Rhode Island Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Title II Formula Grant

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.

Rhode Island’s primary focus for the Title II Formula Grants Program 2015-2017 Three Year Plan will continue to be the improvement of the Rhode Island juvenile justice system’s ability to respond to juvenile offending behaviors quickly and effectively. Rhode Island plans to maintain compliance with the core protections afforded youth under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. This plan attempts to move towards a developmental approach to juvenile justice in developing alternatives to justice system involvement and incarceration through the use of specialty court programs and juvenile hearing boards. These various efforts attempt to narrow the entry to the juvenile justice system. The Rhode Island Family Court is an essential element in Rhode Island’s plan with the Specialty Courts including the Juvenile Drug Court, Family Treatment Drug Court, Truancy Court, and Mental Health Clinic providing targeted services. Also, as in previous years, compliance with the Core Requirements continues to be a primary focus. Additionally, Rhode Island’s JDAI/Annie E. Casey Foundation project has been partnering with the DMC initiative to reduce racial and ethnic disparities and create cultural competency in the juvenile justice system.
NCA/NCF