During FY 1998, OJJDP began administering the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) program, created by Congress in 1997 to encourage accountability-based reforms in States and local jurisdictions. Of the $250 million appropriated for JAIBG in FY 1998, more than $232 million was allocated for block grants to the States; these grants are discussed in chapter 5. The remaining funds were designated for research, demonstration, evaluation, and training and technical assistance activities. The JAIBG legislation required that OJJDP use part of these funds to support two specific activities: a national assessment of space needs in juvenile detention and corrections facilities and a study of the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the administrative provisions of the JAIBG program. As mentioned earlier (see chapter 1), OJJDP completed the assessment of space needs and submitted a report to Congress in July 1998.
OJJDP formed a working group with the Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop the national evaluation and specific programs to be targeted for research, evaluation, and demonstration support. OJJDP also sought input from State juvenile justice specialists and national juvenile justice and criminal justice organizations. OJJDP transferred funds to NIJ to oversee the evaluation and to develop a field-initiated research and evaluation program. NIJ awarded a grant to Abt Associates Inc. of Cambridge, MA, to conduct the evaluation and funded four field-initiated research projects and two researcher-practitioner research projects. OJJDP also funded one field-initiated research project with JAIBG funding.
JAIBG funds also are supporting two demonstration programs. OJJDP awarded $1.2 million to enhance two previously funded Community Assessment Centers (CAC's) and to expand evaluation of the programs. CAC's are described in chapter 3, Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System.
OJJDP also awarded $1.5 million in JAIBG funds to the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators in Boston, MA, to provide training and financial resources to support development and implementation of accountability activities in up to 30 juvenile correction and detention facilities participating in OJJDP's performance-based standards initiative. OJJDP also awarded JAIBG funds to Westat, Inc., of Rockville, MD, to conduct a survey of youth in custody. These programs are discussed in chapter 6.
To help States implement JAIBG's 12 purpose areas (described in chapter 5, JAIBG Program), OJJDP developed a guide to provide States with a conceptual framework to analyze their juvenile justice system needs and to determine the most effective use of JAIBG funds. (The resulting publication, Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants: Strategic Planning Guide, was released in January 1999.) OJJDP also awarded a grant to Development Services Group (DSG) of Bethesda, MD, and to 14 other technical assistance providers to form an alliance for the delivery of training and technical assistance to States and units of local government to help them implement accountability programs. DSG is coordinating the alliance.
To further assist States in planning and using JAIBG funds in the 12 purpose areas, OJJDP and BJS cooperatively developed a program to competitively award funds to State Statistical Analysis Centers (SAC's). The funds are used to develop and conduct specific, directed studies regarding the JAIBG requirements based on a State's needs within the JAIBG program. OJJDP transferred funds to BJS for this program.
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| OJJDP Annual Report 1998 | October 1999 | |