FY 2013 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant 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 American Samoa's Criminal Justice Planning Agency will utilize 2013 JABG funds to support the Department of Public Safety's Juvenile Detention Facility. The 2013 JABG funds allotted for American Samoa will be directed at the daily operations of the Juvenile Detention Facility. The Juvenile Detention Facility, through the years, lacks local financial and logistical support from the local Department of Public Safety (DPS). The main focus of DPS is keeping the Patrol and Traffic Unit and the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) in top working order. The CIIB consists of the Juvenile Unit/Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Division/Vice and Narcotics Division/Identifications and AFIS Division/Adult Crime Division/White Collar Crime and Public Corruption Division. NCA/NCF