Expansion of Family Group Conferences

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers 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 Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The Dauphin County proposes to contract with It Takes A Village, Inc., to continue and expand the work being performed through the Family Group Conference. One hundred and fifty-six family conferences will be held thereby impacting approximately 1,800 participants. The project will establish a process for families to join with relatives, friends and the community to develop a plan for ensuring that they are cared for, and protected from, future harm in ways which fit their culture and situation; extend the responsibility for child safety and well-being to families, communities and natural support systems; protect the community from juvenile
delinquent activity via Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) principals; protect the community from further criminal activity through the adult justice system via collective entering the categorical human services system via identification of high risk behavior through the school system setting; and proactively deter families and children from entering the categorical human services systems via self and community referrals. Progress will be measured through participant attendance and satisfaction, acceptance of the plan by the referral source and the successful achievement of outcome measures related to the identified purposes of each onference. NCA/NCF