Prosecutors must be able to quickly adapt and develop appropriate
responses to juvenile delinquency and need to have access to the most
up-to-date information available about successful programmatic and
legislative responses. Avenues must be explored for prosecutors to take a
proactive stand in developing community-based responses to juvenile
crime and delinquency.
Although their main focus is on the protection of the community
through prosecution and other traditional responses, prosecutors are also
increasingly expected to take a role in educating the public and are
becoming more involved in legislative efforts to meet the changing dynamics of
juvenile crime. As a result, prosecutors who involve themselves in
prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation must have the skills and tools
necessary to develop such efforts in addition to successfully prosecuting
youth who are charged with crimes.
Under Purpose Areas 4 and 6, the JAIBG program supports
prosecutors to enhance their efforts against juvenile crime by providing funding for:
- Hiring additional prosecutors.
- Acquiring technology,
equipment, and training.1
The JAIBG requirement for a Coordinated Enforcement
Plan (CEP) developed by a Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition (JCEC)
means that just hiring additional prosecutors or
buying new computers is not enough. This coordination requirement,
however, is more than a legislative detail; it heightens the prosecutor's ability
to respond to juvenile crime within a jurisdiction. This requirement also
supports what many successful prosecutors recognized long ago: the role of
a prosecutor is not just enforcing the law but also caring for the safety of
the community. Success in both roles can frequently be achieved only
through a coordinated prevention and intervention effort.
An example of such a coordinated statewide strategy that balances
enforcement, intervention, and prevention is found in RECLAIM
(Reasoned and Equitable Community and Local Alternatives to the Incarceration of
Minors) Ohio, which began in1994. This statewide effort encourages counties
to use community-based treatment for juveniles adjudicated delinquent
for less serious offenses while reserving detention space for more serious
offenders (Moon, Applegate, and Latessa, 1997). RECLAIM Ohio supports
(1) community-based interventions for nonviolent offenders in lieu of
committing them to institutions and (2)rehabilitation of serious offenders
when feasible. The fewer youth under the custody of State corrections
departments, the more money counties have to hire new probation officers or
treatment specialists for their courts (Moon, Applegate, and Latessa, 1997).
The approach used in Ohio
requires planning and coordination and provides for a balanced approach
of enforcement, intervention, and prevention to hold juveniles
accountable. It represents a model that matches many JAIBG requirements.
Experience with this program suggests that a well-planned, coordinated
effort developed to reflect specific local needs can be more successful in
addressing juvenile crime and delinquency than traditional
approaches, which do not provide the range of sanctions and services needed to
address the various needs of juvenile offenders and communities.
The following sections outline how JAIBG funding can be applied, as
part of a coordinated effort, within prosecutor-specific Program
Purpose Areas 4 and 6.
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1
Funding is also available for establishing
effective approaches to address drug, gang, and youth
violence problems. For more information, see Gramckow
and Tompkins, 1999.
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