It has been an honor to serve these past two years as the Chair of the Interstate Commission for Juveniles, where I have had the privilege of working alongside individuals within this Commission and other juvenile justice professionals whose unwavering commitment, knowledge, and skills continue to enhance this Commission’s efforts to preserve child welfare and promote public safety.

I am pleased to present the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report, which serves as an overview of the valuable work of the Commission’s committees, regions, and state ICJ Offices. This year, the Commission continued our focus on collaboration, implementation science, and advancing our strategic plan.

The Executive Committee led efforts to expand collaborations with justice and social service systems partners. This allowed us to address gaps in our resources by teaming up with stakeholders to emphasize new areas of interest and provide further education and assistance to state ICJ Offices, courts, and others working directly with ICJ cases. In addition, several Commission leaders completed the Implementation Leadership Academy. These Commission leaders applied their newly acquired skills to their work within the Commission’s committees and regions to analyze future initiatives to assess feasibility and impact, determine what priorities need to be addressed first and what we can do better.

The Rules Committee worked diligently on a national rollout of the new rule amendments to ensure a smooth transition, as these amendments went into effect on April 1, 2024. The Information Technology Committee worked to improve data collection, efficiency, and accuracy within the UNITY data management system. The Compliance Committee continued their expansion of proactive monitoring by carving out new pathways for future compliance monitoring that will further assist state ICJ Offices and enable the Commission to identify statewide and nationwide trends.

In addition, the Training, Education, and Public Relations Committee continued to provide captivating learning experiences by expanding nationwide live and virtual trainings and resources to states ICJ Offices and juvenile justice personnel. The Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee continued their work in analyzing ICJ Rules and practices to ensure racial diversity, equitable outcomes and experiences for all juveniles served by the Compact and all parties in the Compact. These partnerships with community and justice stakeholders led to innovative and highly sought-after training opportunities. The Finance Committee’s fiscal oversight ensured adequate funding for these activities and the Commission’s future.

As this Commission and the juvenile justice system evolves, working together with our community partners, stakeholders, and courts becomes increasingly important. The Commission would not have achieved all that we have without the assistance, guidance, and support of the National Office staff. I am proud to be a part of this Commission and work among a group of amazing individuals who give their all to help improve the lives of juveniles, their families, and their communities.

Nina Belli, Commission Chairperson