J. Robert Flores, Administrator June 2003

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

Access OJJDP publications online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp

A recently enacted federal law restructures

the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) funding

activity, introducing a number of significant changes that take effect in fiscal year

2004 (beginning October 1, 2003). Among

these changes are new provisions for the

funding of juvenile offender accountability

programs. The Juvenile Accountability

Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) program

will be known as the Juvenile Accountability Block Grants (JABG) program, and several program elements have been revised.1

The underlying premise of juvenile accountability programming is that young people

who violate the law should be held accountable for their offenses through the swift,

consistent application of sanctions that

are proportionate to the offenses—both

as a matter of basic justice and as a way

to combat delinquency and improve the

quality of life in the nation’s communities.

The program’s goal is to reduce juvenile

offending through accountability-based

initiatives focused on both the offender

and the juvenile justice system.

In the transition from JAIBG to JABG, the

underlying premise remains the same. The

transition is a matter of expanding purpose

areas, adjusting funding levels, and refining

processes for determining eligibility, allocating funds, and monitoring activities. 

This Bulletin provides an overview of the

JABG program, focusing on new provisions.

It compares selected JABG and JAIBG program elements, answers frequently asked

questions, and identifies sources of additional information.

Background

The JAIBG program was established to

strengthen the juvenile justice system by

encouraging states and local jurisdictions

to implement accountability-based programs and services.2 OJJDP awards block

grants to states, which must pass through

at least 75 percent of the funds to local

jurisdictions. JAIBG funds are available for

12 purpose areas (see table 1). A formula

based on law enforcement expenditures

and the number of violent crimes is used

A Message From OJJDP

Holding youth accountable for their

delinquent acts is a matter of basic

justice. It is also a practical response

to delinquency. By consistently applying accountability-based sanctions

that take into account the developmental stage of the offender and the

severity of the offense, juvenile justice

systems foster individual responsibility,

protect the public, and enhance our

quality of life.

OJJDP’s Juvenile Accountability

Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) program was introduced in 1998 to help

states and communities strengthen

their juvenile justice systems by

implementing accountability-based

reforms. Public Law 107–273, enacted

in November 2002, renames the program, expands its 12 purpose areas,

adjusts funding levels, and introduces

new requirements and procedures.

This Bulletin highlights the new Juvenile Accountability Block Grants

(JABG) program provisions, which

take effect in October 2003. It offers

point-by-point comparisons with previous provisions and answers frequently

asked questions.

OJJDP is in the process of developing regulations to implement the

JABG program. Input from states

and communities is an integral part

of this process. A productive partnership of stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels will ensure

that all concerned benefit from an

accountability-based approach to

juvenile justice.

Changes to OJJDP’s

Juvenile Accountability

Program

Chyrl Andrews and Lynn Marble

1 The Department of Justice (DOJ) Authorization Act

for FY 2003 (Public Law 107–273), signed into law on

November 2, 2002, revises and renames the program

and places it under Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. The new provisions take

effect in FY 2004.

2 The DOJ Authorization Act for FY 1998 (Public Law

105–119) first appropriated funds for the JAIBG program, which was described in Title III of H.R. 3, passed

by the House of Representatives in May 1997.
2

JAIBG (12 areas)

1) Corrections/detention facilities: Building, expanding, renovating, or operating temporary or permanent juvenile corrections or detention facilities, including training of personnel

(JABG 2).

2) Accountability-based sanctions: Developing and administering accountability-based sanctions for juvenile offenders

(JABG 11).

3) Court staffing and pretrial services: Hiring additional

juvenile court judges, probation officers, and court-appointed

defenders, and funding pretrial services for juveniles, to

ensure the smooth and expeditious administration of the

juvenile justice system (JABG 3).

4) Prosecutors (staffing): Hiring additional prosecutors so

that more cases involving violent juvenile offenders can be

prosecuted and backlogs reduced (JABG 4).

5) Prosecutors (funding to improve effectiveness): Providing

funding to enable prosecutors to address more effectively problems related to drugs, gangs, and youth violence (JABG 5).

6) Prosecutors (funding for technology, equipment, training):

Providing funding for technology, equipment, and training to

assist prosecutors in identifying violent juvenile offenders and

expediting their prosecution (JABG 5).

7) Juvenile courts and probation: Providing funding to enable

juvenile courts and juvenile probation officers to be more

effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing recidivism (JABG 15).

8) Juvenile gun courts: Establishing court-based juvenile justice programs that target young firearms offenders through

the creation of juvenile gun courts for the adjudication and

prosecution of these offenders (JABG 7).

