DOJ Awards Nebraska over 600 Thousand in grants

The Office of Justice Program’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention announced today
that Connecticut and Nebraska have rejoined the Title II Part B Formula Grants program and are each
receiving awards of more than $600,000 to prevent delinquency, protect system-involved youth and
improve their juvenile justice systems. Formula grants support states’ ongoing work to achieve positive
outcomes for youth and advance public safety. Nearly $57 million has been invested in the program
nationwide in fiscal year 2023 by OJJDP.

OJJDP’s Formula Grants program is authorized under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Act of 1974, as amended. The program provides funds directly to states and territories to help them
implement comprehensive juvenile justice plans based on needs in their jurisdictions. States can use the
funds for a variety of services for youth, including job training, mental health and substance use
treatment, community-based prevention and intervention programs, and school programs to prevent
truancy. Participating states also benefit from the program’s training and technical assistance.

“Title II funding is the clearest expression of the Justice Department’s deep commitment to supporting
our youth and helping them succeed,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “We are
pleased that Connecticut and Nebraska will once again be receiving these resources to carry on the vital
work of building safe, humane and effective juvenile justice systems in their states.”

Both Connecticut and Nebraska previously participated in OJJDP’s Formula Grants program, but the FY
2023 awards mark the first time they will receive program funding since 2018. States applying for FY
2023 formula grants were required to submit a comprehensive three-year plan describing how they
would use the funding. They were also required to outline how they would fulfill numerous statutory and
other requirements, including a commitment to achieving and maintaining compliance with the JJDPA’s
four core requirements to deinstitutionalize status offenders, separate youth from incarcerated adults,
remove youth from adult jails and lockups, and address racial and ethnic disparities.

"I am very excited that Connecticut and Nebraska have resumed their participation in OJJDP’s Formula
Grants program,” said OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan. “OJJDP staff worked closely with officials in both
states to achieve this. With formula grants, states and territories direct funding to address their own
unique needs, improving juvenile justice systems and enhancing prevention and intervention services for
youth. I am thrilled that nearly all of the jurisdictions eligible for formula grants are participating in the
program.”

Connecticut and Nebraska have committed to achieving significant milestones by the end of the first
funding year. By that time, each will have created a State Compliance Monitoring Manual and established
a compliance data collection plan for the four core requirements, for example. Each will also hire or
appoint a juvenile justice specialist, state compliance monitor and racial and ethnic disparities
coordinator. Nebraska will fill vacancies on the state advisory group, prioritizing the recruitment of
members younger than 28; Connecticut will establish a state advisory group.