Juvenile Crime Prevention and Reform Act of 1995

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Evaluation of Crime Prevention Programs and

Development of National Crime Prevention Research and

Evaluation Strategy

Title II: Local Crime Prevention Block Grant Program

Title III: Weed and Seed Community Anti-Crime Program

Title IV: Community Schools and Safe Places Grant Program

Title V: Consolidation of Gang Prevention Programs

Title VI: Further Consolidation of Programs for At-Risk

Youth

Juvenile Crime Prevention and Reform Act of 1995 - Repeals provisions of the: (1) Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) regarding the Ounce of Prevention Grant Program, Model Intensive Grant Programs, Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program, police recruitment, the Local Partnership Act, National Community Economic Partnership, Urban Recreation and At-Risk Youth, Family Unity Demonstration Project, and Gang Resistance Education and Training; (2) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) relating to mentoring; and (3) Community Services Block Grant Act relating to the National Youth Sports Program.

Title I: Evaluation of Crime Prevention Programs and Development of National Crime Prevention Research and Evaluation Strategy - Requires the Attorney General, with respect to the Local Crime Prevention Block Grant Program, Weed and Seed Community Anti-Crime Program, and consolidation of gang prevention programs, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to the Community Schools and Safe Places Grant Program established by this Act, to provide for the comprehensive and thorough evaluation of each such program.

(Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary to formulate and publish a unified national crime prevention research and evaluation strategy. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Secretary to use crime prevention research and evaluation funds reserved under this Act to conduct studies and demonstrations regarding the effectiveness of crime prevention programs and strategies that are designed to achieve the same purposes as the programs under this Act.

(Sec. 104) Specifies that evaluations and research studies conducted pursuant to this title shall be independent in nature and shall employ rigorous and scientifically recognized standards and methodologies.

(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Attorney General and the Secretary to require the recipients of Federal assistance under programs under this Act to collect, maintain, and report information considered to be relevant to the evaluation of crime prevention programs and to conduct and participate in specified evaluation and assessment activities and functions.

(Sec. 106) Directs: (1) the Attorney General, with respect to titles II, III, and V, and the Secretary, with respect to title IV, to reserve not less than three nor more than five percent of the amounts appropriated pursuant to such titles and amendments made by such titles in each fiscal year to carry out the evaluation and research required by this title; and (2) the Attorney General and the Secretary to use funds reserved under this section to provide compliance assistance to specified grantees and other agencies and organizations that are requested to participate in evaluations and research.

Title II: Local Crime Prevention Block Grant Program - Revises the VCCLEA's Local Crime Prevention Block Grant Program to provide that amounts paid to a unit of general local government under the Program shall be used to fund programs to prevent and diminish juvenile violence and delinquency, juvenile gang activity, and the sale and use of illegal drugs by juveniles. Requires each State to distribute amounts allocated to such State to units of general local government, and each such unit to repay unexpended amounts to a State, according to specified deadlines.

Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) technical assistance; (2) qualification for payment; (3) funds allocation and distribution; (4) utilization of the private sector; and (5) public hearings on use of funds. Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: Weed and Seed Community Anti-Crime Program - Establishes in the Department of Justice (DOJ) an Executive Office for Weed and Seed Programs which shall implement and administer a multidisciplinary approach to weeding out crime and seeding services and activities that promotes safety and security, the prevention of crime and juvenile delinquency, and community revitalization.

(Sec. 303) Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to units of general local government, State and local agencies, and private nonprofit agencies and organizations to implement Weed and Seed Program activities. Delineates weeding activities (such as intensifying law enforcement efforts to investigate, prosecute, and punish violent and drug-related crime in targeted communities) and seeding activities (such as coordinated collaborative efforts of law enforcement and human service agencies, the private sector, and community groups to concentrate a broad array of crime prevention programs).

(Sec. 304) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) priorities in awarding grants; (2) the use of funds; (3) application requirements; (4) evaluation and inspection; and (5) coordination of DOJ programs. Authorizes appropriations.

Title IV: Community Schools and Safe Places Grant Program - Replaces the VCCLEA's Community Schools Youth Services and Supervision Grant Program with a Community Schools and Safe Places Grant Program. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education, acting jointly: (1) for any fiscal year in which the sums appropriated equal or exceed $20 million, to allocate for grants to community-based organizations or public schools in each State an amount bearing the same ratio to such sums as the number of children in the State who are members of families with incomes below the poverty line bears to the number of children in all States who are members of such families; and (2) to allocate an appropriate amount of funds available for grants to Indian tribes. Authorizes the Secretaries to award, for each such fiscal year, grants from the appropriate State or Indian tribe allocation on a competitive basis to eligible community-based organizations and public schools to pay for the Federal share of assisting eligible communities to develop and carry out programs in accordance with this title. Sets forth provisions regarding reallocation and availability of funds, other fiscal years, and administrative costs.

Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) program requirements; (2) use of funds; (3) eligible community identification; (4) community participation; (5) application requirements; (6) participant eligibility; (7) investigations and inspections; (8) payments, the Federal share, and the non-Federal share; (9) program evaluation; and (10) continuation of certain grants under the current program. Authorizes appropriations.

Title V: Consolidation of Gang Prevention Programs - Repeals specified existing gang prevention programs under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and the JJDPA, but permits the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to continue grants awarded under such programs on or before the date of this Act's enactment.

(Sec. 502) Authorizes the Administrator and the Assistant Secretary to jointly make grants to public agencies and private nonprofit agencies, organizations, and institutions for specified purposes, including to prevent and reduce the participation of juveniles in illegal gang activities, to promote at-risk juvenile involvement in constructive, lawful alternatives to such activities, and to provide treatment and rehabilitation services to members of juvenile gangs who abuse drugs.

(Sec. 503) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) applications for grants and contracts; (2) priorities for application approval; and (3) the amount of grant awards. Authorizes appropriations.

Title VI: Further Consolidation of Programs for At-Risk Youth - Requires the Ounce of Prevention Council to submit a report to the Congress regarding the elimination of duplication and inefficiency in the structure and operation of Federal juvenile crime and delinquency prevention programs.