The Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators (CJCA) is a national non-profit organization, formed in 1994 to improve local juvenile correctional services, programs and practices so the youths within the systems succeed when they return to the community and to provide national leadership and leadership development for the individuals responsible for the systems. CJCA represents the youth correctional CEOs in 50 states, Puerto Rico and major metropolitan counties.

CJCA fulfills its mission through educational activities and programs as well as research and technical assistance projects. Education activities include up to three annual meetings free for all directors offering sessions on best practices and evidence-based approaches. The meetings convene leaders from each state and several large counties to share information, identify issues and strategies to address them and form a national voice for youth corrections. Education activities also include presentations at conferences hosted by other national organizations and disseminating written materials to the public and policy-makers about the issues in youth corrections, describing the youths and their needs and the system’s successes and shortcomings.

CJCA also provides information through the annual publication of the CJCA Yearbook (Juvenile Corrections: A National Perspective) and quarterly Newsletters.

CJCA membership is open to individuals appointed to serve on a full-time basis as the person directly responsible for the administration of juvenile corrections of state, or juvenile corrections system of a metro region area with a population of 500,000 or more. Membership is also open to the juvenile services administrator of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Additionally, individuals who have served in the capacity that would qualify for CJCA membership are eligible for associate membership.

The membership year is on a fiscal year beginning July 1 through June 30 of the following year. CJCA membership fees are on a sliding fee scale structure according to annual budgets:

• Less than $100,000,000 : $1,200
• $100,000,001 - $200,000,000 : $1,800
• More than $200,000,000 : $2,400
• The cost of an associate membership is $75 per year.