A senior member of the Judiciary Committee, Grassley has worked to give states greater flexibility to develop local solutions to community-specific juvenile crime problems. "Each community has its own problems with its youngest residents, whether it's graffiti, truancy, runaways, drugs, or gang activity. Based on my many meetings with Iowans on this issue, I believe the most effective solutions are those devised at the local levels."
Joining Sen. Dianne Feinstein, of California, Grassley worked to address violent gang activity. Specifically, the initiative seeks to crack down on interstate gang activity by adding $100 million annually for local prosecutors and prevention programs. Modeled after the popular High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, local areas may be designated as High Intensity Interstate Gang Activity Areas by the Attorney General.
"Big-city gangs are making their way into rural areas of the Midwest," said Grassley. "We need to provide resources for local authorities to handle the migration of these urban gangs and any increase in crime and violent activity. What's more, it's important to help steer at-risk youth away from being recruited."
Another Grassley/Feinstein amendment will allow parks and nonprofit community organizations, which previously were not eligible, to qualify for federal juvenile crime prevention funds. This will help more local organizations in Iowa to launch organized prevention programs.
To help keep illegal drugs, tobacco and alcohol out of the hands of minors, Grassley worked to give local school officials more authority to crack down on the use and ownership of these products on school premises. By expanding a provision of the 1994 education bill, his amendment provides that all secondary and educational facilities, which receive federal education funds, put in place a "zero tolerance" policy.
Working to help runaways and their families, Grassley successfully included a provision to allow local authorities to temporarily detain runaways. In May, Grassley invited Iowan Judy Nish, co-founder of Parents Together Network, to testify in Washington. A concerned parent from Cedar Rapids, Nish advocated disbanding the "status offender" mandate attached to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). This federal mandate prevented authorities from detaining youth who commit actions which are unlawful for juveniles but would not be for adults, including running away from home, purchasing liquor and skipping school.
What's more, Grassley also worked to include funding for a toll-free number for runaways. Responding to the lack of available bed space, especially in rural areas, the reform package directs additional funding for the construction of local juvenile detention centers.
Enacted in 1974, the JJDPA provides federal funds to states to administer delinquency prevention programs and for the discipline of criminal youth offenders. In Iowa, JJDPA funding comes to more than $500,000 per year. What's more, "The Violent Juvenile Offenders Act" creates an additional $500 million in targeted block grants to increase effective resources in the juvenile justice system.
Last year, Grassley led a series of 14 open forums across Iowa to field ideas on ways to improve the juvenile justice system. Grassley worked to incorporate many of these initiatives into the package passed today out of committee. The legislation moves to the full Senate for consideration.