FY21 Title II

PROJECT ABSTRACT

Idaho’s FY2021 Title II Formula Grants Program

            Idaho’s FY2021 Title II Plan is part of comprehensive efforts in the state to strengthen Idaho youth and families, and develop productive citizens. 

            Robust research has been conducted regarding adolescent brain science and improved practices for working with low-risk and status offending youth. This research demonstrates formal juvenile justice system interventions have the potential to cause significant adverse effects. Instead, the focus should be on early intervention and community-based resources. Minimizing formal juvenile justice involvement for moderate-to-low-risk youth not only proves more effective and less-costly, it also allows more intensive resources to be devoted to high-risk youth involved in more serious offenses.

            Idaho’s juvenile justice system has made substantial improvements in the past years. The Idaho Juvenile Justice Commission seeks to continue the momentum by focusing on three main priority areas:

Reduce violations of the Deinstitutionalization of Status Offenders (DSO) core requirement to achieve and maintain compliance

 Due to Idaho’s non-compliance with DSO, Idaho’s primary focus is on achieving and maintaining full compliance with DSO. There have been significant accomplishments with regard to state rule and statute, along with stakeholder training and resource development; it is the belief that Idaho will regain full compliance in the next fiscal year.  Goals and activities moving forward will focus on continued stakeholder training and development of alternatives to detention.

Prevention & diversion efforts statewide

The intent is to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system, when appropriate, and to prevent further escalation for youth in the system. Primary goals and activities will focus on enhancing awareness and understanding of prevention programs and building more effective cross-system collaboration to expand diversion programs. 

Family and youth engagement

Engaging and collaborating with both youth and families will enhance positive youth outcomes. Primary goals and activities include training stakeholders on effective engagement with youth and families, support parent’s capacity to effectively fulfill their parent role, and growing youth leadership opportunities for youth by creating space and providing resources.

            Grant funds will be used to support priorities identified by District and Tribal Juvenile Justice Councils, the Youth Committee, and the Idaho Juvenile Justice Commission, which serves as the State Advisory Group.  Idaho’s plan is the culmination of local planning workgroups throughout the state using a data driven, strengths-based approach.  Success is measured according to the specific goals and objectives within the various priority areas.