FY2010 Title II

The Formula Grants Program is authorized under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 2002. The purpose of this program is to support State and local delinquency prevention and intervention efforts and juvenile justice system improvements. Program areas may include: Planning and administration; State Advisory Group allocation; compliance monitoring; juvenile justice issues for American Indian tribes; prevention of substance abuse by juveniles; prevention of serious and violent crimes by juveniles; prevention of juvenile gang involvement and illegal youth gang activities; prevention of delinquent acts and identification of youth at risk of delinquency; and improvement of juvenile justice system operations, policies, and procedures including establishing a system of graduated sanctions, treatment programs, and aftercare.

The State of New Jersey has identified Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC), Gender Specific Services (GSS) and School Programs as their priority areas. The goals are: to ensure equitable treatment of youth involved in NJ's juvenile justice system; ensure that females who are at risk of system involvement and system involved are provided adequate services; and to increase positive outcomes for youth who have exhibited truancy or excessive unexcused absence by increasing school attendance, attachment and engagement in the education process. Funds will be used: to conduct the statewide assessment on DMC; to fund truancy reduction programs in NJ's communities; and to fund, within the Designated State Agency, a part-time GSS Coordinator who provides training and technical assistance to service providers and coordinates the annual Celebration of Womanhood Conference for girls. Success will be measured by: 1) the completion of a final report with recommendations by the DMC research team which will direct future funding to further address DMC; 2) the number of trainings and technical assistance sessions provided by the GSS Coordinator; 3) and the rate at which programs reduce truant behavior in the youth served.

NCA/NCF