FY 2009 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program (JABG)

The Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program (JABG) Program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 376ee). The goal of the JABG program is to reduce juvenile offending through accountability-based programs focused on both the juvenile offender and the juvenile justice system. The objective is to ensure that States and Territories are addressing the specified program purpose areas and receiving information on best practices from OJJDP. JABG funds are allocated to States and Territories based on each State's relative population of youth under the age of 18. The underlying premise of juvenile accountability programming is that young people who violate the law should be held accountable for their actions through the swift, consistent application of graduated sanctions that are proportionate to the offense, both as a matter of basic justice and as a way to combat juvenile delinquency, and improve the quality of life in the nation's communities.

The State of Kentucky bears the primary financial burden for the administration of juvenile justice within the State. Ninety-seven percent of all expenses associated with the JABG program purpose areas are directly incurred by the State. Kentucky will focus on the following purpose areas: Purpose Area 2' Building, expanding, renovating, or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction, detention, or community corrections facilities; Purpose Area 9 ' Establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety, Purpose Area 16 ' Hiring detention and corrections personnel, and establishing and maintaining training programs for such personnel, to improve facility practices and programming; Purpose Area 17 ' Establishing, improving, and coordinating pre-release and post-release systems and programs to facilitate the successful re-entry of juvenile offenders from state and local custody in the community.
(NCA/NCF)