Laurnes County Sheriff's Juvenile Safety Awareness

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The Laurens County Sherriff's Department will implement a classroom-based program that will educate juveniles about the dangers of using alcohol and drugs. This program is in response to an increasing problem associated with juveniles, ages 13 to 17, abusing illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and alcohol in Laurens County. The program includes officer instruction and interaction with classrooms in Laurens County and occurs in two parts. Part one will include a discussion about the dangers of impairment to both the passengers and drivers. Part two will allow the participants to experience the simulated effect of impairment from alcohol or other drugs on a motorist's driving skills. Students will demonstrate the knowledge they have gained at the conclusion of the course.

A simultaneous age-appropriate safety project will target the younger youth and focus more on personal safety. Officers will provide these classrooms with lesson plans and materials on topics such as personal safety, drug safety, trust, and available community resources where youth can find help.

The short term objectives include: (1) Increasing the awareness of teenagers on the dangers of using alcohol and drugs; (2) Increasing the understanding of teenage drivers of the risks and consequences associated with impaired driving. The long term objective of the project is to prevent and reduce teenage deaths that result from drug and alcohol use. NCA/NCF