Press Releases

On Wednesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m., the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, chaired by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), will consider the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act of 2016 (H.R. 5963). The markup will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. 

Since 1974, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act has coordinated federal resources aimed at improving state juvenile justice systems with a focus on education and rehabilitation. While many of these state juvenile justice programs have been able to help children develop the life skills they need to hold themselves accountable and achieve success, not all programs have seen the same results.

To reauthorize and improve the law, Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA)—along with Chairman Kline and Reps. Susan Davis (D-CA), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL)—introduced H.R. 5963, which will help state and local leaders better serve at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. The bipartisan bill will strengthen prevention and rehabilitation support by:

• Providing states and local leaders flexibility to deliver services that meet the specific needs of delinquent youth in their communities.
    
• Promoting opportunities for juvenile offenders to acquire skills necessary to grow into productive members of society.
    
• Helping at-risk youth avoid the juvenile justice system by supporting prevention services.
    
• Prioritizing evidence-based strategies with proven track records and long-term solutions for addressing juvenile delinquency.
    
• Improving accountability and oversight at all levels of the juvenile justice system.

For more information on H.R. 5963, click here.

For more information on the markup, click here.

# # #