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Program Areas

The council's program areas are detailed below:

Juvenile Information Systems

Court Case Management System (JCATS)

In June 1993, the Council began a contractual partnership with Canyon Solutions of Chandler, Arizona to develop a juvenile case management system known as JCATS. Since that time, JCATS has evolved to a multi platform program capable of serving the needs of the smallest to the largest of Georgia's counties. The Council offers a Windows version of JCATS free of charge to any Georgia Juvenile Court. Several counties have upgraded to a web based version. Although the Council does not mandate any specific case management system, JCATS counties represent more than 50% of annually reported juvenile court cases. The Council is currently developing a state based data repository which will eventually include data from all counties. Further information about JCATS can be obtained by contacting Canyon Solutions directly: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For specific information about JCATS in Georgia, please contact Council staff member This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information.

Purchase of Services for Juvenile Offenders

The Purchase of Services for Juvenile Offenders Program provided federal and state funds to reimburse county governments for community-based services that provide alternatives to institutional treatment.

The federal dollars were provided through a grant under the FY 1998 Appropriations Act, P.L. 105-119, the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) Program (CFDA #16.540). These funds were administered by the Governor's Office of Children and Families for the federal government. The state dollars are provided through a legislative appropriation to the Council of Juvenile Court Judges of Georgia .

Funds were made available through the Purchase of Services Program are used to enhance court services through court-sponsored counseling (individual/group/family), educational/tutoring programs, drug testing, psychological evaluations, community works and restitution programs, and short-term residential/non-residential therapeutic programs.

Delinquent and status offenders who were within the court's jurisdiction, but have not yet been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, were the target group for these services. Services were made available for purchase were only delinquent or status offender juveniles whose charges have been informally adjusted or for juveniles who are on probation.

The purpose of this grant was to reduce formal court involvement, recidivism rates, and the incarceration rates of minority offenders. Funds were available on a reimbursement basis and could only be expended only in the service areas and within the monetary limits specified.

This grant has been suspended until further future funding becomes available. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the Council for information.

Judical Citizens' Review Panel Program

Judicial Citizens' Review Panel staff provide training, support and technical assistance to juvenile court judges and judicial citizen review panels.

During fiscal year 2011, JCRP staff assisted with approximately 205 citizen panels in 65 counties. In these 65 counties, an estimated 12,000 children were in foster care homes or in institutional placements. Case reviews are carried out by judicial citizen review panels minimally every six months. The goal of a judicial citizen review panel is to ensure reunification of the child with the parents, if at all possible. If reunification is not an option, the panels work with the Department of Family and Children Services, the court, and other agencies to identify other permanency options. Approximately 1,219 citizen volunteers served on panels statewide during the past year. Panel members are appointed by their local juvenile court judge and trained by JCRP staff. There are currently nine JCRP field representatives who provide technical assistance to the local judicial citizen review panels.

During the past few months, additional counties have inquired about the program and hope to establish judicial citizen review panels in their counties. If any county is interested in discussing the possibility of having panels, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the Council's office.

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