Cj 478 - online Resource Guide for Law Enforcement

CJ478 Online Resource Guide for Law Enforcement

Juvenile justice has become a common occurrence in recent times. From Law enforcement personnel to Social and Case Workers to Teachers and Parents, how have we managed to allow our youth to stray off track in this journey we call life? For some youths, it is the environment in which they are brought up in, for others it is the lack of education and discipline, and still for others it is just the anger that dwells inside and manifests into a sickness.

There is information out there and ways to help our youths. A lot of these tools are hopefully being utilized by all persons whom have to interact with juveniles. The statistics alone hurts my heart. Such high numbers for missing children, human/child trafficking, sexual assault crimes, drug association, gangs and bullying are just to name a few. One of the websites that I found very informative is the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). There are numerous programs on this website that may be utilized by law enforcement personnel, case workers, school officials and even students (Programs, 2016).

Examples of these programs are Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws, Gang Reduction Program, and assisting families by coordinating help for minors into Children’s Advocacy Centers and so much more. When I was growing up, I remember law enforcement personnel coming to speak to my school about the Drug Abuse resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program. This is one initiative that brought awareness to youths about drugs as well as explained what happens to you and your body if you do them. There are so many goals and initiatives that I give kudos to this website for. OJJDP actually has a plan and curriculum in place in order to train law enforcement personnel and give them the tools necessary to respond to different situations (Programs, 2016).  

Another website that has good information on it is the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). There is just so much information out there to help our youths just waiting to be accessed by anyone. One tool I especially found useful is the OJP Publications section. All of the information is in alphabetical order and easily accessible. The grants and funding tab is also a helpful tool as most programs cannot get off the ground with some sort of funding initiative. The last tab that I enjoyed going through was the Question and Answer section. This tab is especially useful for those who may have a question that has already been asked. Law enforcement personnel, case workers and just about anybody may browse through different topics. It can be used to give a briefing to a group, making sure to highlight key points that can be effective to the growth of our youths (Topic - National Criminal Justice Reference Service, 2016).