The NLCRPD has added a new written directive to assure NLCRPD agency compliance with a recent change in the manner juvenile offenders who are being charged as adults are handled . A new series of federal law regulations are in effect requiring that Juveniles not be held in an adult facility unless and until a hearing is held that determines it is in the interest of justice for them to be held in an adult facility. This is pursuant to the amendments to the federal Juvenile Justice Reforms Act (JJRA) of 2018, 34 U.S.C. § 11101 et seq. This law became effective commencing December 21, 2021. This protocol governs the regarding the processing and housing of any juveniles charged with direct file crimes. The NLCRPD Written Directive is attached to this release and is also available at nlcrpd.org under the drop-down tab marked policy. (NLCRPD W.D. 4.7.3)