Strenghtening of Juvenile Justice system

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.

In Rhode Island the 2013 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant funding will be utilized for 2 State level interrelated projects/programs. The RI Office of Public Defender/Juvenile Defender Unit(SPA 3) and the RI Department of Attorney General/Attorney General Juvenile Gang Suppression Unit (SPA 5) along with the allowed 5% administrative portion to be utilized by the State Administering Agency the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety/Grant Administration Office. As detailed in Rhode Island's 100% waiver request, there is no county form of government, but rather one state system. This application's goal is to continue to strengthen the state's juvenile justice system by providing additional support and resources that are offered to offenders with a focus on specific multi-agency activities that promote juvenile accountability. Reductions in recidivism rates over a 3 year period are expected. The projects will focus on JABG Purpose Area #5. The entire award will be utilized by the Office of the Attorney General to provide a portion of salary and benefits for the community prosecutor in the community juvenile gang unit. NCA/NCF