not only learning more about juvenile justice and adolescent treatment, but also in becoming acquainted with Reclaiming Futures’ peer groups. These lists might be helpful to others… even to seasoned practitioners who are new to Facebook or are looking for fresh sources of info.

 
Resources for the Juvenile Justice System

• The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has completed its first-ever "Census of Juveniles on Probation" (CJP), which it says "provides critical data on the characteristics of youth on probation, the nature of their offenses, and how they are served." Initial findings were presented at the American Probation and Parole Association's Annual Training Institute on August 17, 2010. I can't find a report on line, but I expect it'll be out shortly. If I've just overlooked it, let me know where I can find it and I'll post it here. 
• Work with Native American youth, or for a tribe? You might be interested in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) Tribal Youth Program Web site. There, you'll find funding opportunities, resources on culturally appropriate prevention and intervention strategies, and federally-recognized tribes can request "web-based resources, individualized technical assistance, or on-site training or technical assistance."

Here's a brilliantly simple, inspiring video designed to get adults involved in the lives of teens. What a great tool for recruiting mentors for youth in the juvenile justice system! (Hat tip to Lane County Prevention.)
As the video mentions, adults avoid teens because they think they want to be left alone.
But nothing could be further from the truth.

Juvenile Justice Reform in Jeopardy, or Headed for a Golden Age? 

• The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) may be in trouble, if Congress reauthorizes it without increased funding for states to comply. That could mean that cash-strapped states may opt out, despite its long success and the high marks given to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) for the training and technical assistance it provides to support the JJDPA. What would happen in your state, if the federal allocation was reduced or stayed the same?