FY 2010 JABG Project-GA

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.

The State of Georgia is responsible for approximately 89% of all funding for the juvenile justice system; county governments provide the remaining 11%. Based on this data, OJJDP approved Georgia's request for a waiver of the program's pass-through requirement allowing the State to retain 80% of the funds. The State utilizes JABG funds to support the efforts of juvenile courts to be more effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable while also reducing recidivism. Specifically, the State has selected the following JABG program areas:

3) Court Staffing/Pretrial Services
11) Accountability Based Programming
15) Juvenile Courts/Probation

(NCA/NCF)