Based on research showing that properly structured restitution programs can help reduce recidivism, OJJDP has supported the development and improvement of juvenile restitution programs since 1977. The Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) project sprang from OJJDP's Restitution, Education, Specialized Training, and Technical Assistance (RESTTA) project. The three priorities of BARJ—public safety, accountability, and competency development—recognize restoration of both victims and offenders as critical goals of community justice. In FY 1992, OJJDP awarded Florida Atlantic University of Fort Lauderdale a grant to enhance the development of restitution programs as part of systemwide juvenile justice improvement using balanced approach concepts and restorative justice principles. In subsequent years, the project developed a BARJ program model. The model was initially described in a 1994 OJJDP Program Summary, Balanced and Restorative Justice, which became a reference source for BARJ training. During 1998, OJJDP published the Guide for Implementing the Balanced and Restorative Justice Model.
Project staff also drafted new training materials, including a BARJ Training Curriculum and a Training of Trainers Curriculum, both prepared in cooperation with the National Institute of Corrections. The Training of Trainers Curriculum, which was prepared under a separate Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) program grant to Florida Atlantic University, represents the first step in OJJDP's commitment to develop a cadre of trainers proficient in training juvenile justice managers and line staff across the Nation in accountability-based correctional interventions consistent with the BARJ model.
During 1998, the BARJ project also intensified training and technical assistance for State officials and targeted key professional groups, such as judges and prosecutors, for BARJ-focused orientation and training. The project also provided training at numerous national and regional conferences and workshops and specialized roundtables. One roundtable brought together staff from the three original BARJ "intensive" sites—Allegheny County, PA; Dakota County, MN; and West Palm Beach County, FL—which have been implementing different degrees of systemic change in accordance with the BARJ model. Staff from other States and local jurisdictions pursuing BARJ activities also participated in the roundtable.
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| OJJDP Annual Report 1998 | October 1999 | |