Kari Rumbaugh, Deputy Administrator for the Juvenile Probation Services Division, received a special invitation to travel to Washington DC and testify with a panel of national youth justice professionals as the expert on juvenile probation to the Federal Coordinating Council for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Council convened in person at the Office of Justice Programs building on December 6, 2023.       

In light of the significant accomplishments in Nebraska juvenile probation, Rumbaugh was selected to represent probation professionals from across the United States.  Panelists were asked to provide up to five pages of written and verbal testimony focused on two essential questions: How can Council member agencies enhance coordination, to prevent youth from entering the justice system and to increase access/remove barriers to opportunities and services that support the success of justice-involved youth in their communities. 

Established in 1974 by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Coordinating Council is an

independent body charged with coordinating federal programs related to delinquency prevention and missing and exploited children. It is comprised of thirteen federal agencies and up to ten nonfederal practitioner members who are named by the President and Congress. The Council's chair is the Attorney General and its Vice-Chair is the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

In her testimony, Rumbaugh identified six priority areas that address the Council’s questions:

• Support local communities in identifying their individual needs, as well as provide them training and technical assistance to create services and programs that can prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system.
• Cultivate highly skilled probation officers who receive specialized training, especially youth and family-focused.
• Prioritize evidence-based and best practice resources such as a Service Recommendation Matrix, Home-Based Services, tangible incentives, or a Reentry Unit to enhance supervision and service access.
• Create opportunities for positive youth development by promoting a youth’s individual strengths. (One such method is Nebraska’s annual artwork contest.)
• Promote local and national evaluations and technical assistance focused on best practices, as well as implementation.

• Provide clear measures for how to represent data and reporting that demonstrates evidence of fidelity. Create an annual report using the data which is posted on a website and distributed to juvenile justice stakeholders. Include program strengths and success stories.

This invitation to the national stage is an honor and is reflective of the accomplishments within juvenile probation across Nebraska. 

Top Photo: Kari Rumbaugh (bottom right) sits with Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator Liz Ryan (top left) and other panelists.