FY 2013 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program

The Juvenile Accountability Block Grant is broken down into two types of distribution for the JABG funds in Tennessee. They include local Pass-Through funds and State-Allocated funds. Grantees will focus on the following purpose areas: Hiring juvenile court judges, probation officers, and special advocates and funding pretrial services (including mental health screening and assessment), Prosecutors (staffing), maintaining accountability-based programs, Training for law enforcement and other court personnel.

Pass-Through funds are used to provide direct and indirect services to youth who have been before the juvenile court. Pass-Through funds provide a Juvenile Court Referee to help reduce the waiting time to review cases. One county uses the funds for drug testing, counseling, prosecution of violent offenders, conflict resolution, education and psychological testing for juveniles who have been before the Juvenile Court. Another county uses the funds for pre-hearing services, mental health screening/assessment and intensive case management.

State-Allocated funds are used to provide training for youth to change behaviors and become leaders in their communities once released. Funds are also used for training juvenile court personnel, for Drug Courts and intensive probation programs for juveniles. Case management services for juveniles in rural counties are also implemented to help to prevent custody.

All programs provide quarterly progress reports that tell the impact of what is being done for the Youth of Tennessee. NCA/NCF