Expansion and Enhancement of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Juvenile Justice Initiative

The National Mentoring Program was established to support national initiatives that support the enhancement or expansion of initiatives that will assist in the development and maturity of community programs providing mentoring services to high-risk populations that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, special physical or mental challenges of the targeted population, or other analogous situations identified by the community in need of mentoring services. This program is authorized by the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, Pub. L. 112-110.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Juvenile Justice Initiative will expand to 40 new communities and serve 6,000 newly identified at-risk and high-risk youth (ages 6 to 17) to provide a comprehensive mentoring services. Statistics clearly indicate the presence of risk factors in those currently served by Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) affiliates: 55% live in poverty, 22% have at least one incarcerated parent/guardian, and 75% live in single-parent households. Rigorous external evaluations have indicated that BBBS participants are 70% less likely to initiate drug use, 33% less likely to exhibit violence, and 50% less likely to skip school, compared to their peers. The proposed enhancement of the BBBSA Juvenile Justice Initiative will involve collecting and disseminating evidence-based referral and service delivery practices, working with sites already showing promise as models of prevention and intervention. By building on prior OJJDP and private investments and results achieved thus far, this project aims to further reduce juvenile delinquency, alcohol and drug use, truancy, and other problem behaviors nationally, as measured by the BBBS data collection system Agency Information Management, allowing BBBSA to serve as a leader in the juvenile justice field.
CA/NCF