Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided updated information on: (1) the number of programs that served at-risk or delinquent youths in fiscal year (FY) 1996; (2) the amount of FY 1996 appropriations dedicated toward these youths; and (3) the services these programs provide.
GAO noted that: (1) GAO presented information from agency officials on their programs that serve at-risk or delinquent youths; (2) GAO identified 15 federal departments and agencies that administered 127 at-risk youth programs in FY 1996; (3) 110 of those programs received funding in 1996 amounting to in excess of $4 billion; (4) GAO could not, however, determine the precise amounts of funds going to youths in 30 of the 110 funded programs; (5) of the funded programs, GAO identified 97 as providing funding for multiple services, ranging from counseling to job training assistance to research and evaluation efforts; and (6) among the 110 funded programs, 66 provided either substance abuse prevention or violence prevention services or both to youths they served.
