OVC's National Candlelight Observance and Ceremony will be held April 23, 2009. Quincy Lucas, homicide co-victim and founder of Witney's Lights, Inc., is the featured speaker. On April 24, 2009, the Attorney General's Victim Service Awards will be presented at the National Crime Victims' Rights Week Awards Ceremony. Visit the OVC Web site for more information. (OVC)

In recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month (April 2009), NCJRS invites you to view the Child Abuse Prevention Special Feature. This online resource contains links to publications and resources related to child abuse, child exploitation, and responses to victims of child abuse. (NCJRS)

Application deadline: April 22, 2009
Under its Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs solicitation, BJA invites local law enforcement agencies in rural states and rural areas to apply for funds to prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime. The program provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs. (BJA)

Application deadline: April 27, 2009
BJA is seeking applicants for its Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program. Under this program, grants will support efforts to improve the criminal justice system, provide assistance to victims of crime, and support communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. (BJA)

Application deadline: May 14, 2009
Through its Recovery Act Internet Crimes Against Children Research Grants, OJJDP seeks to encourage research and data collection to advance understanding of technology and Internet-facilitated crimes against children and to enhance the investigation of such crimes. (OJJDP)

Application deadline: April 14, 2009
COPS is offering up to $1 billion in funding through the COPS Hiring Recovery Program. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is allocating these funds to address state, local, and tribal law enforcement personnel needs. All applicants must complete an eligibility worksheet to determine their qualifications for funding under this program. (COPS)

Application deadline: April 10, 2009
The National Institute of Corrections is seeking applications for Direct Supervision: Curriculum Development, a cooperative agreement to develop curricula for two training programs: one that focuses on the role of the housing-unit officer and shift supervisor in a direct-supervision jail and another that focuses on the administrator’s role in a direct-supervision jail. (NIC)

Application deadline: May 18, 2009
The Recovery Act: Evaluation of Internet Child Safety Materials Used by ICAC Task Forces in School and Community Settings solicitation seeks a multisite evaluation of Internet child safety materials that focus on public awareness and/or prevention of Internet crimes against children, and that are used in schools and community settings by ICAC task forces that receive funding under the Recovery Act. (NIJ)

Application deadline: May 29, 2009
NIJ's Postconviction DNA Testing Assistance Program will help states defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing of forcible rape, murder, and nonnegligent manslaughter cases in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. In addition, funds may be used to review such postconviction cases and to locate and analyze biological evidence associated with these cases. (NIJ)

Application deadline: May 4, 2009
The Recovery Act: Correctional Facilities on Tribal Lands Program seeks to help tribes cost effectively construct and renovate correctional facilities on tribal lands that are associated with the incarceration and rehabilitation of juvenile and adult offenders subject to tribal jurisdiction. (BJA)

Application deadline: April 17, 2009
BJA is accepting applications for the Recovery Act: State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern Border of the United States. Under this solicitation, BJA will be making awards to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the U.S. southern border to combat criminal narcotics activity. (BJA)

Application deadline: May 5, 2009
The FY 2009 Tribal Victim Assistance Discretionary Grant Program offers awards of up to $3 million to plan, implement, and/or enhance the ability of tribal victim assistance programs to help American Indian/Alaska Native communities improve their ability to identify crime victims' needs, provide direct services to crime victims, and address the needs of unserved and underserved victims. (OVC)

Application deadline: April 20, 2009
To reduce juvenile delinquency, violence, gang participation, school failure, and dropout rates, OJJDP has announced its Recovery Act Local Youth Mentoring Initiative. This program is designed to support local organizations that develop, implement, or expand local mentoring programs leading to measurable, positive outcomes for at-risk youth. (OJJDP)

Application deadline: May 5, 2009
OVC is accepting applications for the FY 2009 Tribal Victim Assistance Training and Technical Assistance solicitation. The grant offers $500,000 to one applicant to provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to grantees that received funding under the FY 2009 Tribal Victim Assistance Discretionary Grant Program. (OVC)

Application deadline: May 14, 2009
Under the Recovery Act ICAC Task Force Training and Technical Assistance Grants program, OJJDP will offer awards to help state and local law enforcement agencies develop effective responses to online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases. (OJJDP)

Application deadline: April 20, 2009
OJJDP invites applicants for its Recovery Act National Youth Mentoring Programs to propose initiatives that assist in the development of community programs to provide mentoring services to populations that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, physical or mental challenges of the targeted population, or other situations. (OJJDP)

Application deadline: May 18, 2009
Through the Recovery Act: Research and Evaluation of Recovery Act State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance solicitation, NIJ is seeking proposals that promote the goals of the Recovery Act through research and evaluation projects that support the purposes of various Recovery Act programs. (NIJ)

Application deadline: April 1, 2009
The Institute for Police Research, in partnership with NIJ, has released a solicitation to research reflective gear use by law enforcement officials, especially for work occurring on or near highway/street work zones. Late submissions will be considered if notification of intent to submit a proposal is received by April 3. (NIJ)

Application deadline: May 14, 2009
OJJDP's Recovery Act National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Data System seeks to provide a secure infrastructure to facilitate law enforcement investigations of online child exploitation and to promote information sharing among ICAC Task Forces and ICAC-affiliated law enforcement agencies. (OJJDP)

Asset forfeiture laws allow for the seizure (and eventual forfeiture) of property connected with criminal activity. "Asset Forfeiture" (NCJ 226323, 76 pp.) reviews the application of this response to specific crime problems, examines legal arrangements for its use, discusses benefits and consequences of its use, and provides recommendations for launching an asset forfeiture program. (COPS)

"Improving Street Lighting to Reduce Crime in Residential Areas" (NCJ 226359, 62 pp.) examines lighting improvements intended to decrease crime in public streets and alleys in residential neighborhoods. This guide also discusses factors to consider when upgrading or improving street lighting and suggests measures for assessing the effectiveness of lighting solutions that have been implemented. (COPS)

"Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Victims of Crime" (NCJ 225037, 8 pp.) presents findings about violent crime and property crime experienced by the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander population in the United States. Data on nonfatal violent victimization and nonfatal property victimization are drawn from the National Crime Victimization Survey. (BJS)

"Characteristics of State Parole Supervising Agencies, 2006" (NCJ 222180, 12 pp.) has been updated with a technical supplement that has an expanded Methodology, appendix tables with state-level data, and detailed Explanatory Notes. (BJS)

The OVC gallery of multimedia products is now available. This resource contains various National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) promotional materials developed since 2002. The gallery enables users to download web banners and customizable posters, search for past crime victim service award recipients, and view public service announcements. (OVC)

In anticipation of National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), April 26-May 2, 2009, OVC encourages you to download and display banner ads on your Web site. Visit the banner gallery to choose your favorite and link it to the OVC NCVRW Web page. (OVC)

On June 10-13, 2009, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals will hold its 15th Annual Training Conference in Anaheim, California. This year’s conference will include a mental health court/co-occurring disorders forum. In addition, the conference will feature 28 skills-building workshops and more than 140 individual sessions. (BJA)

Register for OVC's upcoming training workshops, including Curriculum Design for Victim Service Providers, May 5-6, 2009, in Portland, Oregon, and Enforcing Victims' Rights, May 19-20, 2009, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To view course descriptions and learning objectives or to register, visit the OVC TTAC Web site. (OVC)

On April 15, 2009, the National Institute of Corrections will host Corrections Budgets in Free Fall: Finding Opportunities in Turbulent Times. This live, 3-hour satellite/Internet broadcast will provide an overview of opportunities that can help organizations stay afloat in the current economic environment. (NIC)