Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Cortland L. Johnson to the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC).

Johnson, of Minneapolis, is a student in the criminal justice program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. He was a crew leader for the past two years with Tree Trust in St. Paul, where he supervised crews of at-risk young adults in landscaping and property maintenance. Prior to becoming a crew leader, he was a crew member with Tree Trust. Johnson earned an OSHA Safety Certification from the Minnesota Safety Council and a First Aid and CPR Certification from the American Heart Association. Johnson replaces Emily Tischer on the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee as a youth member, and is appointed to complete a four-year term that expires on January 7, 2013.

The Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee awards grants and carries out the state plan of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The committee consists of 18 members appointed by the Governor.