[Federal Register: May 9, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 91)] . [Notices] [Page 21237-21299] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [[Page 21237]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part III Department of Justice _______________________________________________________________________ Office of Justice Programs _______________________________________________________________________ Program Plans for Fiscal Year 1996; Notice [[Page 21238]] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Justice Programs [OJP NO. 1079] ZRIN 1121-ZA33 Program Plans for Fiscal Year 1996 AGENCY: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. ACTION: Notice of program plans. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DATES: See specific Program Plan. ADDRESSES: All questions concerning these Program Plans should be addressed to the appropriate Bureau or Office at 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20531. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preface: OJP Bureaus' Fiscal Year 1996 Program Plans The Fiscal Year 1996 Program Plans for the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureaus--the National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Office for Victims of Crime-- represent a continuation of our concerted effort to work in partnership with law enforcement and criminal justice agencies across the nation to break the cycle of drugs and violence and eliminate the consequences of crime. This represents, as well, the second year that OJP will have published all its discretionary Program Plans together in the Federal Register. Because of scarce resources at every level of government today, the OJP Program Plans emphasize increasing the collaboration across Federal, State, and local agencies; leveraging resources with other Federal agencies, foundations, and the private sector; identifying specific needs, priorities, and gaps in the system; and implementing innovative strategies that demonstrate concrete results while at the same time being cost-effective. Because many of today's crime problems require solutions that extend beyond traditional criminal justice boundaries, new systemwide responses are encouraged and comprehensive community efforts are highlighted. This is particularly important in strengthening our response to escalating youth violence--especially gang activity--and juvenile victimization. Building on the development of the OJJDP Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders and the National Juvenile Justice Action Plan released by the Attorney General this Spring, the FY 1996 plan supports a balanced approach to aggressively addressing juvenile delinquency and violence through graduated sanctions, improving the juvenile justice system's ability to respond, and preventing the onset of delinquency. Initiatives to address violent, serious, and chronic juvenile offenders are highlighted. Major new program areas focus on the development of one- stop, community-based intake, assessment, referral, and program service centers; supporting the linkages between community and law enforcement responses to youth gun violence and gang activity; and improving the dependency and criminal court systems and the community's response to child abuse and neglect--factors studies show perpetuate violence in future generations. The OJP Program Plans also support community-based initiatives that recognize the lead role that communities must play in violence prevention and the strong coordinated, multidisciplinary approach required to combat crime in our neighborhoods. For example, using a planning grant approach which emphasizes the importance of first developing community mobilization strategies in key segments of the criminal justice system, BJA's Comprehensive Communities Program--which is being continued in FY 1996--encourages a jurisdiction-wide approach that includes community policing, the establishment of drug courts, expedited prosecution and diversion, gang prevention and intervention, dispute and conflict resolution, and alternatives to incarceration. Building on the achievements of past efforts and guided by extensive input from its constituent groups, the OVC programming looks to communities to establish integrated, inclusive environments where comprehensive services are provided for crime victims in a single location. The plan offers communities the information, training, tools, and technical assistance needed to create supportive, multidisciplinary facilities especially designed for victims. Underlying all the Program Plans is the importance of understanding ``what works'' and ``best practices'' so that jurisdictions can learn from one another and not have to constantly ``reinvent the wheel.'' In this regard, the NIJ plan continues its long-range emphasis on developing knowledge and Federal leadership that will assist jurisdictions in advancing six important goals: reduce violent crime, reduce drug- and alcohol-related crime, reduce the consequences of crime, improve crime prevention, improve law enforcement and justice systems, and develop new technologies. One opportunity we have to work together to make our communities safer is through the training and technical assistance available from OJP. As we endeavor to determine ``what works''--through research, evaluation, and demonstration grants--communities are encouraged to request technical assistance and training to replicate successful demonstration programs and implement ``best practices.'' We will be issuing separate solicitations for Crime Act programs in the areas of Violence Against Women, Drug Courts, Corrections Facilities Construction, Residential Substance Abuse, and the National Criminal History Improvement Program. For information about these programs--as well as about the application process for the programs described here--you can call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. I hope that the OJP Program Plans that follow are responsive to the most significant needs in the criminal justice field; they represent our best thinking on how the Federal government can make a solid contribution to the problems of crime and violence facing this country. Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan Dear Colleague: I am pleased to present the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Discretionary Program Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996. Through the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program, BJA provides leadership for the prevention and control of crime and violence and for criminal justice system improvement at the State and local levels. BJA also develops and tests new approaches in criminal justice and crime control, and encourages replication of effective programs and practices by States and local agencies. Our mission is to provide leadership and assistance in support of local criminal justice strategies to achieve strong neighborhoods and safe communities. Accordingly, this year we will intensify our focus on the tasks of helping to make communities safe, building strong crime-resistant neighborhoods, increasing citizen involvement in their communities, and improving the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. We are guided in the achievement of our mission by a very specific set of programmatic goals. BJA's programmatic goals are: To promote effective innovative crime control and prevention strategies. To demonstrate and promote replication of effective crime control programs that [[Page 21239]] support public-private partnerships, planning, and criminal justice system improvement. To leverage and efficiently administer available resources. To provide a dynamic work environment that fosters and encourages excellence, innovation, and responsiveness. The resultant FY 1996 BJA Discretionary Grant Program Plan addresses many of the most pressing challenges facing the Nation's criminal justice system. For example, the Program Plan addresses the issue of youth violence through programs that support drug education, prevention, and treatment; build skills in conflict resolution; intervene to reduce criminal use of guns and gang involvement; and provide alternative correctional sanctions for first-time nonviolent offenders. Additionally, the unique needs of the elderly are recognized through programs that promote safety and independence for the elderly, enhance resource availability through productive public and private partnerships, and provide protection against health care fraud. Byrne discretionary grant awards support demonstration projects, national-scope programs, training and technical assistance, and other innovative programs that fill the gaps in the criminal justice system to make it stronger and more comprehensive. Towards this end, substantial BJA discretionary funds will be used to continue strengthening community-based initiatives, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program and, within Native American communities, the Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program. Similarly, the BJA Comprehensive Homicide Initiative emphasizes the importance of multiagency coordination--at all levels of government--in addressing prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution. In summary, the BJA FY 1996 Discretionary Program Plan will target funds, training, and technical assistance in support of effective and innovative programs that show the greatest potential for addressing the Nation's criminal justice challenges. I welcome your comments and your partnership. Nancy E. Gist, Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Introduction The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U.S. Department of Justice supports States and local communities in addressing problems of crime and violence. During Fiscal Year (FY) 1996, BJA is placing emphasis on implementing comprehensive approaches to crime, neighborhood-based programs with active citizen involvement, violence prevention and control initiatives, and programs that not only improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, but also focus on enhancing the system's ability to remove serious and violent offenders from our communities. This FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan provides summaries of these programs, which are funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (Byrne) Discretionary Grant Program. In addition, it describes planned activities for the Regional Information Sharing Systems Program and the National White-Collar Crime Center, which also are administered by BJA, and joint efforts with other Federal agencies. Program Goals The FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan addresses BJA's two goals in assisting State and local units of government: (1) Reduce and prevent crime and violence; and (2) Improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. To facilitate achievement of these goals, enhanced coordination and cooperation of Federal, State, and local efforts will be emphasized. Objectives for each of the goals are outlined below, followed by BJA's programmatic priorities and framework and program summaries that describe how the goals will be achieved. Goal 1--Reduce and Prevent Crime and Violence Objectives: Encourage the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to reduce and prevent crime and violence. Encourage the active participation of community organizations and citizens in efforts to prevent crime, drug use, and violence. Provide national-scope training and technical assistance in support of efforts to prevent crime, drug use, and violence. Provide young people with legitimate opportunities and activities that serve as alternatives to crime and involvement with gangs. Reduce the availability of illegal weapons; and develop programs to address violence in our communities, homes, schools, and workplaces. Goal 2--Improve the Functioning of the Criminal Justice System Objectives: Enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to reduce crime--especially drug trafficking, drug sales, and violence. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of the adjudication process. Assist States in freeing prison space for serious and violent offenders through the design, development, and implementation of effective correctional options for nonviolent offenders. Enhance the ability of State and local agencies, in conjunction with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to apprehend and deport criminal aliens. Evaluate the effectiveness of funded programs, disseminate program results, and enhance the ability of criminal justice agencies to use new information technologies. How Program Priorities Are Established Priorities for the FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program reflect a balance of congressional mandates, Administration priorities, and needs expressed by State and local criminal justice practitioners. The two overarching goals listed above are derived directly from the authorizing legislation for the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program. Priorities for a number of specific programs to address those goals are mandated by Congress through the earmarking of the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program appropriation. During the recent Byrne Program planning process, BJA solicited input on priorities from national organizations representing State and local governments, criminal justice agencies, and community groups. Input was also requested from the State agencies that administer the Byrne Formula Grant Program. This year, BJA has instituted a continuing practice of convening a number of focused program-planning workshops, or focus groups. These focus groups, structured around a specific criminal justice issue, are comprised of interdisciplinary policymakers and practitioners from all levels of government. They serve as a forum to discuss needs, identify emerging issues, and propose innovative programmatic solutions. Types of Programs To Be Funded BJA is authorized by Congress to award grants to public and private agencies and organizations for national-scope, demonstration, training, and technical assistance programs in support of States and local jurisdictions. National-scope programs provide a service or product of benefit throughout the country or across multiple States, or address issues of national concern. Demonstration programs develop, test, evaluate, and document new programs and practices. Training for State and local criminal justice practitioners and other professionals provides state-of-the-art information on effective programs and practices. Technical assistance is provided to sites participating in demonstration programs or, depending on available resources, is provided to help an individual [[Page 21240]] jurisdiction implement a program or practice or address a specific issue. How Discretionary Grants Will Be Made This year, the majority of the discretionary grant funding is being awarded on a noncompetitive basis. The following factors limit the number of competitive programs: Congressional Earmarks--Each year Congress directs BJA to award a portion of the appropriated Byrne Program funds to specified programs and/or organizations. In FY 1996, the Conference Report of the Appropriations Committee directed the funding for $45.6 million of the $60 million likely to be appropriated for general discretionary programs, such as the Weed and Seed Program, the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program, and the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force. Continuation and Implementation Grants--Many of BJA's programs require several years of implementation to accomplish their goals. Demonstration sites, which are generally identified through a competitive selection process, may require 2 to 3 years of funding to fully develop, implement, and evaluate a program. In addition, BJA has funded several initial planning efforts, with implementation funding provided in subsequent years. Limited Competition--When specific program criteria or objectives are applicable only to a narrowly defined group of potential applicants, a limited competition may be held. Program criteria and objectives typically are defined by specific jurisdictional demographic variables or by a specific crime problem. Sole Source Selection--In some cases, only one organization or agency has the capability, expertise, or constituents to adequately administer a program that BJA deems essential to implement. For example, an association representing a constituency that BJA wants to reach through technical assistance or training also may be the best organization to implement that program. In other cases, BJA may make an award on a noncompetitive basis to an agency that has developed an innovative program and has the expertise to implement it. Framework for Programming Guiding Principles Three principles underpin the design of BJA's FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan--comprehensiveness, addressing unmet needs, and leveraging resources. These principles are embodied in each of the four programmatic themes, and reflect our intent to make the most effective and efficient use of limited Federal criminal justice program resources. Comprehensiveness Crime prevention and control initiatives are most effective when they relate directly to a comprehensive strategy. Such a strategy provides the context or anchor for addressing locally determined priorities; describes in detail how programs implemented by government agencies, other service providers, and residents mutually support one another in focusing on these priorities; and serves as the means for developing future partnerships among a wide variety of public and private resources. For these reasons, we have looked at ways of developing and, in some cases, reconfiguring programs to ensure that they are comprehensive in nature and promote partnerships that support local strategic planning and implementation. Explicit in any successful State or local crime prevention and control strategy is the engagement of the ultimate beneficiaries--the community residents. Therefore, community-based strategies, and resulting initiatives, must focus on neighborhood problems by involving community leaders and residents in the planning and delivery of services. Among the programs we are supporting, the Comprehensive Communities Program, the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, and the Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program all support partnerships with Federal, State, and local governments, private organizations, and foundations that develop and achieve solutions addressing a multitude of problems concerning crime and quality of life. Some comprehensive program approaches are problem specific. For example, the Comprehensive Gang Initiative demonstrates a model approach to gang issues that carefully balances consideration of prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies. The model is designed to bring together cooperative and coordinated efforts by the police, other criminal justice agencies, human services providers, community agencies, and residents. Other programs, such as the Community-Based Prosecution Initiative, are not problem specific, but bring together the community, the prosecutor's office, and the local courts in problem solving, speedier access to justice, and facilitation of offender reintegration back into neighborhoods. Addressing Unmet Needs In carrying out its mission, BJA recognizes that the dollars available for Byrne Program discretionary funding represent a very small fraction of the overall resources available for criminal justice programming (less than one percent). To ensure that taxpayers receive the greatest return possible on the investment of these limited funds, we have focused on programs that complement previous or ongoing efforts, and we have made every attempt to avoid duplicating the efforts of other Federal agencies. BJA provides balance in its approach, and emphasizes the involvement of key stakeholders in the development of new initiatives. In FY 1996, an important priority will be to address unmet needs by demonstrating or supporting programs designed to correct current deficiencies in the delivery of criminal justice services--deficiencies that threaten to compromise the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. Examples of these initiatives include: The Community Prosecution and Community Probation Program, which will explore a range of innovations to improve access to criminal justice services at the community level. The Training in Anti-Drug Activities and Cultural Differences Involving Illegal Aliens Initiative and the Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program, which provide training and technical support to State and local criminal justice agencies dealing with issues of criminal and illegal aliens. The Comprehensive Homicide Initiative, which focuses on a holistic approach to homicide that integrates prevention, intervention, and enforcement measures through public agencies, private organizations, and the community. The DNA Resource Unit, which will provide technical assistance to prosecutors in the understanding and use of DNA typing technology in the prosecution of cases. The Assessment and Enhancement of Indigent Defense Initiative, which will explore methods for improving the overall effectiveness of the adjudication process. The Correctional Options Program, which has provided a broad range of programming for provision of treatment services and alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. BJA's emphasis in FY 1996 will be to support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative that will inform key decisionmakers at the State and local levels of the lessons that BJA [[Page 21241]] has learned about the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of successful Correctional Options projects. Leveraging Resources BJA has a responsibility to ensure that programs are cost effective; that, where appropriate, costs are shared among entities receiving benefits from BJA-supported programs; and that there is a strong likelihood effective programs will be maintained beyond the point where Federal funds are no longer provided. Thus, BJA strongly encourages prospective applicants to consider all potential resources when developing program proposals and applying for Byrne Program grant funds. Although Discretionary Grant Program funds may be used to pay up to 100 percent of total project costs under an initial grant award, BJA has instituted a policy of giving favorable consideration to proposals in which an applicant agency or jurisdiction has also committed its own resources in furtherance of program objectives. The applicant's resources could consist of funding derived from local appropriations or from other sources, public or private. Contributed resources may also be ``in kind,'' including dedicated personnel, facilities, supplies, or equipment. Volunteer efforts are also taken into consideration. Successful leveraging of resources is illustrated in the following two examples. In BJA's Organized Crime Narcotics task force program, the participating agencies support all regular personnel costs and most infrastructure costs, and Byrne Discretionary Grant funds support limited overtime costs, investigative support costs, and some confidential expenditures. Alternatively, BJA has provided a grant to the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE) to produce a film addressing the issue of date and spousal violence. BJA agreed to provide funding support on the condition that FASE match the grant amount with funds from other sources. Faced with this challenge, FASE was able to more than match the grant with funds from public and private sources. To further facilitate a strong partnership with its grantees, and to increase the number of new initiatives, BJA has instituted a policy of providing a declining share of total costs for many projects where continuation funding is considered. In addition to making BJA funding resources more widely available for additional program opportunities, this policy requires a demonstration of commitment from applicants, enhancing the likelihood of program institutionalization. Thus, in FY 1996 and beyond, second-year awards will be made for a maximum of 75 percent of total project costs, and third-year awards will be made for up to 50 percent of total project costs. Programmatic Themes Program themes frame our guiding principles and provide the operational context through which BJA implements its national-scope, demonstration, training, and technical assistance programs. The themes result from priorities articulated by the Attorney General; our program experiences and lessons learned from demonstration and evaluation of crime prevention and control efforts; and the information provided by States in their Byrne Formula Grant Program strategies. Public--Private Partnerships in Support of Local Strategies Developing and sustaining partnerships is essential, especially when addressing crime issues through comprehensive strategies. Competing demands on resources, development of new skills and approaches to problem solving, emergence of private foundations focusing on public safety issues, and the direct participation of the community itself are influencing the way in which government operates. Partnerships among public agencies and between those agencies and private organizations are becoming a vital theme in delivering comprehensive services that address the quality of life in our communities. Effective partnerships begin with all participants engaged in strategy development, and carry through to the end goal of service delivery and evaluation. BJA continues to stress the importance of public-private partnerships at the Federal, State, and local levels in its program development efforts. State and local officials are encouraged to collaborate to ensure that local, comprehensive crime prevention and control strategies are integrated into State planning efforts. This relationship helps to ensure that Byrne Formula Grant funds, other Federal resources, and State-appropriated monies are channeled in a coordinated manner in support of local comprehensive initiatives. Evidence of these partnerships, through memoranda of understanding, commitment of resources, and shared responsibility for developing and implementing strategies to make our communities safe, will be a determining factor in BJA's commitment of resources. Many of the programs to be implemented in FY 1996 will build upon partnerships developed in previous years. As some of these efforts reach the final stages of demonstration, and as Federal financial support is phased out, the strength of local partnership arrangements will be even more critical to ensure institutionalization. For example, BJA soon will be completing the Children-At-Risk Program, which is supported by BJA and a national public-private partnership consisting of the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) and six private foundations that focus on youth intervention. This effort, equally supported by the U.S. Department of Justice and the private sector, reflects the commitment of over $7.5 million since FY 1992. Other programs, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) and Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) have experienced enormous success in building partnerships. In Denver, the Alliance for the Prevention of Violence, a collaborative of charitable organizations that serves Colorado, has integrated the PACT/CCP effort into its philanthropic considerations. The East Bay Corridor CCP initiative, a program that unites 18 cities in two counties in anticrime initiatives, joins the public agencies from those jurisdictions with the East Bay Community Foundation, a local funding collaborative, to focus on youth crime in the Corridor. Enhancement of Public Confidence in the Criminal Justice System In recent years there has been a perception of growing erosion of public confidence in the criminal justice system and the services it provides. Many factors have contributed to this concern--including public outrage resulting from isolated criminal incidents, such as crimes that have been committed by ex-offenders on parole; use of excessive force by law enforcement; urban disorders; and an emphasis in newspaper and television news reports on sensationalizing incidents of violent crime. BJA supports programs that promote balance and fairness in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. By supporting programs that feature community participation as a cornerstone, BJA seeks to educate and actively engage citizens, thereby improving public confidence in the criminal justice system. Through its law enforcement programs, BJA provides a solid foundation for enabling jurisdictions to ensure public safety and further [[Page 21242]] promote public confidence. Such programs expand coordination with antiviolence task forces, provide assistance to State and local criminal justice agencies, and support communities in the control and prevention of street crime. A National Sentencing Symposium will be co-sponsored by BJA, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the State Justice Institute (SJI). This collaborative initiative will address the public's lack of confidence in the system, examine the strengths and shortcomings of current sentencing policies and address the importance of accountability and the need to alleviate sentencing disparities. Through the Community Prosecution Program, BJA will demonstrate community engagement with prosecutors' offices and the local courts in problem solving, providing speedier access to justice, and facilitating the reintegration of offenders back into neighborhoods. This program will promote a positive image of the criminal justice system, allay public fear, and improve neighborhood and community involvement with criminal justice professionals. Alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders is another important programmatic area. Often, nonviolent offenders who could be punished more effectively through a less expensive alternative are sentenced to incarceration. A recent analysis of the annual needs assessments that are conducted through the Byrne Formula Grant Program indicated that the two areas of greatest need at the State and local levels are alternatives to incarceration and offender treatment services. In FY 1996, BJA will support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative to inform key decisionmakers at the State and local levels about the lessons learned in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of successful, cost-effective, Correctional Options projects for nonviolent offenders. These programs maintain public safety and, at the same time, hold offenders accountable. Criminal Justice System Response to Violence--Particularly Youth Violence Although 1994 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show that violent crime dropped 4 percent and property crime dropped 3 percent, citizens across the country believe otherwise. Whereas violent crime rates for older adults have remained steady or declined, the public believes that violence is on the increase. This belief is reflected in the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Crime Victimization Survey, which marked a significant increase of 25 percent in the violent victimizations of black males aged 12 to 24. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported in its Selected Findings: Violent Crime that young people aged 16 to 24 consistently have the highest violent crime rates. When gang affiliation is considered, these youth-based crime statistics increase at crisis proportions. Other national-scope surveys indicate the following: Elected officials in almost 400 cities believe that youth crime and violence has escalated. Throughout the year, 4 million women are physically abused by their husbands or boyfriends. The annual number of child abuse cases is growing. Drug use, especially marijuana, is on the increase among students. A child dies from gunfire every 98 minutes. To deter this violence, BJA is working with representatives of Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and community leaders to enhance their current criminal justice planning processes to better implement comprehensive, systemwide strategic interventions at the neighborhood level. When properly applied, this holistic approach, which is supported with FY 1996 crime prevention funding, is cost effective, provides focus for the delivery of services (e.g., law enforcement, social, and education services), involves citizens as partners, and assists youth in making responsible decisions to develop healthier and safer lifestyles. Evaluation and Assessment Efforts Critical to gauging the success of the investment of taxpayer dollars is the support of evaluation efforts that measure what works and what doesn't work in crime control and prevention and in criminal justice system improvement. This information can be disseminated to the State and local levels, where decisions about replication of program successes are made. Because we believe that it also is critical to reinforce with the States the role that evaluation must play in any grant program, and to help States build the capacity to measure the impact of programs that they fund, we are continuing our State and local capacity-building initiative with the assistance of NIJ. If the States are to serve as laboratories for evaluation and assessment, they must institutionalize performance measurement, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms. BJA's evaluation capacity-building initiative supports these efforts. In partnership with NIJ, we are designing a challenge program whereby States will be invited to partner with a local research/ evaluation institution such as a university, select a promising program for rigorous evaluation that otherwise might not be evaluated, and propose a research design. The principles and programmatic themes are cross-cutting, and together form the framework for the BJA program. This framework has evolved from our programmatic experience and will help chart our direction for future programming efforts. While the individual program summaries are presented by ``discipline,'' each program also represents one or more principle and theme. Program Summaries Comprehensive Programs Comprehensive Communities Program Grantee: 16 sites nationwide The Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) is demonstrating an innovative, comprehensive, and integrated multiagency approach to comprehensive violent crime control and community mobilization in 16 jurisdictions across the country. There is perhaps no more urgent domestic problem facing our country than violence. The only way to make progress against this epidemic is to marshal the coordinated efforts of communities; the private sector; and Federal, State, and local governments. CCP seeks to catalyze the development of such partnerships. Two key principles underlie this initiative. First, communities must play the lead role in fostering violence prevention partnerships. Second, State and local jurisdictions must establish strong coordinated and multidisciplinary approaches. Under the Comprehensive Communities Program, communities faced with high rates of drug abuse and violent crime develop a comprehensive strategy for crime and drug control that requires police and other city agencies to work in partnership with the community to address crime- and violence-related problems and the environment that fosters them. CCP goals are: To suppress violence and restore the sense of community wellness necessary to effectively recapture the security of our neighborhoods. To focus on community problems and concerns by initiating comprehensive planning and improved [[Page 21243]] intergovernmental and community relationships. CCP objectives are: To develop a comprehensive, multiagency strategy within each community to identify the causes and origins of violence and to control and prevent violent crime and drug-related crime. To include in each strategy a jurisdictionwide commitment to community policing and other efforts that encourage citizens to take an active role in problem solving. To coordinate existing Federal, State, local, and private agency resources and concentrate these resources to maximize their impact on reducing violent crime and drug-related crime in the program communities. The Comprehensive Communities Program has been administered in two phases. During Phase I, between April and September 1994, planning grants enabled the 16 jurisdictions to develop their crime control and community mobilization strategies. Phase II, from October 1, 1994, to September 30, 1996, provided initial funds to the 16 jurisdictions to begin implementing these strategies. The strategies require criminal justice agencies, other governmental organizations, and the private sector to work in partnership with the community. Each strategy includes a jurisdictionwide commitment to community policing, coordination among public and private agencies (e.g., social services and public health agencies), and efforts that encourage citizens to take an active role in problem solving. In addition to the community policing and community mobilization components, most of the strategies include application of drug courts, expedited prosecution and diversion, gang prevention and intervention, dispute and conflict resolution, and alternatives to incarceration. Each of the sites is encouraged to coordinate with and complement other comprehensive Federal, State, and local efforts. For example, the CCP strategies for Atlanta, Denver, Omaha, and Washington, D.C., are tailored specifically to support the Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) Initiative in those jurisdictions. Also, many of the sites are participating in the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Initiative; the CCP strategy can represent a viable crime-control component for that initiative. In addition, several of the sites have included in their local strategies enhancements to or expansion of Weed and Seed efforts in selected target neighborhoods. Due to the broad nature of CCP and the decision to draw from multiple and independent initiatives, technical assistance and training in support of CCP is being provided through several sources, as follows: Criminal Justice Associates (CJA) coordinates overall technical assistance and training delivery under the program and prepares program documents (i.e., the implementation manual, fact sheets, and program status reports). At the project level, CJA focuses on site needs relating to project management and alternatives to incarceration. