FY 2011 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. 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.

The Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF) is Georgia's Designated State Agency that administers JABG funds. The State of Georgia is responsible for approximately 89% of all funding for the juvenile justice system. Units of local governments provide the remaining 11%. Based on this data, OJJDP approved GOCF's request for a waiver of the program's pass-through requirement allowing the State to retain 80% of all JABG funds. GOCF 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. The State will support the efforts of communities to provide local services (i.e. restitution, community service, supervision) to hold juveniles more accountable for their actions. JABG funded activities will fall within the following program areas: Purpose Area 3 - Court Staffing/Pretrial Services; Purpose Area 11 - Accountability Based Programming; and Purpose Area 15 - Juvenile Courts/Probation.

NCA/NCF