Report of the Department of Juvenile Justice Office of the Inspector General
DJJ violations of the 2008-9 prevention grant review process
Case No. 08-0117

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On May 1, 2008, the Pinellas County Juvenile Justice Council (PCJJC) requested the Governor's Office of the Chief Inspector General (CIG) to open an investigation into DJJ's grant review process for awarding public dollars in the 2008-9 fiscal year.

The complaint centered on DJJ's decision to have the Circuit Juvenile Justice Boards and the County Juvenile Justice Councils review "concept papers" and not the grant applications themselves. These applications are for federal and state money used to fund programs designed to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system. According to Florida statutes 985.664 and 985.767, the grant applications are to be reviewed by the state's Circuit Juvenile Justice Boards and County Juvenile Justice Councils.

By substituting concept papers for grant applications, DJJ prevented the County councils from reviewing the grant applications as required by law. On November 8, 2007 and December 5, 2007, PCJJC asked DJJ to comply with the statutes. There was no reply to either email.

On May 2, 2008, the CIG assigned the case number 200805010001 and forwarded it to the Department of Juvenile Justice for investigation by its Inspector General. The Department assigned the complaint case number 08-0117.

On April 27, 2009, almost a year later, the DJJ's Inspector General released its 14-page Report of Investigation with these determinations:

 

Staff

Position

Allegations

Determination

 

Maury Kolchakian

Former Grant Manager SMA II

1) Violation of Policy/Rule

Inconclusive

 

Cassandra Jenkins

Former Assistant Secretary

1) Violation of Policy/Rule

Inconclusive

 

Gwen Steverson

Grant Manager SMA II

2) Negligence

Substantiated

To read the original complaint and related correspondence, click here.


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