Printer-Friendly Version (March/April 2005) EUDL Program Tackles Underage Drinking Underage drinking cost U.S. citizens an estimated $61.9 billion in 2001. That figure includes medical care, work loss, and pain and suffering associated with the many problems that result from alcohol use by youth. Violence (homicide, suicide, aggravated assault) and traffic crashes represent the largest costs—but not the only ones. For example, among teenage mothers, fetal alcohol syndrome alone costs the country $925.6 million. These dollar estimates, developed by the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (see below), are only part of the story. Underage drinking has tremendous human costs, for individual youth, their families and friends, and society as a whole. In 1998, Congress recognized the seriousness of underage drinking and its related problems by appropriating funds to encourage the enforcement of underage drinking laws throughout the country. Administered by OJJDP, the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Program is the only federal initiative focused exclusively on preventing underage drinking. Congress has appropriated $25 million annually for EUDL activities. The strategic goal of the EUDL Program is to reduce the availability of alcoholic beverages to minors and the consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors. The initiative has four programmatic elements: block grants to each state and the District of Columbia, discretionary grants to selected states to demonstrate the implementation of best or most promising activities at the local level, technical assistance to guide states and communities in their efforts, and a national evaluation (plus specialized evaluations) of the EUDL Program. Essential Actions for Reducing Underage Drinking In September 2003, the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council within the National Academies of Science (NAS) released Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility, which recommends 40 essential actions in 10 general areas. Through its grants and technical assistance, EUDL supports 18 of the 40 recommended actions—and 13 of the 14 recommendations specific to reducing youth access to alcohol. Supporting State and Local Innovation With EUDL funding, states and local communities throughout the country have documented increases in retail compliance with state alcohol laws and achieved environmental changes that support and enhance enforcement efforts. (See "Success Stories.") Intensive "on-the-ground" work has resulted from EUDL discretionary grants. To date, 29 states have received discretionary funding, reaching more than 250 communities. With these funds, communities have significantly increased the capacity of law enforcement agencies to enforce underage drinking laws, engaged youth in leadership activities to deter underage drinking, developed coalitions to support enforcement efforts, and addressed the challenging issue of alcohol consumption on college campuses. In addition to discretionary grants, OJJDP has awarded block grants each year to every state and the District of Columbia. These funds have supported the establishment of statewide task forces, public education campaigns, and innovative programs to prevent underage drinking. Assessing Effectiveness of Best Practices: Community Trials Initiative During the FY 2003 and FY 2004 grant years, OJJDP enhanced the EUDL discretionary grant program by introducing the Community Trials Initiative, which uses rigorous research methods to assess the effectiveness of evidence-based practices in the EUDL Program context. Five states—California , Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, and New York—were selected to implement "best or most promising practices" in seven communities. Participating communities conduct compliance checks of 90 percent of retail outlets that sell alcoholic beverages and emphasize enforcement of driving-under-the-influence laws with young drivers. Each community also implements a law enforcement activity and introduces or enhances a policy selected from a list of best or most promising practices to reduce underage drinking. Researchers from the EUDL national evaluation team (see below) are evaluating the Community Trials Initiative. Addressing Problems in Rural Communities Recognizing that alcohol is the primary drug of abuse in many rural areas, OJJDP developed a new EUDL discretionary grant program in FY 2004. The Rural Communities Initiative is helping four states—Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania—implement research-based best practices to enforce underage drinking laws and prevent and reduce underage drinking in rural communities. In addition to activities similar to those in the Community Trials Initiative, rural communities are also implementing environmental strategies to reduce alcohol consumption on or near school sites. Researchers funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism are helping to design and evaluate the rural communities' programs. Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center
In 1999, OJJDP established the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC) to provide practical, effective, science-based training and technical assistance to states and communities working to combat underage drinking through law enforcement and environmental change. UDETC achieves this goal through several services:
