((a)) ** In general** The Attorney General is authorized to provide grants to States, for use by States and units of local government, and in certain cases directly to specially qualified units.

((b)) ** Authorized activities** Amounts paid to a State or a unit of local government under this subchapter shall be used by the State or unit of local government for the purpose of strengthening the juvenile justice system, which includes—

((1)) developing, implementing, and administering graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders;

((2)) building, expanding, renovating, or operating temporary or permanent juvenile correction, detention, or community corrections facilities;

((3)) hiring juvenile court judges, probation officers, and court-appointed defenders and special advocates, and funding pretrial services (including mental health screening and assessment) for juvenile offenders, to promote the effective and expeditious administration of the juvenile justice system;

((4)) hiring additional prosecutors, so that more cases involving violent juvenile offenders can be prosecuted and case backlogs reduced;

((5)) providing funding to enable prosecutors to address drug, gang, and youth violence problems more effectively and for technology, equipment, and training to assist prosecutors in identifying and expediting the prosecution of violent juvenile offenders;

((6)) establishing and maintaining training programs for law enforcement and other court personnel with respect to preventing and controlling juvenile crime;

((7)) establishing juvenile gun courts for the prosecution and adjudication of juvenile firearms offenders;

((8)) establishing drug court programs for juvenile offenders that provide continuing judicial supervision over juvenile offenders with substance abuse problems and the integrated administration of other sanctions and services for such offenders;

((9)) establishing and maintaining a system of juvenile records designed to promote public safety;

((10)) establishing and maintaining interagency information-sharing programs that enable the juvenile and criminal justice systems, schools, and social services agencies to make more informed decisions regarding the early identification, control, supervision, and treatment of juveniles who repeatedly commit serious delinquent or criminal acts;

((11)) establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs designed to reduce recidivism among juveniles who are referred by law enforcement personnel or agencies;

((12)) establishing and maintaining programs to conduct risk and need assessments of juvenile offenders that facilitate the effective early intervention and the provision of comprehensive services, including mental health screening and treatment and substance abuse testing and treatment to such offenders;

((13)) establishing and maintaining accountability-based programs that are designed to enhance school safety, which programs may include research-based bullying, cyberbullying, and gang prevention programs;

((14)) establishing and maintaining restorative justice programs;

((15)) establishing and maintaining programs to enable juvenile courts and juvenile probation officers to be more effective and efficient in holding juvenile offenders accountable and reducing recidivism;

((16)) hiring detention and corrections personnel, and establishing and maintaining training programs for such personnel to improve facility practices and programming; or

((17)) establishing, improving, and coordinating pre-release and post-release systems and programs to facilitate the successful reentry of juvenile offenders from State or local custody in the community.

((c)) ** Definition** In this section the term “restorative justice program” means a program that emphasizes the moral accountability of an offender toward the victim and the affected community and may include community reparations boards, restitution (in the form of monetary payment or service to the victim or, where no victim can be identified, service to the affected community), and mediation between victim and offender.