Indiana's FY 2013 application for Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) funding.

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 Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), Indiana's Designated State Agency (DSA) will utilize JABG funding to support programs at the state and local levels that focus on accountability and development of graduated sanctions projects; training and other programs that enable law enforcement officers; juvenile courts and juvenile probation officers to be more effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing recidivism and the development of information-sharing systems that will allow for access to treatment and information-sharing among service providers that are likely to serve the same youth and their families. As indicated in the Budget Detail and Narrative included with this application ICJI will pass through 75% of the award amount to local units of government for the purpose of developing a full range of graduated sanctions programs to support the needs of youth in our communities. Funds will also be made available to support training and technical assistance needs of local law enforcement and juvenile courts and probation staff to ensure youth are receiving treatment based on evidence-based practices. Finally, funds will be allocated to coordinate with the Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Judicial Center and Division of State Court Administration to begin the development of a statewide data collection system that will allow for more effective decision-making regarding the needs of Indiana's youth. These funds will support a Memorandum of Understanding between these agencies to support such a development, and will also support the convening of a group of state and local stakeholders that will assist in developing this data system. NCA/NCF