Annual National Leadership Conference The EUDL Program hosts an annual conference for EUDL-funded states and communities. The next conference, "Law Enforcement and Communities: Sustaining Progress, Blazing New Trails," will take place in Tucson, AZ, August 18–20, 2005. To learn more about the conference, visit the UDETC Web site. A related article will appear in the next issue of OJJDP News @ a Glance. Evaluation: A Key Component of the EUDL Program The EUDL national evaluation team at Wake Forest University School of Medicine examines how states and communities use EUDL funds and evaluates the EUDL Program's impact in a sample of communities. (For information on the EUDL national evaluation, visit www.phsintranet.wfubmc.edu/eudl2/.) EUDL researchers have published a number of journal articles based on data collected as part of the evaluation. These articles report on how youth alcohol abuse correlates with other health risk behaviors and with female sexual victimization and on the relationship between parental practices and underage drinking. In the coming year, the EUDL national evaluation team will publish reports based on impact surveys of law enforcement officials and on surveys in which youth answer questions about their alcohol use and related risk behaviors and negative consequences. The team will also release data from its evaluation of the EUDL Community Trial Initiative. The Future According to research cited on the UDETC Web site in "Spotlight: Scope of the Problem," more than 13 million underage youth drink each year, and underage drinkers consumed more than 16 percent of all alcohol sold in 2001. Although the successes reported by EUDL-funded communities are encouraging, statistics such as these show clearly that much work remains to be done. Since the inception of the EUDL Program, national attention to underage drinking and related problems has increased significantly. The NAS report—a significant milestone in the effort to reduce alcohol consumption by youth—has generated greater demand for EUDL Program assistance. The EUDL Program remains committed to helping states and communities address underage drinking problems and will continue to provide research-based guidance on reducing youth access to alcohol through enforcement and other environmental approaches. New Web Site Provides Access to Truancy Prevention Resources Continuing its mission to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency, OJJDP recently launched Truancy Prevention—Empowering Communities and Schools To Help Students Succeed. This new Web site, developed in partnership with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS), U.S. Department of Education, is a key resource for truancy prevention activities. Its purpose is to strengthen national and local efforts to keep students engaged in school and on the path to responsible adulthood. Because truancy is a complex problem requiring a comprehensive response, effective prevention programs require the support of educators, law enforcement agencies, court personnel, policymakers, and the general public. Thus, the new Web site focuses on partnership-building strategies that help children reach their fullest potential. Because experts in the field recognize that attendance is only part of the truancy problem, the site emphasizes the "three A's" of school success: attendance, attachment, and achievement. The new site features a dynamic range of information and resources. For example, researchers can locate studies on truancy and program evaluations, and educators and practitioners can search for best practices and federally funded initiatives. Those new to the topic of truancy can get an overview of pertinent issues. Updates on the home page alert users to upcoming conferences, new publications, and other announcements related to truancy. The site's toolkit section offers a comprehensive list of training and technical assistance resources and a "communications strategies" page with materials for public education campaigns. An FAQ section features videos of experts presenting indepth answers to a wide range of truancy-related questions. An audio/video library includes streaming video of several truancy workshops and plenary sessions from the December 2004 "Partnering To Prevent Truancy: A National Priority," cosponsored by OJJDP and the Department of Education. Additional media, including audio recordings of conference workshops and interviews with key players in truancy reduction efforts, will be added to the library on an ongoing basis. Truancy costs students more than their education. It costs them their future. The truancy prevention Web site reflects the shared commitment of OJJDP and OSDFS to help the nation's youth succeed—not only in school, but in life. National Youth Service Day Recruits the Next Generation of Volunteers OJJDP is one of 115 national partners supporting Youth Service America's 17th annual National Youth Service Day (NYSD), April 15–17, 2005. NYSD mobilizes youth to identify and address the needs of their communities, supports youth on a lifelong path of service and civic engagement, and informs the public about the many contributions youth make to their communities year-round. Millions of youth participate in NYSD each year, making it the largest service event in the world. Youth take part in projects organized by schools and other local organizations to address a wide range of issues, such as literacy, hunger, health care, public safety, needs of the elderly, and the environment. For example, in 2004, a Detroit, MI, project engaged more than 500 youth in a voter education and turnout drive. In Bradenton, FL, 11 youth helped to clean artificial reefs in Tampa Bay. In 2005, a Chicago, IL, group is painting libraries in inner city schools. The NYSD Web site presents detailed information about the event, including project ideas, related grants and awards, and a gallery of photos from 2004 projects.
