Mission of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
To increase public safety by reducing juvenile delinquency through effective prevention, intervention and treatment services that strengthen families and turn around the lives of troubled youth.
VISION
The children and families of Florida will live in safe, nurturing communities that provide for their needs, recognize their strengths and support their success.
CORE VALUES
 | Prevention and education are paramount |
| Strengthen partnerships with judicial, legislative and community stakeholders |
| Promote public safety through effective intervention |
| Provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children |
| Preserve and restore physical and mental health |
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
| We will commit to a balanced approach that increases public safety, ensures departmental accountability and provides opportunities for children to develop into responsible adults. |
| We will create a system of programs and services that work cooperatively to prevent children from entering the Juvenile Justice system. |
| Our goal is to ensure that when youth leave our system, they do not return or later enter the adult corrections system. |
| We will be committed to providing contemporary, "evidence-based" services with measurable outcomes that demonstrate repeated effectiveness in reducing juvenile crime. We will ensure that these programs meet professional standards, consider each child's risk of offending, are tailored to address individual needs of the child, and are consistently and systematically implemented throughout the Department to avoid fragmentation of services. |
| We will provide the right services at the right time and in the least restrictive environment. |
| We will be child-centered and family-focused. |
| We will establish and maintain safe programs for youth that will better prepare them for adulthood. Our youth will be less likely to commit crime as a result of our intervention, providing the very best opportunity to strengthen public confidence and enhance public safety now and in the future. |
| We will actively seek to develop and maintain collaborative partnerships, shared responsibility and public support, all of which are essential to our success. |
| We will establish an inclusive system that reflects appropriate representation and equitable treatment for all. We will ensure that this system promotes respect for cultural and gender competencies, and is responsive to the individual strengths, needs and backgrounds of our youth and stakeholders. |
| We recognize that continual process improvements and staff development are crucial to maintaining a balanced approach to increase public safety. |
| Our conduct will be professional and always place the public's interest above self-interest. We will avoid any appearance of impropriety, prejudice, threats, favoritism, or undue influences. |