Bobby Scott

There is a whole lot of youth-related legislation in the ole’ congressional hopper these days. And with Congress revved up for bipartisan compromise, it’s almost certain to move! Alright, half that statement is true.

After years of silence on the issue of juvenile justice, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair John Kline (R-Minn.) will hold a hearing on juvenile justice. The hearing, “Reviewing the Juvenile Justice System and How It Serves At-Risk Youth,” will be held at the Capitol Visitors Center at 10am on October 8th.

For the first time in a long while, there are active bills in both chambers aimed at reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. A Senate version with leaders from both parties awaits a markup by the Senate Judiciary, and the House version landed in the Education and Workforce Committee.

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) has introduced the Youth Justice Act of 2015, a bill to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the first attempt to do so on the House side in several years.

Some congressional leaders and juvenile advocates are trying to include community-based youth programs in the public dialogue about gun rights and control, while also pushing back against the concept of placing police in schools.