Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG)

The goal of the JABG program is to reduce juvenile offending through accountability-based programs focused on juvenile offenders and the juvenile justice system. The basic premise underlying the JABG program is that both offender-focused and system-focused activities promote accountability. For the Juvenile Offender, accountability means an assurance of facing individualized consequences through which he or she is made aware of, and held responsible for the loss, damage, or injury perpetrated on a victim. For the Juvenile justice system, strengthening the systems requires an increased capacity to develop youth competence, to efficiently track juveniles through the system and to provide enhanced options such as restitution, community service, victim-offender mediation, and other restorative justice sanctions that reinforce the mutual obligations of an accountability-based juvenile justice system.

The Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) Program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee). The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has been delegated the authority to administer the JABG Program at the Federal Level. Michigan's Governor designated the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Bureau of Juvenile Justice (BJJ) to provide program oversight and act as the fiduciary for the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant funds.

Local Grant Eligibility is determined by using the federal formula of ¾ based on proportion of criminal justice expenses from the census bureau and ¼ based on localities proportion of Part I violent offenses. MDHHS, BJJ disperses these block grants to eligible local units of government for the development and implementation of programs that comply with program guidelines and fit within at least one of the seventeen purpose areas listed below

The state and each unit of local government applying to receive JABG funds must establish a Coordinated Enforcement Plan for reducing juvenile offending. The state coordinated enforcement plan is prepared by the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Advisory Board. The Chairperson of the JABG Advisory Board is Judge Patricia Gardner, Kent County Probate Court. The Local Coordinated Enforcement Plans are developed by a local Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition. The local Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition must include representation from law enforcement, schools, juvenile court, probation services, businesses, and non-profit social service organizations.

Juvenile Accountability Block Grants Purpose Areas

1. Developing, implementing, and administering graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders.
2. Building, expanding, renovating or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction, detention, or community corrections facilities.
3. Hiring juvenile court judges, probation officers, and court appointed defenders and special advocates, and funding pretrial services (including mental health screening and assessment) for juvenile offenders, to promote the effective and expeditious administration of the juvenile justice system.
4. Hiring additional prosecutors, so that more cases involving violent juvenile offenders can be prosecuted and case backlog reduced.
5. Providing funding to enable prosecutors to address drug, gang and youth violence problems more effectively and for technology, equipment, and training to assist prosecutors in identifying and expediting the prosecution of violent juvenile offenders.
6. Establishing and maintaining training programs for law enforcement and other court personnel with respect to preventing and controlling juvenile crime.
7. Establishing juvenile gun courts for the prosecution and adjudication of juvenile firearms offenders.
8. Establishing drug courts for juvenile offenders that provide continuing judicial supervision over juvenile offenders with substance abuse problems and integrate administration of other sanctions and services for such offenders.
9. Establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety.
10. Establishing and maintaining interagency information-sharing programs that enable the juvenile and criminal justice systems, schools, and social service agencies to make more informed decisions regarding the early identification, control, supervision, and treatment of juveniles who repeatedly commit serious delinquent or criminal acts.
11. Establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs designed to reduce recidivism among juveniles who are referred by law enforcement personnel or agencies.
12. Establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and needs assessments of juvenile offenders that facilitate the effective early intervention and the provision of comprehensive services, including mental health screening and treatment and substance abuse testing and treatment to such offenders.
13. Establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs that are designed to enhance school safety. These programs may include researched-based bullying, cyber-bullying, and gang prevention programs.
14. Establishing and maintaining restorative justice programs
15. Establishing and maintaining programs to enable juvenile courts and juvenile probation officers to be more effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing juvenile recidivism.
16. Hiring detention and corrections personnel, and establishing and maintaining training programs for such personnel to improve facility practices and programming.
17. Establishing, improving, and coordinating pre-release and post-release systems and programs to facilitate the successful re-entry of juvenile offenders from state and local custody in the community.

The Northern Michigan JABG grants are one year grants that run from February 1st to March 31^st. The Regular JABG grants are also one year grants that begin on April 1st and run through March 31^st.

Previous JABG grants have focused on system improvements through use of technology which presents major opportunities for making juveniles and the juvenile justice system more accountable. The Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, prosecuting attorney's offices, the State Court Administrative office, circuit courts, and county and state juvenile detention facilities were given options for technology enhancements such as new software, computers, printers, and internet interfaces. System software enhancements include Live Scan for juvenile fingerprints and photos. Juvenile justice system agencies were encouraged to participate in the Juvenile Justice On Line Technology (JJOLT) system that offers web-based transfer of youth data, subject to tight access, privacy and security controls that enhance and simplify record keeping and information sharing.

Video conferencing technology was provided to state juvenile treatment institutions to allow access to mental health counseling through video technology.

Customers

Customers of the JABG grant are the local units of government that are eligible for funding and the juveniles being served by the JABG programs that are operational around the state.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements for local units of government funding are based on a federal formula as follows: ¾ based on proportion of criminal justice expenses from the census bureau and ¼ based on localities proportion of Part I violent offenses.

Services Provided

JABG programs range anywhere from court and police diversion programs to aftercare/reintegration programs for youth coming out of placement.

Important Program Information

JABG program funds cannot be used to supplant state or local funds. Regular JABG grants require a ten percent local cash match. However, when funds are used to construct a permanent juvenile facility, the cash match must be at least fifty percent of total program costs.

All local communities participating are required to provide a substance abuse testing policy.

Referrals

The local program determines how the youths are referred to services funded by the JABG grant. Juveniles eligible to receive services through the JABG grant are those that have come in contact with the juvenile justice system.

For general information on the JABG grant click on the link below:

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Legal Base

The Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) Program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796ee).

For additional information about the JABG program, contact: