Overview
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) grant program provides funding to support state and local efforts to plan, establish, operate, coordinate, and evaluate policies and projects (directly or through grants and contracts with public and private agencies) for the development of more effective juvenile justice related education, training, research, prevention, diversion, treatment, rehabilitation and system improvement efforts. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) allows states to designate Formula Grant money to fund projects that offer a high probability of improving the functioning of the juvenile justice system, prevent at-risk youth from entering the juvenile justice system and intervene with system-involved youth to provide positive guidance and reduce the chances of further juvenile justice system involvement.
JJDPA has four core requirements that states must comply with in order to receive grant funding:
- de-institutionalization of status offenders (DSO), which requires the status offenders not be detained in secure facilities
- jail removal, which requires that alleged juvenile offenders do not spend more than 6 hours in an adult lockup after arrest
- sight and sound separation between detained juvenile defendants and adult detainees
- disproportionate minority contact (DMC), which requires that states attempt to reduce the over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system
Recent funding has been dedicated to the following program areas:
- Alternatives to Detention
- Compliance Monitoring
- Disproportionate Minority Contact
- Diversion
- Juvenile Justice Systems Improvement
- Separation from Adult Inmates
This program is made available through federal funding.
Funding distribution is determined by the Governor-appointed Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC) upon completion of a competitive grant process.
Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC)
The JJAC was formed in accordance with the conditions of the JJDPA and authorized by Executive Order 522. The panel is responsible for directing the use of JJDPA grant funds and to helping coordinate juvenile justice and delinquency prevention efforts in the Commonwealth. The JJAC, along with other experts, give the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety input in developing a statewide plan for identifying and offering guidance on matters relating to delinquency prevention and overall child well-being. With federal grant money and guided by issues raised in the statewide plan, the JJAC funds programs, projects, and activities that implement the JJDPA's goals. In addition, the JJAC provides policy recommendations to the Governor and state legislators on juvenile justice matters. Other tasks include:
- maintaining an awareness of state and federal laws pertaining to juvenile justice
- understanding the flow of the juvenile justice system
- familiarization with juvenile facilities and programs.
The list of current JJAC members is currently being updated and will be posted as soon as available.