Overview

After a decade of steady increases in juvenile crime and violence, the trend is being reversed. The United States has experienced a downturn in juvenile violent crime arrests for two straight years (three years for murder arrests). Figures released in 1997 show that juvenile arrests for murder declined 14 percent two years in a row--and 3 percent the year before that. From 1995 to 1996, juvenile arrests for robbery declined 8 percent; for the previous year, they decreased 1 percent. The overall Violent Crime Index arrests of juveniles declined 6 percent in 1996, following a 3 percent drop in 1995.

The decreases in juvenile Violent Crime Index arrests must be kept in perspective, however. Even with the two-year decline, the 1996 number was 60 percent above the 1987 level. In comparison, adult Violent Crime Index offense arrests rose 24 percent over the same period.

In the area of drug use violations, juveniles were involved in 14 percent of all drug arrests in 1996 (compared with 13 percent in 1995). However, arrests of juveniles for drug abuse violations increased 6 percent from 1995 to 1996, a smaller increase than the previous year's 18 percent. In addition, between 1992 and 1996, juvenile arrests for drug abuse violations increased 120 percent, compared with a 138 percent increase between 1991 and 1995.

Thus, in the second half of the 1990s, juvenile violent crime and drug use are still significantly higher than in the late 1980s, but beginning to show signs of trending downward. The juvenile justice system needs to build on the positive momentum of these recent decreases by continuing to focus on programs and strategies that work. This requires a concerted effort on the part of federal, state, and local government, in partnership with private organizations and community agencies, to ensure that available resources are used in a way that maximizes their impact, decreases juvenile crime, violence, and victimization, and increases community safety.

Federal leadership in responding to the problems confronting the nation's juvenile justice system is vested in OJJDP. Established in 1974 by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act, OJJDP is the federal agency responsible for providing a comprehensive, coordinated approach to preventing and controlling juvenile crime and improving the juvenile justice system. OJJDP administers State Formula Grants, State Challenge Grants, and the Title V Community Prevention Grants programs in states and territories; funds gang and mentoring programs under Parts D and G of the JJDP Act; funds numerous projects through its Special Emphasis Discretionary Grant Program and its National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and coordinates federal activities related to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention.

OJJDP also serves as the staff agency for the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, coordinates the Concentration of Federal Efforts Program, and administers both the Title IV Missing and Exploited Children's Program and programs under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended [42 U.S.C. § 13001 et seq].

In the FY 1998 Department of Justice Appropriations Act, Congress provided funding for two new OJJDP programs. These are not funded under Parts C and D of Title II of the JJDP Act, which are the focus of this Proposed Program Plan. However, mention of these new programs here, along with an additional program that OJJDP will administer, may help to alert those who work in the juvenile justice field to the existence of these new programs.

Recognizing that, "while crime is on the decline in certain parts of America, a dangerous precursor to crime, teenage drug use, is on the rise and may soon reach a 20-year high," Congress provided $5 million in funds for the development, demonstration, and testing of programs designed "to reduce drug use among juveniles" and "to increase the perception among children and youth that drug use is risky, harmful, and unattractive." Funding for the drug prevention program is discretionary, and the Appropriations Act directs OJJDP to submit a plan for the drug prevention program to Congress by February 1, 1998.

Another $25 million dollars in funds were provided for an underage drinking program. Much of the funding for the underage drinking program will be made available to the states and the District of Columbia through formula grants of $360,000 each (total $18.36 million), with $5 million in discretionary funding, and $1.64 million for training and technical assistance to support the program.

OJJDP will also administer the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants program authorized in the FY 1998 Appropriations Act. Of the $250 million available under this new block grant program, 3 percent is available for research, evaluation, and demonstration activities related to the program, and 2 percent is available for related training and technical assistance activities. Further information on these programs will be provided to the field in the near future.

Cognizant of the trends in juvenile crime and violence and of its responsibilities and mission, OJJDP has developed a Proposed Program Plan for FY 1998 for activities authorized under Parts C and D of Title II of the JJDP Act, as described below.

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