OJJDP Title II Formula Grants funding goes directly to states and territories to help them implement comprehensive youth justice plans based on their jurisdiction’s unique needs. Funds may be used for a broad range of services, including job training, mental health and substance use treatment, community-based prevention and intervention programs, reentry and aftercare services, and school programs to prevent truancy. 

“The Formula Grants Program is one of OJJDP’s primary tools for helping states and territories provide community-based alternatives to incarceration, divert children from adult courts and facilities, and invest in community-based prevention and intervention programs,” said OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan. “Participating states also benefit from OJJDP training and technical assistance. The goal is to advance public safety and achieve positive outcomes for youth.” OJJDP awarded more than $47 million in fiscal year 2023 formula grants to 48 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories. The funding amount is based on a jurisdiction’s share of the national youth population.

Title II funding supports JusticeWorks Ohio’s delinquency prevention and intervention programs in Hamilton County, aimed at keeping young people out of the juvenile justice system or reducing the need for system involvement. The program serves young people ages 10 to 17 who were referred by the county’s Juvenile Court Assessment Center. The youth may face criminal charges or a status offense for the first time, or they may be at risk for engaging in delinquent behavior.  

JusticeWorks’ targeted programs include the Violation Initiative Program, an intensive, community-based program to reduce out-of-home placements for youth at high risk for court-committed placement. The program teaches youth and families to interact in positive ways so that families can provide youth appropriate direction and support. JusticeWorks also implements Aggression Replacement Training, an evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to reduce aggression and violence by offering youth opportunities to learn prosocial skills, control angry impulses, and appreciate others’ perspectives.

Rhode Island has allocated Title II funding to Rhode Island KIDS COUNT since 2010, supporting efforts to improve children’s lives and achieve equity in the juvenile justice system. In December 2021, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT held two focus groups* aimed at elevating the youth voice and centering youth in decisionmaking. The focus groups consisted of youth who had previous contact with the juvenile justice system. Their input prompted state efforts to strive to: 

• Support trauma-informed training for educators and staff at the state’s secure juvenile detention facility.
• Decrease the number of school-based referrals to law enforcement by developing a model memorandum of understanding between school districts and police departments. 
• Advocate for high-quality afterschool programs and more school-based mental health professionals.
• Advocate for increasing the use of restorative justice practices and strengthening protections for youth during custodial interrogations.

From 2022 to 2023, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT worked with a technical assistance team to identify decision points in the state’s juvenile justice process when youth of color are disproportionately impacted. The project led stakeholders to seek school district-level data on school-based arrests, the number of school resource officers, and the number of youth referrals to law enforcement.

*Rhode Island KIDS COUNT implemented the project in conjunction with the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.

Resources:

OJJDP’s Title II Formula Grants Program In Focus fact sheet contains additional details about the Formula Grants Program.