2013 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 goal of the Virgin Islands programs is to provide safe and effective intervention programs to the youth, especially status offenders, in the territory. These programs will provide our youth the tools needed to lead a crime free lifestyle, to raise expectations of behavior with the use of pro-social skills, work ethic, cooperation in working as a team and an awareness of their responsibilities to the community.
The Law Enforcement Planning Commission, (LEPC) will sub-grant funds for establishing and maintaining restorative justice programs in the territory. LEPC will measure the outcomes by the number and percent of youth completing program requirements, number and percent of target youth to receive restorative justice programming, number and percent of offenders to receive skills building training and number and percent of youth to successfully complete their restorative justice requirements. The population will be male and female at-risk youth referred by the Department of Human Services, incarcerated youths at the Youth Rehabilitation Center on St. Croix as well as suspended and expelled youth from the Department of Education. The program purpose will be 1) To assist offenders to understand their responsibilities; 2) To restore the community to the degree possible; and 3) To teach youth skills to assist them after they are released such as vocational skills, time management, and personal responsibility.

The JABG Advisory Board will continue to review and approve the juvenile justice JABG application. There are no funds allocated for SAG functions. Based on total funding available, the JABG Advisory Board will fund at least one project annually based on purpose areas of the grant.
NCA/NCF