Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia

The federal dollars are provided through a grant under the FY 1998 Appropriations Act, P.L. 105-119, the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) Program (CFDA #16.540). These funds are administered by the Children and Youth Coordinating Council for the federal government. The state dollars are provided through a legislative appropriation to the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia .

Funds made available through the Purchase of Services Program are used to enhance court services through court-sponsored counseling (individual/group/family), educational/tutoring programs, drug testing, psychological evaluations, community works and restitution programs, and short-term residential/non-residential therapeutic programs.

Delinquent and status offenders who are within the court's jurisdiction, but have not been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, are the target group for these services. Services may be purchased for only delinquent or status offender juveniles whose charges have been informally adjusted or for juveniles who are on probation.

By funding this program, the Council hopes to reduce formal court involvement, recidivism rates, and the incarceration rates of minority offenders. Funds are available on a reimbursement basis and can be expended only in the service areas and within the monetary limits specified.

During the period October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006, 138 counties were offered funding.  Of the 138 counties, 135 counties expended funds under the program.  The Council, to the juvenile courts, reimbursed a total of $762,791.26 (Federal Funds in the amount of $659,745.26; and $103,046 in State Appropriations).

Of the 135 counties that participated in the program, the program served 5,599 juveniles (approximately 7% of juveniles) who came into contact with the court with delinquent or status offenses.

Permanent Homes for Children (PHC) staff provide training, support and technical assistance to juvenile court judges and judicial citizen review panels.

During fiscal year 2007, PHC staff assisted with approximately 187 citizen panels in 70 counties. In these 70 counties, an estimated 12,000 children were in paid foster care or in institutional placements. Case reviews are carried out by judicial citizen review panels minimally every six months. The goal of a judicial citizen review panel is to ensure reunification of the child with the parents, if at all possible. If reunification is not an option, the panels work with the Department of Family and Children Services, the court, and other agencies to identify other permanency options. Approximately 1,200 citizen volunteers served on panels statewide during the past year. Panel members are appointed by their local juvenile court judge and trained by PHC staff. There are currently ten PHC field representatives who provide technical assistance to the local judicial citizen review panels.