Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group (SAG)

In cooperation with the ND Division of Juvenile Services

The Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group (SAG) is appointed by the Governor pursuant to the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act. The JJDP Act is the single most important piece of federal legislation affecting youth in juvenile justice systems across the country.  Click here for a list of the SAG's current members.

The role of the SAG is to monitor compliance with the JJDP Act and work on juvenile justice reform, taking into account the latest research on adolescent development and the hallmarks of a developmental approach:

- Accountability without criminalization;

- Alternatives to juvenile justice system involvement;

- An individualized response based on assessment of needs and risks;

- Confinement only when necessary for public safety;

- A genuine commitment to fairness;

- Sensitivity to disparate treatment;

- Family engagement

The SAG develops North Dakota's Three-Year Juvenile Justice Plan, which is submitted to the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention pursuant to the JJDP Act and focuses on the state's planned reform efforts. 

The SAG has recently issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the development of a statewide plan to ensure that: 1) youth are being matched to the appropriate services; 2) limited resources are being used for youth that have the highest risk of reoffending and programs that are supported by research to improve outcomes; and 3) youth of different races, ethnicities, and genders are treated equitably across the juvenile justice continuum.  The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center was awarded a contract to provide technical assistance pursuant to the RFP.  CSG was onsite in North Dakota February 3-4, 2020 and provided a presentation on their goals and priorities and talked about the strengths and challenges of North Dakota's juvenile justice system.   The SAG is serving in an advisory capacity for a statewide initiative through the Vera Institute of Justice to end girl's incarceration.  Vera provided a presentation to the SAG at their April 28, 2020 meeting highlighting their data findings and recommendations.