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) provides program-level assistance in preparing documents (i.e., coordination in developing the implementation manual and distributing newsletters). NCPC focuses on site needs relating to community mobilization and engagement, dispute and conflict resolution, and resource development. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) focuses on comprehensive gang initiatives in 11 of the 16 CCP sites. The American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) focuses on site needs as they relate to community prosecution and prosecution and diversion. In FY 1996, funds will be made available to a number of the demonstration sites to continue operations into FY 1997. Technical assistance will be provided through existing and continuation grants among the cadre of current providers. Crime Prevention National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign Grantee: National Crime Prevention Council; Washington, DC The National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign focuses on helping individuals, community and civic organizations, and Federal, State, and local government agencies build better, safer, and more caring communities. FY 1996 activities will enable the Campaign to continue its work on crime and violence prevention and drug demand reduction. Work elements will address the production and dissemination of air and print ads using McGruff the Crime Dog and nephew Scruff public service announcements (in English and Spanish) that target both youth and their caretakers; the development and reproduction of an array of crime and drug abuse prevention support materials; and the provision of national, State, and local technical assistance and training workshops in topical areas ranging from planning and managing crime prevention to comprehensive planning development. Boys & Girls Clubs of America Grantee: Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Atlanta, GA BJA will continue to provide Federal resources to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the establishment and enhancement of Boys & Girls Clubs in public housing and other community settings where there is a concentration of poverty, crime, and violence. FY 1996 activities will emphasize the partnering of BJA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America staff to identify local recipient sites in up to 30 communities across the country; the continued support of jurisdictions participating in the BJA-sponsored Comprehensive Communities Program; the incorporation of conflict resolution, mentoring, and parental outreach and training into the local programming of clubs receiving Federal enhancement awards; and the establishment of a national Native American advisory board that will meet regularly to assess and provide program recommendations for clubs established on Indian reservations. Drug Abuse Resistance Education Grantee: D.A.R.E. America; Inglewood, CA In FY 1996, BJA will continue its work with D.A.R.E. America to support the provision of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) technical assistance and training to local and State law enforcement officers and the accreditation of State D.A.R.E. Training Centers. These initiatives will be accomplished through provision of resources for the five D.A.R.E. Regional Training Centers (RTCs) administered by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the City of Los Angeles Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, and the Virginia State Police. Specifically, D.A.R.E. America and the RTCs will provide D.A.R.E. Officer Training for new D.A.R.E. officers; D.A.R.E. In-service Training for experienced D.A.R.E. officers; Mentor Officer Training; D.A.R.E. Parent Program Training for instructors who use the D.A.R.E. curriculum to work with and train parents; D.A.R.E. junior and senior high school student training; program development; assessments of State D.A.R.E. Training Centers; accreditation of law enforcement agencies as D.A.R.E. Training Centers; and technical assistance for local agencies replicating the D.A.R.E. Program. [[Page 21244]] National Night Out Grantee: National Association of Town Watch; Wynnewood, PA This year-long program involves the continuing participation of more than 28 million people, including law enforcement personnel; individuals from other units of government, business, education, and community organizations; citizens; and youth in over 8,800 communities in all 50 States, U.S. territories, and U.S. military bases around the world. Administered by the National Association of Town Watch, Inc. (NATW), FY 1996 support will enable NATW to continue providing information, educational materials, and technical assistance for the development of cost-effective police--community partnership efforts that work toward reducing crime, violence, and substance abuse at the national, State, local, and neighborhood levels. Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program Grantees: Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes; Poplar, MT and Rosebud Sioux Tribe; Rosebud, SD Tribal Strategies Against Violence is a Federal--tribal partnership initiative designed to empower Native American communities through the development and implementation of reservationwide strategies to reduce crime, violence, and drug abuse. Primary program focus is on the formation of a centralized planning team comprised of service providers, whose goal it is to develop short-term and long-term strategies that encompass community policing and prosecution, domestic abuse, juvenile delinquency, and prevention education. FY 1996 program activities will extend the program beyond the initial project sites on the Fort Peck, Montana, and Rosebud, South Dakota, Reservations. BJA, through a limited competitive process, will work with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) American Indian and Alaskan Native Desk and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Department of Interior, to identify up to four regional sites across the country. Reservations selected for program participation will be representative of the Northwest, South-Southwest, Midwest-Great Lakes, and East regions. Law Enforcement Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force Grantee: Arlington County Police Department; Arlington, VA The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force will continue to (1) provide a visible law enforcement presence; (2) disrupt major links between drug suppliers, distributors, and users; (3) initiate enforcement action against property owners who knowingly allow their property to be used in the distribution of illicit drugs; (4) develop comprehensive intelligence systems; and (5) coordinate with appropriate agencies regarding illegal firearms used by drug organizations. Gang Organized Crime Narcotics Violence Enforcement Program Grantees: Bernalillo County Prosecutor's Office; Bernalillo County, NM and Multnomah County Prosecutor's Office; Multnomah County, OR This program will continue to assist local law enforcement and prosecution agencies in addressing the growing problem of gang-related violence, with a special focus on drugs and firearms. Two sites will be funded to continue gathering intelligence and to develop investigative and prosecutorial strategies designed to weaken the structure and activities of violent gangs. Prison Gang Intelligence Program Grantee: Midstates Organized Crime Information Center; Springfield, MO The Prison Gang Intelligence Program will be continued in FY 1996 to implement a nationwide capability of collecting, analyzing, and sharing information on prison gangs, gang members, and prison gang activities. The program also will provide liaison and coordination activities to corrections agencies and law enforcement agencies in data collection and dissemination efforts. The purpose of the Prison Gang Intelligence Program is to provide for the establishment of a system to gather, store, and disseminate intelligence information on prison gang members and prison gang activities on a nationwide basis. This system will provide valuable support and assistance in the investigation and prosecution of gang- related criminal activity. It will create a central repository of prison gang information, formalize data collection methods, and standardize gang validation criteria. It will create a mechanism whereby State and local corrections and law enforcement agencies can share information and be provided analytical products that document prison gang developments and trends. A prison gang technical assistance capability will also be established. The program goal is to facilitate, through BJA's Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) projects, the collection, exchange, and analysis of information related to prison gangs, gang members, and prison gang activities; and to provide liaison and training activities to law enforcement, prosecution, and corrections agencies nationwide. Center for Task Force Training Grantee: Institute for Intergovernmental Research; Tallahassee, FL The Center for Task Force Training project will continue to help State and local agencies address criminal justice management issues and to provide dedicated training and technical assistance in support of the two Gang Organized Crime Narcotics Violence Enforcement Program sites, State and locally funded multiagency task forces, and other task forces supported by Byrne Formula Grant Program funds. The project will be expanded in FY 1996 to include a specialized training program that addresses multiagency antiterrorism preparedness. The Domestic Terrorism Training Program, which currently is under development with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), will develop, test, and evaluate the law enforcement antiterrorism training curriculum; identify and document the technical assistance needs of law enforcement agencies in the area of antiterrorism planning and prevention, and plan the methods of delivery; and focus on the multiagency/ multijurisdictional aspects of the law enforcement response to acts of domestic terrorism. Firearms Trafficking Program Grantee: Multiple sites nationwide The Firearms Trafficking Program will continue to help State and local governments reduce incidents of violence by reducing the availability of and illegal trafficking in firearms. This program contains several component programs that BJA has found to be effective or promising: The Firearms Licensee Compliance Program. This component enhances the ability of State and local law enforcement agencies to conduct more complete and comprehensive background investigations on applicants for new or renewed Federal Firearms Licenses. The Firearms Investigative Task Force Program. This component is designed to identify, target, investigate, and prosecute individuals and dismantle organizations involved in the unlawful use, sale, or acquisition of firearms in violation of Federal and/or State firearms laws. The Innovative Firearms Program. This component assists State and local [[Page 21245]] jurisdictions in developing and implementing innovative or enhanced projects designed to control illicit firearms trafficking. Technical Assistance and Training to Rural Areas Grantee: Rural Justice Center, University of Arkansas; Little Rock, AR In FY 1996, BJA will continue to provide technical assistance and training to rural areas through the Rural Justice Center of the Criminal Justice Institute of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. This program assists rural areas in the development of approaches and strategies that address the rising rates of crime, drug abuse, and violence, through the provision of technical assistance and training related to such issues as prevention, intervention, law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, and treatment. Training in Anti-Drug Activities and Cultural Differences Involving Illegal Aliens Grantee: International Association of Chiefs of Police; Alexandria, VA This program will be continued. Through a collaborative effort between the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the project will continue to present to local law enforcement officers a series of training seminars that will enable them to more effectively investigate crimes involving illegal aliens. Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program Grantees: Institute for Intergovernmental Research; Tallahassee, FL and National Criminal Justice Association; Washington, DC In FY 1996, BJA will continue to fund technical assistance and support services to five demonstration sites funded in prior years. The Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program is designed to enable the earliest possible identification, through the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC), of aliens arrested for felony offenses. Five States that have documented the largest alien populations in their correctional systems are continuing demonstration efforts in FY 1996 with projects funded in prior years. The Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program also is designed to encourage States to modify statutes and policies and implement innovative techniques that intervene in the criminal justice process to expeditiously and fairly adjudicate illegal aliens arrested or convicted of felonies; and facilitate appropriate detainment and deportation of these aliens. Supporting the demonstration sites and the program are two technical assistance efforts. The Institute for Intergovernmental Research provides onsite assistance to the States in preparing operational assessments, identifying promising approaches, and facilitating the testing of LESC. The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) provides research and technical assistance for the States, for enhancement of statutes and policies within the States. In FY 1994 and FY 1995, participating States implemented Phases I through III of the program by establishing statewide criminal alien working groups represented by key State and local officials; conducting an intensive assessment of the current processes by which the State identifies and handles illegal aliens entering the criminal justice system; and documenting promising approaches to enhance the identification and intervention of these illegal aliens. Work will continue in the demonstration States, using prior year grant awards to implement and demonstrate promising approaches. Comprehensive Homicide Initiative Grantee: City of Richmond; Richmond, VA and City of Richmond; Richmond, CA The Comprehensive Homicide Initiative is designed to effectively combat homicide and increase homicide clearance rates through the development and demonstration of a multifaceted approach that can be fully documented and ultimately replicated in other jurisdictions. This initiative addresses the underlying causes of homicide, including gang violence, domestic violence, violence associated with drug activity, and gun availability. The goals of the program are to reduce homicide rates and improve homicide clearance rates, including ``cold case'' homicides; develop innovative strategies and processes that have a high probability for improving the prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution of homicide cases that are replicable in other jurisdictions; and document local efforts to enhance replicability of successful components of the program to other jurisdictions. The Cities of Richmond, Virginia, and Richmond, California, each have received funding to implement the recommendations of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Murder Summit Report. These cities were selected due to their high or increasing homicide rates, geographical diversity, and participation in other comprehensive criminal justice initiatives that will provide a good base from which to move forward. This comprehensive program requires coordination at the Federal, State, and local levels. Each city's plan must demonstrate coordination and cooperation among public agencies; private organizations; and municipal, county, State, and Federal agencies. The plan must demonstrate that this initiative will be integrated with other U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)-funded programs in the local jurisdiction, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program; Weed and Seed; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Program; and programs funded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. In addition, the program must involve coordination with the relevant U.S. Attorney's Office. Coordination with Housing and Urban Development and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should also be included if relevant to the jurisdiction's program efforts. BJA has been working with each of the jurisdictions since November 1995. In each city, BJA held an onsite meeting that served as an initial opportunity to convene the representatives of the State and local agencies and representatives from Federal agencies with ongoing programs. Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program Grantee: Circle Solutions, Inc.; Vienna, VA In FY 1996, BJA will continue support to the Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program. The program is based on the collective experiences and best practices of the BJA Model Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Program demonstration sites and the BJA/Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Clandestine Laboratory Clean-Up Program. The program represents a significant investment and effort on the part of BJA to develop an effective method for combating clandestine drug laboratories in the United States. The training delivery system and followup technical support activities provided will ensure that the training reaches the audience for which it is intended in an efficient and cost effective manner. The Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program assists State and local policymakers and practitioners responsible for law enforcement resource allocation decisions in [[Page 21246]] developing policies, procedures, and programs related to the hazardous chemical problems associated with clandestine laboratories. The program provides a foundation from which a comprehensive, multiagency response can be developed at the State and regional levels. Beginning in FY 1994, Circle Solutions, Inc., building upon a successful developmental and piloting effort, implemented a program to provide training and followup technical assistance to State and local criminal justice agencies and other public safety agencies nationwide. Assistance to Local Law Enforcement Agencies Significantly Impacted by the 1996 Olympic Games Grantee: Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Office of the Governor; Atlanta, GA The purpose of this program is to assist local jurisdictions significantly impacted by the public safety demands of the 1996 Olympic Games in Georgia. The program was funded to satisfy a congressional earmark. Current projections indicate that involved local jurisdictions may incur in excess of 400,000 hours of unfunded overtime costs as a result of the public safety requirements for Olympic venues throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area and in sites outside Atlanta. This grant will help defray the costs of approximately 155,000 hours of anticipated overtime requirements of involved jurisdictions. Regional Information Sharing System Grantee: 6 sites nationwide The Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) Program supports Federal, State, and local law enforcement efforts to combat criminal activity that extends across jurisdictional boundaries. Six regional RISS projects provide a broad range of intelligence exchange and related investigative support services to member criminal investigative agencies nationwide. The projects focus primarily on narcotics trafficking, violent crime, criminal gang activity, and organized crime. In FY 1996, the RISS Program will complete electronic connectivity among all projects, as well as other systems, to better facilitate the collection, dissemination and analysis of criminal intelligence. Also in FY 1996, the RISS projects will work with the National Major Gang Task Force to encourage the sharing and dissemination of gang intelligence information between the law enforcement and corrections communities. National White-Collar Crime Center Grantee: West Virginia Office of the State Auditor; Charleston, WV The National White-Collar Crime Center provides a national support system for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of multijurisdictional economic crimes. These white-collar crimes include investment fraud, telemarketing fraud, boiler room operations, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and advanced-fee loan schemes. The Center's mission includes providing investigative support services to assist in the fight against economic crime, operating a national training and research institute focusing on economic crime issues, and developing the Center as a national resource in combating economic crime. Adjudication National Symposium on Sentencing A national symposium on sentencing to be presented by BJA, the State Justice Institute, and the National Institute of Justice, will enable judges, legislators, prosecutors, defense counsel, corrections officials, police, and community representatives to discuss and share experiences and perspectives on current sentencing policy. Trial Court Performance Standards and Measurement System: Coordination Efforts Grantee: National Center for State Courts; Williamsburg, VA After 8 years of development and testing, the Trial Court Performance Standards and Measurement System (TCPSM) has been completed and is in the process of being adopted by numerous jurisdictions. For example, the Judicial Council of California has adopted TCPSM as part of a new Standard of Judicial Administration. One of the most significant events in judicial administration in the last 10 years, TCPSM comprises a set of 22 standards and 68 individual measures for assessing trial court performance. States urgently need technical assistance to enable them to implement the system. The National Center for State Courts will provide that assistance to State and local courts. BJA also will be working with State agencies to explore the possibility of using block grants to assist State trial courts in fully reviewing, adapting where appropriate, and implementing TCPSM throughout the State. Community Prosecution and Community Probation Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute; Alexandria, VA The Community Prosecution and Community Probation program consists of the following four components: Technical Assistance and Training In FY 1993 and FY 1994, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) convened two focus groups of experienced prosecutors who defined community prosecution and identified its key components. This information provided BJA and APRI with the framework to provide both intensive and general technical assistance and to produce several publications on the subject. In FY 1994 and FY 1995, APRI conducted two extremely well-received technical assistance conferences attended by over 75 prosecutors' offices. In FY 1996, APRI will continue its technical assistance by matching prosecutors with community prosecution expertise with jurisdictions now planning or implementing community prosecution strategies. To further inform prosecutors on issues involving the planning, implementation, and operation of a community prosecution program, APRI will convene a series of regional planning workshops, an invitational symposium, and a national conference. In addition, APRI will provide intensive technical assistance and conduct studies of three demonstration sites, at least one of which will implement a community prosecution program in a jurisdiction where a community policing program already exists. APRI will compare, contrast, and analyze each demonstration site and disseminate a report on the results. APRI will assist in the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) evaluation of BJA's Community Prosecution demonstration projects. Demonstration Projects BJA will provide limited funds to up to three prosecutors' offices to implement the current strategies discussed in the APRI Community Prosecution Implementation Manual and supporting documents. These offices will be invited by BJA to submit an application for funding. Preference will be given to offices capable of committing an equal amount of resources to the project. Community Probation A significant segment of the Community Prosecution and Community Probation Program will be devoted to community probation. BJA will choose up to three demonstration sites where APRI, or a consultant working with APRI, will develop model community probation programs. These models will build upon recent BJA [[Page 21247]] accomplishments in its Community Policing and Community-Focused Courts programs and involve partnerships with the police, the judiciary, probation officials, public defenders, and the community. Preference will be given to applicants who commit local resources to the project. Community-Focused Courts The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) in Williamsburg, Virginia, will provide technical assistance to courts interested in implementing recommendations from both the community-focused court's agenda currently under development by NCSC and a consortium of court and community organizations. This followup program will explore innovative technologies, such as the Internet and videoconferencing, in offering assistance; and it will provide onsite assistance as needed. NCSC will develop an evaluation instrument for use by local universities to evaluate the efforts of the community courts. The program will complement ongoing BJA efforts in the community prosecution area and support existing local and State partnership programs. Models of Court-Based Services to Children and Their Families Grantee: National Center for State Courts; Williamsburg, VA As an outcome to the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) task force on Childhood Victimization, BJA and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) will expand their current program ``Models of Court-Based Services to Children and Their Families.'' Funded by BJA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the program's purposes are to identify, document, evaluate, and further develop effective court-based service delivery to children and their families. The major goal is to improve collaboration among State trial, juvenile, and family courts and public health, mental health, and social services. NCSC will study and help two to three additional sites in the identification and coordination of cases involving child abuse and neglect and domestic violence. As part of the new effort, NCSC is looking at current sites supported by private funding organizations (i.e., the Kellogg Foundation, the Casey Foundation, and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation) to determine if the projects can be augmented with a stronger court focus. Assessment and Enhancement of Indigent Defense Services Grantee: National Legal Aid and Defender Association; Washington, DC In FY 1994, BJA awarded the National Legal Aid and Defender Association a grant to reestablish a national scope program to improve the defense component of the criminal justice system by providing State and local organizations that represent indigent defenders with quality training and technical assistance services. This program expands on training events to enhance the quality of indigent defense providers' representation of drug and violent crime defendants both to obtain the best results for their clients and to reduce recidivism. This program will also support the expansion of the National Clearinghouse for Defense Services. The Clearinghouse is designed to respond to inquiries from defenders, State officials, the judiciary, and the general public about the delivery of defense services and substantive criminal defense issues. The Clearinghouse compiles, assesses, and disseminates information on proven programs and on trends and innovative strategies employed by indigent defense services throughout the country. A Clearinghouse Directory will be available that includes a listing of the files maintained and a summary of the services available through the Clearinghouse. Statewide training programs that focus on defense issues, the development and use of diversion programs, and sentencing alternatives to incarceration will be expanded. In addition to covering traditional legal defense of a drug case, a training manual presents a distinctive approach to the defense of drug cases by integrating and emphasizing concrete strategies for treatment, intervention, and prevention; the manual will integrate guidelines for effective representation. This program will document the training practices used in drug and violent crime cases. Prosecutor's Pre-Charging Diversion Program Grantee: Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Sixth Judicial District Pulaski County; Little Rock, AK This program expands a citywide pilot project designed to reduce the recidivism rate for youthful offenders. An alternative to formal adjudication in juvenile court, this program serves as an opportunity for youthful offenders to receive constructive restitution and interact with community members. Youth violence is addressed through an interagency partnership that suspends traditional barriers in the community and creates a less threatening environment. By offering programs, opportunities, and services to at-risk youth, this now countywide strategy will document how neighborhood organizations and community groups are working to halt the rising rate of juvenile crime. Health Care Fraud Investigation and Prosecution Training and Technical Assistance Grantee: National Association of Attorneys General; Washington, DC The continuation of this project will enable the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) to continue providing national scope training and technical assistance services to State attorneys general and to other State and local agencies involved in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting intrastate health care fraud. NAAG will work with the three BJA-funded demonstration sites to develop prototype strategies for State attorneys general conducting health care fraud prosecutions--including health care consumer fraud, Medicaid fraud, and fraud against traditional insurance companies and health maintenance organizations (HMO's). NAAG will continue working closely with State attorneys general and district attorneys to provide cost-effective training programs for prosecutors and investigators and to develop innovative prosecution strategies. Special emphasis will be given to assisting the demonstration site units in the Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Attorneys' General offices. In conjunction with an advisory group comprised of Federal, State, and local prosecutors, the project will identify demonstrably successful initiatives, and disseminate this information via a bimonthly newsletter. The project also will develop and publish a health care fraud practice manual for State prosecutors and develop a clearinghouse of materials relating to the prevention, detection, and prosecution of health care fraud. DNA Legal Assistance Unit Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute; Alexandria, VA Beginning in FY 1995 with substantial support from BJA, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) DNA Legal Assistance Unit has been providing direct support to America's prosecutors in the understanding and use of DNA typing technology to [[Page 21248]] investigate and prosecute serious cases such as capital murder, homicide, sexual assault, and child abuse. APRI has accomplished this task by providing technical assistance, publications, and training. Technical assistance activities include formulation of a comprehensive guide for direct and cross examination in DNA cases; development of a curriculum for training DNA analysts and examiners on the proper presentation of DNA evidence, emphasizing testimony and etiquette; and publication on a semiannual basis of The Silent Witness, a newsletter that bridges the gap between prosecutors and DNA laboratories. Technical assistance activities will be provided on a limited basis and will include responding to telephone requests, providing general and specific case information packets, and updating the Unit's extensive files of legal and scientific information. Adjudication Focus Group In March 1996, BJA conducted an adjudication focus group whose primary purpose was to identify and deliberate issues and problems within the adjudicative process of State and local criminal justice systems. This focus group did generate and discuss innovative programs and new approaches related to improving the adjudicative process. Criminal justice researchers and writers, Byrne Formula Grant Program State administrators, representatives from State and local prosecutor and public defender offices, justices and judges, parole and probation officers, and the funding community all contributed to increasing the quality and quantity of future BJA adjudication training, technical assistance, and demonstration programs. Later this year, BJA expects to issue one or more Requests for Proposal soliciting proposals from State and local adjudication components and/or private nonprofit organizations to implement one or more program ideas promulgated by this focus group. Corrections Correctional Options--National Dissemination The 1990 Amendments to the Crime Control Act provided BJA with the statutory authority to establish a comprehensive assistance program to develop ``correctional options'' at the State and local levels. In exercising this authority, BJA awards demonstration grants, provides technical assistance, and evaluates the results of intervention projects for youthful offenders likely to become career criminals. BJA's correctional options projects assist offenders in pursuing a lawful and productive transition to the community following release by providing security, discipline, and comprehensive services, including diagnosis, counseling, substance abuse treatment, education, job training, and placement assistance while under