State of Alabama's FY2013 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program

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 Alabama bears the primary financial burden for the administration of juvenile justice within the State. Eighty-five percent of all expenses associated with the JABG program purpose areas are directly incurred by the State. Alabamas Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the states JABG funds. Alabama will focus on the following purpose areas: 1: Graduated Sanctions; 9: Juvenile Records; 10 - Information Sharing Programs ; 11 - Accountability-based Programs designed to Reduce Recidivism; 15 - Juvenile courts and juvenile probation officer Programs for holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing recidivism. Activities focused on achieving JABG goals and objectives include continuing the State court systems improvement of the technology system and refinement of the recordkeeping and data collection processes used by juvenile courts, providing accountability-based treatment programs for youth held in secure confinement, and providing graduated sanctions for court-involved youth at the local level. NCA/NCF