9) Juvenile drug courts: Establishing drug court programs to

provide continuing judicial supervision over juvenile offenders with substance abuse problems and to integrate administration of other sanctions and services for such offenders

(JABG 8).

10) Information sharing: 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

(JABG 10).

11) Accountability and school safety: Establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs that work with juvenile

offenders who are referred by law enforcement agencies, or

programs that are designed (in cooperation with law enforcement officials) to protect students and school personnel from

drug, gang, and youth violence (JABG 11 [accountability programs] and JABG 13 [school programs] ).

12) Controlled substance testing policy: Implementing a policy of controlled substance testing for appropriate categories

of youth within the juvenile justice system (JABG 12).

JABG (16 areas)

1) Graduated sanctions: Developing, implementing, and administering graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders (NEW).

2) Corrections/detention facilities (JAIBG 1).

3) Court staffing and pretrial services: 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 (revises JAIBG 3).

4) Prosecutors (staffing) (JAIBG 4).

5) Prosecutors (funding): 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 (combines JAIBG 5 and 6).

6) Training for law enforcement and court personnel: Establishing and maintaining training programs for law enforcement

and other court personnel with respect to preventing and controlling juvenile crime (NEW).

7) Juvenile gun courts: Establishing juvenile gun courts for the

prosecution and adjudication of juvenile firearms offenders

(revises JAIBG 8).

8) Juvenile drug courts (JAIBG 9).

9) Juvenile records system: Establishing and maintaining a

system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety

(NEW).

10) Information sharing (JAIBG 10).

11) Accountability: Establishing and maintaining accountabilitybased programs designed to reduce recidivism among juveniles

who are referred by law enforcement personnel or agencies

(revises JAIBG 2 and 11).

12) Risk and needs assessment: 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 (NEW, incorporates JABG 12).

13) School safety: Establishing and maintaining accountabilitybased programs that are designed to enhance school safety

(revises JAIBG 11).

14) Restorative justice: Establishing and maintaining restorative

justice programs (NEW).

15) Juvenile courts and probation: 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 (revises JAIBG 7).

16) Detention/corrections personnel: Hiring detention and

corrections personnel and establishing and maintaining training programs for such personnel, to improve facility practices

and programming (NEW).

Table 1: Purpose Areas
3

to allocate funds among units of local government. States and localities must provide

a cash match of 10 percent (50 percent for

construction projects). To be eligible to

receive JAIBG funds, states and localities

must use a Juvenile Crime Enforcement

Coalition to develop a Coordinated Enforcement Plan for reducing juvenile crime.

JAIBG also supports program-related

research, demonstration, evaluation, training, and technical assistance activities.

JABG Provisions

The following sections highlight some of

the changes introduced under JABG. The

accompanying tables compare JABG and

JAIBG provisions relating to purpose areas

(table 1) and funding, eligibility, and

reporting (table 2).

Purpose Areas

Under JABG, the number of authorized

purpose areas for expenditure of funds

increases from 12 to 16. New areas include

developing and implementing systems

of graduated sanctions; establishing and

Program Element

Annual funding level

authorized (see footnote 3, page 4).

Set-asides

Allocations to states

Allocations to units

of local government

Administrative

expenditures

Indian tribes

State and local 

eligibility

Role of courts

Graduated sanctions

Reporting

JAIBG

$500 million.

3% for research, evaluation, and demonstration; 2% for training and technical

assistance; 1% for administrative costs.

Allocates 0.25% of available funds to each

state. Allocates any remaining funds on

the basis of the state juvenile population.

$5,000 minimum allocation. Formula

based on law enforcement expenditures

(two-thirds of allocation) and number

of violent crimes (one-third).

Maximum 10% of total allocation (state)

or subgrant (local).

Indian tribes are eligible for allocations.

States must provide assurances that they

have addressed certain legislative requirements related to the prosecution of juveniles as adults; graduated, accountabilitybased sanctions; juvenile record keeping;

parental supervision; and drug-testing

policy.

NA.

NA.

NA.

JABG

$350 million

Reduces research, evaluation, and demonstration set-aside

to 2%; adds 2% set-aside for tribal grants (see below). Setasides for training and technical assistance (2%) and

administration (1%) remain the same. 

Increases each state’s base allocation to 0.50%. Remaining

funds continue to be allocated on the basis of the state

juvenile population.

$10,000 minimum allocation. Formula based on juvenile

justice expenditures (three-quarters of allocation) and

number of violent crimes (one-quarter). 

Maximum 5% of total allocation (state) or subgrant (local).

Tribes continue to be eligible for allocations but are also

eligible for grants to be awarded on a competitive basis

by OJJDP.

