For immediate release: August 19, 2011

Contact: DJJ Communications (850) 921-5900

Tallahassee, Fla. -- How can local governments find data to help them decide which juvenile delinquency prevention support services they need most? How can juvenile service providers find data to support their grant requests and plan for youth needs? Now it is available at a click.

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Office of Probation and Community Intervention announces the first internet publication of data from the Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT).

"The online availability of the PACT profile makes this highly useful tool readily accessible," said Secretary Wansley Walters. "This information is important to local governments and communities for planning and understanding the needs of their youth, and we urge them to use it."

The PACT profile data is available by fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Information is presented from almost 750,000 PACT assessments completed in Florida from July 2006 through June 2010. There are nine separate views to explore, including risk to re-offend, drug and alcohol use, mental health issues, motives for crime, criminogenic needs and school, family and social issues. It is possible for the user to filter and examine statewide PACT data by fiscal year, race gender, judicial circuit and county. The data is presented in both tabular and graphic format.

The PACT assessment and case management system tracks youth criminogenic needs, which are also referred to as risk factors, and protective factors. Examples of criminogenic needs are substance abuse and anti-social peers. Examples of protective factors include pro-social attitudes and consistent, appropriate supervision. Florida’s centralized juvenile justice information system makes it possible to accurately track comprehensive, statewide data.

DJJ is pleased to make this resource available to our stakeholders and the public. Questions about PACT data should be referred to mark.russell@djj.state.fl.us.

Click here to view the PACT Profile 2006 – 2010

# # #