BLOOMFIELD, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and the Juvenile Justice Commission announced Sept. 17 that the governor’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee has awarded six grants totaling more than $200,000 to local police departments and community-based organizations to encourage the use of stationhouse adjustments for youth who have contact with the local police. The funding was made available to jurisdictions with high instances of juvenile arrests, particularly among youth of color, as a strategy for reducing racial disparities in the formal juvenile justice system. The Bloomfield Police Department was awarded $3,964.
Stationhouse adjustments allow police officers to divert youth accused of committing minor offenses, such as ordinance violations, disorderly persons offenses and fourth-degree offenses, from formal court proceedings. Stationhouse adjustments allow these minor delinquency matters to be resolved locally and outside of a courtroom, providing an opportunity to address root causes of behavior, impose immediate consequences and offer supports to youth, which can include referrals to social service agencies, community service projects, financial restitution, mediation, letters of apology or writing assignments. Parents, guardians or caregivers and any known victims must agree to the stationhouse adjustment process.
“New Jersey has become a national model for reducing reliance on incarceration and other out-of-home placements among youth with minimal involvement in the juvenile justice system, but there is more to do,” Grewal said. “Stationhouse adjustments allow local law enforcement and community members to encourage conversations and develop relationships with young people. These are the tools we will use to successfully build stronger communities and reduce the number of young people who are treated too harshly for minor infractions, many of whom are youth of color.”
“Years of research proves that the long-term success of young people increases dramatically if we can prevent them from formally entering the juvenile justice system. Behavioral change is more likely if young people are provided with immediate constructive consequences for their decisions, coupled with community-based supports,” said Jennifer LeBaron, acting executive director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. “Through this funding, communities can prevent youth from progressing further into the juvenile justice system and address the overrepresentation of youth of color in the formal system. Stationhouse adjustments are an important resource that should be available in every New Jersey community.”
Based on the philosophy that communities have a unique understanding of their local youth populations, the JJC administers several funding initiatives and state-level services that encourage the development and enhancement of a continuum of community-based services and sanctions, from prevention programs to sentencing options for at-risk, court-involved and delinquent youth.
The Bloomfield Police Department has incorporated its Junior Police Academy into its existing stationhouse adjustment structure, allowing identified youth to participate in a key component of the BPD’s community policing efforts. This expansion of the academy program allows approximately 40 first-time juvenile offenders to experience what is required to become a police officer. In addition, the curriculum includes sessions on gang awareness, the K9 Unit, crime scene investigation, self-defense, active shooter training, a SWAT demonstration, and Drill & Ceremony instruction.
“The JJDP Committee awards approximately $1 million annually to support local and state programs that prevent or reduce juvenile delinquency by improving systems, mobilizing resources and engaging in advocacy to improve the lives of youth and families in the state,” JJDP Committee Chairperson and retired Judge F. Lee Forrester said. “The Stationhouse Adjustment Support Initiative is a perfect example of how the funds awarded by the JJDP Committee can help local jurisdictions support their youth and strengthen their communities.”
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