Summary

Twelve Federal agencies prepared delinquency development statements for the fiscal year (FY) 1995 report. The information submitted by those 12 agencies represents the work of 28 departments, branches, or divisions of the Federal Government (all referred to hereafter as divisions). Delinquency development statements offer insight into the role, function, and mandates of each Federal agency as they relate to delinquency prevention and treatment goals and policies. They also provide a closer look at how agency policies, practices, and programs address juvenile crime and delinquency-related issues.

Specific mandates frame each Federal agency's mission and shape the agency's planning, program development, and direction. Legislation, policy, and prevailing problems and issues drive program development, emphasis, and funding priorities.

These 28 different divisions play an important role in the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency. They also address the factors that relate to the onset and continuance of juvenile delinquency and crime. Individually, each division offers only a part of the Federal response. Collectively, they provide an integrated and comprehensive strategy for addressing the factors that relate to juvenile delinquency and for meeting the varied needs of the at-risk and juvenile delinquent populations.

In recent years juvenile delinquency and crime have been adversely affected by social changes, including increases in the number of juveniles living in poverty, birth rates among teens, victimization of children, and the number of communities with gang-related problems. Juvenile homicides have increased, as have arrest rates of juveniles for both weapons violations and violent crimes.¹ These phenomena have challenged Federal agencies to better understand the factors associated with delinquent behavior; determine what can be done to successfully eliminate risk factors; develop strategies to prevent continued criminal behavior by juveniles; and establish practices, innovations, and approaches that focus on preventing, treating, and controlling juvenile crime and delinquency.

The Federal Response to Juvenile Delinquency

The different missions, goals, and priorities of these Federal agencies form a continuum of prevention, intervention or treatment, and control strategies for addressing the many facets of juvenile delinquency.

• Prevention strategies are aimed at youth who are not involved in delinquent behavior but are at risk of involvement. Agencies concerned with prevention focus on stopping delinquency before it starts. They address risk factors associated with the onset of delinquency, using primary prevention strategies that are aimed at the general youth population and secondary prevention strategies that target at-risk youth populations and/or related issues (e.g., compliance with traffic safety laws relating to safe driving practices and teenage drinking and driving). Prevention programs include activities designed to enhance skills, capabilities, and self-esteem of youth as well as those that offer specific violence and crime prevention messages. These programs include education programs, afterschool activities, conflict resolution training, skill building, violence prevention training programs, employment and training opportunities, and tutoring and remedial education programs.
  
  
• Early intervention or treatment strategies are aimed at juveniles who are already involved in delinquent behavior but may not have developed serious, violent, or chronic offending patterns. Agencies that support treatment or intervention strategies focus on ending continuing involvement in delinquent behavior. Intervention activities include training and education programs for youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system and activities and programs designed to help youth find positive alternatives to crime.
  
  
• Juvenile delinquency control strategies are aimed at stopping the spread of delinquency and criminal behavior. Agencies involved in control strategies focus on stopping continued serious or violent criminal behavior of juveniles. Activities include implementing innovative correctional programs, establishing policies or practices to make offenders more accountable for their actions, strengthening aftercare services for youthful offenders, and researching the consequences of crime and delinquency.

By mandate and policy, each agency supports one or more components of the continuum. Agencies such as the Corporation for National Service (CNS), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) support programs and initiatives that focus on one part of the continuum -- the prevention component. The President's Crime Prevention Council (PCPC) and the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Education (ED), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Labor (DOL) support programs and activities that focus on both the prevention and intervention portions of the continuum, while the Department of the Treasury supports programs and strategies that address both prevention and control. Two agencies, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), support programs, activities, and strategies that address all components of the continuum. The activities of all these agencies are briefly described on the following pages.

As previously described, CNS, DOT, NEA, and HUD support programs that focus on preventing juvenile delinquency. Although few CNS programs exclusively target youth, many affect youth directly or indirectly. Through initiatives such as AmeriCorps/JustServe, CNS supports initiatives that help at-risk youth avoid crime and delinquency. DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) supports programs that encourage juvenile compliance with motor vehicle laws to prevent motor vehicle fatalities. In FY 1995, about $1 million in NHTSA discretionary funds were spent on youth-related programs. In addition, approximately 7.5 percent ($21 million of NHTSA formula grant funds and $1 million in NHTSA discretionary funds) of the total agency budget of $277 million was used for formula grant funds that supported youth-related activities. NEA projects are directed toward at-risk youth and many of them involve collaboration with other Federal agencies. For example, NEA works with DOJ on a conflict resolution program and an afterschool program for at-risk youth. Approximately $9.2 million was spent in FY 1995 for a broad range of projects benefiting youth.