correctional supervision; and linkage to similar services in the community. These projects also provide work opportunities to promote the development of industrial and service skills. The expected results of the correctional options projects include reduced criminal recidivism of offenders who receive alternative punishments and, in the longer term, reduced costs in correctional services and facilities. For the purposes of this program, the term ``correctional options'' includes community-based incarceration, weekend incarceration, correctional boot camps, transitional programs, aftercare services, day reporting, structured fines, electronic monitoring, intensive probation, and other innovative sanctions designed to have maximum impact on offenders capable of being managed in an environment other than a traditional correctional facility. During a 4-year period, from FY 1992 through FY 1995, BJA awarded more than $40 million in Correctional Options Discretionary Program grants to public agencies and private nonprofit organizations. These grants were awarded to support the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of demonstration projects to test a broad range of alternatives to traditional modes of incarceration. All BJA correctional options demonstration projects have four basic goals: reduced incarceration costs, relief of prison and jail crowding, reduced recidivism rates for youthful offenders, and advancement in correctional practices. BJA has worked closely with State and local criminal justice professionals in project planning, design, and operation; coordination of technical assistance and evaluation services; monitoring of operations and outcomes; and facilitation of project refinement and improvements. A critical factor in measuring the outcomes of these projects has been the degree to which demonstration sites have been successful in selecting offenders who would have been incarcerated had the correctional options projects not existed. Preliminary findings from the evaluation of these projects indicate that offenders admitted to these programs pose considerable challenges to treatment efforts because of their young age, lack of education, poor job skills, low rates of employment, lack of social stability, history of drug abuse, and extensive record of prior arrests and convictions. However, these projects are successful in delivering badly needed services to a high-risk offender population, offering far more services and supervision than normally are provided for similarly situated offenders who are in prison or who are assigned to probation or parole. States like Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Vermont have succeeded in reaching their goal of cost effectiveness by targeting offenders who otherwise would have spent a considerable amount of time in custody. Model Correctional Options Projects The following projects have been selected as BJA correctional options models and will serve as resource sites for a National Correctional Options Dissemination, Training, and Technical Assistance Program: Washington State Reintegration of Youthful Offenders Maricopa County (AZ) Youthful Offenders Project Bradenton (FL) Correctional Treatment Facility Drug Punishment Program Maryland Community Supervision and Transitional Services New Hampshire Intensive Correctional Services Vermont Restorative Justice Services Connecticut Female Addictive Services--Fresh Start California Youth Authority Project LEAD Riverside County (CA) Twin Pines Academy Focus Group: Linking Byrne Formula and Discretionary Grant Programs A recent analysis of the annual needs assessments conducted through the Byrne Formula Grant Program indicated that the two areas of greatest need at the State and local levels are alternatives to incarceration and offender treatment services. In December 1995, BJA convened a focus group meeting with representatives from a number of successful State and local correctional options projects and from the State Administrative Agency for the Byrne Formula Grant Program in these same jurisdictions. The purpose was to obtain ideas and insights regarding the development of a Correctional Options Dissemination Program for the FY 1996 Byrne Discretionary Program Plan; as well as potential funding through the Byrne Formula Grant Program and other [[Page 21249]] public and private funding sources to support State and local correctional options. The FY 1996 National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Initiative for Correctional Options will build on the input from the planning meeting and will encourage States to support new correctional options projects with Byrne formula grants and to use these Byrne formula funds to leverage additional funding sources. FY 1996 Awards Technical Assistance, Dissemination, and Training To Promote Correctional Options Grantee: Criminal Justice Associates; Philadelphia, PA This continuation of the current award will support the technical assistance needs of the ongoing correctional options projects: the 9 demonstration projects that were awarded on September 30, 1995; the 10 projects that BJA considers models; and the FY 1994 awards to Wilmington, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. The continuation award will also support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative that builds upon the lessons learned through the BJA Correctional Options Program regarding project planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. The initiative will support efforts to use Byrne Formula Grant Program funds and other public and private funding sources to support the implementation of Correctional Options projects at the State and local levels. The grantee will work closely with the program evaluator and will assist in the dissemination of information to key decisionmakers who can influence the development and funding of correctional options at the State and local levels. The award also will support the involvement of a consortium of service providers. Impact Evaluation of 10 Demonstration Sites Grantee: The National Council on Crime and Delinquency; Washington, DC This is a 15-month continuation award focusing on outcome measures and publications regarding the cost effectiveness of selected correctional options projects, as compared with traditional incarceration. The evaluation will be interactive with both the demonstration sites and the technical assistance providers, it will include feasibility assessment activities to determine the evaluability of project design and, as appropriate, technical advice on project adjustments to improve operations and outcomes. In addition to the dissemination of correctional options, BJA will continue to expand its support for programs that demonstrate productive work and employment preparedness services for prison and jail inmates, offenders participating in community-based correctional options programs, and ex-offenders. Prison Industry Enhancement Technical Assistance Grantee: Correctional Industries Association; Philadelphia, PA This continuation award will enable BJA to maintain the current level of effort regarding Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) technical assistance, training, and annual program audits. In addition, the award will support the development of revised PIE regulations and guidelines, extension of single PIE certification authority to encompass all State prisons and local jails, two annual meetings, and the development of marketing plans to promote expansion in the number of active PIE projects. Jail Work and Industries Grantee: Community Resource Services; Gaithersburg, MD This continuation award will enable BJA to continue providing technical assistance and program planning support to reduce inmate idleness through the development of productive work opportunities in local jails, including Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE)-certified private sector employment. Project Return Grantee: Tulane University; New Orleans, LA With strong support from the New Orleans Business Council, Project Return provides employment readiness training and support services to ex-offenders. Drug and alcohol counseling, remedial education, life skills training, vocational training, job placement services, and family counseling are provided to 200 participants per year. Opportunity To Succeed Program: Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse Grantee: Columbia University; New York, NY The Opportunity to Succeed (OPTS) program provides intensive services for addicted ex-offenders who received drug treatment while incarcerated and are returning on probation or parole to their communities in Kansas City, St. Louis, Tampa, Oakland, and New York City. The program goal is to sustain treatment gains and achieve a positive reintegration into the community by providing substance abuse treatment, case management, employment, and training, housing, family intervention, health services, and mental health services. Services are structured, coordinated, and monitored by case managers working for community based organizations. Evaluation, Systems Improvement, and Information Dissemination The Denial of Federal Benefits Program Contractor: Network Systems Integration; Washington, DC The Denial of Federal Benefits Program was established to implement Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Subpart G of Public Law 100-690). This law offers an option to judges in both Federal and State courts to deny Federal benefits to persons convicted of trafficking in or possession of drugs. It also provides for the mandatory denial of Federal benefits to individuals with three or more convictions for trafficking offenses. In February 1993, additional duties were assigned to the Denial of Federal Benefits Program in connection with the implementation of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1993. This law provides for a point of contact-- i.e., a clearinghouse--from which defense contractors may learn whether an individual has been disqualified from defense contract participation as a result of a procurement fraud conviction. The goals of the program are to provide a sentencing option for Federal and State judges to deny a Federal benefit to a drug offender, a mechanism to report such a denial of Federal benefits, and a method to inform Federal agencies of individuals sentenced to a denial of Federal benefits. The program objectives are to enhance the use of denial of Federal benefits as a sanction in sentencing offenders convicted of a drug offense and to enhance BJA's capabilities to more accurately and efficiently collect offender data and improve processing of this data from Federal and State sources. The Denial of Federal Benefits Program's current operations include an information dissemination component, a systems management component, and a program management and coordination component. Testing of Nebraska's Victim Services Needs Assessment Instrument Grantee: Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Lincoln, NE [[Page 21250]] The purpose of the Victim Services Needs Assessment instrument is to assist the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice in assessing whether crime victim assistance funds are being utilized in the best way possible to address the needs of crime victims. The goals in testing the instrument are to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of existing services and to identify and formally document services not currently available but needed by victims of crime in Nebraska. The instrument consists of three sections. Section 1, the Nebraska Victimization Survey, is a statewide victimization instrument designed to determine geographical service gaps and awareness of crime victim services and evaluate attitudes toward crime and the criminal justice system. The second section, the Inventory of Victim Assistance Programs In Nebraska, is completed by victim assistance agencies and identifies how the agency is funded, who represents its client base, what services are provided, and what services are needed. Section 3, the Victim Assistance Client Survey, is given to the crime victim and identifies the types of services provided by the agency; the level of satisfaction with services provided; the types of services the victim felt were needed but were not provided; and if the victims used other agencies for services. The instrument is service specific; it is designated to be used by States and local agencies. Once the instrument is tested and finalized, it will be made available to other States for their use. The Office of Victims of Crime will oversee instrument refinement. An Initiative To Develop Model Internet Applications for State and Local Criminal Justice Agencies Grantee: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority; Chicago, IL This initiative is being developed by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The purpose is to develop model Internet applications that will allow State and local criminal justice agency users to access information about programs and resources that are available to combat crime and violence. The goals of the initiative are to develop model Internet applications in the State and local criminal justice community for the electronic sharing and publishing of criminal justice data and information. The initiative involves information technology, data and statistics, program development, and research and evaluation. ICJIA enlisted BJA, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to review and collaborate on the proposal and determine its utility to State and local criminal justice agencies. To ensure that the ICJIA's work is responsive to the needs of State and local agencies across the country, SEARCH Group, Inc., the National Criminal Justice Association, Justice Research Statistics Association, BJA, NIJ, and BJS all will consult on this initiative. U.S. Department of Justice Response Center and BJA Clearinghouse Contractor: Aspen Systems, Inc. The BJA Clearinghouse continues to serve as an information and dissemination source for the criminal justice field. BJA also supports the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Response Center, which provides timely and accurate information on DOJ initiatives. Report Publication and Dissemination This initiative enables BJA to produce and disseminate information to the criminal justice field about state-of-the-art programs and activities, and to improve the criminal justice system through development of publications and other media materials. State and Local Training and Technical Assistance Program Contractor: Community Research Associates; Nashville, TN The purpose of the BJA State and Local Training and Technical Assistance Program is to provide training and technical assistance to States, units of local government, and recognized Native American Indian Tribes in the development and implementation of comprehensive systemwide strategies for preventing and combating drug-related and violent crime, and in the improvement of the function of State and local criminal justice systems. Although developed primarily to support BJA's Formula Grant Program, training and technical assistance can also be extended to BJA discretionary grantees and, in certain instances, to other facets of the U.S. Department of Justice (e.g., in response to requests from U.S. Attorneys). Evaluation Program The goal of BJA's Evaluation component is to identify criminal justice programs of proven effectiveness and to disseminate information about these programs, so that other jurisdictions throughout the country can replicate them. Results of BJA program evaluations guide the formulation of policy and programs within Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies. BJA coordinates the development of evaluation guidelines with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). In addition, NIJ conducts comprehensive evaluations of selected programs receiving discretionary and formula grant funds from BJA. Each applicant for State Byrne Formula Grant Program funds is required to include in its project plan an evaluation component that meets the BJA/NIJ evaluation guidelines. Each State is required to provide BJA with an annual report that includes a summary of its grant activities and an assessment of the impact of these programs on the needs identified in its statewide drug and violent crime control strategy. Applicants for Byrne Discretionary Grant Program funding are required to include an evaluation component in their applications and agree to conduct required evaluations according to procedures and terms established by BJA. SEARCH National Training and Technical Assistance Program Grantee: SEARCH Group, Inc. (National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics); Sacramento, CA The SEARCH National Training and Technical Assistance Program, created in 1986, offers assistance to criminal justice agencies across the country in the development, improvement, acquisition, and/or integration of their computer systems (e.g., records and case management, computer-aided dispatch, and criminal history records systems). SEARCH provides onsite, no-cost training and technical assistance to justice agencies. It also offers services at the National Criminal Justice Computer Laboratory and Training Center located in Sacramento, California. Public Safety Support Services: National Training and Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement Line of Duty Deaths Grantee: Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc.; Camdenton, MO The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act (42 U.S.C. 3796 et seq.) authorizes the Director of BJA to support national programs that assist families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. Since 1984, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS) has implemented programs to provide psychological support and practical guidance to law enforcement agencies and families that have lost an officer in the line of duty. BJA has identified the need to: update research on law enforcement agencies' readiness to handle line-of-duty deaths; provide training and technical [[Page 21251]] assistance to better prepare law enforcement agencies to intervene effectively with families and coworkers of officers killed in the line of duty; and increase dissemination of information about the services and benefits available to the families of fallen officers and about the resources available to assist agencies. BJA will survey law enforcement agencies regarding their written policies and procedures on responding to line-of-duty deaths. In addition, input and reaction will be sought from surviving family members concerning the treatment accorded them by the deceased family member's agency. The survey will provide some measure of the impact BJA and other organizations have had over the past 11 years in improving agency response to line-of-duty deaths. National Institute of Justice Research Plan 1995-1996 For substantive questions regarding specific Goals, please contact the appropriate Program Manager. Names and telephone numbers of all Program Managers are listed at the end of each Goal. For general NIJ information, contact Carrie Smith, at (202) 616-3233. For information about the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Crime Law), contact the Department of Justice Response Center, at (202) 307-1743 or (800) 421-6770. To inquire about NIJ receipt of applications, contact Louise Loften, at (202) 307-2965. For document publication information, contact Mary Graham, at (202) 514-6207. For general information about NIJ programs and funding opportunities, and application procedures; for requests for reprints, literature, final reports, funded grants on related topics, etc.; for names of researchers or practitioners working on related topics, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), at (800) 851-3420. The NIJ 1995-96 Research Plan is also available electronically via the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Bulletin Board System. For Internet access information, e-mail lively@justice.usdoj.gov. National Institute of Justice Staff Jeremy Travis, Director Office of the Director Margaret Battle Chriss Wetherington Christy Visher Planning and Management Division Carol Petrie, Director Sheila Parker-Darby Denise Gadson Carrie Smith Office of Research and Evaluation Sally T. Hillsman, Director Louise Lofton Evelyn Washington Criminal Behavior Edwin W. Zedlewski, Acting Director Bernie Auchter Laurie Bright Thomas Feucht Helen Girma Voncile Gowdy Ginger Kyle Pamela Lattimore Jordan Leiter Angela Moore Jack Riley James Trudeau Crime Control and Prevention Winnie Reed, Acting Director Julianna Banks Stephanie Bourque Steven Edwards Stephen Holmes Eric Jefferis Robert Kaminski Robert Langworthy Nancy Lavigne Richard Lewis Phyllis McDonald Lois Mock Rosemary Murphy Jeffrey Ross Richard Titus Office of Science and Technology David G. Boyd, Director Raymond L. Downs Kevin Jackson Richard M. Rau Robert Tolle Office of Communication and Research Utilization Virginia Baldau, Acting Director Tamara Ross Reference and Dissemination Division John Schwarz, Director Mary Graham Eugene Hebert G. Martin Lively Daniel Tompkins Research Applications and Training Division John Spevacek, Acting Director Cheryl Crawford Marilyn Moses Carolyn Peake Samuel McQuade John Thomas Table of Contents From the Director Contacts National Institute of Justice Staff Introduction Goal I: Reduce Violent Crime Goal II: Reduce Drug- and Alcohol-Related Crime Goal III: Reduce the Consequences of Crime Goal IV: Improve the Effectiveness of Crime Prevention Programs Goal V: Improve Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Goal VI: Develop New Technology for Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Administrative Guidelines Application Information Recommendations to Grant Writers NIJ Policy Regarding Unsolicited Proposals Requirements for Award Recipients Application Forms Introduction The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Created in 1968 by Congress pursuant to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, the Institute is authorized to: Sponsor research and development to improve and strengthen the Nation's system of justice with a balanced program of basic and applied research. Evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice and law enforcement programs and identify those that merit application elsewhere. Support technological advances applicable to criminal justice. Test and demonstrate new and improved approaches to strengthen the justice system. Disseminate information from research, development, demonstrations, and evaluations. This Plan signals the new administrative direction that NIJ will follow to achieve its research and evaluation goals. Conceptually, the Plan is the basis of NIJ's pyramid of research. It will be supplemented over the coming months by a series of solicitations on topics that speak to current or persistent policy concerns that warrant research investments. By their nature, those solicitations will represent a somewhat more focused part of this pyramid. Intramural studies are at the apex of the research pyramid. Questions with strong policy orientation or immediate concern may best be addressed by NIJ staff who can interact directly with the policymakers asking the questions. [[Page 21252]] Readers of prior NIJ Plans will find that this Plan has been substantially shortened. Much of the traditional background text has been discarded; suggested research topics have been reduced from paragraphs to phrases. This change in style, however, implies no change in the kinds of research being sought. NIJ believes that this abbreviated format is more consistent with the spirit and intent of the Plan as a vehicle to encourage the field to submit original ideas on a wide range of research issues. Focused solicitations will appear intermittently over the next year. These will address more specific topics for which special funding is available. Certain activities funded under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Crime Law) will be focal points-- specifically, community policing, violence against women, boot camps, and drug courts--as will evaluations of selected Bureau of Justice Assistance programs. NIJ will also initiate solicitations in collaborative arrangements with other Federal agencies, as well as for topics that NIJ believes merit special attention for the development of knowledge. These solicitations will be announced through the Federal Register and other NIJ communications channels including the Internet (the Department of Justice and NCJRS Online) and special mailings. Interested applicants should telephone the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) at 800-851-3420 or e-mail askncjrs@ncjrs.aspensys.com for pending releases and dates of announcement. Partnerships are another new priority for the Institute. NIJ believes that many of today's crime problems require solutions that extend beyond criminal justice boundaries. The Institute has been active in discussions with other Federal agencies and private foundations and has established a variety of collaborative relationships. Some of these will manifest themselves in the form of special solicitations on specific topics or programs. Others will simply encourage collaborative or interdisciplinary research and offer the prospect of joint funding. Still others will result in the development of shared research agendas. NIJ encourages researchers from all disciplines to explore the opportunities for collaborative efforts presented in this Plan and subsequent announcements, and to propose arrangements that they are able to construct beyond those mentioned. NIJ particularly encourages coordination of research applications with submissions in other OJP agency Plans. An organizational change has also occurred. The factors that distinguish ``research'' from ``evaluation'' are subtle and secondary to the substance of the issues. Therefore, the Institute has merged these functions into a single Office of Research and Evaluation that will review submissions for both areas. The Plan invites proposals for a range of funding amounts. It includes a category of small grants (less than $50,000) across all goals and subjects. Readers should consult the administrative sections of the Research Plan for additional information on the differences in application requirements. Six Strategic Long-Range Goals In FY 1993, the Institute set forth six long-range goals as the focus of NIJ research, evaluation, and development in the coming years. The creation of this long-range agenda was well received; a large number of research and evaluation proposals were submitted, providing an interdisciplinary framework for 1994. In this 1995-96 Research Plan, the Institute specifies the research, evaluation, and technology projects that NIJ anticipates supporting under each goal. The numeric order of the goals does not indicate levels of priority for the Institute. Many of the special grant programs for individuals--such as the Data Resources Program, various Fellowship programs, the NIJ Internship Program--are now described in a separate publication, which will be announced in the Federal Register. NIJ solicits research and evaluations to develop knowledge that will further these long-range goals: I. Reduce violent crime. II. Reduce drug- and alcohol-related crime. III. Reduce the consequences of crime. IV. Improve the effectiveness of crime prevention programs. V. Improve law enforcement and the criminal justice system. VI. Develop new technology for law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Studies that involve the use of randomized experimental designs are encouraged, as are multiple strategies for data collection, and well- controlled, quasi-experimental designs and equivalent comparison group designs. Qualitative studies, including ethnographic data collection, are also encouraged. Research Collaborations NIJ encourages joint research and evaluation projects with other Federal agencies and private foundations interested in crime and criminal justice issues. Applicants may wish to consider whether their proposed project might lend itself to joint funding with another agency or foundation. Applicants interested in exploring possible partnerships should contact the potential partner agency directly, or the relevant NIJ program manager, to discuss specific topics for possible collaborative projects. NIJ has entered into memorandums of agreement or is in other ways collaborating with the Departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Treasury. Agencies and foundations that have indicated a desire to collaborate with NIJ on projects of mutual interest, or are currently involved in joint research efforts with NIJ, include: Agencies Advanced Research Projects Agency (DOD) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau of Justice Assistance Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Mental Health Services Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Corrections Program Office (OJP) Drug Courts Program Office (OJP) National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Institute of Mental Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute of Corrections National Institute on Drug Abuse National Science Foundation Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (HUD) Office of National Drug Control Policy Office for Victims of Crime State Justice Institute Violence Against Women Program Office (OJP) Foundations The Annie E. Casey Foundation The Carnegie Corporation of New York The Ford Foundation The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation The J.C. Kellogg Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Pew Charitable Trusts The Prudential Foundation The Ronald McDonald Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation The Institute cannot guarantee that joint funding for research and [[Page 21253]] evaluation projects will be forthcoming from these sources. Applicants should consider whether their proposals are in accord with the goals of these agencies and private foundations. Specific information about applying for Institute grants is contained in the section ``Administrative Guidelines.'' Goal I: Reduce Violent Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation projects spanning six broad areas: family violence, violence against women, homicide, firearms and violence, gangs, and juvenile violence. Through this solicitation the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) expects to support research that will improve the criminal justice knowledge base on crimes and criminal behavior that increasingly concern the public. Background Violent crime is a leading concern among the American public today. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), in 1992 there were 6.6 million violent victimizations in the United States-- including 141,000 rapes, 1.2 million robberies, and 5.3 million assaults. The violent crime rate is steadily increasing, especially among juveniles, and in 1992 was the highest ever recorded for blacks; homicide is now the leading cause of death for young black males. Handguns are a major factor in the increasing violence, especially in the commission of homicide. Of the 23,760 murders reported to the FBI in 1992, handguns were used in 55 percent. One of the most critical issues in any consideration of ways to reduce violence and its consequences is the role firearms play in contributing to violent crime, serious injury, and death. The NCVS estimates the rate of nonfatal handgun victimizations in 1992 at 4.5 crimes per 1,000 persons aged 12 or older--the highest such figure on record. Findings from an NIJ and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) study of incarcerated juveniles and inner-city high school students showed that 83 percent of inmates and 22 percent of students had possessed guns, with 55 percent and 12 percent respectively having carried guns all or most of the time. Between 1988 and 1992, arrests of juveniles for violent crimes increased by 47 percent--more than double the increase for persons 18 years of age or older. Over the same period, juvenile arrests for homicide increased by 51 percent and statistics on weapons law violations indicate that juvenile use of guns has increased dramatically. Spousal abuse commonly comes to mind when violence against women is discussed, but violence against women is much broader. According to the NCVS, more than 2.5 million women experience violence each year; nearly two in three female victims of violence were related to or knew their attacker; about a third were injured as a result of the crime; nearly half the victims of rape believed the offender to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the attack. The issue has emerged as a topic of national interest and led to the inclusion of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the 1994 Crime Law. The Crime Law contains many other provisions directed toward the prevention, control, and reduction of violent crimes--enhancements for law enforcement, correctional facilities, and drug treatment options; restrictions on firearms; provisions to deal with juvenile crime and gangs; and increases in the programs and research about family violence as well as violence against women. Through this general solicitation NIJ encourages studies that will address these areas of broad general concern and that examine the specific priorities identified in the 1994 Crime Law, particularly with regard to violence among juveniles and the illegal possession and use of firearms. The Institute is especially interested in filling critical gaps in current knowledge and identifying and evaluating existing programs of crime prevention and control. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas that could advance criminal justice knowledge and practice under Goal I of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Studies of Offenders and Offenses. Criminal careers of offenders who engage in violent crime, including risk and protective factors, and offenses and offenders, including robbery, sexual assault, child sexual assault, stalking, and homicide. Offender perceptions of criminal justice response to violent offenders. Juvenile violence, including escalation patterns, racial conflicts, and influence of peers and gangs. Family violence involving intimate partners, spouses, children, and elders. Violent Situations. Role of gangs and group offending in criminal violence. Studies of patterns in violent events, including triggering events, situational elements, and predisposing influences. Protective factors in neighborhoods and communities at high risk of violence. Violence in specific situations and locations including schools, families, recreational settings, and the workplace. Firearms Violence. Adult and juvenile patterns of gun availability, sources of guns, and use in violent crime. Role of illegal markets in weapons on patterns of firearms violence, especially among juveniles. Impact of firearms laws on gun crimes, substitution of other weapons, and offense patterns. Feasibility studies of innovative firearms regulations. Responses to Violent Offenders. Differentiating system responses to violence from responses to other crimes. Violence prevention. Evaluation of innovative programs and practices. Evidentiary concerns, including uncooperative witnesses. Management of violent offenders on probation and parole including risk assessment, treatment programs, and community supervision. Family Violence. Improving the criminal justice (police, prosecution, courts) response to family violence. Interdisciplinary research on the origins of spouse assault. Child homicide and fatality review teams. Links between partner abuse and child abuse. Evaluation of innovative programs and practices for responding to elder abuse. Effectiveness of stalking legislation. In addition to family violence research, NIJ also will issue a special solicitation in 1996 requesting evaluations and research of selected topics covered under the Violence Against Women Act. