The state of new hampshire division of children youth and families juvenile justice services proposes to manage the core requirements of the juvenile justice reform act and juvenile justice and…

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) has been awarded a $600,825 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (CFDA 16.540) Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). This 4-year grant will support NH DHHS in managing the core requirements of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act and Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Key activities include: providing pre-court legal consultation to youth, sustaining voluntary needs assessment processes, offering incentive-based supervision and support for youth on probation/parole, supporting diversion programs with restorative practices, enhancing youth knowledge of appropriate interactions with law enforcement, and increasing community awareness of racial/ethnic disparities. The expected outcomes are a decrease in youth entering the juvenile justice court system and reduced out-of-home placements. NH DHHS plans to leverage community partnerships and data-driven recommendations from the Juvenile Justice Reform Commission to implement these statewide juvenile justice transformation initiatives.

The state of new hampshire division of children youth and families juvenile justice services proposes to manage the core requirements of the juvenile justice reform act and juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act and to utilize data and community feedback though its recommendations of the juvenile justice reform commission for initiating the states 3-year plan of delinquency prevention efforts on a statewide level. New hampshire is implementing a statewide juvenile justice transformation supported by the anne casey foundation. The purpose is to support youth development and growth through a system that assesses needs and strengths prior to court involvement with the goal of diverting youth from the system and meeting the restorative and rehabilitative needs of youth that do enter the system. Activities include providing pre-court legal consultation to youth having contact with law enforcement; sustainability of the voluntary needs assessment process; providing incentives based supervision and support to youth on probation and parole; supporting interventions to divert youth from the court system with restorative practices; enhancing the knowledge of youths statewide of the laws and appropriate interactions with law enforcement; and increase community awareness that ethnic and racial disparities exist. Expected outcomes include a decrease of youthful offenders entering the juvenile justice court system which will lead to less youth being removed from their homes and entering the deeper end of the juvenile justice system. The service area is the entire state of new hampshire. New hampshires at risk youth and families in need are the expected beneficiaries.