Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2025

The bill also makes changes to the State Formula Grant Program.

Specifically, the bill allows states to use formula grant funds for programs to address racial and ethnic disparities, to collect data on the socioeconomic status of youth in the juvenile justice system, to divert youth from the justice system, and to support initiatives to comply with the core requirements. (Current law requires states to comply with four core requirements to receive a full allocation of formula grant funds.)

Additionally, the bill limits an exception to the deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO) core requirement. The DSO core requirement prohibits the secure detention or confinement of a juvenile who commits a status offense (i.e., an offense that would not be a crime if committed by an adult) except in certain circumstances, including when a juvenile violates a court order. The bill prohibits the use of this exception beginning in FY2029 unless doing so aligns with the Interstate Compact on Juveniles, among other requirements.