Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Prevention and Victim Services Program Department of Juvenile Justice

Report 02-62, November 2002

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Report Summary

  • The Legislature allocates 10% of the department's budget, $61.4 million, to the Department of Juvenile Justice Prevention Program. Program services are outsourced: department employees administer grants and contracts that will serve 58,704 youth during the 2002-03 fiscal year.
  • The Prevention Program has begun requiring providers to serve high-risk youth from high-risk zip codes. This decision is sound; however, due to the inadequacy of its data system, the department cannot determine whether targeting efforts are successful.
  • The department has drawn on national research to target prevention resources. Now the department should assess the results of its strategies by analyzing project information. It should also integrate project data with evolving national research to identify potential ways to improve the program.
  • An audit conducted by the Comptroller in early 2002 found the program had failed to adequately control the disbursement of prevention grant funds. Over the past nine months the program has addressed these grant deficiencies by developing a draft policies and procedures manual, revising the grant monitoring form, setting up a process to respond to deficient programs, and training staff on the new procedures. The program should set up a similar system of accountability for monitoring its $41.9 million in contracts.
  • By entering into contracts with nine persons to perform duties of FTE positions that the Legislature eliminated, the department appears to have violated legislative intent. The department should seek the Legislature's approval to contract with the nine OPS employees to provide local and volunteer services.

Related Reports
  1. DJJ Should Monitor Network and PACE Administrative Services and Revise Policies to Serve Appropriate Youth
    Report 09-01 January 2009
  2. DJJ Should Better Identify At-Risk Youth, Use Proven Prevention Models, and Revise Funding Practices
    Report 08-07 February 2008
  3. Progress Report: DJJ Prevention Makes Progress; More Analysis and Contract Monitoring Needed
    Report 04-47 July 2004
  4. Follow-Up Report on Prevention Programs Administered by the Department of Juvenile Justice
    Report 98-63 February 1999
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
criminal justice, juvenile justice, crime, corrections, sexually violent predators, sex offenders, treatment, ryce act, martin, liberty, mentally ill, desoto, monitoring, evaluation, high risk youth, recidivism, grant monitoring, contract monitoring