State Organizations and Programs
This section highlights websites that focus on juvenile justice issues in Connecticut.
Connecticut Association for Human Services
CAHS is an independent, not-for-profit organization that champions important issues through research, advocacy, policy development and outreach. They focus on the critical areas of hunger, healthcare, childcare, education, employment, financial security and community strengthening.
Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents
The Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents, Inc. is a non profit organization that is committed to strengthening Foster and Adoptive Families and Relative Caregivers through support, training, and advocacy with the aim of nurturing child safety, well being and stability in partnership with child welfare professionals and the entire community.
Connecticut Commission on Children
The Connecticut Commission on Children was created in 1985 by a joint act of the Connecticut Legislature. This non-partisan Commission brings 25 representatives from the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government together with the private sector to promote public policies in children’s best interest.
Connecticut Department of Children and Families
The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to protect children, improve child and family well-being and support and preserve families.
Connecticut for Community Youth Development
Connecticut for Community Youth Development (CCYD) is a statewide project that stimulates state and local commitment to positive youth development as an essential prerequisite for healthy communities. Its aim is to increase the number of young citizens who are contributing members of their communities.
Connecticut General Assembly
The web site of the state legislature.
Connecticut Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee
The Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC) is responsible for overseeing the distribution and use of federal juvenile justice funds to support youth development programs and improvements to Connecticut's juvenile justice system.
Connecticut State Department of Education
The web site of the state’s education department.
Connecticut Voices for Children
Connecticut Voices for Children is dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth through high-quality research and public policy analysis, an active communication program, a commitment to promoting youth leadership and youth voice, and effective citizen mobilization and organizational collaboration.
Connecticut’s Justice Information System
CJIS – Connecticut’s Justice Information System – the umbrella term for the information system activity among the agencies with justice responsibilities in Connecticut.
Criminal Justice Information Records Improvement Program
This federally funded program, the 5% Set Aside Program or Byrne Memorial Program (5% of the Drug Control System Improvement (DCSI) Formula Grant Program), provides funding for a range of activities to upgrade or establish better data sharing and management of criminal history data.
Families with Service Needs Website
Presentations, agendas, reports and findings by the Families With Service Needs (FWSN) Advisory Board.
Juvenile Jurisdiction Planning and Implementation Committee
This site features all presentations, reports and agendas presented at the bi-weekly meetings of the JJPIC, the legislatively mandated group which preceded the JJPOCC. The committee was charged with planning for the implementation of any changes in the juvenile justice system required in order to extend jurisdiction in delinquency matters and proceedings to include 16-year-old and 17-year-old children within the Superior Court for Juvenile Matters.
Juvenile Jurisdiction Policy
and Operations Coordinating Council
The council is charged with monitoring the implementation of the central components of the implementation plan developed by the Juvenile Jurisdiction Planning and Implementation Committee, and the resolution of issues identified by the committee, concerning changes required in the juvenile justice system to expand jurisdiction to include 16- and 17-year-olds. This website includes all agendas, presentations and reports given during the bi-weekly meetings of the JJPOCC.
KidsCounsel: The Center for Children’s Advocacy
The Center for Children’s Advocacy, Inc. is a non-profit organization located at the University of Connecticut School of Law whose mission is to promote and protect the legal rights and interests of poor children dependent upon the judicial, child welfare, health and mental health, education, and juvenile justice systems for their care.
Office of Policy and Management, Just.Start
Just.Start is an informational campaign to promote fairness in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system for all young people, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Office of the Child Advocate, State of Connecticut
The mission of the Office of the Child Advocate is to oversee the protection and care of children and to advocate for their well-being.
The Tow Foundation
The Tow Foundation’s mission is to promote and support effective non-profit programs and to encourage the development of initiatives that are based on sound research. The foundation seeks to leverage funding from various sources to ensure the long-term quality of services and is committed to finding ways to fill some of the gaps left by other funders.