New Publications New Online Implementation
and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program:
Final Report. Presents findings from a 5-year, multisite
evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of the
Intensive Aftercare Program, which seeks effective intervention
with high-risk, incarcerated juvenile offenders who demonstrate
high recidivism rates and continue to offend as adults. Recent Videoconferences Truancy Prevention On February 23, 2005, OJJDP and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) broadcast the satellite videoconference "Strategies, Programs, and Resources To Prevent Truancy." The videoconference provided an overview of the truancy issues addressed in the December 2004 conference "Partnering To Prevent Truancy: A National Priority," which was cosponsored by OJJDP and OSDFS and featured evidence-based approaches to truancy and related issues. Copies of the videoconference may be ordered online. Order NCJ 208806 for a DVD. Order NCJ 208807 for a VHS videotape. The fee is $12.25, including shipping and handling. The broadcast is available for free on the Juvenile Justice Telecommunications Assistance Project Web site. Graduated Sanctions On March 22, 2005, OJJDP, in conjunction with the Juvenile Sanctions Center, sponsored a live national satellite and Internet videoconference on the issue of graduated sanctions. "Graduated Sanctions: An Effective Intervention Strategy for Addressing Delinquency" took place during the annual meeting of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The 90-minute videoconference highlighted the efforts of OJJDP and the Juvenile Sanctions Center to support and implement effective graduated sanctions strategies. It also provided examples of community efforts to improve collaboration, implement successful intervention strategies, and enhance public awareness surrounding the issue of graduated sanctions. Copies of the videoconference may be ordered online. Order NCJ 209017 for a DVD. Order NCJ 209016 for a VHS videotape. The fee is $12.25, including shipping and handling. The broadcast is available for free on the Juvenile Justice Telecommunications Assistance Project Web site. Funding Update The following is a brief summary of OJJDP's recent funding activities. Be sure to check the Current Funding section of the OJJDP Web site for the latest news on OJJDP funding opportunities. To receive e-mail notification of new funding opportunities, subscribe to JUVJUST. Tribal Youth Program OJJDP has requested applications from eligible tribes for FY 2005 funding through the Tribal Youth Program (TYP) and the TYP Mental Health Initiative. TYP supports and enhances tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native youth. The TYP Mental Health Initiative supports programs that provide mental health services to tribal youth. OJJDP soon also will announce the availability of funds under the FY 2005 Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Grants (Tribal JADG) Program, which helps tribes strengthen their juvenile justice systems and hold tribal youth accountable. For additional information about these programs, visit the TYP page of the OJJDP Web site. Safe Schools/Healthy Students The Departments of Justice (OJJDP), Education, and Health and Human Services announced the FY 2005 Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) funding opportunity on March 10, 2005. The SS/HS Initiative is a discretionary grant program that provides students, schools, and communities with federal funding to implement an enhanced, coordinated, comprehensive plan of activities, programs, and services that focus on promoting healthy childhood development and preventing violence and substance abuse. Applications are due by April 29, 2005 . More information about this program is available on the SS/HS Web page. To assist applicants, a weekly series of 1-hour audioteleconferences explaining the SS/HS Initiative began March 17 and runs through April 28. These sessions focus on eligibility requirements, grant application requirements, and the application review process. Congressional Earmark Programs Each year Congress appropriates funds to specifically identified ("earmarked") programs. In FY 2005, Congress appropriated more than $100 million to juvenile justice earmark programs, and OJJDP is charged with overseeing the distribution and management of these funds. OJJDP is currently in the process of notifying recipients of FY 2005 OJJDP Congressional Earmarks, providing them with instructions on how to apply for these funds. Only agencies and organizations that are identified in the FY 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 108–447) and who have received a written invitation to apply under the Congressional Earmark Program solicitation are eligible for these funds. News From the Coordinating Council