HUD also supports delinquency prevention programs and activities for at-risk youth. These prevention programs and opportunities include antidrug and anticrime programs, employment training for public housing residents, and youth leadership and development programs for youth through the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community initiative. Several HUD programs focus specifically on youth, while others serve both youth and other population groups. For example, the Public Housing Youth Sports Program (PHYSP) provides sports, recreational activities, and cultural opportunities for youth in public and Indian housing. Another program, the Public Housing Drug Elimination Grant Program, annually funds local housing authority anticrime efforts for youth and adults. More than 45 percent of these funds are spent on prevention activities that focus primarily on youth.

HUD collaborates with other Federal agencies on many programs. HUD works with DOJ and DOL on Step Up, which provides job training to public housing residents. HUD and HHS are establishing Head Start programs in public housing. HUD also is working with the Small Business Administration to target the YouthBuild Program in public housing.

Five additional agencies support programs, activities, and initiatives that focus on juvenile delinquency prevention as well as intervention. They are PCPC, USDA, ED, HHS, and DOL.

PCPC works closely with other Federal agencies to help communities and community-based organizations develop and implement strategies to prevent crime and establish comprehensive, integrated program service delivery. While the primary focus of PCPC is on crime and violence prevention, PCPC makes grants that support local communitywide efforts that advance local strategies to coordinate programs aimed at preventing youth crime and violence. In FY 1995, these grants, which were directed towards Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities, included prevention and treatment programs to reduce substance abuse, child abuse, and adolescent pregnancy. Funding for nine initiatives totaled $1.2 million.

Through its Cooperative Extension Service (CES), USDA supports prevention and intervention activities for at-risk children and youth who are already involved in delinquent behavior. These activities include gang prevention programs that teach youth leadership, responsibility, and respect; school dropout prevention and intervention programs and activities; and substance abuse prevention programs. In FY 1995, USDA spent approximately $75 million on youth-related prevention and intervention programs.

An important part of the objectives for ED under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act is ensuring that all schools are free of drugs, violence, and unauthorized presence of firearms by the year 2000. In FY 1995, funding for ED's Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program (SDFSP) totaled $466 million. SDFSP supports prevention and intervention services and programs for school-age youth by helping State and local governments implement programs to prevent drugs and violence and reduce the presence of firearms and drugs in schools.

Many efforts include cooperation with other Federal agencies, including the ONDCP; the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); HHS; and the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

Through the Employment and Training Administration, DOL is responsible for ensuring that all Americans have the resources to manage their careers successfully and that businesses have the skilled workers and training resources to compete in the global economy. In FY 1995, approximately 40 percent ($3.5 billion) of the agency's total budget was spent on youth programs. DOL's training and employment programs focus on prevention (the Summer Youth Program and Youth Fair Chance) and intervention (Job Corps) for at-risk youth. DOL is also working with ED to help youth make a smooth transition from school to work.

HHS supports juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention activities through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are four institutes within NIH and three centers within SAMHSA that support activities relating to juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention. Although each division has its own separate role and function, and most serve different population groups, the collective activities of these divisions form a comprehensive approach to preventing and treating juvenile delinquency that includes research, program development, and demonstration activities:

• To improve knowledge about juvenile delinquency, NIH supports studies relating to the causes of violence, risk behavior, alcohol-related problems, and behavioral disorders. Studies are conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and National Institute for Child Health and Human Development.
  
  
• SAMHSA is responsible for preventing and treating disorders, including substance abuse and mental health problems that result from or lead to juvenile delinquency. This mission is accomplished through the Center for Mental Health Services, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.
  
  
• ACF is the only agency within HHS that focuses solely on children and youth. Through the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), ACF delivers prevention services and programs to at-risk children, including those who have run away from home, those who are at risk of gang involvement, children with disabilities, and children who are abused or neglected.
  
