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CORE JUVENILE JUSTICE FUNDS PRESERVED - MORE ACTION NEEDED!
On Sept. 15, 2011, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its regular Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) bill, which contains recommended FY 2012 funding levels for federal juvenile justice programs.
With our heartfelt thanks to all of the SAG members and allies who communicated the value and effectiveness of these funds to your Senators, as well as the more than 100 state and national organizations that joined together to support full funding, we weathered the process. While other important funding streams were eliminated altogether, your letters, emails and phone calls to your Senators during the August recess and in the run-up to the Senate CJS markup led the Senate Appropriations Committee to keep in place funding for core juvenile justice programs. We are tremendously grateful for your help!
The challenge now is that the Senate levels are also reduced from past years. The Senate Committee has recommended the following amounts, yet there are still floor approvals and conference decisions pending:
- $45 million for the JJDPA Title II program, down another $17 million from FY 2011.
- $33 million for the JJDPA Title V program, down $21 million from FY 2011.*
- $30 million for JABG, down $16 million more from FY 2011.
* Please note: Title V funds are directed entirely to Tribal Youth, Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) and Gang/Violence Prevention initiatives.
As reflected in the CJJ Historic Federal Funding Chart (2002-2012), the Senate CJS bill is an improvement over the House CJS bill.
The FY 2011 and 2012 budget cycles have been two of the most challenging for juvenile justice in the last decade. This past spring, Congress passed and the President signed a bill that cut all three core juvenile justice programs by 17% for the FY 2011 cycle. We know that you are experiencing the impact of these cuts now.
For the FY 2012 budget, the President’s original proposal eliminated funding for Title II, Title V and JABG, replacing them with one competitive grant program or “innovation fund” to reward high-performing states with special funding to achieve evidence based benchmarks. While conceptually appealing, the proposal would have wiped out the core juvenile justice funding for JJDPA and JABG that goes to all states. Therefore, CJJ and our allies requested that the Administration realign the core funding for Title II, Title V and JABG, while still keeping a smaller pot of demonstration/innovation funds. And, the Administration responded. However, in July, the House Appropriations Committee approved its bill to eliminate funding for Title V and JABG all together in the FY 2012 cycle, and reduce funding for Title II to only $40 million.
All members of Congress are under tremendous pressure to reduce and cut programs to free up monies for jobs. We understand the urgency of need and know, too, that friends on the Hill share our concerns. Yet, it remains critical that CJJ members and allies raise our voices to defend the Senate appropriations numbers for FY 2012, even as we work to improve them. We can do this if we stick together and remain visibly involved. While CJJ staff and members explore any and all avenues to restore the funding before the FY 2012 appropriations bills are finalized, we again ask for your help.
Actions: Please join with CJJ to take the following actions to safeguard and rebuild federal support for JJDPA, JABG, delinquency prevention and juvenile justice reform in your state and across the nation:
- If you have a Senator on the Senate Appropriations Committee: Thank him/her for preserving the Title II, Title V and JABG programs, and educate him/her about the positive impacts of the funds in your state and what would be jeopardized by reduced funding. If your Senator does not sit on the Committee, address your message to Subcommittee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison.
- Contact CJJ [Tara Andrews at 202-467-0864, ext. 109 and andrews@juvjustice.org] if any member of your SAG has a close working relationship with one or both of your Senators upon which we can build further.
- There is still time to make things better. Please ensure that your SAG and Governor/Chief Executive are up to speed and ready to act when we reach out to you with targeted requests. Please also ensure that your SAG has an active CJJ government relations committee liaison. If you are uncertain, please contact Tara.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support and continued efforts. You are making a difference for youth, families and communities in your state and nationwide. Should you have any questions, please contact:
Nancy Gannon Hornberger, CJJ executive director: 202-467-0864, ext. 111 and nancy@juvjustice.org
Tara Andrews, CJJ deputy executive director: 202-467-0864, ext. 109 and andrews@juvjustice.org
Ken Schatz, Chair, CJJ Government Relations Committee: kschatz@ci.burlington.vt.us
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