Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (16.523)

Program

16.523 Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Justice
Office: Office Of Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention

Authorization

Public Law 107-273.

Program Number

16.523

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide States and units of local government with funds to develop programs to strengthen and promote greater accountability in the juvenile justice system. To survey the field and identify projects that would benefit from research, demonstration, and evaluation in the 17 purpose areas identified in the JABG Program. To provide training and technical assistance to States and units of local government so they may develop programs outlined in the 16 program areas to promote greater accountability in the juvenile justice system.

Types of Assistance

FORMULA GRANTS; PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

A total of $51,700,000 was appropriated in FY 2008 and used: Block in the following areas: (1) Developing, implementing, and administering graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders. (2) Building, expanding, renovating or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction, detention, or 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 backlogs 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 court programs for juvenile offenders that provide continuing judicial supervision over juvenile offenders with substance abuse problems and the integrated 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 services 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 amount juveniles who are referred by law referred by law enforcement personnel or agencies. (12) Establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and needs assessments of juvenile offenders that facilitate 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. (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 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 reentry of juvenile offenders from state and local custody in the community. Up to 10% of appropriated funds are available to support research, evaluation, and demonstration projects consistent with this program. Input will be solicited from the States to determine which of the 17 areas are most important and where the greatest needs are. This information will guide and provide insight for research, evaluation, and demonstration activities under this program. Training and technical assistance funds, 2% of appropriated funds, are available to support the 17 program areas targeted by the JABG Program.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Each State and territory (except Palau) is eligible to receive an allocation and award of funds for State and units of local government if the Governor certifies-, consistent with guidelines established by the Attorney General.

Beneficiary Eligibility

All States and territories are eligible to receive an allocation and award of funds for State and units of local government. Funds are available to public and private agencies, organizations, or individuals to apply for discretionary and training and technical assistance funds.

Credentials/Documentation

Each applicant must submit a completed application, including signed assurances that it will comply with statutory and administrative requirements. For Research and Evaluation grants, costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants must submit completed applications via the Office of Justice Programs, Grants Management System. The receipt, review and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. The State Relations and Assistance Division is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110 and the Common Rule.

Award Procedure

A letter with copies of the grant award is sent to the applicant agency upon approval by the Office of Justice Programs. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs. Local units of government will receive JABG funds through the applicant agency subgrant award process. Each State and territory that receives monies under the JABG program must establish an interest-bearing trust fund to deposit program funds. Each State and territory (recipient) or unit of local government (subrecipient) that receives program funds must establish a coordinated enforcement plan for reducing juvenile crime, developed by an Advisory Board.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Formula grant applications will generally be approved within 30 to 45 days of receipt of a complete application. Discretionary grant applications generally take 2 to 4 months.

Appeals

Hearing and appeal procedures will follow 28 CFR, Part 18, of the Department of Justice Regulations.

Renewals

Renewals are subject to appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory Formula:

Matching Requirements: Percent: 10.%. Public Law 107-273 allocates 0.5 percent of the appropriated amount for each State and territory and of the total funds remaining, allocates to each State an amount that bears the same ratio as the population of people under the age of 18 living in each State for the most recent calendar year in which the data is available. The Program requires a cash match of 10 percent of total program costs; Federal funds may not exceed 90 percent of total program costs. (Each State and territory that receives money under the JABG program must establish an interest-bearing trust fund to deposit program funds.) Interest derived from the award does not have to be matched, but interest generated from the trust fund cannot be used to match the Federal award. Matching contributions need not be applied at the exact time or in proportion to the obligation of Federal funds. However, the full match amount must be obligated by the end of the 36 month project period. For discretionary grants, no match is required.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Formula grant awards are made for 36 months; discretionary grants are generally for 1 to 3 years. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Please contact the program office for more information.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable. Cash reports are not applicable. Semiannual progress reports are required. Quarterly financial reports are required. Performance measure data, as specified in the solicitation, are required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. All organizations that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as described in OJP's Financial Guide, Chapter 19. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that Expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for the year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

In accordance with the requirement set forth in 28 CFR, Parts 66 and 70, grantees must maintain all financial reports and other supporting documents pertinent to the award for at least 3 years following the close of the most recent audit.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: OJJDP's National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) serves as the national training and technical assistance provider for the JABG program to ensure that comprehensive support is available to states and units of local government. SRAD is working with the Designated State Agencies (DSAs) to help assure the timely award of allocations to Units of local government, and where appropriate approve waiver requests to retain a percentage of funds at the State level equal to the State's level of primary financial burden for the administration of juvenile justice within the twelve program purpose areas. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0404-0-1-754.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $46,587,643; FY 09 est $55,000,000; FY 10 est $55,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

OJP Financial Guide.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None. Gregory Thompson, Associate Administrator, State Relations and Assistance Division, Telephone: (202) 307-5924, or Thomas Murphy, Program Manager; Telephone: (202) 353-8734; and Jeff Slowikowski, Associate Administrator, Demonstration Programs Division, Telephone: (202) 616-3646.

Headquarters Office

Lou Ann Holland Child Protection Division, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Phone: (202) 305-2742

Web Site Address

http://www.usdoj.gov.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: In addition to the FY 2008 Block Grant awards, funds were awarded to several tribal entities and a tribal training and technical assistance provider to enhance OJJDP's effort to provide funds to Indian Country. Additionally, an award was made to the National Training and Technical Assistance Center. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria are established by the Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) FY 2002 Guidance Manual as established by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.