DOJ, AmeriCorps Team Up To Assist Second-Chance Youth

Continuing on last week’s theme within this blog on federal agency collaborations, we now are highlighting yet another agency partnership. This effort endeavors to provide grants to assist formerly troubled youth.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) this month awarded a $2.5 million grant to AmeriCorps to fund service activities for “second-chance youth” who experience challenges when returning to their communities from juvenile residential or correctional facilities. “Together we will positively impact the lives of justice-involved youth by offering support, guidance and resources to help these young people overcome obstacles and successfully contribute to their communities,” said Amy L. Solomon, assistant attorney general for OJP.

Some 25,000 youth nationwide are held in residential placement. When they return to their families and communities, they often face barriers such as limited education and employment opportunities, which can heighten the risk for recidivism. OJJDP and AmeriCorps plan to work together to enhance the welfare of these youth, broaden their opportunities and equip them with the tools needed to transition successfully back to their communities.

AmeriCorps will use the funding to provide grants to community-based programs that will enhance and expand reentry services for youth, which includes engaging those youth as AmeriCorps members. “This partnership will provide us with opportunities, opportunities to connect with young people who risk falling through the cracks of our society, opportunities to welcome more people into AmeriCorps from different backgrounds and opportunities to bolster organizations with resources and know how to support second-chance youth,” added AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith

OJJDP explained that the partnership supports its priority of opening up opportunities for young people who come into contact with the justice system, while furthering DOJ’s mission by supporting efforts to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for youth returning to their communities following confinement.

We look forward to seeing what comes out of this partnership.

Join us for our following Thompson Grants events:
2024 Virtual Federal Grants Forum| Feb. 21-22, 2024 | Virtual Event
Thompson Grants Workshop: Indirect Costs| March 14, 2024 | Virtual Event