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Bernard Auchter, (202) 307-0154, for family violence and violence against women. Lois Mock, (202) 307-0693, for firearms violence. Winifred Reed, (202) 307-2952, for gangs. James Trudeau, (202) 307- 1355, for studies of offenders and offenses, violent situations, and responses to violent offenders. Goal II: Reduce Drug- and Alcohol-Related Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation [[Page 21254]] projects that will improve the criminal justice knowledge base about crimes and criminal behavior involving the use of drugs and alcohol. Through this solicitation NIJ seeks to clarify further the relationship between substance abuse and crime and to reduce drug- and alcohol- related crime. Background Substance abuse and drug-related crimes continue to affect the lives of countless Americans residing in both urban and rural neighborhoods across the Nation. NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) data show an increase in marijuana use and relatively stable but high levels of major addictive substance use among booked arrestees in the 23 urban areas monitored by DUF. Recent data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) indicate that the use of heroin and cocaine is on the rise. Efforts to prevent and reduce drug-related crime, and thereby improve the quality of life in these areas, continue to occupy the criminal justice community. Alcohol is used by both offenders and victims in a significant proportion of violent events, with documented connections between both situational and chronic drinking and aggressive or violent behavior. The National Academy of Sciences Panel on the Understanding and Control of Violent Behavior has called for more research into the role of alcohol in promoting violent events, particularly since little is known about how alcohol and violence may reinforce one another or how the alcohol-violence relationship may vary depending on type of violence. The criminal justice system is the largest single source of external pressure influencing abusers who otherwise would not enter substance abuse treatment programs. Half or more of the admissions to community-based residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs are offenders on probation or parole. Criminal justice referral to treatment relieves courts and prisons of overcrowding and reduces the high cost of continued incarceration, while providing an added degree of supervision beyond what probation or parole offices may be able to afford. When successful, treatment further reduces criminal justice costs by breaking the pattern of recidivism that brings typical substance abusers back into the criminal justice system again and again. Research on criminal justice-involved populations suggests that substance abuse treatment can be effective in reducing substance abuse and criminal activity while the client is in treatment and for some time thereafter. As substance abuse programs are implemented, it is important to provide critical feedback on how they are working and for whom they are most effective. It is also important to determine how best to provide treatment--through public criminal justice agencies or through private treatment agencies under contract. Substance abuse prevention programs continue to proliferate in response to public concerns. Comprehensive substance abuse programs for youths can promote anti-drug social norms and thereby reduce or prevent the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. NIJ seeks to evaluate comprehensive community-based substance abuse programs that develop partnerships among criminal justice and schools, health centers, families, peers, and media. NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) program gathers offense and drug use information from samples of adult and juvenile arrestees at 23 sites nationwide, providing access to a national sample of arrestees within hours of arrest. Along with a brief, voluntary interview, urine specimens are obtained to test for evidence of recent use of drugs. For 7 years, data from NIJ's DUF program have traced the trends in drug use among persons arrested for a wide range of offenses. In 1995, NIJ began soliciting proposals that capitalized and expanded upon the research potential provided through the DUF program's quarterly collection of interviews and urine specimens from samples of adult and juvenile arrestees brought to jails in 23 cities nationwide. Researchers are encouraged to develop proposals that present innovative ways of utilizing the DUF program as a research ``platform'' for pursuing a wide range of hypotheses related to drug use and criminal activity. For instance, in collaboration with existing DUF sites, the basic data collection protocol could be supplemented with additional interview assessments or bio-assays. NIJ is also interested in proposals that examine specific research questions by applying the DUF protocol to targeted samples of arrestees such as those in suburban or rural jails, or those arrested for specific offenses. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas that could advance criminal justice knowledge and practices under Goal II of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Substance Abuse and Criminal Behavior. Relationships between drugs, alcohol, and violence, including the individual and environmental circumstances. Relationship between substance abuse and related criminal behavior of all types, including family violence. Understanding substance abuse careers and how they track with criminal careers over time. Inventory of the validity, scope, and gaps in current substance abuse data sets. Substance Abusing Offenders and the Criminal Justice System. Impact of pretrial services, adjudication, sentencing, and corrections (including community corrections) programs. Effect of strategies implemented in one segment of the system on the rest of the system. Offender attitudes, perceptions, and experiences as they move through particular components/programs. Effective use of a series of graduated sanctions for noncompliance behaviors. Substance Abuse Prevention. Cost benefit analyses. Impact of criminal justice-based strategies on later substance abuse and other related criminal behavior. Development and identification of demand- reduction strategies and programs for high-risk populations. Treatment and Aftercare Evaluations. Assessment of treatment drop- outs. Determination of the optimal mix of various treatment and after- care components for various criminal justice populations. Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) Research Platform Initiatives. Expansion of adult and juvenile research protocols to address additional research questions such as drug market analysis, drug treatment history of arrestees, the onset of drug use among arrestees, the relationship between drug acquisition and other criminal activities, and the role of alcohol and drug consumption in the commission of crimes. Drug Enforcement. Research on the effectiveness of interdiction efforts and control strategies such as increased penalties for drug trafficking in prisons and drug dealing in drug-free school zones. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Laurie Bright, (202) 616-3624, for substance abuse research and evaluations related to the criminal justice system. Thomas E. Feucht, (202) 307- 2949, for substance abuse research related to DUF research [[Page 21255]] platform initiatives. James Trudeau, (202) 307-1355, for substance abuse research related to criminal behavior. Goal III: Reduce The Consequences of Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation projects that explore the causes of victimizations, their consequences in injury, fear, property damage, and other forms of cost; and the institutional responses of criminal justice agencies to victims. In addition to individual victims, the Institute is interested in the ways that households, organizations, and communities become victims, and how victimizations harm and otherwise alter daily functioning. NIJ is also interested in how victim service institutions can best serve victims to reduce the harm done. The goals of the research solicited are to understand how natural circumstances can lead to victimizations, as well as the nature and extent of harm caused by crime, and to use these findings to reduce both victimization risk and severity. Background The extent of criminal victimization within the United States is disturbing: In 1992, approximately 1 in every 4 households was victimized by 1 or more crimes, and 1 in 20 had at least one member age 12 or older who was the victim of a violent crime. Violent crime victimization rates, after declining through most of the 1980's, have again begun to increase, most notably among blacks and persons ages 12- 24. National public opinion surveys consistently indicate that crime has displaced other issues as the Nation's most serious concern. In a 1994 New York Times/CBS News nationwide telephone poll, 23 percent of respondents listed crime as ``the most important problem facing this country today,'' and 40 percent said they live within a mile of an area where they would be afraid to walk alone at night. The harm of victimization includes injury, dollar loss, and a pervasive sense of insecurity that disrupts and truncates the victim's daily activities and satisfactions. This harm also touches those close to or acquainted with the victim. The victim's needs are imperfectly understood by researchers and practitioners and are inadequately responded to by available programs of assistance. The victim's dealings with the criminal justice system often compound the damage rather than serving to restore the victim and create a sense of justice. We are limited in our understanding of the antecedents and causes of victimization. ``Routine activities'' research--that includes the victim along with the offender, environment, and ``guardians'' has the potential to improve the validity and effectiveness of crime prevention programs. Such research might examine specific types of victims, specific activity domains, or specific locations. A special emphasis might be topics suggested by the Violence Against Women Act, which is discussed in Goal I. The effects of crime reach far beyond their impact on individuals and households, extending into businesses, public housing areas, neighborhoods, and ultimately into entire communities. Within the community, violent crime, gangs and the threat they pose, vandalism, drugs, and disorder may cause businesses to close or relocate, reduce employment and shopping opportunities, and decrease property values. Where this grim process is not interrupted, urban neighborhoods and communities decay, investments dwindle or disappear, and law-abiding residents and their organizations move out. Crimes against business range from the armed robbery of a neighborhood grocery to the electronic swindle of an international corporation and include such offenses as the theft of cash or property (by customers, employees, and suppliers), burglary, vandalism, billing scams, embezzlement, extortion, computer hacking, hijacking of shipments, kidnaping, arson, and theft of intellectual property. The cost of crime to business is, of course, ultimately borne by consumers, employees, and residents of areas that experience a decline because of crime's effect on local business. Through this general solicitation NIJ encourages studies that will address these critical areas of citizen concern. The Institute is particularly interested in research that advances our knowledge of the extent and consequences of criminal victimization in the following areas: assessing the harm caused by victimization, improving the delivery of services to victims and their treatment by the criminal justice system, increasing our understanding of the causes and means of prevention of victimization, improving data about the victimization of businesses, and the effects of crime and victimization on the delivery of services in affected areas. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research topics that will advance criminal justice knowledge of the extent, causes, and consequences of criminal victimization under Goal III of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Assessing Victim Needs. Diagnostic instruments for use by victim services providers that would assist staff intake assessment of victim harm and required services. Victim-based evaluations of services. Program Evaluations. Evaluations of victim services programs in such areas as restorative justice, use of computers by victim services, incorporation of victim services in community policing, programs tailored to victims with special needs, including child victims, and local program compliance with victim services mandated by State legislation. Criminal Justice System Response to Victims. How treatment of victims and witnesses by the criminal justice system affects the public's willingness to cooperate with the system at all stages of its processes. Victimization Patterns. How routine activities, behavior, perceptions, and knowledge interact with situational variables and offender behavior to increase or lower the risk of victimization. Knowledge that can contribute to reducing the level of victimization. Impact of Crime on Business. The quality of data on the costs of victimization of business, its customers, suppliers, and employees, and the community. Priorities for new data collection and the utility of the data for combating crimes against business. Impact of Crime on Service Delivery. Effects of fear of crime and victimization on the ability of communities, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide services and meet the needs of residents of affected neighborhoods. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact Richard Titus, at (202) 307-0695. Goal IV: Improve the Effectiveness of Crime Prevention Programs Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation projects that will increase the safety of individuals within families, and in schools, businesses, workplaces, and [[Page 21256]] community environments; that will advance the knowledge of criminal justice practitioners and help prevent crime and criminal behavior, and develop and improve crime prevention programs. NIJ seeks research and evaluations aimed at preventing involvement in crime, and individual, community, and workplace efforts to improve safety and security. Background Crime prevention takes many forms. NIJ research in crime prevention continues to focus on potential offenders, potential victims, and particular locations and emphasizes both individual and community responses to crimes that occur in various settings. There is a need to examine how certain characteristics of neighborhoods, households, schools, businesses, public housing developments, parks and other public areas promote or constrain criminal activity. It is equally important to study populations that may be especially vulnerable, or invulnerable, to crime in those locations. It is also important to examine crime prevention programs and strategies in the context of the communities and jurisdictions in which they are found. Crime prevention can and should focus on deterring potential offenders by formulating strategies directed at high-risk groups that are likely to become involved with the criminal justice system. NIJ research emphasizes prevention strategies that may influence the attitudes and behaviors of persons living in high-risk environments by addressing their needs in a comprehensive manner and by promoting positive and constructive forms of behavior. This approach to crime prevention requires the coordination of mutually reinforcing efforts that involve the family, school, and community as crime prevention agents. Research has shown that efforts to assist youths at risk are more likely to be effective when they start early and provide forms of intervention based on an understanding of the developmental processes that influence the attitudes and behavior of youths over time. Crime prevention programs can also focus on potential victims of crime and ways to prevent their victimization. A major issue in prevention research is how to influence the behavior of individuals, households, organizations, and community groups. Lessons learned in studies of citizen patrols, changes in physical design, the relationship between fear and physical signs of disorder, and the redeployment of police officers, have all been incorporated in national crime prevention campaigns and in the development of programs and strategies designed to reduce crime victimization. Citizens and community groups can accept and respond to the challenge of shared responsibility for community security. Diverse crime prevention efforts undertaken include means of preventing victimization as well as ways of addressing the personal and social needs of victims resulting from crime and drug abuse. In addition, citizen and community anti-crime efforts are more likely to be effective when they are part of a comprehensive approach to neighborhood problem solving that involves citizens in a partnership with police and other municipal agencies. We have learned that crime can be reduced through the proper design and effective use of environmental crime prevention methods in commercial sites, public and private housing, recreational areas, and transportation systems. Research has underscored the importance of incorporating environmental strategies as key components of community crime prevention programs. One possible way to protect people from crime is to develop a more thorough understanding of such factors about offenders as how they select their victims and targets; their modus operandi during the commission of an offense, including any involvement with co-offenders; their methods of disposing of noncash proceeds from crime; their perceptions of the opportunity structure of different locations, environments, and situations; and their perceptions of the criminal justice system's effectiveness in apprehending and prosecuting them. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas that could advance crime prevention knowledge and practice under Goal IV of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Crime Prevention Programs for High-Risk Youths. (In coordination with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). Development of methods that foster positive and constructive forms of behavior. Focus on resilient youth and families. Interaction between community, family and individual factors in promoting positive behavior. Developing Community-Based Crime Prevention Partnerships. Identification of factors that enhance or diminish partnerships. Development and testing of strategies to revitalize and reclaim high- crime areas. Ways to organize community resources in an integrated manner. How to develop useful problem-solving strategies. Location-Specific Crime Prevention Programs. Schools and routes to and from school. Public housing. Commercial settings. Parks and recreation facilities. Parking lots. Use of traffic barriers for crime and drug prevention. Understanding the actions and responses of potential victims and offenders in these and other settings. (See Goal III: ``Routine Activities and Victimization'' for a description of victim-related research using the routine activities approach). Focus on environmental and design features. Focus on a comprehensive approach. Crimes and Offender Behavior. Offender daily activity patterns. Offense selection and planning. Target and victim selection. Modus operandi during the commission of an offense including co-offending. Disposition of noncash proceeds from crime. Offender perception of criminal justice system effectiveness. Disruption of stolen property markets. Crime By and Related to Illegal Aliens. Recruitment, transportation, and smuggling of illegal aliens into the United States. Provision of false documentation to illegals. Employers' role in committing crimes related to hiring illegals and fostering crime among illegal aliens. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. For specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Rosemary Murphy, (202) 307-2959, for school-based prevention programs, crime prevention in public housing, crime prevention partnerships and prevention for high-risk youths. Richard Titus, (202) 307-0695 for location specific prevention (except schools and public housing), crimes and offender behavior, and crime by and related to illegal aliens. Goal V: Improve Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage efforts in research and evaluation that will advance criminal justice knowledge in the areas of policing, prosecution, defense, adjudication, and corrections. The primary focus of research and [[Page 21257]] evaluation under this goal is improvement of the efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness of the system. Certain types of cases, however, take priority. These involve violent juvenile and adult offenders, drug and alcohol abusers, and family violence offenders. Also of interest are the consequences of decisions and practices in one part of the system on other criminal justice agencies and on related social service agencies. Through this solicitation, NIJ also seeks a greater understanding of the relationship among the offender, victim, and the criminal justice system. All issues surrounding the case are of interest, but projects that focus on an issue from the perspective of the various participants--prosecutor, defender, judge, legislator--are encouraged. Background Each part of the criminal justice system faces new challenges. Juvenile arrests for violent crimes increased by 47 percent between 1988 and 1992; juvenile arrests for homicide increased by 51 percent during the same period. FBI data indicate that juvenile use of guns has risen dramatically. Prosecutors nationwide note that youthful offenders are being brought to their offices in increasing numbers. The Nation's prison and jail population reached 1 million in the past year, with more than 5 million persons under some form of correctional supervision. Data from jails and prisons show a high incidence of substance abuse disorders among inmates. Approximately 70 percent of jail detainees have a history of substance abuse; 56 percent were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of arrest. A significant proportion of inmates with drug abuse problems have a high prevalence of other disorders. About 75 percent of inmates with mental disorders, for example, are also substance abusers. Other inmates abuse both drugs and alcohol. Few programs exist for such inmates who have special needs. In most State prison systems, for example, inmates may receive services from either mental health or substance abuse programs but not from programs designed to treat those with both conditions. The 1994 Crime Law encourages innovations to improve criminal justice effectiveness in many of these areas, including community policing; prison construction and construction of alternative facilities such as boot camps for nonviolent offenders; and drug courts that combine court-supervised abstinence with outpatient treatment and sanctions for those who fail to comply. NIJ expects to issue separate solicitations for research in these areas in 1996. White-collar and organized crime pose a serious threat to the stable and orderly functioning of society. These complex and sophisticated crimes threaten our economic stability, corrupt legitimate institutions, and undermine the public respect for government and law. Research is also needed on the consequences of the decisionmaking process within the criminal justice system. Much criminal justice research has been specific to a single criminal justice agency, such as the decisions of police in using deadly force, charging decisions and plea bargaining practices of prosecutors and use by judges of intermediate sanctions. However, such studies rarely focus on the relationship among police, defense attorneys, public prosecutors, and judges in plea or sentence bargaining. Moreover, much research on criminal justice evaluates effectiveness in terms of standards internal to a particular agency rather than the consequences that decisions and practices in one part of the system have for other components in the system or on system processes. There are studies of jail and prison overcrowding and of early release as a result of judicially mandated standards for maintaining correctional facilities, but little is known about their consequences for the criminal careers of offenders who have been released early. Likewise, there is little research on the effect of sentence length or a given type of sentence for any given offense. Relatively little is known about how different kinds of crime are detected and selected by social service and other agents and the processes by which they are referred to law enforcement. NIJ seeks research addressing these broader issues. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research topics that could advance criminal justice knowledge under Goal V of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Law Enforcement Note: NIJ is accepting applications for policing research during the June and December, 1996 review cycles. The Institute expects to issue a special policing solicitation in FY 1996. Law enforcement research and evaluation proposals received for the June review will be considered together with proposals submitted to the special policing solicitation. Prosecution, Defense, and Adjudication Issues at the Pretrial Stage. Effective release and detention decisions, charging decisions, and diversion decisions. Effective responses to witness intimidation. Impact of variations in discovery policy. New Approaches. Specialized courts, e.g. domestic violence, firearms offenses. Community courts. Restorative justice. Community- based prosecution and defense services. Drug Courts. Note: NIJ is not receiving applications for research on drug courts under the June and December 1995 deadlines. Instead, researchers should await the special solicitation to be issued in 1995, as noted above. Juvenile Justice. (In coordination with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.) Juvenile case processing, emphasizing waiver to adult courts. Diversion to noncriminal justice programs. Postarrest preconviction programs for chronic, serious juvenile offenders. Community and Institutional Corrections Sanctions and Punishments. Operating community-based sanctions as a system. Prosecutors' role in intermediate sanctions. Innovative programs in domestic violence, child abuse, firearms. Meeting Offender Needs. Offenders with mental health and drug addiction conditions. Creating parity in services for incarcerated women. Coordinating transitional care and community reintegration. Preserving Safety. Planning and managing ``super'' maximum security prisons. Managing juvenile offenders in adult facilities. Correctional officer health and safety risks. Managing Change. Understanding the impacts of prison expansion. Correctional management of changing inmate populations. Inmate and correctional officers' safety. Managing offenders in the community. Systemwide Issues Consequences of Decisions on System Responses. The impact that reforms or major resources changes in one part of the system may have on another. Perceived fairness of the criminal justice system, particularly in minority communities, and appropriate responses by criminal justice professionals. Sentencing. Costs and benefits of various State sentencing reforms. Impact of sentencing policy changes on prosecution, defense, and the courts, e.g. ``truth in sentencing'' and ``three strikes'' legislation, abolition of parole, [[Page 21258]] mandatory minimums, enhanced sentencing schemes for juvenile offenders. Illegal Aliens. U.S. policy toward arrested illegal aliens. Impact on local criminal justice system. Links with immigration. Management of foreign language populations in correctional settings. White-Collar and Organized Crime. For White-Collar Crime, research on the prevention and control of health care fraud, insider insurance fraud, and environmental crime, including regulatory issues, detention, investigation, and prosecution. For Organized Crime, research on the criminal justice response to international organized crime networks and enterprise, and organized crime corruption of legitimate industries and markets. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Lois Mock, (202) 307-0693, and Winifred Reed, (202) 307-2952, for policing. Jordan Leiter, (202) 616-9487, for prosecution and adjudication. Voncile Gowdy, (202) 307-2951, for corrections and sanctions. Jack Riley, (202) 616-9030, for illegal aliens and the criminal justice system. Lois Mock, (202) 307-0693, for white-collar and organized crime. Goal VI: Develop New Technology for Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage technological development projects that will improve the operational efficiency of the criminal justice system. Through this solicitation NIJ expects to support research that will enhance the safety and effectiveness of law enforcement and correctional officers and other officers of the court. Background Science and technology programs cut across the entire range of criminal justice issues and goals at NIJ; programs already in progress or in the early stages of planning and development promise to provide significant benefits in the 21st century. The Institute's science and technology mission is accomplished through three major program areas: the collection and dissemination of technical information, the development of standards and operation of an equipment testing program, and a research and development grants program. To strengthen the collection and dissemination of technology information, NIJ is developing the capabilities of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) (the former Technology Assessment Program Information Center) and establishing regional law enforcement technology centers. The purpose of these centers is to provide criminal justice professionals with information on available technology, guidelines and standards for these technologies, and technical assistance in implementing them. These centers will be linked through a Technology Information Network (TIN) to provide Federal, State and local agencies with objective, reliable, and timely information on technologies and equipment, such as who are the producers and users; where high-cost, seldom-used equipment can be borrowed for temporary or emergency situations; what the current equipment standards are; tests and evaluations; and what safety, health, or procedure bulletins have been issued. The TIN will also link the centers with the current Regional Information Sharing Service (RISS) that will then create an overall law enforcement technology exchange network. NIJ has also established an Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) to help bring technology to the market place for criminal justice procurement. One of the most significant developments of NIJ's criminal justice technology and standards program was the development of soft body armor for police officers and standards governing its manufacture and sale. NIJ has also developed standards for vehicle tracking devices, security systems for doors and windows, breath alcohol testing, autoloading pistols, mobile antennas, and other equipment. The Institute is currently completing the development of performance standards for two DNA testing procedures: Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The standards program is funded by NIJ through the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIJ's research and development efforts have also been significant and broad in scope in other areas. In the area of forensic science, NIJ has supported a wide range of research on fingerprints, blood and semen, DNA, trace evidence, bite marks, and forged or altered documents. Further research is needed, particularly in DNA testing, weapons identification, fingerprinting, and trace evidence. Progress is also being made to develop alternatives to lethal force. When confronted with the need to use force, officers are limited to the use of firearms, batons, physical ``hands-on'' restraint, or, more recently, chemical agents such as pepper spray. To provide alternatives, NIJ initiated a Less-Than-Lethal technology program to develop innovative, nonlethal measures suitable for use in situations involving fleeing suspects, domestic disturbances, barricades, issuing search warrants, drug raids, prison or jail disturbances, etc. This announcement also supports research recommendations of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Defense (DOD) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for interagency collaboration in developing and sharing dual-use technologies for law enforcement agencies and military operations other than war. Congress has appropriated fiscal year 1995 funds for this program through the Defense Authorization Bill. The day-to-day management of the program is carried out at the DOD Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under a Joint Program Steering Group (JPSG) with equal numbers of program managers from the Defense and Justice Departments. In soliciting research and development topics, NIJ principally focuses on technologies and studies that will support the needs of State and local criminal justice agencies. The Institute's science and technology research also addresses the legal and social issues related to the employment of new technologies in order to ensure that they will be acceptable to the agency and the community. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas under Goal VI of the NIJ Research Plan where new or improved technologies could enhance the efficacy of the criminal justice system and reduce the level of injuries and death during policing and correctional operations. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Projects should be directed toward the production of affordable and practical equipment or systems that will have reasonably wide application to Federal, State, and local agencies. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Forensic Sciences. Identification and development of evidence in DNA/ [[Page 21259]] serology, finger-prints, trace evidence, pathology, entomology, odontology, toxicology, questioned documents, and weapons identification. Less-Than-Lethal Technology. Reduction in the incidence of injuries and death to officers and the public during confrontations, especially those requiring the use of force, arrest of suspects, transport of suspects or prisoners, pursuit of fleeing suspects on foot or in vehicles, and control of violent individuals or crowds in the streets or in prisons and jails. Enhancement of officer safety. Field evaluations of new less-than-lethal technology. Science and Technology. Virtual reality technology for officer training; command and control operations; providing improved courtroom security; improving the efficiency of probation and parole operations; identifying concealed weapons; monitoring the status, health, and location of officers or prisoners; and detecting and disabling explosives. Technology useful in the detection and apprehension of persons engaged in computer crime. Drug Testing. Developing or adapting analytic techniques for extracting drug-related material from hair and urine and other body fluids. Comparative efficiencies and relative costs as well as the utility of the testing techniques in various criminal justice settings. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Richard M. Rau, Ph.D., (202) 307-0648, for the Forensic Sciences Program and the Drug Testing Program. Raymond L. Downs, Ph.D., (202) 307-0646, for the Less-Than-Lethal Program and the Science and Technology Program. Kevin Jackson, (202) 307-2956, for the Standards Development and Testing Program and the Law Enforcement Technology Centers. DOD/DOJ Memorandum of Understanding. Peter Nacci, (703) 351-8608, for information on the law enforcement aspects of the DOJ/DOD MOU. Dave Fields, Ph.D., (703) 696-2330, for information on the Military Operations Other Than War aspects of the DOJ/DOD MOU. General Law Enforcement Technology Information Marc Caplan, National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, (800) 248-2742, for information on specific law enforcement technologies that are under development or in production, technologies in use by law enforcement agencies, soft-body armor and other equipment standards, equipment testing and results, and other such nongrant- related questions. Administrative Guidelines In this section applicants will find recommendations to grant writers, requirements for grant recipients, general application information, and a reiteration of the 1995-1996 grant application deadlines. Application Information Please see ``Requirements for Award Recipients'' below for general application and eligibility requirements and selection criteria. Proposals not conforming to these application procedures will not be considered. Award Period. NIJ limits its grants and cooperative agreements to a maximum period of 24 months. Due Date. Ten (10) copies of fully executed proposals should be sent to: [Name and Number of Specific Goal], National Institute of Justice, 633 Indiana Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20531. Completed proposals must be received at the National Institute of Justice by the close of business on June 17 and December 16, 1996. Extensions of these deadlines will not be permitted. Contact. Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers in the appropriate goal areas to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. Recommendations to Grant Writers Over the past 4 years, Institute staff have reviewed approximately 1,500 grant applications. On the basis of those reviews and inquiries from applicants, the Institute offers the following recommendations to help potential applicants present workable, understandable proposals. Many of these recommendations were adopted from materials provided to NIJ by the State Justice Institute, especially for applicants new to NIJ. Others reflect standard NIJ requirements. The author(s) of the proposal should be clearly identified. Proposals that are incorrectly collated, incomplete, or handwritten will be judged as submitted or, at NIJ's discretion, will be returned without a deadline extension. No additions to the original submission are allowed. The Institute suggests that applicants make certain that they address the questions, issues, and requirements set forth below when preparing an application. 1. What is the subject or problem you wish to address? Describe the subject or problem and how it affects the criminal justice system and the public. Discuss how your approach will improve the situation or advance the state of the art of knowledge or state of the science and explain why it is the most appropriate approach to take. Give appropriate citations to the scientific literature. The source of statistics or research findings cited to support a statement or position should be included in a reference list. 2. What do you want to do? Explain the goal(s) of the project in simple, straightforward terms. The goals should describe the intended consequences or expected overall effect of the proposed project, rather than the tasks or activities to be conducted. To the greatest extent possible, applicants should avoid a specialized vocabulary that is not readily understood by the general public. Technical jargon does not enhance an application. 3. How will you do it? Describe the methodology carefully so that what you propose to do and how you would do it is clear. All proposed tasks should be set forth so that a reviewer can see a logical progression of tasks and relate those tasks directly to the accomplishment of the project's goal(s). When in doubt about whether to provide a more detailed explanation or to assume a particular level of knowledge or expertise on the part of the reviewers, err on the side of caution and provide the additional information. A description of project tasks also will help identify necessary budget items. All staff positions and project costs should relate directly to the tasks described. The Institute encourages applicants to attach letters of cooperation and support from agencies that will be involved in or directly affected by the proposed project. 4. What should you include in a grant application for a program evaluation? An evaluation should determine whether the proposed program, training, procedure, service, or technology accomplished the objectives it was designed to meet. Applicants seeking support for a proposed evaluation should describe the criteria that will be used to evaluate the project's effectiveness and identify program elements that will require further modification. The description in the application should include how the evaluation will be conducted, when it will occur during the project period, [[Page 21260]] who will conduct it, and what specific measures will be used. In most instances, the evaluation should be conducted by persons not connected with the implementation of the procedure, training, service, or technique, or the administration of the project. 5. How will others learn about your findings? Include a plan to disseminate the results of the research, evaluation, technology, or demonstration beyond the jurisdictions and individuals directly affected by the project. The plan should identify the specific methods that will be used to inform the field about the project such as the publication of journal articles or the distribution of key materials. Expectations regarding products are discussed more fully in the following section, ``Requirements for Award Recipients.'' A statement that a report or research findings ``will be made available to'' the field is not sufficient. The specific means of distribution or dissemination as well as the types of recipients should be identified. Reproduction and dissemination costs are allowable budget items. Applicants must concisely describe the interim and final products and address each product's purpose, audience, and usefulness to the field. This discussion should identify the principal criminal justice constituency or type of agency for which each product is intended and describe how the constituent group or agency would be expected to use the product or report. Successful proposals will clearly identify the nature of the grant products that can reasonably be expected if the project is funded. In addition, a schedule of delivery dates of all products should be delineated. 6. What are the specific costs involved? The budget application should be presented clearly. Major budget categories such as personnel, benefits, travel, supplies, equipment, and indirect costs should be identified separately. The components of ``Other'' or ``Miscellaneous'' items should be specified in the application budget narrative and should not include set-asides for undefined contingencies. 7. How much detail should be included in the budget narrative? The budget narrative should list all planned expenditures and detail the salaries, materials, and cost assumptions used to estimate project costs. The narrative and cost estimates should be presented under the following standard budget categories: personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, other, and indirect costs. For multiyear projects, applicants must include the full amount of NIJ funding for the entire life of the project. This amount should be reflected in item 15g on Form 424 and line 6k on 424A. When appropriate, grant applications should include justification of consultants and a full explanation of daily rates for any consultants proposed. To avoid common shortcomings of application budget narratives, include the following information: Personnel estimates that accurately provide the amount of time to be spent by personnel involved with the project and the total associated costs, including current salaries for the designated personnel (e.g., Project Director, 50 percent of 1 year's annual salary of $50,000 = $25,000). If salary costs are computed using an hourly or daily rate, the annual salary and number of hours or days in a work year should be shown. Estimates for supplies and expenses supported by a complete description of the supplies to be used, nature and extent of printing to be done, anticipated telephone charges, and other common expenditures, with the basis for computing the estimates included (e.g., 100 reports x 75 pages each x $0.05/page = $375.00). Supply and expense estimates offered simply as ``based on experience'' are not sufficient. 8. What travel regulations apply to the budget estimates? Transportation costs and per diem rates must comply with the policies of the applicant organization, and a copy of the applicant's travel policy should be submitted as an appendix to the application. If the applicant does not have a travel policy established in writing, then travel rates must be consistent with those established by the Federal Government. The budget narrative should state which regulations are in force for the project and should include the estimated fare, the number of persons traveling, the number of trips to be taken, and the length of stay. The estimated costs of travel, lodging, ground transportation, and other subsistence should be listed separately. When combined, the subtotals for these categories should equal the estimate listed on the budget form. 9. Which forms should be used? A copy of Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance, plus instructions, appears in the back of this book. Please follow the instructions carefully and include all parts and pages. In addition to SF 424, recent requirements involve certification regarding (1) lobbying; (2) debarment, suspension, and other responsibility matters; and (3) drug-free workplace requirements. The certification form that is attached to SF 424 should be signed by the appropriate official and included in the grant application. 10. What technical materials are required to be included in the application? A one-page abstract of the full proposal, highlighting the project's purpose, methods, activities, and when known, the location(s) of field research. A program narrative, which is the technical portion of the proposal. It should include a clear, concise statement of the problem, goals, and objectives of the project and related questions to be explored. A discussion of the relationship of the proposed work to the existing literature is expected. A statement of the project's anticipated contribution to criminal justice policy and practice. It is important that applicants briefly cite those particular issues and concerns of present-day criminal justice policy that stimulate the proposed line of inquiry and suggest what their own investigation would contribute to current knowledge. A detailed statement of the proposed research or study design and analytical methodologies. The proposed data sources, data collection strategies, variables and issues to be examined, and procedures of analysis to be employed should be delineated carefully and completely. When appropriate, experimental designs are encouraged because of their potential relevance to policymaking and the strength of the evidence they can produce. The organization and management plan to conduct the study. A list of major milestones of events, activities, and products and a timetable for completion that indicates the time commitments to individual project tasks should be included. All grant activities, including writing of the final report, should be completed within the duration of the award period. The applicant's curriculum vitae should summarize education, research experience, and bibliographic information related to the proposed work. 11. Use of grant funds. Grant funds may be used to purchase or lease equipment essential to accomplishing the objectives of the project. The budget narrative must list such equipment and explain why the equipment is necessary. Funds may not be used for operating programs, writing texts or handbooks, training, etc. 12. To what extent may indirect costs be included in the budget estimates? It is the policy of the Institute that all costs should be budgeted directly; however, if an applicant has an indirect [[Page 21261]] cost rate that has been approved by a Federal agency within the past 2 years, an indirect cost recovery estimate may be included in the budget. A copy of the approved rate agreement should be submitted as an appendix to the application. If an applicant does not have an approved rate agreement, the applicant should contact the Office of the Comptroller, Office of Justice Programs, (202) 307-0604, to obtain information about preparing an indirect cost rate proposal. 13. What, if any, matching funds are required? Units of State and local governments (not including publicly supported institutions of higher education) are encouraged to contribute a match (cash, noncash, or both) of requested funds. Other applicants also are encouraged to seek matching contributions from other Federal agencies or private foundations to assist in meeting the costs of the project. 14. Should other funding sources be listed? Applicants are expected to identify all other Federal, local, or private sources of support, including other NIJ programs, to which this or a closely related proposal has been or will be submitted. This information permits NIJ to consider the joint funding potential and limits the possibility of inadvertent duplicate funding. Applicants may submit more than one proposal to NIJ, but the same proposal cannot be submitted in more than one program area. 15. What are the deadlines? June 15 and December 15, 1995, and June 17 and December 16, 1996. 16. Is there a page limit? The Institute has established a limit of 30 double-spaced 12-point font pages for all normal grant applications. This page limit does not include references, budget narrative, curriculum vitae, or necessary appendices. Applications for small grants ($1,000-$50,000) are limited to 15 double-spaced pages. Applicants are cautioned that obvious attempts to stretch interpretations of these limits will disqualify proposals from review. 17. What is the page order? The following order is mandatory. Omission can result in rejection of the application: 1. SF 424. 2. Budget narrative. 3. Assurances and Certifications, etc. 4. Negotiated rate agreement. 5. Names and affiliations of all key persons from applicant and subcontractor(s), advisors, consultants, and Advisory Board members. Include the name of the Principal Investigator, title, organizational affiliation (if any), department (if institution of higher education), address, phone, and fax. 6. Abstract. 7. Table of Contents. 8. Program narrative. 9. References. 10. Resumes of key personnel. 18. What does the review process entail? After all applications for a competition are received, NIJ will convene a series of peer review panels of criminal justice professionals and researchers. NIJ will assign proposals to peer panels that it deems most appropriate. Panel members read each proposal and meet to assess the technical merits and policy relevance of the proposed research. Panel assessments of the proposals, together with assessments by NIJ staff, are submitted to the Director, who has sole and final authority over approval and awards. The review normally takes 60 to 90 days, depending on the number of applications received. Each applicant receives written comments from the peer review panel concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. These comments may include suggestions for how a revised or subsequent application to NIJ might be improved. 19. What are the criteria for an award? The essential question asked of each applicant is, ``If this study were successful, how would criminal justice policies or operations be improved?'' Four criteria are applied in the evaluation process: Impact of the proposed project. Feasibility of the approach to the issue, including technical merit and practical considerations. Originality of the approach, including creativity of the proposal and capability of the research staff. Economy of the approach. Applicants bear the responsibility of demonstrating to the panel that the proposed study addresses the critical issues of the topic area and that the study findings could ultimately contribute to a practical application in law enforcement or criminal justice. Reviewers will assess applicants' awareness of related research or studies and their ability to direct the research or study toward answering questions of policy or improving the state of criminal justice operations. Technical merit is judged by the likelihood that the study design will produce convincing findings. Reviewers take into account the logic and timing of the research or study plan, the validity and reliability of measures proposed, the appropriateness of statistical methods to be used, and each applicant's awareness of factors that might dilute the credibility of the findings. Impact is judged by the scope of the proposed approach and by the utility of the proposed products. Reviewers consider each applicant's understanding of the process of innovation in the targeted criminal justice agency or setting and knowledge of prior uses of criminal justice research by the proposed criminal justice constituency. Appropriateness of products in terms of proposed content and format is also considered. Applicants' qualifications are evaluated both in terms of the depth of experience and the relevance of that experience to the proposed research or study. Costs are evaluated in terms of the reasonableness of each item and the utility of the project to the Institute's program. 20. Are there any other considerations in selecting applications for an award? Projects should have a national impact or have potential relevance to a number of jurisdictions. Because of the broad national mandate of the National Institute of Justice, projects that address the unique concerns of a single jurisdiction should be fully justified. Projects that intend to provide services in addition to performing research are eligible for support, but only for the resources necessary to conduct the research tasks outlined in the proposal. The applicant's performance on previous or current NIJ grants will also be taken into consideration in making funding decisions. 21. Who is eligible to apply? NIJ awards grants to, or enters into cooperative agreements with, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profitmaking organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, special eligibility criteria are indicated in the separate solicitations. 22. Does NIJ accept resubmission of proposals? The Institute will accept resubmission of a previously submitted proposal. The applicant should indicate for Question 8, Form 424, that the application is a revision. The applicant should include this information in the abstract. Finally, the applicant should prepare a one-page response to the earlier panel review (to follow the abstract) including (1) the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number of the previous proposal and (2) a brief summary of responses to the review and/or revisions to the proposal. NIJ Policy Regarding Unsolicited Proposals It is NIJ's policy to submit all unsolicited proposals to peer review. NIJ's peer review process takes place in [[Page 21262]] periodic cycles; unsolicited proposals received will be included in the next available review cycle. NIJ will offer the applicant the option of revising the proposal in accordance with the program goals established in the Plan or, alternatively, submitting the original proposal to the peer panel it deems most appropriate. Requirements for Award Recipients Required Products Each project is expected to generate tangible products of maximum benefit to criminal justice professionals, researchers, and policymakers. In particular, NIJ strongly encourages documents that provide information of practical utility to law enforcement officials; prosecutors; judges; corrections officers; victims services providers; and Federal, State, county, and local elected officials. Products should include: A summary of approximately 2,500 words highlighting the findings of the research and the policy issues those findings will inform. The material should be written in a style that will be accessible to policy officials and practitioners and suitable for possible publication as an NIJ Research in Brief. An NIJ editorial style guide is sent to each project director at the time of the award. A full technical report, including a discussion of the research question, review of the literature, description of project methodology, detailed review of project findings, and conclusions and policy recommendations. Clean copies of all automated data sets developed during the research and full documentation prepared in accordance with the instructions in the NIJ Data Resources Manual. Brief project summaries for NIJ use in preparing annual reports to the President and the Congress. As appropriate, additional products such as case studies and interim and final reports (e.g., articles, manuals, or training materials) may be specified in the proposal or negotiated at the time of the award. Public Release of Automated Data Sets NIJ is committed to ensuring the public availability of research data and to this end established its Data Resources Program in 1984. All NIJ award recipients who collect data are required to submit a machine-readable copy of the data and appropriate documentation to NIJ prior to the conclusion of the project. The data and materials are reviewed for completeness. NIJ staff then create machine-readable data sets, prepare users' guides, and distribute data and documentation to other researchers in the field. A variety of formats are acceptable; however, the data and materials must conform with requirements detailed in Depositing Data With the Data Resources Program of the National Institute of Justice: A Handbook. A copy of this handbook is sent to each project director at the time of the award. For further information about NIJ's Data Resources Program, contact Dr. Pamela Lattimore, (202) 307-2961. Standards of Performance by Recipients NIJ expects individuals and institutions receiving its support to work diligently and professionally toward completing a high-quality research or study product. Besides this general expectation, the Institute imposes specific requirements to ensure that proper financial and administrative controls are applied to the project. Financial and general reporting requirements are detailed in Financial and Administrative Guide for Grants, a publication of the Office of Justice Programs. This guideline manual is sent to recipient institutions with the award documents. Project directors and recipient financial administrators should pay particular attention to the regulations in this document. Program Monitoring Award recipients and Principal Investigators assume certain responsibilities as part of their participation in government-sponsored research and evaluation. NIJ's monitoring activities are intended to help grantees meet these responsibilities. They are based on good communication and open dialogue, with collegiality and mutual respect. Some of the elements of this dialogue are: Communication with NIJ in the early stages of the grant, as the elements of the proposal's design and methodology are developed and operationalized. Timely communication with NIJ regarding any developments that might affect the project's compliance with the schedules, milestones, and products set forth in the proposal. (See statement on Timeliness, below). Communication with other NIJ grantees conducting related research projects. An annual ``cluster conference'' should be anticipated and should be budgeted for by applicants at a cost of $1,000 for each year of the grant. Providing NIJ on request with brief descriptions of the project in interim stages at such time as the Institute may need this information to meet its reporting requirements to the Congress. NIJ will give as much advance notification of these requests as possible, but will expect a timely response from grantees when requests are made. NIJ is prepared to receive such communication through electronic media. Providing NIJ with copies of presentations made at conferences, meetings, and elsewhere based in whole or in part on the work of the project. Providing NIJ with prepublication copies of articles based on the project appearing in professional journals or the media, either during the life of the grant or after. Other reporting requirements (Progress Reports, Final Reports, and other grant products) are spelled out elsewhere in this section of the Research Plan. Financial reporting requirements will be described in the grant award documents received by successful applicants. Communications NIJ Program Managers should be kept informed of research progress. Written progress reports are required on a quarterly basis. All awards use standard quarterly reporting periods (January 1 through March 31, April 1 through June 30, and so forth) regardless of the project's start date. Progress reports will inform the monitor which tasks have been completed and whether significant delays or departures from the original workplan are expected. Timeliness Grantees are expected to complete award products within the timeframes that have been agreed upon by NIJ and the grantee. The Institute recognizes that there are legitimate reasons for project extensions. However, NIJ does not consider the assumption of additional research projects that impinge upon previous time commitments as legitimate reasons for delay. Projects with unreasonable delays can be terminated administratively. In this situation, any funds remaining are withdrawn. Future applications from either the project director or the recipient institution are subject to strict scrutiny and may be denied support based on past failure to meet minimum standards. Publications The Institute encourages grantees to prepare their work for NIJ publication. In cases where grantees disseminate their findings through a variety of media, such as professional journals, books, and conferences, copies of such [[Page 21263]] publications should be sent to the Program Manager as they become available, even if they appear well after a project's expiration. NIJ imposes no restriction on such publications other than the following acknowledgment and disclaimer: This research was supported by grant number ________________ from the National Institute of Justice. Points of view are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Justice. Data Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection Research that examines individual traits and experiences plays a vital part in expanding our knowledge about criminal behavior. It is essential, however, that researchers protect subjects from needless risk of harm or embarrassment and proceed with their willing and informed cooperation. NIJ requires that investigators protect information identifiable to research participants. When information is safeguarded, it is protected by statute from being used in legal proceedings: ``[S]uch information and copies thereof shall be immune from legal process, and shall not, without the consent of the person furnishing such information, be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial, legislative, or administrative proceedings'' (42 United States Code 3789g). Applicants should file their plans to protect sensitive information as part of their proposal. Necessary safeguards are detailed in 28 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 22. A short ``how-to'' guideline for developing a privacy and confidentiality plan can be obtained from NIJ program managers. In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice has adopted Human Subjects policies similar to those established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In general, these policies exempt most NIJ-supported research from Institutional Review Board (IRB) review. However, the Institute may find in certain instances that subjects or subject matters may require IRB review. These exceptions will be decided on an individual basis during application review. Researchers are encouraged to review 28 CFR Part 46.101 to determine their individual project requirements. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Comprehensive Program Plan for Fiscal Year 1996 OJJDP Program Objectives The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) seeks to focus its assistance on the development and implementation of programs with the greatest potential for reducing juvenile delinquency and improving the juvenile justice system by establishing partnerships with State, Native American, Native Alaskan, and local governments and public and private organizations. To that end, OJJDP has set three goals that constitute the major elements of a sound policy for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention: To promote delinquency prevention and early intervention efforts that reduce the flow of juvenile offenders into the juvenile justice system, the numbers of serious and violent offenders, and the development of chronic delinquent careers. To improve the juvenile justice system and the response of the system to juvenile delinquents, status offenders, and dependent, neglected, and abused children. To preserve the public safety in a manner that serves the appropriate development and best use of secure detention and corrections options, while at the same time fostering the use of community-based programs for juvenile offenders. Underlying each of the three goals is the overarching premise that achievement of these goals is vital to protecting the long-term safety of the public from increased juvenile delinquency and violence. In pursuing these goals, we divide our programs into the key categories you will find in the program plan: public safety and law enforcement; strengthening the juvenile justice system; delinquency prevention and intervention; and child abuse, neglect, and dependency proceedings. The following discussion, however, addresses the broader goals of OJJDP. Delinquency Prevention and Early Intervention A primary goal of OJJDP is to identify and promote programs that prevent or reduce the occurrence of juvenile offenses, both criminal and non-criminal, and to intervene immediately and effectively when delinquent or status offense conduct first occurs. A sound policy for juvenile delinquency prevention seeks to strengthen the most powerful contributing factor to socially acceptable behavior--a productive place for young people in a law-abiding society. Delinquency prevention programs can operate on a broad scale, providing for positive youth development, or can target juveniles identified as being at high risk for delinquency, with programs designed to reduce future juvenile offending. OJJDP prevention programs take a risk-focused delinquency prevention approach based on public health and social development models. Early interventions are designed to provide services to juveniles whose non-criminal misbehavior indicates that they are on a delinquent pathway, or for first time non-violent delinquent offenders or non- serious repeat offenders who do not respond to initial system intervention. These interventions are generally non-punitive but serve to hold a juvenile accountable while providing services tailored to the individual needs of the juvenile and the juvenile's family. They are designed to both deter future misconduct and ameliorate risk or enhance protective factors. Improvement of the Juvenile Justice System A second goal of OJJDP is to promote improvements in the juvenile justice system and facilitate the most effective allocation of system resources. This goal is necessary for holding juveniles who commit crimes accountable for their conduct, particularly serious and violent offenders who sometimes slip through the cracks of the system or are inappropriately diverted. This includes assisting law enforcement officers in their efforts to prevent and control delinquency and the victimization of children through community policing programs and coordination and collaboration with other system components and with child caring systems. It involves helping juvenile and family courts, and the prosecutors and public defenders who practice in those courts, to provide a system of justice that maintains due process protections. It requires trying innovative programs and carefully evaluating those programs to determine what works and what does not work. It includes a commitment to involving crime victims in the juvenile justice system and ensuring that their rights are considered. In this regard, OJJDP will continue to work closely with the Office for Victims of Crime to further cooperative programming, including the provision of services to juveniles who are crime victims or when the provision of victims services improves the operation of the juvenile justice system. Improving the juvenile justice system also calls for building an appropriate juvenile detention and corrections capacity and for intensified efforts to use juvenile detention and correctional facilities when necessary and under conditions that maximize public safety, while providing effective rehabilitation [[Page 21264]] services. It requires encouraging states to carefully consider the use of expanded transfer authority that sends the most serious, violent, and intractable juvenile offenders to the criminal justice system, while preserving individualized justice. It necessitates conducting research and gathering statistical information in order to understand how the juvenile justice system works in serving children and families. And finally, the system can only be improved if information and knowledge is communicated, understood, and applied for the purpose of juvenile justice system improvement. Corrections, Detention and Community-Based Alternatives A third OJJDP goal is to maintain the public safety through a balanced use of secure detention and corrections, and community-based alternatives. This involves identifying and promoting effective community-based programs and services for juveniles who have formal contact with the juvenile justice system, and emphasizing options that maintain the safety of the public, are appropriately restrictive, and promote and preserve positive ties with the child's family, school, and community. Communities cannot afford to place responsibility for juvenile delinquency entirely on publicly operated juvenile justice system programs. A sound policy for combating juvenile delinquency and reducing the threat of youth violence makes maximum use of a full range of public and private programs and services, most of which operate in the juvenile's home community, including those provided by the health and mental health, child welfare, social service, and educational systems. Coordination of the development of community-based programs and services with the development and use of a secure detention and correctional system capability for those juveniles who require a secure option is cost effective, will protect the public, reduce facility crowding, and result in better services for both institutionalized juveniles and those who can be served while remaining in their community environment. Summary of Public Comments on the Proposed Comprehensive Plan for Fiscal Year 1996 OJJDP published its Proposed Comprehensive Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 in the Federal Register (Vol. 61, No. 34) on February 20, 1996, for a 45-day public comment period. OJJDP received 46 letters commenting on the proposed plan. All comments have been considered in the development of the Final Comprehensive Plan for FY 1996. The majority of the letters provided positive comments about the overall plan and its programs. The following is a summary of the substantive comments received and OJJDP's responses to the comments. Unless otherwise indicated, each comment was made by a single respondent. Comment: Seven respondents expressed strong support for the overall plan. One writer asserted that data projections for juvenile crime for the next 15 years make a compelling case for full funding of all OJJDP programs. Another commended OJJDP for the broad-based and forward- thinking programming in the plan. A third comment indicated that the proposed programs will strengthen law enforcement prevention efforts and have an impact on juvenile crime. One respondent highly endorsed the existing OJJDP program and the proposed plan but also recommended that funds be earmarked for imaginative, innovative, and creative programs with imagineering concepts to maximize program benefits. One comment described the plan as a comprehensive, balanced approach to juvenile delinquency and delinquency prevention. Another supported OJJDP's purpose to provide a comprehensive, coordinated approach to prevent and control juvenile crime and improve the juvenile justice system. The final comment called OJJDP's priorities essential for addressing the increasing complexity of issues facing the juvenile justice system. Response: OJJDP appreciates the support expressed by these and other respondents. Comment: Five letters contained criticism of the overall plan. Three of these cited the lack of specific funding information as a major flaw. One of those letters also noted that the majority of funding is already committed, mostly to long-time recipients, and that the plan contains a large number of social service programs with no