Grant money will help local juveniles

Nov. 24--A Tuscaloosa social service agency is one of just six in the country receiving grant money to help juveniles who have been detained or involved in the justice system.

The Juveniles Supported Through Integrated Community Engagement (JUSTICE) program will provide case management services, mentoring and civil legal services. The $300,000 grant was awarded by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)

Tuscaloosa's One Place, a family resource center, was awarded the grant to provide re-entry services for juveniles returning to the Tuscaloosa community from secure residential placements or detention, according to the agency.

"The JUSTICE program is going to fill the gap for youth re-entering our community. We will provide individualized services to assist with potential barriers to the youth's success," said Sabrina Thomas, Tuscaloosa'sOne Place assistant director, said in a release announcing the grant.

The program aims to reduce recidivism rates among participants and is the first in the county to focus on teens and young adults.

Tuscaloosa's One Place will partner with community and social service agencies to provide services including mental health and substance abuse treatment, housing and education to program participants. The participants will have mentors for support.

"During TOP's history with juvenile justice reform, we've witnessed on too many occasions where youth return home from restrictive placements without any support and commit new crimes soon after," said Brittney Jones, JUSTICE Attorney. "With JUSTICE , these youth will have free access to the needed support to succeed."

The University of Alabama School of Law's Public Interest Institute will host a Re-entry Law Fellow who will assist in providing the youth civil legal services to help with any legal barriers to complete their integration into the community.

The program began Oct. 1.

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