iASSEMBLY, No. 2998

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 5, 1997

 

 

By Assemblyman BARNES and Assemblywoman BUONO

 

 

A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved, 1997 (P.L.1997, c.).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.1997, c. , there is appropriated out of the General Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:

 

DIRECT STATE SERVICES

 67 DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS

10 Public Safety and Criminal Justice

14 Military Services

40-3620 New Jersey National Guard Support Services ..................... .................................................................................................................................

    $1,640,000

Special Purpose:

 

 

    NJ NG Challenge Youth Program ........................

($1,640,000)

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated to the Challenge program shall be used to provide for additional        enrollments.

 

      2. This act shall take effect immediately but shall remain inoperative until the effective date of the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, P.L.1997, c. .

 

 

STATEMENT

 

      This bill makes a Fiscal Year 1998 supplemental appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the New Jersey National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program.

      The New Jersey National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program is a federally funded three-year pilot program for at-risk youths ages 16 through 18. These youths are unemployed, high school drop-outs who are drug free and not in trouble with the law. The program consists of a 22-week residential program at Fort Dix and 12 months of mentoring upon graduation. It gives these youths a chance to obtain their Graduate Equivalency Diploma, develop a positive self-image and discipline, and achieve the skills necessary to function as contributing members of society. High school drop-outs are increasingly ill prepared to face the demands of the modern workplace and life in general. Studies show that high school drop-outs constitute 80% of the prison inmate population, 80% of high school drop-outs are regular drug users and fewer than 50% of high school drop-outs find jobs after leaving school.

      The ChalleNGe Youth Program has made great strides in keeping the cadets from becoming a grim statistic. To date, 344 students have graduated from five separate classes. Of these, 187 graduates are gainfully employed and 98 graduates are actively involved in continuing education. Twenty-seven graduates have enlisted and are now active members of the New Jersey National Guard or one of the other military services.  

      The program is cost effective. The average cost of training each cadet is $15,000 compared to $39,000 per year for housing an inmate in jail and $30,600 per year for each boot camp participant.

      Currently, New Jersey is only one of 15 states to initiate this program. The continued funding of the program by the federal government is uncertain at this time. There are enough funds to enroll one more class of 120 members in 1998. This supplemental appropriation would match the federal funding of $1,640,000 for FY 1998 to expand the class size to 240 members.

 

 

                             

 

Makes supplemental appropriation for FY 1998 of $1,640,000 from General Fund to DMAVA for the National Guard ChalleNGe Youth Program.