The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention held its most recent quarterly meeting at the U.S. Department of Education's Barnard Auditorium on March 4, 2005. Deborah A. Price, Deputy Under Secretary, Department of Education, opened the meeting. OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores led a discussion of opportunities for coordination in 2005. An example of such coordination, the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program, was the topic of a presentation by William Modzeleski, Associate Deputy Under Secretary, Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Kellie Dressler, Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program Coordinator, OJJDP; and Marilyn Copeland, Jonesboro (Arkansas) Public Schools. Gary Rutkin, Education Program Specialist, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs, Department of Education, gave a presentation on prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at risk. The Council's quarterly meetings are open to the public. Notices about upcoming meetings are featured in the Federal Register. Juvenilecouncil.gov includes detailed information about the Council's mission, meeting announcements and summaries, and links to related resources. Information about the Council is also available from Bob Samuels, OJJDP's Acting Director for Concentration of Federal Efforts, 202–307–1357, Bob.Samuels@usdoj.gov.
News From the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice The Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice is a consultative body established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 2002 and supported by OJJDP. Composed of appointed representatives of the nation's State Advisory Groups, the Committee advises the President and Congress on matters related to juvenile justice, evaluates the progress and accomplishments of juvenile justice activities and projects, and advises the OJJDP Administrator on the work of OJJDP. The Advisory Committee has completed its 2004 Annual Report, which will be sent to the President and Congress and will soon be available on the Committee's Web site (ojjdp.ncjrs.org/jjac). The Report presents state perspectives on the operation of OJJDP and on federal legislation pertaining to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. Reflecting concerns and issues identified by Governors and by those working on the front lines with juveniles, the Report offers 13 recommendations for the President and Congress about how to address some of the critical juvenile justice issues facing the country, including disproportionate minority contact, juvenile female offenders, and youth gangs. The Advisory Committee has also completed a 2004 Report with 23 recommendations for the Administrator of OJJDP regarding the operation of the Office. The Report suggests issues to be addressed by OJJDP in the future, including alternatives to detention, disproportionate minority contact, the need for collaboration among agencies, and the mental health and drug abuse treatment needs of juvenile offenders. This Report will also be available on the Committee's Web site. The Advisory Committee's next meeting will be held May 17–18, 2005, in Albuquerque, NM. Observers are invited to open sessions only. Individuals who wish to attend as observers should preregister by e-mailing the Juvenile Justice Resource Center at facjj@jjrc.org. Details of meetings and other information about the Advisory Committee are available on the Committee's Web site. OJJDP Staff News In Memory of Travis Cain OJJDP staff members were saddened to learn of the death of their former colleague, Travis A. Cain, on January 25, 2005. Ms. Cain worked in the federal government for more than 20 years, drafting legislation and designing and administering conflict resolution, community relations, and criminal and juvenile justice programs. During her long tenure at OJJDP, Ms. Cain worked with state and local government leaders, community-based groups, individual citizens, and youth throughout the country to improve the lives of children and young adults and to prevent them from entering into crime and violence. Most recently, Ms. Cain served as Female Juvenile Offender Program Manager at OJJDP. She also managed a number of other major programs funded by OJJDP, including the National Crime Prevention Council (Teens, Crime, and the Community Program), the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (Gang Prevention and Intervention Program), and the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP). Prior to coming to OJJDP, she served as Special Assistant to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (NY) and as Legislative Assistant to Congressman Joseph Resnick (NY). Ms. Cain was a graduate of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX. |
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