Sign the Petition!

Friends, the US House or Representatives is voting on the bill that funds a lot of important Juvenile Justice work, and we learned that the bill they’re going to vote on ELIMINATES funding for the account that funds incredibly effective state programs (In Ttitle II).  We can’t let this happen.

Congress must approve federal spending for discretionary programs—including juvenile justice funding for state programs that keep families and communities safer, help young people get themselves back on track, and save money in the long run.

Here is one example of the kind of program it funds:

To reduce the number of minority youth who penetrate the juvenile justice system, Michigan funded two county-based court diversion programs. Of the 91 youth and families who enrolled in Kent County’s “School-to-Progressions” program, 87% did not re-offend.

Cutting these programs not only hurts youth and increases crime, it’s also far more expensive. We need to focus on helping kids and preventing incarceration, and we need you to tell your House and Senate Members that this funding is crucial.

Eliminating funding for this account is unacceptable. Please write your Members of Congress using our handy and easy tool.

Then follow up with a phone call to your Member of the House of Representatives. You can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  Just give them the name of your Rep. Even if it’s after hours, you can leave a voice message with most offices.  If you don’t know the name of your House Member, you can find it here.  This is urgent.

Specifically, we are urging support increased investment in key juvenile justice programs, including Title II and Title V of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act and the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant. These are important parts of the Empowering Community Peacebuilding cornerstone.

Help us protect critical juvenile justice funding by contacting your Members of Congress to ask them to increase funding for juvenile justice and ensure that – at a minimum – the amounts recommended by the President’s Administration for Fiscal Year 2016 become law.

Let your elected officials know that federal juvenile justice programs need to be fully funded. Progress can’t be made if promises aren’t kept to keep funding going.

Thank you,

Jeff Pudlo
Legislative Associate, Peace Alliance