Balanced and Restorative Justice and the Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy
Pennsylvania's Juvenile Justice System
In 1995, Pennsylvania lawmakers defined the purpose of the juvenile justice system based on Balanced and Restorative Justice, sometimes referred to as "BARJ." Pennsylvania's approach to juvenile justice strives to be balanced and restorative, and all activities your child will encounter focus on the following goals:
- Community Protection - The public has the right to safe and secure homes and communities. The juvenile justice system must help the child while keeping the community, including the child and family, safe.
- Accountability - When a crime is committed, the child is responsible for the harm caused and takes action to repair the harm and restore the victim and community.
- Competency Development - Children should leave the juvenile justice system more capable of living responsibly and productively in the community.
Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy
In 2010, after nearly 20 years of advancing the goals of BARJ, Pennsylvania initiated the Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES), supported by research regarding "what works" to reduce risk of re-arrest among youth.
JJSES Statement of Purpose
We dedicate ourselves to working in partnership to enhance the capacity of Pennsylvania's juvenile justice system to achieve its balanced and restorative justice mission by:
- employing evidence-based practices with fidelity at every stage of the juvenile justice process;
- collecting and analyzing the data necessary to measure the results of these efforts; and with this knowledge;
- striving to continuously improve the quality of our decisions, services, and programs.
