FY 2010 Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Program

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 offenses, 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.

Department of Youth Services will continue to pass-through seventy five percent (75%) of the total JABG grant funds to local units of government to perform activities to reduce juvenile offending and strengthen the juvenile justice system. Funding for State programs will be used to fund the following purpose areas: (2) building, expanding, renovating or operating juvenile detention or correctional facilities; (11) establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs designed to reduce recidivism; (16) hiring detention and corrections personnel, and maintaining training programs for such personnel, to improve facility practices and programming; and, (17) establishing, improving, and coordinating pre-release and post-release systems and programs to facility the successful re-entry of juvenile offenders from state and local custody to the community.

(NCA/NCF)