FFY 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 overall goal of the New York Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG) is to support an effective juvenile justice system in New York State by: promoting early diversion of appropriate youth from deep end system involvement; furthering successful juvenile reentry; disseminating best practices in juvenile justice; supporting data driven policy development and program analysis; and reducing disproportionate minority contact (DMC).

Consistent with this goal, the JJAG has designated the following JABG priorities to promote offender and system accountability: Purpose area 9 - establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety; 10 - interagency information-sharing; 11 - accountability programming and 12 - risk and needs assessments. Local offender accountability activities will include individualized consequences through which a youth is made aware of, and held responsible for the loss, damage, or injury perpetrated on a victim, as well as programs to develop youth strengths and competencies. State share programs will strengthen the juvenile justice system by creating a data system to efficiently track system processing and guide policy. Mandatory federal performance measures will be collected to measure outputs/outcomes. Local pass-through will be at least 75%; no waiver is requested. NCA/NCF