On November 19, 2024, the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) hosted a panel discussion titled, “Probation Transformation: Shifting Organizational Culture to Ignite Change in Juvenile Probation Practices.” The session was moderated by Jasmine J. Jackson, CJI’s Youth Justice Manager, and focused on transforming youth probation practices by shifting the culture and role of probation agencies.
The panel included a diverse group of experts:
- Angie Hadley, Executive Director of the Crawford County, Kansas Restorative Justice Authority, a recipient of CJI’s OJJDP-funded Improving Community Supervision National Training and Technical Assistance Program
- Kelly Grey, Chief Probation Officer at the Juvenile Court of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County in Tennessee, former recipient of CJI’s OJJDP-funded Juvenile Justice System Improvement Initiative
- Elijah Norris-Holiday, CEO of Project Restore Minnesota
- Stephen Bishop, Associate Director for Probation and System Transformation at the Annie E. Casey Foundation
The session emphasized the need to shift probation practices and organizational culture to prevent youth from entering or progressing further into the youth justice system. Attendees learned how courts, agency leaders, probation staff, and community partners can work together to shift from a compliance-based approach to one focused on community partnerships, incentivizing pro-social behavior, and utilizing each youth’s strengths to improve outcomes and well-being.
This event was significant as it was OJJDP’s first in-person conference since 2011 and served as the capstone event for the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Signed into law on September 7, 1974, this landmark legislation continues to impact local, state, and Tribal efforts to prevent delinquency and improve youth justice systems nationwide.