proven effectiveness in reducing or preventing delinquency. This writer recommended eliminating or reducing 10 programs and suggested that OJJDP reissue the plan to solicit a program to develop a comprehensive drug prevention curriculum for students. Another respondent also expressed concern about the large number of initiatives and activities with predetermined recipients. Citing the JJDP Act competition requirement (Section 262(d)(1)(B)), the writer asked about criteria for waiving the competitive process. One respondent found that the plan was not sufficiently comprehensive and called for programs to teach correct principles and moral responsibility, particularly in the family unit and in the schools. Response: Proposed funding levels were not included in the plan due to the uncertainty of FY 1996 appropriations. The proposed plan was premised on FY 1996 funding being at or near FY 1995 levels. Continuation commitments, coupled with a variety of proven or ongoing projects, many of which are technical assistance and training initiatives that have a national impact and level funding, preclude wholesale funding of new programs in FY 1996. All new programs will be competitively funded with no waivers of the competition requirement contemplated. Comment: One comment on the discretionary grant continuation policy suggested that OJJDP should emphasize funding innovative programs along with the continuation of programs. The writer noted that each year it appears that limited funds are available for new programs. Response: The plan includes several new and innovative programs coupled with a focus on program evaluation. Innovative research and evaluation programs will be eligible to compete under an expanded field-initiated research program in FY 1996. Comment: A Native American respondent stated that the plan should specifically name Indian Nations as partners. Response: The cited language in the plan is amended to read: ``establishing partnerships with State, Native American, Native Alaskan, and local governments and public and private organizations.'' Comment: OJJDP received three comments on the goals listed in the plan. One respondent suggested that the first goal could be strengthened by calling specifically for better character development in the home and in schools. The writer stated that the second goal does not convey the idea that the primary effort should be character corrections, in the corrections system, to shrink the number of offenders. The second respondent expressed support for the three goals and described how the Judicial Branch of the Navajo Nation is working toward those same goals, with early intervention being of particular importance. The third letter expressed support for the goals and indicated that their achievement is vital to public safety. Response: Both prevention and treatment programs seek to improve character and instill positive values in [[Page 21265]] juveniles. OJJDP has long supported family strengthening programs, many of which feature character development objectives. Comment: Six respondents commented on the field-initiated research program. All were generally supportive, and five made substantive comments. One suggested specific topics: measuring effectiveness of intervention with young prostitutes; drug treatment approaches, educational/literacy project effectiveness; and what works with the multiproblem young criminal. One respondent, noting the call for improving data collaboration efforts, suggested that a portion of the research be applied to projects that would seek to standardize court reports, thus increasing the juvenile justice system's ability to access and share appropriate information with child protective services and mental health agencies. Another writer who supported the research initiative expressed interest in two priority research topics: (1) youth gangs in residential facilities and (2) mental health issues, with emphasis on eliminating posttraumatic stress disorder in youthful offenders and breaking the cycle of violence. One respondent was pleased with the program but expressed concern that the priority areas did not specifically include adolescent sexual offenders. A Native American respondent pointed out several research needs in the Native American community, including technical assistance and program support to acquire a workable data base, share information, and analyze that information for policy development and planning. This respondent suggested that OJJDP should directly fund or devote staff or contract expertise to relevant studies and should encourage its staff and consultants to network with Indian Nation programs to undertake the studies that policy development requires. Response: While the plan suggests priority research topics, OJJDP will take into careful consideration each of the topics suggested by these respondents. The adolescent sex offender is a topic of particular interest to OJJDP. Several OJJDP studies related to the juvenile sexual offender are nearing completion, and it is anticipated that study findings will suggest future research directions. While Native American research needs have not been specifically mentioned, OJJDP welcomes applications from the Native American community that identify these needs and propose studies that will meet them. OJJDP is also working closely with the Native American desk within the Office of Justice Programs to obtain feedback on its Native American programs, including the new 1996 Native American training and technical assistance program. Comment: In a comment related to the national juvenile court data archives, a respondent suggested that funds be set aside for States to develop statewide juvenile information systems and to explore issues such as minority overrepresentation, use of legal counsel, and gender implications. Response: OJJDP obtains invaluable information from State information systems. Such systems are used to analyze both juvenile court and juvenile corrections activity. The Office understands that the development and maintenance of such systems are expensive and time consuming. Many States do not have the resources available to fully implement information systems that can contribute to a national information system. In the past, the Office has supported the development and improvement of State systems through programs such as the National Juvenile Court Data Archive and the Juveniles Taken Into Custody program. Each includes a technical assistance component that aids States in determining appropriate information systems and information collection methods. The Office recognizes the need for further development of State information systems. Areas other than corrections and courts also require attention. OJJDP will examine more carefully the role of the Office through the development of a long-term information systems development plan. This plan will examine national information needs and make specific recommendations for meeting these needs. As part of this plan, OJJDP will examine what assistance can be provided to the States as they develop and refine their information systems and how these systems can also help to meet overarching national information needs. Comment: One respondent objected to funding the National Conference of State Legislatures, suggesting that OJJDP promote State Agencies as the appropriate entities to provide technical assistance to State legislatures. Response: In funding the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) in FY 1995, OJJDP concluded that the organization was uniquely qualified to provide pertinent and timely information to State legislators and their staff. NCSL looks to traditional Federal, State, and local juvenile justice agencies for information, packaging the data to meet the specific needs of State lawmakers. In addition, as a membership organization, NCSL has a number of information tools, such as professional publications and conferences, designed to reach State legislators. Comment: One comment addressed telecommunications assistance, noting the very positive response in the writer's State to OJJDP's teleconference series. The respondent made two suggestions: (1) Provide special allocations to States to facilitate downlinking of teleconferences and (2) focus more on the use of new technology such as the interactive video disc (IVD). Response: OJJDP appreciates hearing of the value of its satellite teleconference series. In the coming year, OJJDP and its telecommunications grantee, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), will explore the use of other technologies, including IVD, for information dissemination and training purposes. To date, OJJDP has not been apprised of problems viewers may have had in affording or accessing downlink sites. In fact, EKU has acted as coordinator to help interested individuals and organizations locate sites in the community and to join groups of persons living in their same geographical area to sponsor and attend teleconferences. Comment: A respondent called for more emphasis on private sector involvement and media support in the area of public safety and law enforcement. Response: Combating Violence and Delinquency: The National Juvenile Justice Action Plan, recently released by the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, has as one of its eight primary objectives to reduce youth violence: ``Implement an aggressive public outreach campaign on effective strategies to combat youth violence.'' The Coordinating Council is chaired by the Attorney General, co-chaired by the Administrator of OJJDP, and includes nine Federal agency and nine practitioner members. The Council developed the Action Plan as a rallying point to mobilize individuals and organizations across the country toward eight objectives that, together, provide a comprehensive--tough but smart--response to the crisis of youth violence and victimization. The role of the private sector and the media in implementing the Action Plan will be critical in its success. Comment: OJJDP received four comments strongly supporting the Kids and Guns initiative. One recommended that OJJDP should clarify the proposed plan to allow State agencies to apply if they can demonstrate that the proposed [[Page 21266]] program would be community-based. One respondent urged substantial funding for competitive, comprehensive, communitywide demonstration projects that focus on the reduction and prevention of gun violence. Another comment praised the support for linkages between community and law enforcement responses to youth gun violence. A fourth respondent suggested that gun violence prevention programs must take into account public safety and perception and cause students to take responsibility for their actions and the actions of their peers while at the same time working with the community to ensure the healthy development of each child. The writer also stressed that youth gun violence reduction programs must be tailored to the needs of each community. Response: The final Kids and Guns initiative program description incorporates each of these comments. The solicitation will allow State agencies to apply if they can demonstrate strong existing linkages to a community-based organization and if the proposed programs will be community-based. Comment: Two respondents urged that recipients of OJJDP funds should be required to have ``zero tolerance'' for street gangs, charging that present policies appear to facilitate or foster the gang problem in some cases where funding has put active gang members on the Federal payroll. Response: OJJDP's policy supports the elimination of crime and violence by criminal street gangs and would, therefore, not provide funding to any recipient that does not attempt to intervene with such gangs and their activities in such a way as to achieve this policy objective. OJJDP believes that the elimination of crime and violence can best be achieved through the mobilization of communities to prevent the formation of gangs and through collaboration between all elements of the system to eliminate gang crime and violence through intervention and suppression. OJJDP's program model does not legitimize criminal street gang membership or condone gang membership by youth. Comment: OJJDP received four letters in support of community assessment centers. One respondent praised the centers as a valuable tool to service the front end of the juvenile justice system and raised four specific issues for consideration in competitive solicitations: replication (funding for new assessment centers), expansion (funding for existing centers to expand into areas not presently covered), technical assistance for communities that want to develop a community assessment center, and research/evaluation (funding for a research effort to study the effectiveness of assessment centers and answer policy questions raised in OJJDP's concept paper on assessment centers). Another writer called the development of one-stop, community- based intake, assessment, and case referral centers a step in the right direction. A third respondent described a proposed center that would eventually result in the creation of alternatives to detention and enhanced ability to put together a graduated sanctions approach. The fourth respondent called community assessment centers an additional option for the juvenile court system in sentencing adolescents and stated that the centers could provide short-term diagnostic residential placement and allow school systems to avoid the expense of long-term out-of-district placement. Response: OJJDP agrees that community assessment centers are a promising approach to improving the multisystem responses to all types of youth at risk and delinquent youth. Community assessment centers can help communities in providing better assessments of a child's needs, designing a potentially more effective treatment plan, and creating a centralized location for information related to the child and the intended intervention, fostering a more effective and efficient case management service system. As indicated in the proposed plan, an initial fact-finding phase is currently underway, including assessment center site visits in order to identify variations in the assessment center approach and to better understand the needs of the juvenile justice system in this area. Although a specific determination with regard to the elements of a program model has not yet been made, OJJDP plans to issue an assessment center solicitation within a short period of time. It is too early to say whether postadjudication diagnostic placements or school alternatives to out-of-district placements would be viable elements of an assessment center model. Comment: Two writers commented in the area of training and technical assistance programs. One respondent suggested that OJJDP include funds and technical assistance to nontechnical staff who support very difficult youth and families and that these funds be available directly to grantees through the grant application process so they may seek help from within their local communities. Another writer referred to a growing need for training in cultural differences for law enforcement and juvenile justice practitioners. Response: OJJDP agrees that training and technical assistance provided from a national level cannot fully meet the full spectrum of local needs. Funds are also provided to support training and technical assistance through the Formula Grants Program administered by States. Comprehensive State plans are required to support the development of an adequate research, training, and evaluation capacity. Further, 2 percent of Part B funds are set aside for technical assistance, most of which is delivered at the local level. OJJDP agrees that there are training needs in cultural diversity. The Office has supported the development and nationwide implementation of a training of trainers curriculum in this area. Comment: OJJDP received 10 comments concerning gender-specific programming for female juvenile offenders. Nine comments supported second-year funding for a Cook County, Illinois, program for female juvenile offenders. The 10th respondent requested information about possible funding for a program to promote self-esteem and offer alternatives to gangs to teenage girls in lower income areas. Response: OJJDP provided a grant in FY 1995 to the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center for a 1-year developmental project under a competitive grant program. There was no commitment for subsequent year funding. OJJDP has also funded the PACE Center for Girls, which operates in seven sites throughout the State of Florida. PACE offers a continuum of services that are specially designed to meet the needs of at-risk teenage girls. In addition, OJJDP has targeted significant resources over the next 5 years to programs for at-risk girls and female juvenile offenders through funding of six sites under the SafeFutures Program. There is no program funded to specifically promote self-esteem in girls from lower income areas. As noted above, OJJDP is funding the PACE Center for girls, which provides teenage girls, including those from lower income areas with both academic education courses and self- esteem programs. In FY 1996, OJJDP will competitively fund a training and technical assistance program to help communities provide improved gender-specific services for at-risk and delinquent girls. OJJDP believes that this approach will take the lessons learned from prior funding and existing research and produce a national impact [[Page 21267]] that continuation funding of a single project could not achieve. Comment: OJJDP received four comments on the proposed Native American technical assistance program. One writer recommended that OJJDP focus the expertise requirements of the solicitation on Indian juvenile justice and make the selection process for the technical assistance provider competitive. Another respondent stated that OJJDP should fund National Indian Justice Center training programs, pointing out that Indian students need tuition, travel, and lodging funds for these programs. The third respondent identified the need for trained workers for family building and for reestablishment of youth groups. The fourth writer expressed interest in technical assistance to replicate successful efforts by Native American tribes. Response: OJJDP's solicitation for a technical assistance provider for Native American programs is focused on juvenile justice system theory, practice, and law in the context of Native American culture, traditions, and tribal law. The Native American technical assistance program will be awarded through a competitive selection process. OJJDP is aware of the work of the National Indian Justice Center, the technical assistance provider for OJJDP's Native American Community- Based Alternatives Program. OJJDP encourages the National Indian Justice Center and other Native American service providers to apply for funding under the Native American technical assistance program. The solicitation to be issued by OJJDP for the technical assistance provider for the Native American community will include the transfer of knowledge and technologies that have proven successful in Native American communities. Comment: One commenter expressed the hope that the James E. Gould Memorial Program was not a duplication of the American Correctional Association's Accreditation of Correctional Officers, Caseworkers and Detention Staff Program. Response: The James E. Gould Memorial Program is a competitive assistance award to provide technical assistance to juvenile correctional and detention facilities. Under the grant, the American Correctional Association (ACA) provides technical assistance and training on myriad issues for juvenile correctional and detention facilities. The accreditation program of the ACA is an entirely different, independent effort that is not funded by OJJDP. Comment: One respondent questioned whether a greater emphasis on transfer of juveniles to criminal court represents an improvement to the juvenile justice system, suggesting that transfer deemphasizes the juvenile justice system and amounts to an abandonment of individualized justice. The writer indicated that rates of serious and violent juvenile crime have increased with the greater use of transfers in some areas. OJJDP was urged to place more emphasis on innovative approaches to serious and violent juvenile offenders, such as the New Mexico plan, the blended jurisdiction approach of Minnesota, and the serious juvenile offender statute as developed and implemented in Virginia. Response: OJJDP is committed to both protecting the public and separating certain serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders from those juveniles who can benefit from treatment and rehabilitation resources and programs that are available in the juvenile justice system. Transfer to the criminal court of those targeted juvenile offenders who have demonstrated through their behavior that they do not belong in the juvenile justice system (nature of offense or nonamenability to juvenile justice treatment) enables the juvenile justice system to focus its efforts and resources on the much larger group of high-risk juveniles, first-time less serious and violent or repeat offenders who can benefit from a wide range of effective intervention strategies. The Coordinating Council's National Juvenile Justice Action Plan supports individualized case reviews and proposes a two-tier system of extended jurisdiction in the juvenile court for serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders and consideration of innovative blended sentencing options for juvenile offenders under criminal court jurisdiction. This system would permit the transfer of some juvenile offenders, taking into account age, presenting offense, and offense history, and allow greater prosecutorial discretion for the older, more serious, and violent juvenile offender. Comment: One writer stated that training for juvenile court judges under the current plan is commendable and needed but recommended that training focus more on the core requirements of the JJDP Act and issues surrounding State compliance. Response: The judicial training program funded by OJJDP to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) has addressed, to a major degree in past years, the core requirements of the Act and other related topics in comprehensive curriculums for juvenile and family court judges, probation officers, and others working in juvenile courtservices. However, OJJDP will consult with the NCJFCJ to determine whether the issues surrounding State compliance need to be reassessed in an upcoming training needs assessment. Comment: A respondent suggested modified language to describe the Juvenile Justice Prosecution Unit. Response: OJJDP accepts the recommended changes but notes that they do not materially revise the original project description. Comment: Two respondents supported funding for the Sauk Centre Correctional Facility. Response: OJJDP appreciates the letters of support for the Sauk Centre Correctional Facility in Minnesota. In 1994, the Centre was selected as one of three sites in the Nation to participate in the OJJDP-sponsored Correctional Education program. The Centre has participated in OJJDP-sponsored training and technical assistance and has developed plans for making education and learning a major component of its treatment program. The entire staff at the facility will be trained to use interactive teaching methods to work with the youth. Comment: One respondent strongly suggested that OJJDP add a component that would research and recommend solutions to the nationwide critical shortage of secure juvenile housing space. Response: OJJDP conducts the biennial Census of Public and Private Juvenile Detention, Correctional, and Shelter Facilities. This census collects information on the capacity of each facility, the number of juveniles housed there, and the security level of the facility. The information permits analysis of population levels compared to capacity. By computing population-to-capacity ratios, the Office can provide a greater understanding of crowding in all types of juvenile facilities. OJJDP is examining its data collection and reporting with regard to juvenile custody. As part of these developments, OJJDP will consider various measures of crowding. In the context of OJJDP's overall statistics development, the Office will also examine how best to disseminate information and research on capacity issues for both secure and nonsecure facilities. Issues around solutions to the problem of crowding will be considered in these activities. Comment: One respondent asked that OJJDP include comprehensive day programs for adolescents and young adults with the dual classification of developmental disability and sexual offender/reactor. The writer pointed out that a structured day program can be an [[Page 21268]] extremely cost-effective alternative to residential treatment with outcomes of reintegration into the community, as opposed to isolation from the community. Response: OJJDP agrees with the commentator about the importance of day programs. OJJDP is supporting replication of the Bethesda Day Treatment program in 10 sites in FY 1996, including the six SafeFutures sites. Bethesda Day is an intensive program that involves an alternative school and afterschool programs for high-risk and delinquent youth. A careful assessment process and a comprehensive case management system, in addition to extensive family involvement, make this a very successful model program. OJJDP will explore with Bethesda Day Treatment the application of the model to the dual-classification juvenile. In addition, each SafeFutures site has mental health service funds that can be used for this purpose. Comment: Two respondents indicated a need to address the impact of mandatory provisions related to juvenile incarceration, such as limitations on holding time and the prohibition against juvenile and adult facilities being run by one person. One of the comments indicated that the mandatory provisions related to time, staff, and facility site and sound are sometimes unrealistic. Response: The core requirements of OJJDP's Part B Formula Grants Program are under continuing review and evaluation to determine their efficacy and impact. OJJDP will continue to work with State and local governments to insure that these requirements work to protect juvenile offenders while continuing to provide law enforcement and human service agencies with sufficient flexibility. Comment: One comment expressed interest in funding assistance for two alternative programs: Teen Court and House Arrest. Response: OJJDP recognizes that teen court programs serve multiple purposes in helping to address problem behavior when youth are charged with alcohol use and other misdemeanor offenses. Teen courts are seen as an effective intervention in many jurisdictions where enforcement of such offenses is considered difficult or a low priority. Teen courts are included in OJJDP's Guide for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders as a graduated sanction for jurisdictions to use in helping to send the message to youth that the community does not condone law-breaking behaviors. OJJDP views the teen court program as an excellent vehicle to help youth realize that they are accountable for their actions; to educate them on the impact of their actions, either positive or negative, on others in the community; and to offer a hands-on juvenile justice system experience for both the youthful offender and youth who volunteer for the program. To provide assistance to jurisdictions interested in establishing or enhancing a teen court program as an alternative response to juvenile crime, OJJDP has collaborated with the Department of Transportation on the soon-to-be-released publication entitled Peer Justice and Youth Empowerment: An Implementation Guide for Teen Court Programs. OJJDP is committed to enhancing services for those juveniles who can benefit from treatment and rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system as well as protecting the public. One of the most recent and popular innovations has been the use of electronic monitoring, which provides an effective tool for the supervision of selected pre- and postadjudicated offender populations who remain in the community. OJJDP currently has an initiative to develop a set of guidelines and research protocols to assist juvenile justice program administrators and policymakers in the self-evaluation of their electronic monitoring programs. Comment: OJJDP received four comments that supported the importance of delinquency prevention and early intervention, one writer calling it the most cost-effective means of dealing with future delinquency. One of the respondents also suggested that early intervention efforts might be strengthened by calling specifically for better character development in the home and in the schools. Another writer indicated that it is essential for OJJDP to maintain a holistic approach and continue to emphasize healthy youth development through prevention and remediation. The fourth comment expressed approval of the recognition of prosecutors as an integral part of prevention programming. Response: OJJDP agrees with the suggestion that delinquency prevention and early intervention are critical components of a continuum-of-care system. Delinquency prevention and early intervention are key components of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. The Comprehensive Strategy supports a holistic approach, emphasizing healthy youth development. One of the major themes of the Strategy is to ameliorate the impact of risk factors that interfere with healthy youth development. This year OJJDP released a report, Delinquency Prevention Works, which explains the importance of delinquency prevention and includes information about successful delinquency prevention models. The OJJDP-funded Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency is documenting that research-based, risk-focused prevention is the most cost-effective method for dealing with juvenile delinquency. Three of OJJDP's new initiatives support the principles of delinquency prevention: the development of Assessment Centers and the Child Abuse and Neglect and the Field-Initiated Research Programs. The evaluation of the SafeFutures Program should provide important information on the value of comprehensive delinquency prevention and early intervention programming. OJJDP is working with a variety of agencies in the area of delinquency prevention, including the Center for Mental Health Services, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, all part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. OJJDP is also working with the health, child welfare, and education systems through several interagency workgroups and jointly funded programs. OJJDP considers prosecutors to be an integral component of prevention and early intervention strategies and will continue working with prosecutors through the National District Attorneys Association. Comment: In the area of training in risk-focused prevention strategies, one respondent suggested that consideration be given to matching future funds with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development State Block Grants in Economic Development Initiatives, Enterprise Zones, Neighborhood Development, and Community Adjustment Planning. Response: OJJDP and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are strengthening linkages between their respective programs in regard to risk-focused prevention strategies. Through an interagency agreement, HUD is working as a partner with OJJDP to provide training and technical assistance in public housing sites under OJJDP's SafeFutures Program. Both HUD and OJJDP, as well as Education, Labor, Treasury, and other divisions and bureaus within the Department of Justice, are members of the Youth Gang Consortium. Initiated in December 1995, the Consortium is facilitating coordination of gang program development, information exchange, [[Page 21269]] and service delivery nationwide. OJJDP is currently working directly with Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Enhanced Enterprise Communities (EZ/EC/EEC's) under several major initiatives. Four of the six SafeFutures sites are located in EC/EEC's and are receiving hands- on technical assistance and training in risk-focused prevention. Seventeen EZ/EC/EEC's are receiving training in implementing a comprehensive youth-focused community policing strategy in their communities under a joint program with the Office of Community Oriented Policing and Community Relations Service. Other EZ/EC/EEC initiatives will come online in FY 1996, including Youth Out of the Education Mainstream, a joint program of the Departments of Justice and Education. Comment: Two respondents expressed concern that the proposed plan did not include mental health needs of youth in the juvenile justice system and asked that some discretionary funds be set aside for mental health programs. One of the writers stressed that all components of the juvenile justice system must work together and also work with the private sector, teaching hospitals, and family members to minimize further mental health problems for at-risk youth and at the same time protect the public. Response: OJJDP has provided leadership in addressing mental health issues in the juvenile justice system. In 1995, OJJDP supported a mental health conference, ``Caring for Every Youth's Mental Health: An Issue Inseparable From Youth Crime,'' and jointly sponsored the ``Early Intervention Childhood System of Care Conference'' in Atlanta, Georgia. With the Department of Education, OJJDP also cosponsored a 1996 conference, ``Making Collaboration Work for Children, School, Families, and Community,'' which included a range of mental health issues. The State Challenge Grant Program includes a provision for the support of mental health programs. To date, 13 States have selected this area as one of their challenge activities. In addition, OJJDP is working with the Center for Mental Health Services to determine innovative ways in which to collaborate in the development and implementation of mental health programs for juveniles in the juvenile justice system. Finally, mental health is a key component of OJJDP's SafeFutures Program. The six sites have each been allocated $150,000 per year to address the mental health needs of juveniles in the juvenile justice system, with a focus on services for juveniles with learning disabilities, mental disorders, and juvenile sex offenses. Comment: One respondent stressed that substance abuse is a critical issue with almost all juvenile offenders. Response: OJJDP concurs with this observation. In FY 1996, OJJDP will continue four major drug- and alcohol-related programs, will work with the American Probation and Parole Association, and will collaborate with the Office of National Drug Control Policy in expanding related programs in FY 1997. Comment: Two writers commented on OJJDP's training and technical assistance for family strengthening services. One urged that available funds for new programs be allocated to prevention and to strengthening families. Another respondent faulted the proposed plan for not addressing the need to teach moral responsibility in the family unit. Response: The Office acknowledges the value of prevention and the importance of the family's role in delinquency prevention. The training and technical assistance program endeavors to strengthen families by assisting communities to enhance the range of available family support services and programs. OJJDP believes that each community knows best the types of services that need to be made available to its families. Consequently, this program seeks to increase the capacity of communities to identify and implement programs that meet the diverse needs of its families. Comment: Addressing the proposed program to establish a community- based approach to combating child victimization, one writer commended OJJDP for targeting child victims as a priority area and for providing assistance to create a better system to protect children and support professionals who work with these families. The letter also contained three suggestions. First, spread the net as wide as possible, instead of narrowly restricting what type of entities may apply. Second, provide a ``big tent,'' by not overly restricting what other initiatives must be in place unless directly related and necessary for a child welfare reform effort. Third, do not require match to be in dollars, but instead accept in-kind match. Response: The