FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Juvenile justice officials in Kentucky are encouraging local initiatives to keep low-level juvenile offenders out of the criminal justice system.
The Department of Juvenile Justice says it will start accepting applications on Feb. 15 for a program that supports those efforts.
The agency says about $300,000 will be available through the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. It says individual grants of up to $100,000 may be awarded.
Those funds will be used to support community-based delinquency prevention efforts aimed at keeping at-risk youth and first-time, non-serious offenders from entering the juvenile justice system.
Officials say the funds have been earmarked for public and private non-profit groups and for city and county governments that provide direct service programs for youngsters who are 10 to 14 years old.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.