FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 12, 2012 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) invited the people of Florida today to participate in a conversation about the Roadmap to System Excellence. The Roadmap builds on reforms already underway at DJJ and guides Florida on the path to becoming the national model for juvenile justice administration.

“The Roadmap’s goal is to make sure we are putting the needs of at-risk youth first in all we do,” said Secretary Wansley Walters. “As DJJ’s leader, I wish to have a conversation with the people of Florida, our employees and stakeholders about the best way to meet that goal. The Roadmap is the subject of that conversation.”  

Through the Roadmap, DJJ is committed to:

• Providing the right service to the right youth at the right time
• Reserving the most serious sanctions for youth who pose the greatest risk to public safety
• Serving more youth in their communities with the least restrictive sanction
• Keeping youth out of the deeper end of the juvenile justice system while  not compromising public safety
• Using data to measure effectiveness and outcomes of services
• Basing procurement on what’s best for youth
• Working with juvenile justice stakeholders to increase the availability of community-based prevention and diversion services to at-risk youth
• Putting kids and their families first in all we do

The Roadmap is currently a draft, meaning the public may comment on it and influence the final shape it will take. Beginning November 15, Secretary Walters will lead a series of meetings across Florida to hear from the public, employees and other stakeholders about the Roadmap.

A detailed meeting schedule will be posted on the Roadmap to System Excellence webpage once dates and locations have been finalized, but all major areas of the state, from the Panhandle to South Florida, will be covered.

In the meantime, members of the public may submit any comments or questions about the Roadmap to roadmap@djj.state.fl.us.

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