  
• HRSA also supports programs and activities aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency. One program, the School-Based Violence Prevention Program, supports the development of school-based clinics with mental health services to meet the needs of its client population, including preventing and reducing violence and its health consequences.
  
  
• CDC also focuses on violence prevention and intervention as part of its overall mission. CDC funds an evaluation of 12 youth-violence intervention projects and supports the development of community demonstration projects that involve a comprehensive approach to combating and preventing violence.

HHS is working with several other Federal agencies to support programs and activities for preventing or treating juvenile delinquency. These include HUD, DOJ, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. In FY 1995, HHS funding for juvenile justice-related programming and activities was approximately $208.7 million.

Three agencies support activities, programs, or policies that relate to the control of delinquent behavior. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, through ATF, supports activities that relate to the prevention and control of delinquency, and DOJ and ONDCP support programs or policies that relate to all components of the continuum.

ATF is responsible for reducing violent crime, collecting revenue, and protecting the public. Within this mission, ATF supports many programs to prevent juvenile involvement in gangs and drugs and to combat juvenile firearm use and trafficking. Through its Gang Resistance Education and Training Program (GREAT), ATF is working with school-based, at-risk youth to prevent their involvement in gangs. ATF also works closely with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) on the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative, which is conducting research and enforcement activities in 16 U.S. cities.

ONDCP develops policy and provides oversight to the Nation's efforts to reduce both the supply of drugs and drug-related violence in the United States. In this role, ONDCP does not fund individual projects or programs that relate to juvenile delinquency prevention, treatment, or control. Instead, ONDCP supports Federal efforts that relate to the prevention, treatment, and control of juvenile drug-related violence and crime. ONDCP works with other Federal agencies, leverages Federal resources, supports national demonstration projects, and sets priorities for the National Drug Control Strategy.

DOJ has the primary Federal responsibility for preventing, treating, and controlling crime and delinquency. Through 14 separate divisions, each with its own mandate, DOJ applies a comprehensive response and approach to juvenile crime and delinquency. This approach is based on the cooperation and collaboration of the various divisions and branches within the Department, and it relies upon the knowledge and strengths of each division as its foundation for program planning and development.

• The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) activities focus on preventing, treating, and controlling juvenile delinquency. BJA is responsible for helping States and local communities develop strategies to combat crime and delinquency and secure a safe community. BJA supports programs that improve transitional and aftercare services for youth, expand delinquency prevention programs in public housing, and support drug abuse prevention and intervention programs.
  
  
• The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) collects crime data and information for use by Federal, State, and local policymakers to prevent, reduce, and combat crime. These data help to shape policies and decisions as they relate to program planning, intervention strategies, and policy development.
  
  
• The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is responsible for the custody of offenders convicted of violations of Federal laws and sentenced to the custody of the Attorney General. BOP is also responsible for the confinement of Federal juveniles -- persons under the age of 18 who are convicted of Federal crimes and persons under the age of 21 who are convicted of violating the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act.
  
  
• The Community Relations Service (CRS) seeks to prevent or resolve community conflicts and tensions that arise from actions, policies, or practices that are perceived to be discriminatory. CRS provides conciliation, mediation, and technical assistance to communities and the people they serve (including youth) to help them resolve conflicts and community crises.
  
  
• The Drug Courts Program Office focuses on treating and controlling juvenile delinquency by supporting the development, maintenance, and evaluation of drug court programs. Drug Courts provide intensive judicial supervision, appropriate substance abuse treatment, and both incentives and sanctions for program compliance for both adult and juvenile offenders.
  
  
• The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is involved in drug prevention and education efforts that seek to reduce the demand for drugs in this country, especially among youth. DEA initiates, coordinates, and supports a range of prevention activities designed to decrease risk, increase resistance, and provide alternatives to substance use.
  
  
• The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) participates in juvenile-related issues through U.S. Attorneys' offices, which are responsible for enforcing Federal criminal laws against juveniles who commit crimes where there is an expressed Federal interest. EOUSA's priorities as they relate to juveniles include slowing and preventing the spread of violence involving youth and promoting an environment that is free of drugs, guns, and gangs.
  
