Overview
The Juvenile Justice Institute (JJI) was created through a vision to make data and research accessible to Nebraska’s juvenile justice system. With support from the Nebraska Legislature and the University of Nebraska School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, JJI has evolved into a state and national leader of juvenile justice applied research, professional development, and policy work.
Legislative Purpose
The Juvenile Justice Institute shall research and identify juvenile justice system needs; evaluate programs and policies; monitor the overrepresentation of juveniles based on their race and gender; and advise the Legislature and Governor on the Nebraska juvenile justice system.
Mission
Our mission is to lead innovative research, evaluation, and training efforts. These efforts are designed to guide meaningful youth justice policy, practice, and professional development that will equip practitioners to serve youth and lead systems in practical evidence informed ways.
Values
These value statements reflect what to expect when partnering with JJI. We believe that:
- Communities are the experts in their strengths and challenges. Research and evaluation should guide communities in their efforts to do their best work.
- Everyone has a voice at the table. It is only through intentional, collaborative, and restorative dialogue that complex system issues will be solved.
- Youth are the future of systems change. We strive to create innovative opportunities to elevate the voices of system impacted youth and families.
- A skilled workforce improves outcomes for youth and families. We are committed to developing current and future youth justice professionals with the skills necessary to build relationships and meet the complex needs of system impacted individuals and youth justice stakeholders.
- Restorative practices must be embedded across the juvenile justice system continuum. We believe this is done through restorative language, questions, and dialogue, reserving formal restorative interventions for resolving conflict.
Who We Serve
JJI focuses our efforts to serve four target constituent groups:
- Practitioners – those currently providing services to youth
- Researchers – both internal and external to the University of Nebraska system
- Policymakers – those with decision making authority at the local, state, and national level
- Emerging professionals – undergraduate and graduate students
Our institute is uniquely situated to serve these groups by creating and enhancing opportunities to connect academia to the “real world.” Professionals collaborating with JJI will find opportunities for professional development, program evaluation, research resources, and support to affect systems change. We believe it is valuable for professionals interacting with JJI students to impact the future workforce and impart their expertise. Policymakers will find cutting edge research about Nebraska issues as well as national and international juvenile justice research resources. Students partnered with JJI will have opportunities through mentoring systems impacted youth, internships, and research projects. All these efforts aim to inform policy and practice across youth serving systems.
Offices
We have office space in the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center in Omaha, as well as in Nebraska Hall at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Our proximity to Lincoln helps us maintain close contact with the state offices that we collaborate with.
Our address in Lincoln is:
901 N. 17th Street
Nebraska Hall 310
Lincoln, NE 68588
Our address in Omaha is:
6001 Dodge Street
Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC)
Room 219B
Omaha, NE 68182
