The following is an Action Alert from our national partner Voices for America's Children:
Juvenile Justice Funding At Risk: Act Today!
This Wednesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science is expected to approve legislation that fails to adequately support juvenile justice programs. By maintaining level funding for FY2010, programs serving at-risk youth and juvenile offenders are once again faced to do more with less. Since FY2002, juvenile justice funding has decreased by 56 percent.The time to act is now! Call your Representatives at 1-866-277-7617 and ask them to help keep kids safe in their homes and communities by restoring juvenile justice funding.
If the legislation is approved, the full Senate Appropriations committee could vote on these vital programs before the week is out. They must hear from advocates TODAY about the importance of these programs in your community.
Your calls are needed to the subcommittee members and ask that they:
• Restore funding for Title II Formula grants to the FY2002 level of $89 million;These programs together promote the prevention of juvenile delinquency and provide the appropriate community-based treatment when youth are in trouble.
• Restore the Title V program to its FY2002 level of $95 million, with no set-asides/earmarks; and
• Restore funding for Juvenile Accountability Block Grant at the FY2002 level of $250 million.
Each year more than 2.2 million youth are arrested, with 1.7 million of these referred to juvenile detention facilities. On any given night, 100,000 youth are resting within juvenile detention facilities, and 70 percent of this level is for non-violent offenses. For too long, public policy leaders have failed to prioritize initiatives for keeping youth safe and away from negative influences. Congressional appropriators must pay greater attention to the needs of this population.
All Senators should be aware of this situation, and members of the Appropriations subcommittee must be contacted today. A full committee listing is available here.
Call them today at 1-866-277-7617 and ask for a restoration of juvenile justice supports.