States must provide information about the activities to

be carried out (purpose areas), criteria for assessing the

effectiveness of activities, and status of graduated sanctions. Units of local government provide this information

to the states.

In developing grant applications, states and units of local

government must consider the needs of the judicial branch

and consult with court officials.

Participation in a system of graduated sanctions by individual courts is voluntary, but states and units of local

government must encourage courts to participate. At a

minimum, such systems should impose sanctions for each

offense; sanctions should escalate in intensity with each

subsequent, more serious offense; and the system should

be sufficiently flexible to allow for individualized sanctions

and services appropriate for each offender.

Each year, states and units of local government must submit a report that summarizes and assesses the effectiveness

of JABG-funded activities.

Table 2: Funding, Eligibility, and Reporting
4

maintaining juvenile records systems,

programs for assessment of risks and

needs (including mental health screening,

treatment, and substance abuse testing),

and restorative justice programs; and

hiring and training detention and corrections personnel.

Other Provisions

Funding. The annual funding level authorized by Congress changes from a maximum of $500 million under JAIBG to a

maximum of $350 million under JABG.3

Under both JAIBG and JABG, a small percentage of funds is set aside for certain

activities; under JABG, the set-aside for

research, evaluation, and demonstration

decreases from 3 percent to 2 percent, but

the set-asides for training and technical

assistance (2 percent) and administration

(1 percent) remain the same. The base

allocation to each state increases from

0.25 percent to 0.50 percent of funds available after set-asides; any remaining funds

continue to be allocated on the basis of

state juvenile population. The minimum

grant for localities increases from $5,000 to

$10,000, and the formula for allocating funds

to localities changes to reflect expenditures for juvenile justice rather than law

enforcement. For both states and localities, the maximum permissible administrative expenditure decreases from 10 percent

to 5 percent of the total allocation.

Eligibility. To be eligible for funds, states

no longer must provide the numerous

assurances that are specified under JAIBG;

instead, they are required to describe plans

for using JABG funds (purpose areas and

activities), outline criteria for measuring

the effectiveness of funded activities, and

document efforts to implement a system

of graduated sanctions that reflects guidelines set forth in new JABG provisions.

Indian tribes continue to be eligible for

allocations, but under JABG, tribes may

also apply for grants to be awarded on a

competitive basis by OJJDP. 

Reporting. Under JABG, states and subgrantees are required to submit annual

reports that summarize grant activities and

assess the effectiveness of these activities.

OJJDP will use these reports to develop

an annual report to Congress.

Regulations

OJJDP is in the process of developing

regulations for JABG and other recently

authorized programs. The process draws

on input from the field, obtained through

a focus group consisting of four elected

State Juvenile Justice Specialists and State

Advisory Group chairpersons and three

members of the Coalition for Juvenile

Justice’s Ethnic and Cultural Diversity

Committee. Focus group members poll

their constituents and then discuss issues

and recommendations with OJJDP State

Relations and Assistance Division staff

responsible for drafting the regulations.

Once the development process is completed, proposed regulations will be

published in the Federal Register, and 

a 60-day comment period will follow.

3 The amount authorized by Congress is not the same

as the amount actually appropriated. Congress appropriated $250 million in FY 1998 and FY 1999, $237,945,000

in FY 2000, $249,450,000 in FY 2001 and FY 2002, and

$190,000,000 in FY 2003.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Why was JAIBG changed?

Congress decided to expand the purpose areas for funded projects and also to

monitor the program more closely by requiring recipients of funds to report and

assess their activities regularly. JABG also places greater emphasis on graduated

sanctions and court involvement in program development (see table 2).

2) Does anything stay the same?

Much stays the same, and many revisions are minor. The underlying purpose of

juvenile accountability programming is unchanged. Most of the JAIBG purpose

areas continue under JABG. Cash-match and passthrough provisions are

unchanged.

3) What are the new purpose areas under JABG?

See table 1. New purpose areas concern graduated sanctions, training of law

enforcement/court personnel, juvenile records systems, risk and needs assessment, restorative justice, and hiring/training of detention/corrections personnel.

4) Have any of the JAIBG purpose areas been dropped?

No. See table 1. Purpose areas 2 (accountability-based sanctions) and 12 (controlled substance testing policy) have been incorporated in JABG purpose areas

11 (accountability) and 12 (risk and needs assessment). Some other JAIBG purpose areas have been revised.

5) If my state (or community) was eligible for JAIBG funds, are we eligible

for JABG funds?

In general, yes; however, some eligibility provisions have changed (see table 2).

In addition, Indian tribes are eligible for JABG competitive grants.

