The President has issued a proclamation recognizing the month of October as National Youth Justice Awareness Month.
In the proclamation the President focuses much of his words on the juvenile justice system and the need for reforms. He also calls on Congress to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) and highlights his support for certain key early child development programs including home visiting, Head Start and child care. The President declares:
“During National Youth Justice Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to helping children of every background become successful and engaged citizens…
And through the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, we are working to address persistent opportunity gaps and ensure all young people can reach their full potential — including by helping them get a healthy start in life, enter school ready to learn, and successfully enter the workforce.
He also mentions the My Brother Keeper an initiative started by the President in early 2014 and included in the Children’s Monitor in that March 2014. It is an attempt to combine public and private sectors to fill opportunity gaps.
The President declares that
“…for every dollar we put into high-quality early childhood education, we save at least twice that down the road in reduced crime. That is why my Administration has sought to expand high-quality early education by increasing funding for programs like Head Start and investing in preschool, child care, and evidence-based home visiting. Investing in our communities and our kids makes sense, and if we recognize that every child deserves to remain connected to their families and communities, we can ensure youth who come in contact with the law can have a chance at a brighter future.
The President issued the proclamation on September 30.