three points the author raises are valid suggestions that the Office will take into consideration in developing the competitive solicitation for this program. Comment: Three respondents praised OJJDP's emphasis on collaboration. Two of these comments also raised specific issues. One pointed out areas where enhanced collaboration would be beneficial: adoption opportunities, maternal and child health programs (including teen pregnancy prevention), family preservation, runaway/homeless youth, information management, data collection, and evaluation. The other respondent noted that, although collaboration was identified as an important part of the plan, no reference was made to the parties that are minimally expected to be involved in collaborative efforts. Response: The introduction to the program plan, and many of the program descriptions in the plan, refer to OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders and the Guide for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. These documents provide a context for OJJDP's plan, including Title V prevention grants and other programs outside the scope of the plan. The Guide provides communities with a framework for preventing delinquency, intervening in early delinquent behavior, and responding to serious, violent, and chronic offending. A key aspect of this framework and the Title V training includes a step- by step process for convening key leaders in a community to be a part of a collaborative process. Although adoption, runaway/homeless services, information managers, data collectors, and evaluators are not explicitly stated as required participants in such a collaborative process, there is no reason why they would not be included. In various programs, OJJDP provides specific guidance as to the type of groups that should be involved in the program. However, in view of varied local needs, priorities, resources, and existing planning and service delivery systems, OJJDP does not see a need to go beyond providing general guidance on the range of participants. Introduction to Fiscal Year 1996 Program Plan Intolerably high rates of juvenile violence and delinquency, victimization, school drop out, teen pregnancy, illegal drug use, and child abuse and neglect are plaguing our country. In jurisdictions across the Nation, over-burdened juvenile justice and dependency court systems are being held accountable for redressing the results of unstable families lacking parenting skills, communities with inadequate health and mental health support networks, fragmented social service delivery systems, a shortage of constructive activities for young people, and easy access to guns and drugs. They lack the resources necessary to respond [[Page 21270]] to serious, violent, and chronic delinquency, to hold juveniles accountable, and to turn back the tide of increasing violent delinquency by providing early intervention services for at-risk juveniles and their families. The OJJDP fiscal year 1996 Comprehensive Plan seeks to support programming that is built on sound research and strengthens collaborations needed to empower the juvenile justice and dependency court systems to work effectively with communities in preventing and controlling delinquency and reducing juvenile victimization. In 1993, OJJDP published a Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders (Comprehensive Strategy). Designed to provide a response to the social crisis we are facing, the Comprehensive Strategy utilizes statistics, research, and program evaluations as the basis for a set of sound principles for establishing a continuum of care for our children. The Comprehensive Strategy emphasizes the importance of local planning teams assessing the factors which put youth at risk for delinquency, determining available resources, and putting in place prevention programs that either reduce those risk factors or provide protective factors that buffer juveniles from the impact of risk factors. The Comprehensive Strategy also stresses the importance of early intervention for juveniles whose behavior puts them on one or more pathways to delinquency and of having a system of graduated sanctions that can ensure immediate and appropriate accountability and treatment for juvenile offenders. During FY 1995 OJJDP published a Guide for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders (Guide). The Guide provides information on the process of identifying risk and protective factors in the community and offers detailed information about programs known to prevent delinquency or reduce recidivism. By providing a foundation and framework for each community's individualized strategy, the Guide can serve as a powerful tool for States, cities, counties, and neighborhoods that are mobilizing to address the problem of juvenile violence and delinquency. The Comprehensive Strategy also served as the foundation for the development of the National Juvenile Justice Action Plan (Action Plan), recently published by the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in March. The Action Plan provides an additional resource to communities that seek to balance vigorous enforcement of the law and prevention services in order to reduce juvenile delinquency and violence. The Action Plan prioritizes Federal activities and resources under eight critical objectives, each of which needs to be addressed in order to effectively combat delinquency and violence. The Action Plan describes grants, training, technical assistance, information dissemination, and research and evaluation activities that will assist jurisdictions to: (1) strengthen their juvenile justice systems; (2) prosecute certain serious, violent and chronic juvenile offenders in the criminal justice system; (3) target youth gun, gang, and drug violence through comprehensive policing and prevention techniques; (4) create positive opportunities for youth; (5) break the cycle of violence by addressing child victimization, abuse, and neglect; (6) mobilize communities into effective partnerships for change; (7) conduct research and evaluate programs; and (8) develop a public education campaign in order to both get the message out about successes in addressing juvenile delinquency and violence and rebuild confidence in every community's ability to impact this serious problem. These are the activities that the research, as well as numerous expert commissions on at-risk children, youth, families, and communities, indicates are necessary to make a lasting difference. It is these activities, coupled with the Comprehensive Strategy implementation, that form the basis of OJJDP's 1996 Program Plan. The Program Plan supports a balanced approach to aggressively addressing juvenile delinquency and violence through graduated sanctions, improving the juvenile justice system's ability to respond, and preventing the onset of delinquency. It takes into account the short term need to ensure public safety and the long term imperative of supporting children's development into healthy, productive citizens through a range of prevention, early intervention, and graduated sanctions programs. Three major new program areas were identified through a process of engaging OJJDP staff, other Federal agencies, and juvenile justice practitioners in an examination of existing programs, research findings, and the needs of the field. They are: (1) Developing one- stop, community-based intake, assessment, and case referral centers and programs for juveniles who may require services or juvenile justice system interventions; (2) supporting the linkage between community and law enforcement responses to youth gun violence; and (3) improving the dependency and criminal court system's and the community's response to child abuse and neglect. In addition, a range of research and evaluation projects that will expand our knowledge about juvenile offenders, the effectiveness of prevention, intervention, and treatment programs, and the operation of the juvenile justice system have been identified for FY 1996 funding. Enhanced program support in the area of disproportionate minority confinement, gender-specific services, and technical assistance to Native American Tribes, would also be provided. Combined with OJJDP programs being continued in FY 1996, these new demonstration and support programs form a continuum of programming that supports the objectives of the Action Plan and mirrors the foundation and framework of the Comprehensive Strategy. These continuation activities and programs and the new FY 1996 programs are at the heart of OJJDP's categorical funding efforts. For example, while focusing on the development of assessment centers as a new area of programming, OJJDP will continue to offer training seminars in the Comprehensive Strategy and look to the SafeFutures program to implement the Comprehensive Strategy model under existing grants and contracts. Combined, these activities provide a holistic approach to prevention and early intervention programs while enhancing the juvenile justice system's capacity to provide immediate and appropriate accountability and treatment for juvenile offenders. OJJDP's Part D Gang Program will continue to support a range of comprehensive prevention, intervention, and suppression activities at the local level, evaluate those activities, and inform communities about the nature and extent of gang activities and effective and innovative programs through OJJDP's National Youth Gang Center. Similarly, the demonstration program focusing on juvenile gun violence will complement existing law enforcement and prosecutorial training programs by supporting grassroots community organization's efforts to address juvenile access to, carriage, and use of guns. This programming will build upon OJJDP's youth-focused community policing, mentoring, and conflict resolution initiatives, as well as programming in the area of drug abuse prevention, such as funding to the Congress of National Black Churches and the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise for local church and neighborhood-based drug abuse prevention programs. [[Page 21271]] In support of the need to break the cycle of violence, OJJDP's new demonstration program to improve linkages between the dependency and criminal court systems, child welfare and social service providers, and family strengthening programs will complement ongoing support of Court Appointed Special Advocates, Child Advocacy Centers, and prosecutor and judicial training in the dependency field, funded under the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended. The Plan's research and evaluation programming will support many of the above activities by filling in critical gaps in our knowledge about the level and seriousness of juvenile crime and victimization, its causes and correlates, and effective programs in preventing delinquency and violence. At the same time, OJJDP's research efforts will also be geared toward efforts that monitor and evaluate the ways juveniles are treated by the juvenile and criminal justice systems and any trends in this response, particularly as they relate to juvenile violence and its impact. OJJDP is also utilizing its national perspective to disseminate information to those at the grassroots level--practitioners, policy makers, community leaders, and service providers who are directly responsible for planning and implementing policies and programs that impact on juvenile crime and violence. OJJDP will continue to fund longitudinal research on the causes and correlates of delinquency, the findings of which are shared regularly with the field through OJJDP publications, utilize state-of-the-art technology to develop and disseminate an interactive CD-ROM on programs that work to prevent delinquency and reduce recidivism, air national satellite teleconferences on key topics of relevance to practitioners, and publish new reports and documents on timely topics such as school- based conflict resolution, curfews, the Federal Educational Records Privacy Act, confidentiality of juvenile court records, innovative sentencing options, and strategies to reduce youth gun violence. The various contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and interagency fund transfers described in the Program Plan form a continuum of activity designed to address the crisis of youth violence and delinquency in our Nation. In isolation, this programming can do little. However, the emphasis of OJJDP's programming is on collaboration. It is through collaboration that Federal, State, and local agencies; Native American Tribes; national organizations; private philanthropies; the corporate and business sector; health; mental health and social service agencies; schools; youth; families; and clergy can come together to form partnerships and leverage additional resources, identify needs and priorities, and implement innovative strategies. Together, we can make a difference. Fiscal Year 1996 Programs The following are brief summaries of each of the new and continuation programs for FY 1996. As indicated above, the program categories are public safety and law enforcement; strengthening the juvenile justice system; delinquency prevention and intervention; and child abuse, neglect, and dependency courts. However, because many programs have significant elements of more than one of these program categories, or generally support all of OJJDP's programs, they are listed in an initial program category called ``Overarching Programs''. The specific program priorities within each category are subject to change with regard to their priority status, sites for implementation, and other descriptive data and information based on the review and comment process, grantee performance, application quality, fund availability, and other factors. A number of programs contained in this document have been identified for funding by Congress with regard to the grantee(s), the amount of funds, or both. Such programs are indicated by an asterisk (*). The 1996 Appropriations Act Conference Report for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Programs identified six programs for OJJDP to examine and fund if warranted. One of these programs is included in the Plan for continuation funding. The remaining five will receive careful consideration for funding in FY 1996. Fiscal Year 1996 Program Listing Overarching Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency Field-Initiated Research Evaluation of SafeFutures OJJDP Management Evaluation Contract Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development Research Program on Juveniles Taken into Custody--NCCD Juveniles Taken into Custody--Interagency Agreement Children in Custody--Census Juvenile Justice Data Resources National Juvenile Court Data Archive* National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Center Technical Assistance for State Legislatures OJJDP Technical Assistance Support Contract--JJRC Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse Telecommunications Assistance Coalition for Juvenile Justice Insular Area Support* Public Safety and Law Enforcement Kids and Guns: Reducing Youth Gun Violence Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Program Targeted Outreach with a Gang Prevention and Intervention Component (Boys and Girls Clubs) National Youth Gang Center Child-Centered Community-Oriented Policing Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program Violence Studies* Hate Crimes Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System Development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program Community Assessment Centers Juvenile Restitution: A Balanced Approach Training and Technical Assistance Program to Promote Gender-Specific Programming for Female Juvenile Offenders Technical Assistance to Native American Programs National Indicators of Juvenile Violence and Delinquent Behavior and Related Risk Factors Evaluation of the Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Evaluation of Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical Assistance Program Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) Evaluation Juvenile Transfers to Criminal Court Studies Technical Assistance to Juvenile Courts* Juvenile Court Judges Training* The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Unit Due Process Advocacy Program Development Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical Assistance Program Training and Technical Assistance for National Innovations to Reduce Disproportionate Minority [[Page 21272]] Confinement (The Deborah Wysinger Memorial Program) Juvenile Probation Survey Research Improvements in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders Performance-Based Standards for Juvenile Detention and Corrections Facilities Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention (The James E. Gould Memorial Program) Training for Juvenile Corrections and Detention Staff Training for Line Staff in Juvenile Detention and Corrections Training and Technical Support for State and Local Jurisdictional Teams to Focus on Juvenile Corrections and Detention Overcrowding National Program Directory Delinquency Prevention and Intervention Training In Risk-Focused Prevention Strategies Youth-Centered Conflict Resolution Pathways to Success Teens, Crime, and the Community: Teens in Action in the 90s* Law-Related Education Cities in Schools--Federal Interagency Partnership Race Against Drugs The Congress of National Black Churches: National Anti-Drug Abuse/ Violence Campaign (NADVC) Community Anti-Drug Abuse Technical Assistance Voucher Project Training and Technical Assistance for Family Strengthening Services Henry Ford Health System* Jackie Robinson Center* Child Abuse and Neglect and Dependency Courts A Community-Based Approach to Combating Child Victimization Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children* Parents Anonymous, Inc.* Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc.* Overarching Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency Three projects sites comprise the Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency: The University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Pittsburgh, and the State University of New York at Albany. The main purpose of FY 1996 funding will be to support additional data analyses in support of OJJDP program development. Results from this program have been used extensively in the development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders and other program initiatives. OJJDP began funding this program in 1986 and has invested approximately $10 million to date. The program has addressed many issues of juvenile violence and delinquency. These include developing and testing causal models for chronic violent offending and examining interrelationships among gang involvement, drug selling, and gun ownership/use. To date, the Program has produced a massive amount of information on the causes and correlates of delinquent behavior. Although there is great commonality across the projects, each has unique design features. Additionally, each project has disseminated the results of its research through a variety of publications, reports, and presentations. With FY 1996 funding, each site of the Causes and Correlates Program will be provided additional funds to further analyze the longitudinal data. New publications, including two joint publications, will be developed in FY 1996 and both the role of mental health in delinquency and pathways to delinquency will be the subject of further analyses. This program will be implemented by the current grantees, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado at Boulder; Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh; and Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center, State University of New York at Albany. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Field-Initiated Research Through the FY 1996 Field-Initiated Research program, OJJDP will solicit innovative programs that address critical research and evaluation needs of the juvenile justice field. Priority research topics include: youth gangs in residential facilities; mental health issues; waiver and transfer to the juvenile justice system; reporting of child victimization; improving data collaboration efforts between juvenile justice, child welfare, child protective services, and mental health; institutional crowding; and topics related to OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. In addition to research topics, this program will also entertain proposals from State and local agencies wishing to conduct evaluations of programs initiated with OJJDP Formula, Title V, and discretionary funds that appear to be having significant impact and offer a possibility for national replication. OJJDP will issue a competitive solicitation for this initiative in FY 1996. Evaluation of SafeFutures With FY 1995 funds, OJJDP funded six communities under the SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency Program. The program sites are: Contra Costa County, California; Fort Belknap Indian Community, Montana; Boston, Massachusetts; St. Louis, Missouri; Seattle, Washington; and Imperial County, California. The SafeFutures Program provides support for a comprehensive prevention, intervention, and treatment program to meet the needs of at-risk juveniles and their families. Approximately $8 million will be made available for annual awards over a 5-year project period to support the efforts of these jurisdictions to enhance existing partnerships, integrate juvenile justice and social services, and provide a continuum of care that is designed to reduce the number of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders. The Urban Institute received a competitive 3-year Phase I cooperative agreement award with FY 1995 funds to provide a national evaluation of the SafeFutures program. The evaluation will consist of both process and impact components for each funded site. The evaluation process includes an examination of planning procedures and the extent to which each site's implementation plan is consistent with the principles of a continuum of care/graduated sanctions model. The evaluation will identify the obstacles and key factors contributing to the successful implementation of the SafeFutures continuum of care model. The evaluator is responsible for developing a cross-site monograph documenting the process of program implementation for use by other communities that want to develop and implement a comprehensive community-based strategy to address serious, violent, and chronic delinquency. A FY 1996 supplemental award will be made to the current grantee, the Urban Institute, to complete first year funding. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. OJJDP Management Evaluation Contract The purpose of this contract, competitively awarded in FY 1995 to Caliber Associates, is to provide to OJJDP an expert resource capable of performing independent, management-oriented evaluations of selected OJJDP programs. These evaluations are designed to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of either individual projects or groups of projects. The [[Page 21273]] contractor also assists OJJDP in determining how to make the best use of limited evaluation resources and how best to design and implement evaluations. Work plans that have been requested or will be requested from the contractor in FY 1996 include: continuing the evaluation of three OJJDP-funded bootcamps; continuing to support the evaluation of Title V delinquency prevention programs at the local level; preparation of OJJDP's Title V Program report to Congress; providing assistance to OJJDP program development working groups; assisting OJJDP in the creation of an ``evaluation partnership for juvenile justice'' designed to improve the number and quality of evaluations conducted by Formula Grants Program grantees, other Federal agencies, private foundations that fund evaluations, and State and local governments; and conducting other short- or long-term evaluations as required. The contract will be performed by the current contractor, Caliber Associates. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development The Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development (SSD) Program was competitively awarded to the National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) in FY 1990 to improve national, State, and local statistics on juveniles as victims and offenders. The project has focused on three major functions: (1) Assessment of how current information needs are being met with existing data collection efforts and recommending options for improving national level statistics; (2) analyzing data and disseminating information gathered from existing Federal statistical series and national studies. Based on this work, OJJDP released the first ``Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A National Report'' in September 1995; and (3) provision of training and technical assistance for local agencies in developing or enhancing management information systems. A training curriculum, ``Improving Information for Rational Decision making in Juvenile Justice,'' was drafted for pilot testing. In this final phase of the SSD project, NCJJ will complete a long- term plan for improving national statistics on juveniles as victims and offenders, including constructing core data elements for a national reporting program for juveniles waived or transferred to criminal court, an implementation plan for integrating data collection on juveniles by juvenile justice, mental health, and child welfare agencies, and a report on standardized measures and instruments for self-reported delinquency surveys. The project will also make recommendations to fill information gaps in the areas of juvenile probation, juvenile court and law enforcement responses to juvenile delinquency, violent delinquency, and child abuse and neglect. In addition, the SSD Project will provide an update of Juvenile Offenders and Victims: A National Report, and work with the Office of Justice Programs, Crime Statistics Working Group and other Federal interagency working groups on statistics. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, NCJJ. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Research Program on Juveniles Taken Into Custody--NCCD The Research Program on Juveniles Taken into Custody was designed and implemented in FY 1989 in response to a growing need for comprehensive juvenile custody data. The project now has the participation of all State juvenile corrections agencies. Each year the project produces a report on juveniles taken into custody. In FY 1996, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) will continue to refine the State Juvenile Correctional System Reporting Program. It is anticipated that individual-level data for 1996 will be representative of more than 85 percent of the at-risk juvenile population. In addition, NCCD will prepare reports, including the annual Juveniles Taken Into Custody report, providing a detailed summary and analysis of the most recent data regarding: (1) The number and characteristics of juveniles taken into custody; (2) the rate at which juveniles are taken into custody; and (3) the trends demonstrated by the data. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, NCCD. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Juveniles Taken Into Custody (JTIC)--Interagency Agreement OJJDP will continue its program to improve the collection of juvenile custody data through an interagency agreement with the Bureau of the Census. This agreement provides for the collection and processing of individual-level data on juveniles under State correctional custody. The Census Bureau and OJJDP have developed close working relationships with State juvenile corrections agencies. Through these relationships, OJJDP has developed a program to collect data on each juvenile in State custody and the Census Bureau has developed an understanding of the State data that allows for ``translation'' of State information to a national format. Each year since 1990, the Census Bureau has collected this information and processed it for analysis by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD). The resulting analyses are published in OJJDP's annual Juveniles Taken Into Custody report, which is disseminated to practitioners and planners, and are used to meet statutory information requirements in OJJDP's Annual Report to the President and Congress. The program will be implemented in FY 1996 by the Bureau of the Census under an interagency agreement. Children in Custody--Census Under this ongoing collaborative program between OJJDP and the U.S. Bureau of the Census, OJJDP will transfer funds to the Census Bureau to complete the 1995 biennial census of public and private juvenile detention, correctional, and shelter facilities. The census describes juvenile custody facilities in terms of their resident population, programs, and physical characteristics. It also provides data on trends in the use of juvenile custody facilities for delinquent juveniles and status offenders. These data are analyzed and included in OJJDP's annual Juveniles Taken Into Custody report and other statistical reports. The Census Bureau's Center for Survey Methods Research will also continue to develop and test a roster-based data collection system designed to enhance information collected on juveniles in custody beginning with the 1997 biennial census. Finally, the Bureau's Governments Division will continue its efforts to develop a complete directory of juvenile justice facilities and programs. This directory will serve as the frame for conducting the 1997 census and other future surveys. It will contain basic information on each facility that is necessary for creating representative samples. It will also contain basic administrative information to be used in conducting the census. The program will be implemented by the U.S. Bureau of the Census under an existing interagency agreement. Juvenile Justice Data Resources OJJDP has entered into an agreement with the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan to make OJJDP data sets routinely available to researchers. Under this agreement, ICPSR assures the technical integrity [[Page 21274]] and develops a universal format for the data. The codebooks, along with the data, provide clear guidance for additional analyses. Once prepared, ICPSR provides access to these data sets to member institutions and the public. Among the data sets previously processed and available through ICPSR are the Children in Custody Census (1971- 1991); the Conditions of Confinement Study; and the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART). This program will be implemented under an interagency agreement with ICPSR. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. National Juvenile Court Data Archive* The National Juvenile Court Data Archive collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates automated data and published reports from the Nation's juvenile courts. The Archive's reports examine referrals, offenses, intake, and dispositions, in addition to providing specialized topics such as minorities in juvenile courts and information on specific offense categories. The Archive also provides assistance to jurisdictions in analyzing their juvenile court data. In 1995, this project produced a bulletin, Offenders in Juvenile Court 1992, and a report, Juvenile Court Statistics 1992, along with a number of OJJDP Fact Sheets and special analyses. In FY 1996, the Archive will enhance the collection, reporting, and analysis of more detailed data on detention, dispositions, risk factors, and treatment data using offender-based data sets from a sample of juvenile courts. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, the National Center for Juvenile Justice. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Center The National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) was competitively funded in FY 1995 for a 3-year project period to develop a national training and technical assistance clearinghouse, inventory juvenile justice training/technical assistance resources, and establish a data base with respect to these resources. In FY 1995, work involved organization and staffing of the Center, providing an orientation for OJJDP training and technical assistance providers regarding their role in the Center's activities, and initial data base development. In FY 1996, NTTAC will conduct needs assessments, support training/ technical assistance program development, promote collaboration between OJJDP training/technical assistance providers, develop training/ technical assistance materials, and promote evaluation of OJJDP- supported training and technical assistance. In addition, NTTAC will prepare program materials and implement specialized training, including training-of-trainers programs, and develop standards and procedures for academic/professional accreditation/certification of OJJDP training and trainers. NTTAC provides a single, central source for information pertaining to the availability of OJJDP supported training/technical assistance programs and will publish and maintain an up-to-date catalog of such programs. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, Community Research Associates. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Technical Assistance for State Legislatures State legislatures are being pressed to respond to public fear of juvenile crime and a loss of confidence in the capability of the juvenile justice system to respond effectively. For the most part, State legislatures have had insufficient information to properly address juvenile justice issues. In FY 1995, OJJDP awarded a two-year grant to the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) to provide relevant, timely information on comprehensive approaches in juvenile justice that are geared to the legislative environment. In FY 1995, NCSL convened a Leadership Forum with invited legislators; convened several focus groups; and established an information clearinghouse function. In FY 1996, OJJDP will award second-year funding to the NCSL to further identify, analyze, and disseminate information to help State legislatures make more informed decisions about legislation affecting the juvenile justice system. A complementary task will involve supporting increased communication between State legislators and State and local leaders who influence decision making regarding juvenile justice issues. NCSL will provide technical assistance to four States, will continue outreach activities, and maintain its clearinghouse function. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, NCSL. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. OJJDP Technical Assistance Support Contract: Juvenile Justice Resource Center This 3-year contract, competitively awarded in FY 1994, provides technical assistance and support to OJJDP, its grantees, and the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the areas of program development, evaluation, training, and research. This program support contract will be supplemented in FY 1996. The contract will be implemented by the current contractor, Aspen Systems Corporation. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse A component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (JJC) is OJJDP's central source for the collection, synthesis, and dissemination of information on all aspects of juvenile justice, including research and evaluation findings: State and local juvenile delinquency prevention and treatment programs and plans; availability of resources; training and educational programs; and statistics. JJC serves the entire juvenile justice community, including researchers, law enforcement officials, judges, prosecutors, probation and corrections staff, youth-service personnel, legislators, the media, and the public. Among its many support services, JJC offers toll-free telephone access to information: prepares specialized responses to information requests; produces, warehouses, and distributes OJJDP publications; exhibits at national conferences; maintains a comprehensive juvenile justice library and database; and administers several electronic information resources. Recognizing the critical need to inform juvenile justice practitioners and policy makers on promising program approaches, JJC continually develops and recommends new products and strategies to communicate more effectively the research findings and program activities of OJJDP and the field. The entire NCJRS, of which the OJJDP-funded JJC is a part, is administered by the National Institute of Justice under a competitively awarded contract. