Mississippi's Juvenile Accountability Block Grant

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 et. seq.). 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 State of Mississippi passes through the required 75% of the federal award to Units of Local Government. Pass-Through funds are used to provide direct and indirect services to youth who have been before the juvenile court. Primarily, Mississippi is focused on (3) areas of juvenile justice reform which includes: Establishing and Maintaining Restorative Justice Programs, Detention/Corrections/Juvenile Justice Practitioners (Staff) Training and Education, and Accountability-based Programs such as Literacy Programs, Mentoring Programs and Reporting Centers. Mississippi works closely with the Administrative Office of the Courts, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Mental Health and other state agencies. This collaboration along with other innovative methods enables Mississippi to retain Compliance of the (4) Core Requirements set forth in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Grantee will measure the progress of the JABG Sub-grant programs through the use of the Data Collection and Technical Assistance Tool (DCTAT), quarterly progress reports, and annual monitoring. NCA/NCF