6) How does JABG affect the amount of money my state (or community)

can receive in the future?

See table 2. The base funding level received by each state increases from 0.25

percent to 0.50 percent of available funds (any remaining funds are still to be

allocated on the basis of juvenile population). The minimum size for subgrants to

communities increases from $5,000 to $10,000 (the formula for allocating funds

to communities reflects juvenile justice expenditures rather than law enforcement

expenditures).

7) What happens to the JAIBG funds my state (or community) is using now?

Funds will remain available for a maximum of 36 months after the date the grant

was received.

8) Where can I get more information about JAIBG/JABG?

See “For Further Information.” The latest information on JAIBG/JABG funding,

training, technical assistance, and publications is available online at the OJJDP

Web site (go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp, click on “Programs,” and then select the

JAIBG/JABG page).
Share With Your Colleagues

Unless otherwise noted, OJJDP publications are not copyright protected. We

encourage you to reproduce this document, share it with your colleagues, and

reprint it in your newsletter or journal. However, if you reprint, please cite OJJDP

and the authors of this Bulletin. We are also interested in your feedback, such as

how you received a copy, how you intend to use the information, and how OJJDP

materials meet your individual or agency needs. Please direct your comments and

questions to:

Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse

Publication Reprint/Feedback

P.O. Box 6000

Rockville, MD 20849–6000

800–638–8736

301–519–5600 (fax)

E-mail: tellncjrs@ncjrs.org

Acknowledgments 

Chyrl Andrews is the JAIBG/JABG

Program Manager for OJJDP. Lynn

Marble is a Senior Writer/Editor at

the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention is a component of the Office of

Justice Programs, which also includes the

Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of

Justice Statistics, the National Institute of

Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.

5

For Further Information

Comprehensive information on JAIBG/JABG

is available online at the OJJDP Web site

(go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp, click on

“Programs,” and select the JAIBG/JABG

page). Technical details on how states can

apply for, receive, obligate, and expend

funds under the JABG program will be

available in a forthcoming update of the

guidance manual that was originally

designed for the JAIBG program. Publication of the guidance manual will be

announced on the OJJDP Web site and

in the bimonthly newsletter OJJDP News

@ a Glance. The OJJDP Web site also

provides access to Bulletins in the JAIBG

Best Practices Series.

For general information, please contact

Chyrl Andrews, OJJDP JAIBG/JABG

Program Manager, 202–353–9248,

andrewsc@ojp.usdoj.gov. Communities

may also contact their state JAIBG/JABG

Coordinators (listed on OJJDP’s

JAIBG/JABG Web page).

JAIBG Best Practices Series Bulletins

The Bulletins listed below present detailed information for policymakers, planners,

and practitioners about programs and approaches related to each of the 12 JAIBG

purpose areas. To view or download the Bulletins, visit OJJDP’s Web site at

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp. To order copies, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse

at 800–638–8736 or order online at puborder.ncjrs.org.

Best Practices in Juvenile Accountability: Overview. NCJ 184745.

Construction, Operations, and Staff Training for Juvenile Confinement Facilities.

JAIBG Purpose Area 1. NCJ 178928

Developing and Administering Accountability-Based Sanctions for Juveniles.

JAIBG Purpose Area 2. NCJ 177612.

Workload Measurement for Juvenile Justice System Personnel: Practices and

Needs. JAIBG Purpose Area 3. NCJ 178895.

Enhancing Prosecutors’ Ability To Combat and Prevent Juvenile Crime in Their

Jurisdictions. JAIBG Purpose Areas 4 and 6. NCJ 178916.

Enabling Prosecutors To Address Drug, Gang, and Youth Violence. JAIBG Purpose

Area 5. NCJ 178929.

Focus on Accountability: Best Practices for Juvenile Court and Probation. JAIBG

Purpose Area 7. NCJ 177611.

Juvenile Gun Courts: Promoting Accountability and Providing Treatment. JAIBG

Purpose Area 8. NCJ 187078.

Juvenile Drug Court Programs. JAIBG Purpose Area 9. NCJ 184744.

Establishing and Maintaining Interagency Information Sharing. JAIBG Purpose

Area 10. NCJ 178281.

Increasing School Safety Through Juvenile Accountability Programs. JAIBG Purpose Area 11. NCJ 179283.

Developing a Policy for Controlled Substance Testing of Juveniles. JAIBG Purpose

Area 12. NCJ 178896.

Ten Steps for Implementing a Program of Controlled Substance Testing of Juveniles. JAIBG Purpose Area 12. NCJ 178897.
Bulletin NCJ 200220

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