NCJ Number
221284
Date Published
September 2001
Length
58 pages
Annotation
Results are described of an evaluation of the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) Program in Pennsylvania.
Abstract
The JAIBG Program in Pennsylvania has proved to be a popular, ably administered, and broadly beneficial program, funding countless small scale improvements and worthwhile experiments at the local level, and promoting juvenile accountability. Officials from most local jurisdictions that received JAIBG funds expressed strong positive views of the program, affirming that it had enhanced their communities’ ability to hold juveniles accountable. However, a significant minority, particularly in small counties, complained that JAIBG had done little to help them overcome their number one challenge, which is the lack of funding to attract and retain high-quality staff over time. In 2000, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency contracted with the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) to conduct an evaluation of the JAIBG Program. JAIBG is intended to encourage State and local juvenile justice systems to hold delinquent youth accountable for their offenses. The study was designed to assess the administration of the JAIBG Program in Pennsylvania, to document the implementation of local JAIBG-funded initiatives there, and to gather practitioner and policymaker perceptions concerning the program. Specifically, a review and analysis of JAIBG subgrant applications from local units of government, a telephone survey of officials in local jurisdictions receiving JAIBG funding, and a series of site visits to counties receiving JAIBG funds were conducted. Appendixes A-C