Year: 2005
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Each year, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) reports the outputs and outcomes of juvenile justice programs in Florida.The focus of program outcomes for these reports is the recidivism rate for youth released, defined as adjudications, adjudications withheld or convictions for offenses that occurred within 12 months of their release from commitment programs (or within 6 months of release from prevention programs).Program outputs that are considered relevant to program performance, such as average length of stay, escapes and program completions, are also reported wherever possible.Data from almost 1,000 different programs and case management units of the Prevention and Victim Services, Probation and Community Corrections, Detention, and Residential and Correctional Facilities branches of the Department of Juvenile Justice were also collected and analyzed. MISSION STATEMENT Department of Juvenile JusticeProtect the public by reducing juvenile crime and delinquency in Florida.The major sections from the report include: Prevention, Intake, Detention, Probation, Residential, and the Program Accountability Measures (PAM) Report.Case processing differences in these various sections dictate the time periods covered by the data analyses.The Intake section covers all referrals received during FY 2001-2002.Detention utilization is based upon youth served by detention during FY 2001-2002.The Intensive Delinquency Diversion Services (IDDS) section is based on youth admitted during FY 2000-2001.All other sections of the report present data on youth released from programs during FY 2000-2001.www.djj.state.fl.us/statsnresearch vi vii PREVENTION AND VICTIM SERVICESThe Florida Department of Juvenile Justice is charged with providing delinquency prevention services.Delinquency prevention programs are designed to address specific problems and provide interventions for at-risk youth and their families in order to reduce juvenile crime and protect public safety.These programs target high-risk juveniles and those who exhibit problem behaviors such as ungovernability, truancy and running away from home.The Department addresses these problems by contracting for delinquency prevention services and awarding grants to local providers. Legislative Intent JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCYPREVENTION-It is the policy of the state with respect to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention to first protect the public from acts of delinquency.In addition, it is the policy of the state to:(a) Develop and implement effective methods of preventing and reducing acts of delinquency, with a focus on maintaining and strengthening the family as a whole so that children may remain in their homes or communities.(b) Develop and implement effective programs to prevent delinquency, to divert children from the traditional juvenile justice system, to intervene at an early stage of delinquency, and to provide critically needed alternatives to institutionalization and deep-end commitment.(c) Provide well-trained personnel, high- quality services, and cost effective programs within the juvenile justice system.(d) Increase the capacity of local governments and public and private agencies to conduct rehabilitative treatment programs and to provide research, evaluation, and training services in the field of juvenile delinquency prevention.Section 985.02(3),FLORIDA STATUTES. Delinquency Prevention FundingIn fiscal year (FY) 2000-2001, 1 funding for delinquency prevention programs administered by DJJ totaled almost $76 million, representing almost 12% of the Department's total budget of $635 million for that year.Funds are awarded through a variety of different channels, including federal, state, and local government agencies.Delinquency prevention programs fall into two major categories: contracted and grant-funded.Contracted programs are funded by General Revenue funds and tend to be larger and more established.Grant programs are funded through various federal and state grant sources, and tend to be smaller, relatively new programs. Contracted General Revenue ProgramsThe Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Inc. (Network) Agencies.The Network is a not-for-profit statewide association of 24 agencies that provide both residential and non-residential delinquency prevention services at 34 service sites, 32 of which are shelters.The population served is defined in statute as Children in Need of Services (CINS) and their families (Families in Need of Services, or FINS).Mandated by Chapter 984, F.S., and through contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Network 1 Figures are reported for the year youth in the outcome report were released, FY 2000-2001, which runs from July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001.The Department's total budget was $634,781,841.Prevention's budget was $75,844,639. 1 2003 Outcome Evaluation Report Prevention and Victim Servicesagencies serve runaway, truant, ungovernable and other troubled children and their families with a continuum of services designed to strengthen and stabilize the family unit.These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include:• Centralized Intake.Intake functions as the initial entry into the service continuum and includes child and/or family assessment, counseling, and case management.• Prevention/Outreach.These services increase public awareness of the needs of troubled children and the resources available in each community, generating client referrals.• Non-Residential Programming.These services provide intensive family intervention to keep families intact and to minimize out-of-home placements.They include individual, group, and/or family counseling.• Temporary Shelter.Shelters provide temporary living accommodations, food, clothing, supervision, recreation, education, and counseling services.Case management is provided to ensure a timely return home and a smooth transition into school and other activities.Staff-secure shelter is available for children meeting statutory criteria (sections 316.635, 318.143, 984.09, 984.225, 985.216,Florida Statutes).Network services are aimed at preventing children from entering the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, thereby avoiding more costly care and custody.Youth and families may access these services on a voluntary basis or by order of the Court.During FY 2000-2001, Department expenditures for the Florida Network administrative agency totaled $2,932,550.Of this amount, $890,213 covered administrative costs for the state office and the remainder went to local providers.Expenditures for individual Network programs totaled $31,594,270. Hurricane Island Outward Bound (HIOB).Hurricane Island Outward Bound also provides services for CINS/FINS youth.Opened in 1983, the program consists of an 18-day wilderness expedition designed to help youth develop personal competencies in group decisions, problem solving, anger management, communication skills, leadership, and service to others.Youth are referred from the court, the Department of Children and Families, schools, and from DJJ.These coed programs, located in Circuits 9 and 11, accept youth 13 to 17 years of age.Following the expedition, staff helps the youth apply what they have learned to their family, community, and school environments.During FY 2000-2001, DJJ expenditures for HIOB totaled $870,000. Practical Academic Cultural Educational Centers for Girls, Inc. (PACE).The PACE Center for Girls, Inc. is a delinquency prevention provider operating 20 programs at 19 sites across the state that target the unique needs of girls 12 to 18 years of age who are identified as dependent, truant, runaway, ungovernable, delinquent, pregnant, or in need of academic skills.PACE accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, the Department of Children and Family Services, school personnel, community services agencies, parents, family members, friends and self-referrals.Its purpose is to intervene and prevent school withdrawal, juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and welfare dependency.Pace programs provide the following services: academic education, individualized Prevention and Victim Services• Challenge -Intended for specific purposes; Florida has designated programs and research designed to end gender bias in placement and treatment of juvenile offenders.• Comprehensive Strategy -For community efforts to develop and implement an allinclusive juvenile justice community plan to provide delinquency prevention programs, graduated sanctions, and effective treatment of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. Juvenile Accountability IncentiveBlock Grant Programs.Block Grant programs are funded through the federal Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants (JAIBG) program, administered by OJJDP.The Block Grant program supports state and local efforts to address juvenile crime by encouraging reforms that hold offenders accountable for their actions.Funds may be used for specific purposes, including building juvenile detention and treatment facilities, hiring juvenile justice personnel, juvenile drug and gun courts, and accountability-based programs for juvenile offenders.The Department awarded $2,076,470 in JAIBG Grants during FY 2000-2001 based on a statewide funding formula.Data were received on 53 programs with combined funding of $1,844,526. Community Partnership Grant Programs.The Community Juvenile Justice Partnership Grant (CJJPG) program was established by the legislature to actively address the problem of juvenile crime in Florida.The program encourages the development of partnerships among law enforcement, public schools, DJJ and the Department of Children and Family Services in providing juvenile crime prevention services in Florida communities.Priority is given to programs that target juveniles from ages 10-17 years that provide services intended to reduce juvenile crime by providing direct services for "at-risk" and/or delinquent youth.One dollar from the
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3038991664