NCJ Number
187078
Date Published
May 2002
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This bulletin describes the development of juvenile gun courts and a review of the Jefferson County Alabama Juvenile Gun Court under the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants Program (JAIBG).
Abstract
Responding to the unacceptably high levels of gun violence among youth and the demand to provide appropriate sanctions and program services for young offenders involved in gun crimes, juvenile gun courts were established through Federal legislation under the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants Program (JAIBG). Juvenile gun courts expose youth charged with gun offenses to the ramifications of their involvement in these acts. This bulletin describes the development of juvenile gun courts throughout the United States and provides an illustration and review of the Jefferson County (AL) Juvenile Gun Court supported by OJJDP. The bulletin begins with an overview of the basic juvenile gun court program which includes the key elements of the program, program planning and implementation, and the potential effects of the program. The Jefferson County Juvenile Gun Court builds on this basic model by addressing the problem comprehensively, intensively, and over the long term. The JAIBG program aids the ability of the juvenile justice system to hold young offenders accountable for their behavior. The juvenile gun court encourages accountability by offering an immediate response to gun possession. References