Week 1 J. Robert Flores Earlier this year, J. Robert Flores was sworn in as the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and thus is at the forefront of our efforts to combat juvenile crime and help at-risk youth. This appointment is a fitting capstone to Mr. Flores' distinguished career. He has worked tirelessly for years to protect and ensure the rights of children--victims and offenders. His exemplary work clearly demonstrates his belief that young people need our help to live productive lives, safe from abuse and exploitation. Growing up in a family where education and scholastic achievement were highly valued, Bob Flores' interest in law was sparked by his parents' admiration for the work done by the lawyers they knew. From reading about the critical roles that great lawyers played in the life of our nation, he was convinced that by working as a lawyer, he could make life better for people and, in his words, he has "not been disappointed." His personal experience with positive role models, adults who encouraged him along the way, helped him realize the rewards that come from making a difference in the life of a child. As a lawyer, prosecutor, youth worker and advocate, Bob Flores has made a difference in the lives of many children. He began his career working for children's rights and safety as Assistant District Attorney in New York City. There he prosecuted numerous child sexual abuse cases, including several that were highly publicized, one of which involved a child prostitution network. During his tenure as Senior Trial Attorney and Acting Deputy Chief in the Department of Justice Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section, Flores supervised several national investigations concerning internet-based child pornography, including the U.S. Custom Service's "Operation Long Arm" and the FBI's "Innocent Images." At the Crimes Against Children Conference in August 2002, he noted that he is most proud of his work on behalf of sexually abused and exploited children. Recognizing that there is still much to be done to ensure that no child is left unprotected, he asked conference participants to work together "to insure that all children have the opportunity to grow safely into responsible adulthood." After his service as a prosecutor in New York, he became Vice President and Senior Counsel for the National Law Center for Children and Families. Firmly believing that positive adult involvement in children's lives is among the best prevention for juvenile delinquency, and in appropriate situations can be used to give a child a second chance, Flores is a strong advocate for Youth Court, because it accomplishes both outcomes. In remarks at the United Nations Special Session on Children in May 2002, he spoke enthusiastically of the outstanding benefits of youth courts to the young people involved--both the well-trained peer volunteers who handle the cases and the young offenders. Because he believes that juveniles should be held accountable for their actions when they violate the law, he promotes a well-structured system of sanctions which address the rights of victims, the safety of the community, and the needs, rights, and dignity of each youthful offender. On the issue of gang prevention, he clearly recognizes the difficulties that dedicated persons who work with high-risk youth face, and exhorts those professionals to communicate with one another to share their stories of positive outcomes and success in order to combat feelings of isolation and to promote collaboration. Mr. Flores lectures frequently on child abuse and exploitation, criminal procedure, criminal and constitutional law, investigative procedures, and computer crime. He urges audiences of juvenile justice professionals to courageously seek partnerships with large corporations, colleges and universities, faith-based organizations and grass-roots groups, in addition to the obvious partners such as police and probation programs, social services, and community-based organizations. In his recent address at a conference of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, he expressed his pledge to promote mentoring programs that effectively lower rates of juvenile delinquency and detention. He is also committed to exploring alternatives to confinement in his quest to address the problem of Disproportionate Minority Confinement. Mr. Flores earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Boston University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Boston University. He and his wife have three children. Bob Flores encourages law students, particularly those of Hispanic descent, to consider working in public service where they can impact on Hispanic youth in the system, giving them an opportunity to see legal professionals who share their heritage, which in turn provides hope and an understanding that justice and fairness can be a reality for them as well. Tenacious in developing solutions to what appear to be insurmountable obstacles when working with high-risk youth, Bob Flores is a remarkable attorney and an outstanding leader of the agency that Congress has mandated to address the public safety issues of juvenile crime and youth victimization. The American Bar Association is honored to profile him in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month 2002. Photo Usage: Permission to use the above photo was granted by J. Robert Flores. Hispanic Heritage Month 2002 | Links