Fiscal Year 2013 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 Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC)) administers the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program at the state level for California. Seventy-five percent of the state's total allocation is passed through to thirty-four local units of government in the form of a direct allocation. The remaining 25 percent is retained by the state and used at the state's discretion with direction from the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (SACJJDP). Entities funded through the BSCC with JABG dollars are required to direct their JABG funds toward one or more of 18 federally determined Program Purpose Areas. Based on an assessment of the state's needs and gaps in service, California's SACJJDP has further refined criteria for the 18 Program Purpose Areas by aligning them with a priority focus on evidence-based practices, Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) and strategies to promote positive outcomes for youth. DMC activities will be supported by continuing to access training from the DMC resources available through the Title II Formula Grants Program. California's JABG Program is currently leading efforts in developing statewide evidence-based practices not only aimed at projects funded through the direct allocation, but also for activities funded through the remaining 25 percent of JABG funds retained by the state. All sub-grantees submit quarterly progress reports to the BSCC utilizing the federal performance grid to report data on the required performance measures for both short-term and intermediate outcomes. NCA/NCF