  
• The Executive Office for Weed and Seed administers Operation Weed and Seed. The operation's four major strategies are crime suppression; community policing; prevention, treatment, and intervention; and neighborhood restoration. Although the Weed and Seed strategy is aimed at all populations, it includes the development of youth-oriented services to prevent and combat narcotics use, trafficking, and crime.
  
  
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), through its Community Outreach Program, provides a comprehensive program that focuses on crime, drugs, gangs, and violence as they relate to the investigative mission of the agency. The FBI works with other agencies and organizations, such as the National Crime Prevention Council and Boys and Girls Clubs, to establish drug prevention, crime prevention, and youth development programs across the country.
  
  
• The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is responsible for controlling juvenile delinquency by arresting and detaining illegal aliens (including minors) attempting to enter the United States.
  
  
• NIJ conducts research on juvenile-related issues to determine what works in preventing juvenile delinquency and why, as well as causes and factors that relate to criminal behavior. Results of these studies are used to improve and enhance knowledge and information to reduce crime and improve the criminal justice system. These studies also form the basis for program planning and development within DOJ.
  
  
• OVC provides funding for crucial juvenile and adult victims' services, supports training programs for professionals who work with victims, and develops projects to enhance victims rights and services.
  
  
• OJJDP has the primary Federal responsibility for preventing, treating, and controlling juvenile crime and delinquency. To accomplish this mission, OJJDP supports a wide range of program planning, development, research, training, technical assistance, and evaluations that target the general youth population, at-risk youth, delinquent youth, and serious violent offenders. OJJDP emphasizes interagency cooperation and collaboration to form a comprehensive approach to delinquency prevention and control.
  
  
• The Violence Against Women Grants Office focuses on preventing and ending family violence and improving services to battered women and their families. In this role, it supports programs and activities that offer prevention and intervention services to children who are at risk.

DOJ is collaborating on various programs and initiatives with CNS, HHS, HUD, DOT, NEA, PCPC, and ED. FY 1995 funding for DOJ's juvenile delinquency and delinquency prevention programs and activities totaled approximately $186 million.

Conclusions

All agencies included in this report support various delinquency prevention programs and activities. Each agency, with its own legislative mandates and philosophies, uses its mission and goals to determine its program emphases. Determining factors include the agency's prescribed target population and related risk factors. Interagency cooperation and collaboration, as well as the exchange of information through vehicles such as the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, help to reduce redundant services and programs among Federal agencies.

Many agencies also support intervention strategies for youth. Like the prevention programs, intervention strategies reflect the missions and goals of the agencies and their philosophical approaches for intervening with juvenile offenders.

Few agencies are mandated to control the spread of juvenile crime and violence. DOJ, through its various divisions and branches, is responsible for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the justice system, protecting and safeguarding communities, addressing the needs of crime victims, and treating and controlling offenders. Responsibility for juvenile offenders rests with OJJDP. Supporting these efforts is ONDCP, which is responsible for developing policies and coordinating initiatives to reduce drug-related crime and violence.

The programs, activities, and initiatives of the various Federal agencies included in this report demonstrate solid commitment and involvement in addressing the many factors relating to juvenile delinquency. Strong cooperation and leadership are evident in the delinquency development statements and in the advances and planned activities that are being undertaken to address this critical problem. Many programs and activities described in this report involve interagency collaboration and funding that help eliminate overlaps and duplication of services. Interagency collaboration also helps maximize program impact and results by enabling agencies to apply the best practices and knowledge as well as different, yet complementary, approaches and philosophies to the same problem or issue.

The FY 1995 Federal agency delinquency development statements clearly show the breadth of Federal involvement and commitment in preventing, addressing, and combating juvenile crime and delinquency. Continued success in meeting the challenges that lie ahead requires Federal agencies to continue to:

• Emphasize interagency planning, coordination, and program development that uses the best available information, research, knowledge, and experience from all agencies.
  
  
• Rely on forums (such as the Coordinating Council) to share information, data, evaluation results, and research to eliminate duplication of efforts and increase information sharing and dissemination.
  
  
• Use evaluation results and research findings to form the basis for program planning and development among Federal agencies.

This report provides much of the information that can help Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations continue to meet these challenges.