Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee
Awards $13,780 to Center for Family Services in Camden County

TRENTON - The New Jersey Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Committee has awarded a $13,780 grant to the Center for Family Services for the Youth Empowerment Systems (YES) Residential and Treatment Facility Program, which serves young people from Blackwood and the City of Camden.

This Summer Expansion Program Grant allows 27 young people who are emotionally disturbed or aggressive, and who are currently in the juvenile justice system, an opportunity to engage in performance art. Students participate in set and costume design, writing productions, and the selection of educational material for performances. Artists from the Perkins Center for the Arts instruct the students in all aspects of performance art. Participants also acquire academic skills through research and writing on their performance topic. The goals of the program include building self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as gaining a general knowledge of theater and the selected topics for the performances.

"Tragically, many high-risk youth believe they are failures and have very low expectations of their futures. The JJDP has funded the Center for Family Services YES Residential and Shelter Treatment Facility to work with the Perkins Center for the Arts with remarkable results. The youth have found an outlet through which they can change their perceptions of themselves through the arts. Thank you JJDP," said Nancy Kline-Gold, Clinical Director, Center for Family Services.

The Juvenile Justice Commission (JJC), as the designated planning authority for the allocation of federal grant funds, works with the JJDP Committee to identify appropriate programs, award funds and monitor their success. The JJDP Committee is responsible for the distribution of more than $3 million in federal grant awards annually to local and state agencies. The JJDP Committee reviews proposals for programs that aim to reduce delinquency and/or seek to create local delinquency prevention strategies. Programs that receive funding work with individuals, families and communities to reduce the risk factors associated with delinquency. Programs that demonstrate success are eligible for continued funding for a maximum of three consecutive years.

"The JJC is committed to helping local communities address the specific needs of their young people. It is important to allow these young people a chance to engage in positive programs that keep them on the right track during the summer months," said Howard L. Beyer, Executive Director, JJC. We know that the earlier we reach out to children, the better chance we have of ensuring that they lead productive lives.

Created in 1995 to bring together services for delinquent young people, the JJC is the single state agency responsible for providing juvenile correctional rehabilitation and parole services. The JJC also funds local prevention programs that divert young people from involvement in the juvenile justice system.

The project is monitored by staff from the Program Development and Prevention Services arm of the JJC's Office of Local Programs and Services.

For more information on the JJC, please visit www.njjjc.com