History
1995
The Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC) began as a Hennepin County-based committee of county employees focused on the identification and monitoring use of Local Collaborative Time Study (LCTS) dollars used to fund projects related to juvenile justice. The group also did some work looking at policy-level issues within the county.
1995 – Present
The JJC funds projects serving hundreds of youth in or at-risk of entering the juvenile justice system in Hennepin County. Services provided included transportation support to mental health appointments; assistance with emergency psychotropic medications; mental and chemical health screening, assessment and referral services; mentoring; transitional life skills training; psychotherapy services; prevention; intervention and after care reentry services. The JJC also takes on a new role of disseminating important juvenile justice materials on evidence- based practices.
2006
The JJC held a state-wide forum, “Doing Juveniles Justice: Transforming Minnesota’s Systems for Sustaining and Supporting Healthy Families.” The JJC presented a position paper of the same name highlighting best practices and reforms needed in Minnesota’s juvenile justice system based on the nine tenets of reform developed by the Youth Transition Funders Group, a national collaboration of foundations devoted to helping all youth succeed into adulthood.
2007
JJC received the first year of a two-year grant from The McKnight Foundation to lead reform efforts in Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota. Full-time Project Manager started. JJC mapped out juvenile justice system in Hennepin County. Approved as the Minnesota affiliate of the National Juvenile Justice Network and joined 34 other state efforts and national advocacy groups in reforming the juvenile justice system across the country. JJC changed its name from the Juvenile Justice Committee to the Juvenile Justice Coalition of Minnesota.
2008
Co-sponsored with state agencies and juvenile justice groups a state-wide forum, “Connecting Youth to Success: Doing Juveniles Justice in Minnesota.” The JJC presented a revised “Doing Juveniles Justice” position paper with recommendations for improving Minnesota’s juvenile justice system based on the nine tenets of reform. As a follow-up to the “Connecting Youth to Success” forum, the JJC restructured the Steering Committee and created a state-wide coalition of juvenile justice professional organizations, state agencies, key leaders and stakeholders and developed a state-wide plan for improving Minnesota’s juvenile justice system.