2011 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Application.

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. 3796ee). 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 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.

Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) uses both offender and system focused approaches to promote accountability. The DJJ will focus on purpose area 6 - training of court personnel with respect to preventing and controlling crime; purpose area 9 - establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety; purpose area 11 -establishing and maintaining accountability based programs designed to reduce recidivism among juveniles, reduce gang involvement, coordination among child welfare and juvenile justice programs, and reduce the number of juveniles who are referred by law enforcement agencies; purpose area 16 - establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and needs assessments that facilitate effective early intervention and the provision of comprehensive services, including mental health screening and treatment and substance abuse testing and treatment, to juvenile offenders; hiring detention and corrections personnel and establishing/maintaining training programs to improve facility practice and programming, planning and administration; and purpose area 17 - establishing, improving and maintaining pre-release, and post release systems and programs to facilitate successful reentry of juvenile offenders from State custody into local communities. The Florida DJJ has been granted a waiver of the 75% required pass-through distribution to units of local government as they bear the full financial burden for administration of the State's juvenile justice system.
NCA/NCF