OPPAGA Government Program Summary

What is the purpose of the program?

The purpose of the Prevention Services program in the Department of Juvenile Justice is to use prevention, intervention, and treatment programs in order to strengthen families and improve the lives of troubled youth.

Who is served by this program?

The program serves at-risk youth and youth who show problematic behaviors such as truancy or running away from home. It also provides services for children who meet the statutory definition of Child in Need of Services and their families. A total of 25,818 youth were served by state and federally funded prevention programs in Fiscal Year 2019-20.

What services does this program provide?

Through private providers and grants, the program provides youth with numerous programs such as academic, vocational, counseling, and skill development to help them stay in school, live violence-free, and become law-abiding citizens.

Which entities provide the services?

DJJ receives general revenue funds for three main youth programs.

Practical Academic Cultural Education (PACE) Center for Girls, Inc., provides services including academic education, counseling, and case management to at-risk girls and young women between the ages of 11 and 17.
North Carolina Outward Bound School is a wilderness expedition program that promotes group decision making, problem solving, communication and other skills for youth between the ages of 13 to 17.
The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services provides services under statutes for Children in Need of Services/Families in Need of Services (CINS/FINS). These include 24-hour emergency shelter services, as well as crisis intervention and individual, group, and family counseling for homeless, runaway, truant, and troubled children and their families.

Other programs provide services through state and federal grants. These fund other prevention programs throughout the state.

How can I get my child into a program?

The department's website provides information about prevention programs located throughout the state. If the department does not have a prevention program in your area, it may be able to recommend other resources for tutoring, mentoring, after-school programs, and similar activities.

What percentage of youth who participate in prevention programs remain crime-free?

The Department of Juvenile Justice reports the following percentages for Fiscal Year 2019-20.

While in a prevention program, 99% of youth remained crime-free, which exceeded the prior year standard of 95%.
Within one year of completing a prevention program, 94% of youth were not adjudicated for a delinquency offense, which also exceeded the prior year standard of 90%.

How are these activities funded?

Fiscal Year: 2021-22

Title	Fund	Dollars	Positions
PROGRAM: PREVENTION AND VICTIM SERVICES
	DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND DIVERSION	93,340,671	20.00
TOTAL		93,340,671	20.00

Source: www.transparencyflorida.gov

Updates

Authorization to Contract With the PACE Center for Girls. The 2020 Legislature passed Ch. 2020-121, Laws of Florida, which authorizes DJJ to contract with the PACE Center for Girls. Under the contract, PACE Center for Girls will provide alternatives to institutionalization and commitment for girls and young women through services such as education, counseling, training, and advocacy. PACE programs are located in 21 centers throughout the state and had a total of 1,691 youth program completions in Fiscal Year 2018-19.

Invest in Children License Plates. When you buy a license plate from your local tax collector's office, you may choose an Invest in Children license plate. The proceeds from the plates go to the counties from which they were purchased to fund after-school activities, mentoring, tutoring, job internships, youth summits, summer camp scholarships, recreational programs for girls and boys, and substance abuse intervention.

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

Annual Report on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Florida, 2020, Report 20-05, July 2020
Placement Options for CSE Victims Have Increased; CSE-Specific Services Remain Limited, Report 19-05, July 2019
Service Model Slowly Adapting for Community CSE Victims; Limited Progress in Less Restrictive Placements for Dependent CSE Victims, Report 18-05, June 2018
DCF and Its Lead Agencies Have Not Resolved Issues Related to Serving Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, Report 17-09, June 2017

Placement Challenges Persist for Child Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation; Questions Regarding Effective Interventions and Outcomes Remain, Report 16-04, July 2016

Where can I get more information?

Other Reports
Quality Improvement Program Reports, Department of Juvenile Justice.
Comprehensive Accountability Reports, Department of Juvenile Justice.

A Sourcebook of Delinquency Interventions, Department of Juvenile Justice, 2017.
Annual Reports, Florida Network of Youth and Family Services.
Quality Improvement Reviews, Florida Network of Youth and Family Services.
Websites of Interest
Prevention in Florida
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Performance Information

Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

What are the applicable statutes?

Chapters 984 and 985, Florida Statutes.

Whom do I contact for help?

Alice B. Sims, Assistant Secretary Prevention and Victim Services, 850-488-3302

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