Michigan State University scholar Francisco Villarruel was selected by President Obama to serve on the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The 18-member council develops juvenile delinquency prevention programs and programs for missing and exploited children.
Half of the council’s members represent federal agencies including the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, while practitioner members such as Villarruel are appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate majority leader or the president, based on their knowledge of juvenile justice. Read more about the council here.
At MSU, Villarruel is a professor and associate chairperson for education in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and a senior fellow for University Outreach and Engagement. Since 1988 he has held potions at the university relating to diversity and inclusion as well as serving on several boards that advocate for youth justice.