Iowa's Title II, Formula Grant Application

The Formula Grants Program is authorized under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974, as amended. The purpose of this program is to support state and local delinquency prevention and intervention efforts and juvenile justice system improvements. Program areas may include: planning and administration; state advisory group allocation; compliance monitoring; disproportionate minority contact; juvenile justice issues for Native American Indian tribes; prevention of substance abuse by juveniles; prevention of serious and violent crimes by juveniles; prevention of juvenile gang involvement and illegal youth gang activities; prevention of delinquent acts and identification of youth at risk of delinquency; and improvement of juvenile justice system operations, policies, and procedures including establishing a system of graduated sanctions, treatment programs, and aftercare as found in section 223(a)(9) of the JJDP Act.

For FY 15 Title II, most of Iowa's formula grant funding will serve a population of delinquent youth. The Iowa Juvenile Justice Advisory Council has identified as priorities: evidence-based practices; gender equality; reduction of disproportionate minority contact; mental health, substance abuse and brain development of juvenile justice involved youth; compliance monitoring; and data analysis. All of these priorities will be supported with Title II funds. The evidence-based practices (EBP) priority is focused on identifying those programs that have been proven effective, increasing the saturation of these EBP programs throughout the state, and developing and implementing a dispositional matrix in the juvenile court system. The Iowa Task Force for Youth Women will use the formula funds for activities that include staff support, training system officials and working towards appropriate, in-state care for high risk, delinquent females. The DMC effort will further the strategic plan developed through the Community and Strategic Plan project. The priority addressing mental health and substance abuse issues of justice-involved youth will focus on collaborating with related and existing local and state projects. Formula grant funding will also support continuing various compliance monitoring efforts and data analysis support for all the identified priority areas and juvenile justice related legislation and grants.

NCA/NCF