NCCD's History
Birth of Juvenile Courts
NCCD was established in 1907. Its earliest work involved expanding the juvenile court movement as a means of keeping children out of the criminal justice system. NCCD also developed model laws and standards to strengthen the newly developing professions of probation and parole. The Council assisted many states in organizing their first juvenile court systems and in developing programs to rehabilitate offenders without resorting to incarceration.
Involving Citizens
In 1954, NCCD launched a major research and consultation program to involve citizens in criminal justice reform efforts. With Ford Foundation sponsorship, NCCD organized citizen action committees in 21 states. This citizen involvement helped focus the nation's attention on the need to improve probation, parole, and juvenile court services. Today, many of the NCCD-initiated citizen groups continue to serve their communities as respected, independent, and self-supporting reform groups.
Collaborating with Judges
During the 1960s, NCCD received financial support from the Mary Babcock Reynolds Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the National Institute of Mental Health. These grants allowed NCCD to assemble an influential Council of Judges and to expand its research and training. An NCCD public education and membership campaign, underwritten by the Ford Foundation, resulted in thousands of individuals contributing to NCCD.
In 1967 the Presidential Crime Commission recognized the growing need for expanded citizen involvement. With the support of President Lyndon B. Johnson, NCCD established the National Emergency Committee (NEC) of business and corporate leaders. The NEC sponsored numerous conferences in major cities to emphasize the stake business leaders have in the improvement of the criminal justice system and the reduction of crime.
For many years, NCCD was a primary consultant to the Department of Justice in the areas of violence prevention and juvenile justice reform.
Creating the CRC
In 1993, NCCD created the Children's Research Center (CRC). CRC works with state and local agencies to implement structured decision making systems for child protection. The intent of these systems is twofold: to provide workers with simple, objective, and reliable tools and protocols for making decisions in individual cases and to provide managers with case information for improved planning and resource allocation.
A Need for Solutions
America faces a huge challenge in addressing crime and justice. Prison populations have grown steadily since 1970, despite declining crime rates. Our nation imprisons its citizens at a rate far above that of any other industrialized nation. Furthermore, the proportion of women in the incarcerated population continues to rise, as does disproportionate minority incarceration. And the vast majority of prisoners return to the streets of their communities ill prepared to change their lives. Whole sectors of our society have lost all faith that justice, for them, is served by our systems of corrections, courts, and laws. Punishment alone will never be a solution to America's crime problem.
The underlying social issues that contribute to crime—poverty, breakdown of the family unit, excessive school drop-out rates, lack of meaningful job opportunities—must be addressed. We can begin to reduce all kinds of crime by ensuring that all of our children enjoy at least a minimum standard of health and security. From there, we should provide every citizen a full opportunity to lead a productive life. And, for those who do commit crimes, we must have a responsive and cost-effective corrections system that will reduce the likelihood of recidivism and increase public safety.
Creating the Center for Girls and Young Women
With seed funding from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, NCCD has created a division dedicated to promoting effective policy and practice for girls and young women in the justice system. The Center will offer training and assistance in best practices for working with girls through conferences, consultation, virtual learning, and a variety of resources. Recognizing the potential of girls and their unique needs is a fundamental motivation behind establishing this branch of our organization.
Moving Ahead
NCCD has enjoyed an international reputation for its research, training, and professional programs. The Council developed and promoted model legislation for juvenile and family courts, criminal sentencing, and probation and parole. These models have either informed or been included in legislation in virtually every state.
NCCD works with state governors, legislators, and the Department of Justice to demonstrate, test, and evaluate innovative alternatives to current ineffective and costly methods of combating crime. The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and the Cowles Charitable Trust, among others, loyally support NCCD's publications and advocacy.
Throughout its history, NCCD has been a voice for prevention and community-based efforts to reduce the social cost of crime. NCCD has pursued its goals by working with elected officials and professionals. First and foremost, NCCD maintains a strong and independent private sector voice on criminal justice policies.