Details of Department of Justice grant to Bluefield Police released
Apr. 12—By GREG JORDAN
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD — A $450,000 federal grant will help a Mercer County police department address problems that could lead juveniles to truancy from school, delinquency and incarceration.
The city of Bluefield has received an award from the Office of Justice Programs' Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention under the "Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success" initiative. The $450,000 grant will be used by the Bluefield Police Department to support the development of a community-based continuum of promising and evidence-based prevention and intervention services.
"The Bluefield Police Department is deeply honored and appreciative of the U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention FY 2023 "Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success" grant award," Bluefield Police Chief D.M. Dillow Jr. said Thursday.
"West Virgina kids, in general, face a host of challenges that lead to truancy, delinquency and incarceration," Dillow said. "The state ranks 10th worst for education and employment opportunities; third worst for kids' health; tied second place for the highest percentage of disconnected youth and second for the highest youth poverty rate in the nation. In 2022, The Annie E. Casey Foundation completed a state-to-state comparison of child well-being and West Virginia ranked 43rd in the nation and is getting worse."
Nationally, youth incarceration numbers have been declining, but West Virginia is one of only six states which have increased the number and rate of juvenile incarceration in the past 15 years, he said. The majority of those children did not commit violent or major crimes.
"Over the course of the next 18 months, the Bluefield Police Department will conduct a planning and assessment process to develop a continuum of care plan with a focus on youth development, prevention, diversion and treatment services for youth in Mercer County," Dillow said. "This plan will address youth at-risk of becoming or already involved in the juvenile justice system. Economic impact strategies will be outlined to provide cost savings to be reinvested in the community."
The project's intent is to address racial inequalities — geography, financial resources, transportation, access to youth programs, inequities in education, etc, — and contribute to greater access to service and opportunities for the Black community in Bluefield that has been historically underserved, marginalized and adversely affected by inequity, Dillow said.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a program office of the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs, awarded over $17 million to 26 grantees for the Building Local Continuums of Care to Support Youth Success initiative.
The Continuum of Care framework supports a network of services and opportunities to foster positive youth development and prioritizes community safety and effective program outcomes.
This new OJJDP investment leverages decades of evidence-based learning to prevent youth from entering or deepening their involvement in the juvenile justice system and steer them on a path to success. At its core, the continuum of care approach is community-driven, leverages local insights, and addresses youth needs through mentoring, after-school programs, and other prosocial activities. More information about OJP and its program offices can be found at www.ojp.gov.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