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, Aspen Systems Corporation. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Telecommunications Assistance Developments in information technology and distance training can expand and enhance OJJDP's capacity to disseminate information and provide [[Page 21275]] training and technical assistance. These technologies have the following advantages when used properly: increased access to information and training for persons in the juvenile justice system; reduced travel costs to conferences; and reduced time attending meetings requiring one or more nights away from one's home or office. Additionally, the successful use of ``live'' satellite teleconferences by OJJDP during the past year has generated an enthusiastic response from the field. During the past twelve months the grantee has produced four live satellite teleconferences on the following topics: Community Collaboration for Delinquency Prevention; Model Juvenile Correctional Programs for Serious, Violent, Chronic Offenders; Youth Focused Community Policing; and Juvenile Boot Camps. OJJDP will continue the competitive cooperative agreement award to Eastern Kentucky University in 1994 to provide program support and technical assistance for a variety of information technologies, including audio-graphics, satellite teleconferences, and fiber optics. The grantee will also continue to provide limited technical assistance to other grantees interested in using this technology and explore linkages with key constituent groups to advance mutual goals and objectives. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, Eastern Kentucky University. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Coalition for Juvenile Justice The Coalition for Juvenile Justice supports and facilitates the purposes and functions of each State's Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group (SAG). The Coalition, acting as a statutorily authorized, duly chartered Federal advisory committee, reviews Federal policies and practices regarding juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, and prepares and submits an annual report and recommendations to the President, Congress, and the Administrator of OJJDP. The Coalition also serves as an information center for the SAGs and conducts an annual conference to provide training for SAG members. The program will be implemented by the current grantee, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Insular Area Support* The purpose of this program is to provide supplemental financial support to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Funds are available to address the special needs and problems of juvenile delinquency in these insular areas, as specified by Section 261(e) of the JJDP Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5665(e). Public Safety and Law Enforcement Kids and Guns: Reducing Youth Gun Violence This project is intended to enhance the effectiveness of comprehensive youth gun violence reduction efforts by supporting innovative local community-generated strategies. Under a competitive announcement, OJJDP will fund community-based organizations, local units of government, and State agencies if they can demonstrate that the program will be community-based, to strengthen their linkages to broader youth gun violence reduction efforts. Applicants will be encouraged to: be creative in designing initiatives for the prevention, intervention, and reduction of youth gun violence in targeted neighborhoods; coordinate their efforts with other community-based law enforcement initiatives, youth-serving organizations, crime victim organizations, and the juvenile justice system; and collaborate with these agencies to evaluate program effectiveness. Applicants will also be required to show that their proposed initiative reflects current youth gun violence research and a local assessment of youth access to guns, why young people carry guns, and why they use them. OJJDP will support an independent evaluation of this project that focuses on collecting and analyzing data on the program implementation process. The evaluator will design an impact evaluation in collaboration with OJJDP and an approved advisory board. The Reducing Youth Gun Violence project will be competitively funded in up to three sites with a 2-year project period. The evaluation will be competitively funded under a cooperative agreement to a single grantee for a 3-year project period. Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Program This program supports the implementation of a comprehensive gang program model in five jurisdictions. The program was competitively awarded with FY 1994 funds under a 3-year project period. The demonstration sites implementing the model, developed with OJJDP funding support by the University of Chicago, are: Mesa, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona; Riverside, California; Bloomington, Illinois; and San Antonio, Texas. Implementation of the comprehensive gang program model requires the mobilization of the community to address gang-related violence by making available social interventions, providing social/ academic/vocational and other types of opportunities, supporting gang suppression through law enforcement, prosecution and other community control mechanisms, and supporting organizational change and development in community agencies to more effectively address gang violence prone youth. During the past year, the demonstration sites began an ongoing problem assessment process to identify the full nature and extent of the gang problem in the community and its potential causes. The assessment process will also help communities to understand what may cause gang violence in their community and to identify benchmarks by which program success may be measured. The demonstration sites also participated in training and technical assistance activities, including two cluster conferences sponsored by OJJDP. In addition, the demonstration sites began strategy implementation and service provision and made progress in community mobilization, either through existing planning structures or by creating new structures. In FY 1996, demonstration sites will receive second year funding to continue implementation of the model program and build upon the sustained mobilization, planning and assessment processes. Additionally, the demonstration sites will continue to target youth prone to gang violence through continuing implementation of the program model and work with the independent evaluator of this demonstration program. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Targeted Outreach With a Gang Prevention and Intervention Component (Boys and Girls Clubs) This program is designed to enable local Boys and Girls Clubs to prevent youth from entering gangs and to intervene with gang members in the early stages of gang involvement to divert them from gang activities into more constructive programs. In FY 1996, Boys and Girls Clubs of America would provide training and technical assistance to existing gang prevention and intervention sites and expand the gang prevention and intervention program to 30 additional Boys and Girls [[Page 21276]] Clubs, including those in SafeFutures sites. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. National Youth Gang Center The proliferation of gang problems ranging from large inner cities to smaller cities, suburbs, and even rural areas over the past two decades led to the development by OJJDP of a comprehensive, coordinated response to America's gang problem. This response involves five program components, one of which is the implementation and operation of the National Youth Gang Center (NYGC). The NYGC was competitively funded with FY 1994 funds for a three-year project period. The purpose of the NYGC is to expand and maintain the body of critical knowledge about youth gangs and effective responses to them. NYGC assists State and local jurisdictions in the collection, analysis, and exchange of information on gang-related demographics, legislation, research, and promising program strategies. The Center also coordinates activities of the OJJDP Gang Consortium--a group of Federal agencies, gang program representatives, and service providers. Other major tasks include statistical data collection and analysis on gangs, analysis of gang legislation, gang literature review, identification of promising gang program strategies, and gang consortium coordination activities. Fiscal Year 1996 funds will support second year funding of the NYGC cooperative agreement to the current grantee, the Institute for Intergovernmental Research. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Child Centered Community-Oriented Policing In FY 1993, OJJDP provided support to the New Haven, Connecticut Police Department and the Yale University Child Development Center to document a child-centered, community-oriented policing model being implemented in New Haven, Connecticut. The basic elements of the model are a 10-week training course in child development for all new police officers and child development fellowships for all community-based district commanders who direct neighborhood police teams. The fellowships provide 4 to 6 hours of training each week over a 3-month period at Yale's Child Study Center. The program also includes: (1) a 24-hour consultation from a clinical professional and a police supervisor to patrol officers who assist children who have been exposed to violence; (2) weekly case conferences with police officers, educators, and child study center staff; and (3) open police stations, located in neighborhoods and accessible to residents for police and related services, community liaison, and neighborhood foot patrols. In FY 1994, BJA community policing funds helped support the first year of a 3-year training and technical assistance grant to replicate the program nationwide. These funds supported the development of criteria for a request for proposals, protocols for consultation, train-the-trainer sessions for New Haven police and clinical faculty, and the development of a multi-model strategy for data collection and program evaluation. Fiscal Year 1995 OJJDP funds supported continuation of the project's expansion in up to four replication sites. Fiscal year 1996 funds will support the implementation of the five- phase replication protocol in the four selected sites, replication site data collection and analysis activities, and development of a detailed casebook about the model and program. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, the Yale University School of Medicine. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program This continuation award will supplement the 3-year law enforcement and technical assistance support contract, competitively awarded in FY 1994 to Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. Fiscal year 1996 funds will be used to continue to provide services under the nationwide training and technical assistance program designed to improve law enforcement's capability to respond to juvenile delinquency, to contribute to delinquency prevention, and to address issues of missing and exploited children and child abuse and neglect. Technical assistance under this contract is provided in response to a wide variety of requests from Federal, State, county, and local agencies with responsibility for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency and juvenile victimization. The contract supports continuation of the Gang, Gun, and Drug Policy Training Program, the Police Operations Leading to Improved Children and Youth Services series of training programs, a Native American Law Enforcement Training Program, and a variety of other law enforcement training programs offered by OJJDP. This contract will be implemented by the current contractor, Fox Valley Technical College. No additional applications will be solicited for award of FY 1996 funds. Violence Studies* The 1992 Amendments to the JJDP Act required OJJDP to fund two-year studies on violence in three urban and one rural jurisdiction. Building on the results of OJJDP's Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency, these studies were to examine the incidence of violence committed by or against juveniles in urban and rural areas of the United States. In FY 1994, OJJDP initiated this program by supporting studies of homicides by and of youth in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a cross-site study in rural areas in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The grantees are the University of Wisconsin and the University of South Carolina. In FY 1995, OJJDP provided funding for the second year of these studies and initiated two new violence studies in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C. The grantees are the University of Southern California and the Institute for Law and Justice. These four studies will provide valuable information regarding community violence patterns, with a particular focus on homicide and firearm use involving juveniles. They will also improve the juvenile justice system by identifying strategic law enforcement responses to juvenile violence and by identifying diversion, prevention, and control programs that ameliorate juvenile violence. During FY 1996, the University of Wisconsin and the University of South Carolina will analyze their data and issue their findings with prior year funds. The University of Southern California will receive FY 1996 funds to identify violence prevention programs and conduct a household survey and interview adolescents and their care givers in Los Angeles County. The Institute for Law and Justice will receive FY 1996 funds to collect and analyze aggregate data from various juvenile justice providers and from a series of interviews with agency staff serving adjudicated juveniles. This will be followed by analysis and the preparation of a comprehensive report. The program will be continued by the current project grantees. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Hate Crimes In FY 1993, OJJDP competitively awarded a grant to Education [[Page 21277]] Development Center, Inc. (EDC), to assess existing curriculum materials and develop a multi-purpose curriculum for use in educational and institutional settings. In FYs 1994 and 1995, EDC developed a multi- purpose curriculum for hate crime prevention in school and other classroom settings and the curriculum was pilot tested in the eighth grade of the Collins Middle School in Salem, Massachusetts. Information received in the pilot test was evaluated and the curriculum redesigned. EDC then tested the curriculum in additional sites in New York and Florida to ensure that it was geographically and demographically representative. In consultation with the Office for Victims of Crime, EDC also developed a dissemination strategy for the curriculum and other products, including a judge's guide on sanctions for juveniles who commit hate crimes. In FY 1996, EDC will identify school districts and juvenile justice agencies across the country who are interested in receiving training in the curriculum. EDC will also provide training to education and juvenile justice personnel in order to foster adoption of the curriculum. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, EDC. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System Development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders The National Council on Crime and Delinquency, in collaboration with Developmental Research and Programs, Inc., has completed Phase I and II of a collaborative effort to support development and implementation of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. Phase I involved assessing existing and previously researched programs in order to identify effective and promising programs that can be used in implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. In Phase II, a series of reports were combined into a Guide for Implementing the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. Phase II also included convening of a forum, ``Guaranteeing Safe Passage: A National Forum on Youth Violence,'' and holding two regional training seminars for key leaders on implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. In FY 1996, Phase III of the project will be funded to provide: targeted dissemination of the Comprehensive Strategy at national conferences; intensive training for selected States to implement the Comprehensive Strategy in up to six local jurisdictions; individualized technical assistance for the five Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Program sites and the six SafeFutures sites; technical assistance to a limited number of individual jurisdictions interested in implementing the Comprehensive Strategy; and continued development of Comprehensive Strategy implementation materials. The program will be implemented by the current grantees, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency and Developmental Research and Programs, Inc., under third-year funding of this 3-year program. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program The Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program is designed to assist local jurisdictions in the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategy for the intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. The program is an extension of an initial effort, funded by OJJDP in 1993, entitled ``Accountability-Based Community Intervention (ABC) Program.'' Under the ABC initiative, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. were competitively funded to plan and implement a comprehensive graduated sanctions strategy. In FY 1994, under a competitive announcement, OJJDP awarded funds under the Serious, Violent, and Chronic Offender Treatment Program to three additional jurisdictions (Boston, Massachusetts; Richmond, Virginia; and Jefferson Parish, Louisiana) to develop and implement a graduated sanctions plan. The plan's basic elements include: (1) Assess the existing continuum of secure and nonsecure intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services in each jurisdiction; (2) define the juvenile offender population; (3) develop and implement a program strategy; (4) develop and implement an evaluation; (5) integrate private nonprofit, community-based organizations into the provision of offender services; (6) incorporate an aftercare program as an integral component of all residential placements; (7) develop a resource plan to enlist the financial and technical support of other Federal, State, and local agencies, private foundations, or other funding sources; and (8) develop a victim assistance component using local organizations. In FY 1995, the ABC Program jurisdictions completed program funding and in FY 1996, each of the three FY 1994 grantees will receive awards to continue implementation activities. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Community Assessment Centers In FY 1996, OJJDP will identify jurisdictions that have developed assessment programs for juveniles and established linkages to integrated service delivery systems through the use of assessment centers. The concept of community assessment centers, reflecting the use of community input in a center's development and operations, offers many advantages, including comprehensive needs assessments of at-risk, dependent, or delinquent youth; improved access to integrated services; the promotion of alternatives to incarceration; and an enhanced ability to monitor racial and gender disparities in juvenile justice processing through automated information systems. OJJDP will examine current efforts across the Nation in order to identify replicable components or models that meet, or could be adapted to meet, the following goals: Ensuring positive outcomes for youth through the provision of comprehensive, community-based assessments that result in the development of an integrated treatment plan while avoiding unnecessary detention. Promoting and increasing the use of alternatives to detention and a system of graduated sanctions for delinquent offenders. Providing for more accurate and timely monitoring of the processing of at-risk, dependent, or delinquent juveniles to ensure fair and equitable treatment and outcomes in all phases of the juvenile justice system. Enhancing access to data or records across disciplines and integrating assessment, case management, and community-based services through the use of automated information systems, consistent with the principles of confidentiality. If it is determined through this initial survey that a replicable model exists or can be developed, OJJDP will issue a competitive solicitation, late in FY 1996, for the replication or development of the model, including an evaluation component. Juvenile Restitution: A Balanced Approach OJJDP will continue support of the juvenile restitution training and technical assistance program in FY [[Page 21278]] 1996. The project design is based on practitioner recommendations regarding program needs and on how best to integrate and institutionalize restitution and community service as key components of juvenile justice dispositions. In 1992, a working group was convened to help map out a plan for optimum development of the components of restitution programs. Plan components include community service, victim reparation, victim-offender mediation, offender employment and supervision, employment development, and other program elements designed to establish restitution as an important element to improving the juvenile justice system. This project is guided by balanced and restorative justice principles, which include the need to provide a balance of community protection, offender competency development, and accountability in programs for sanctioning and controlling juvenile offenders. In FY 1995, the project assisted three local jurisdictions to implement the ``balanced approach,'' participated in presenting regional ``round tables'' for States interested in adopting the balanced and restorative justice model, and provided ad hoc technical assistance. In FY 1996 the project will continue this work and also develop guideline materials on the balanced and restorative justice program. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, Florida Atlantic University. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training and Technical Assistance Program to Promote Gender-Specific Programming for Female Juvenile Offenders The 1992 Amendments to the JJDP Act, Public Law 102-586, 106 Stat. 4982, addressed for the first time the issue of gender specific services. The Amendments required States participating in OJJDP's State Formula Grants Program to conduct an analysis of gender-specific services for the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency, including the types of services available, the need for such services, and a plan for providing needed gender-specific services for the prevention and treatment of juvenile delinquency. In FY 1995, the OJJDP Gender Specific Services Program effort focused on providing training and technical assistance directly to States and on providing and promoting the establishment of State level gender-specific programs. Training and technical assistance have been provided to a broad spectrum of policymakers and service providers regarding services for juvenile female offenders. In addition, OJJDP, in conjunction with the American Correctional Association (ACA), sponsored a National Juvenile Female Offender Conference. The purpose of the Conference was to provide juvenile corrections agency staff with an increased awareness of the unique problems and rehabilitative needs of female offenders and improve skills in working effectively with these offenders. Innovative juvenile female corrections programs were presented, including new approaches and strategies for operating facility-based programs for female offenders. OJJDP also awarded discretionary grants to implement programs for female juvenile offenders and at-risk girls. Under the competitive Program to Promote Alternative Programs for Juvenile Female Offenders, OJJDP funded programs in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, Illinois. In addition, OJJDP has funded expansion of the Practical and Cultural Education Center for Girls, Inc. (P.A.C.E.) Program in Miami, Florida. Also, in order to provide the field with information regarding existent projects and current research, OJJDP funded Girls, Incorporated to conduct a national gender-specific services forum, which will be held during FY 1996. Finally, OJJDP's six SafeFutures Program sites will implement components designed to establish services for at-risk and delinquent girls. In FY 1996, OJJDP will award a competitive grant to support a training and technical assistance program designed to build upon the work of these multiple efforts. It will transfer lessons learned, stimulate formulation of State and local policies based upon research findings and statistical trend data, and assist community-based youth serving agencies and juvenile detention and correctional programs to initiate, refine, and expand gender-specific programming that utilizes the strengths and capabilities unique to females. In FY 1996, one two-year project period award will be made based upon a competitive solicitation. Technical Assistance to Native American Programs Native American programs for juveniles are facing increasing pressures because of the increasing numbers of youth who are involved in drug abuse, gang activity, and delinquency. Many reservations are experiencing the problems that plague communities nationwide: gang activity; violent crime; use of weapons; and increasing drug and alcohol abuse. From FYs 1992 to 1995, OJJDP funded four Native American sites to support the development of programs to impact these problems. These sites are Gila River, Pueblo Jemez, the Navajo Nation, and the Red Lake Band of Chippewas. Each of these sites has been implementing programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the tribe. In Gila River an alternative school has been developed and implemented. The Navajo Nation has expanded the Peace Maker program to accommodate additional delinquent offenders and this approach has been adapted to the Red Lake and Pueblo Jemez communities. Additional programming, such as job skills development, has also been developed in some of the sites to meet the needs of their youth. Although these programs have been successful, there is a need at these sites to expand programming options such as gang prevention and intervention programs. Other Native American Tribes have similar problems and needs, as do programs for Native Americans in many major metropolitan areas. OJJDP will fund a national technical assistance program to support the development of additional programming for the four sites that OJJDP currently funds and to extend programming support to Tribes and urban tribal programs across the country. OJJDP will fund a technical assistance provider to provide direct technical assistance and to coordinate the delivery of technical assistance by other experts. This will be a three-year technical assistance program. National Indicators of Juvenile Violent and Delinquent Behavior and Related Risk Factors The difficulty of using juvenile arrests as a reliable measure of the level and nature of juvenile crime is well known. While juvenile arrest statistics have been useful as a barometer of juvenile involvement in crime, there are many critical dimensions in measuring this phenomenon that cannot be captured by any method other than direct measures of self-reported delinquency. The Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics is launching a 12,000-subject survey of 1217-year- old juveniles that provides an opportunity to supplement the data collection by asking relevant questions about delinquency, guns, and violence. This longitudinal survey also provides an unprecedented opportunity to determine the generalizability of the findings from OJJDP's Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency across a broad range of [[Page 21279]] juvenile populations. A transfer of funds will be made to the Department of Labor. Evaluation of the Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention and Suppression Program The University of Chicago, School of Social Services Administration, received a competitive cooperative agreement award in FY 1994. This four-year project period award supports an evaluation of OJJDP's Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Program. The evaluation will assist the five program sites in establishing realistic and measurable objectives, to document program implementation, and to measure the impact of a variety of gang program strategies. It will also provide interim feedback to the program implementors. The five sites are Bloomington, Illinois; Mesa, Arizona; Tucson, Arizona; Riverside, California; and San Antonio, Texas. In FY 1996, the grantee will: design and implement organizational surveys and youth interviews; develop and implement program tracking and worker questionnaires and interviews; gather and track aggregate level offense/offender client data from police, prosecutor, probation, school, and social service program sources; develop and implement uniform individual level criminal justice data collection efforts; consult with local evaluators on development and implementation of local site parent/community resident surveys; and coordinate ongoing efforts with local researchers conducting special surveys of gang youth in the program. This project will be continued by the current grantee, the University of Chicago, School of Social Services Administration. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Evaluation of Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical Assistance Program The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) received a 3- year competitive FY 1994 grant to conduct a process evaluation and design an impact evaluation of the Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical Assistance Program at sites in Colorado, New Jersey, Nevada, and Virginia. NCCD's initial award funded the design and implementation of the process evaluation, the design of an impact evaluation, and start-up data collection. A report on the process evaluation will be submitted in the spring of 1996. Fiscal Year 1996 funding will enable NCCD to begin the impact evaluation. Because of the excellent progress made during the first two years on the process evaluation, OJJDP will extend this program for three additional years to allow sufficient time for completion of an impact evaluation. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, NCCD. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) Evaluation The Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) was funded at 41 sites by OJJDP in FY 1995. In compliance with Part G, Section 288H of the JJDP Act, all JUMP sites are participating in a national evaluation designed to determine the success and effectiveness of JUMP in reducing delinquency and gang participation, improving academic performance, and reducing the dropout rate. Each program participant has been provided with a JUMP Evaluation Workbook containing data collection instruments and instructions on their use. It provides for the collection of data on delinquency, school performance, family functioning, and project operations. Grantees are responsible for collecting and analyzing site data and preparing periodic evaluation reports for OJJDP. The evaluation grantee will be expected to: assist the sites in implementing the JUMP Evaluation Workbook; provide other evaluation technical assistance to the funded sites; and complete a cross-site evaluation of results from the 41 sites at the end of the JUMP program grants. A draft report to Congress will be prepared based on the cross- site evaluation. One two-year cooperative agreement will be competitively awarded to carry out this program. Juvenile Transfers to Criminal Court Studies States are increasingly enacting juvenile code revisions broadening judicial waiver authority, providing prosecutor direct file authority, and mandating transfer of older, more violent juveniles to criminal court. Many States are also developing innovative procedures, such as blending traditional features of juvenile and criminal justice sentencing practices, through statutes that categorize juvenile offenders into different classes according to the seriousness of the offense, designating juvenile or criminal court for each class, or providing judges with discretion to make these judgments at sentencing. Studies of the impact of criminal court prosecution of juveniles have yielded mixed conclusions. Solid research on the intended and unintended consequences of transfer of juveniles to criminal court will enable policy makers and legislatures to develop statutory provisions and policies and improve judicial and prosecutorial waiver and transfer decisions. To address this shortage of research programs, OJJDP competitively funded two juvenile waiver and transfer research projects in FY 1995. The first, awarded to the National Center for Juvenile Justice, compares juvenile and criminal court handling of juveniles in four States that authorize judicial waiver of serious and violent juvenile offenders and mandate criminal court handling for specified categories of juvenile offenders. The second study, awarded to the Florida Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, evaluates Florida's system of blending the option of criminal and juvenile justice system sentencing to handle serious or violent juvenile offenders. Additional funding is planned in FY 1996 to enable the projects to collect case specific information on sentence completion and recidivism data to provide a more definitive assessment of the impact of criminal versus juvenile justice system handling of serious and violent offender cases. The projects will be implemented by the current grantees, the National Center for Juvenile Justice and the Florida Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Technical Assistance to Juvenile Courts* The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, provides technical assistance under this grant for juvenile court practitioners. The focus of the technical assistance is on court administration and management, program development, and special legal issues. During FY 1995, NCJJ responded to over 830 requests for technical assistance. In FY 1996, special emphasis will be placed on appropriate sanctions for handling serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders and other emerging issues confronting the juvenile court, such as the increased use of waivers and transfers. The program will be implemented by the current grantee, NCJJ. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. [[Page 21280]] Juvenile Court Judges Training* The primary focus of this project in FY 1996 will be to continue and refine the training and technical assistance program offered by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The objectives of the training are to supplement law school curriculums by providing basic training to new juvenile court judges and to and provide experienced judges with state-of-the-art training on developments in juvenile and family case law and effective dispositional options. Emphasis is also placed on alcohol and substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, gangs and violence, disproportionate incarceration of minority youth, and intermediate sanctions. Training is also provided to other court personnel, including juvenile probation officers, aftercare workers, and child protection and community treatment providers. In FY 1995, over 13,000 judges and court personnel received training through some 80 different programs. In addition, over 800 training related technical assistance requests were completed. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Unit OJJDP has historically supported prosecutor training activities through the National District Attorneys' Association (NDAA). To continue that work, OJJDP awarded a 3-year project period grant in FY 1995 to the American Prosecutor Research Institute (APRI) which is the research and technical affiliate of NDAA, to establish a Juvenile Justice Prosecution Unit (JJPU). The JJPU implements workshops on juvenile justice related policy, leadership, and management for chief prosecutors and unit chiefs; provides background information to prosecutors on juvenile justice issues and programs; provides training; and provides technical assistance to prosecutors. The project is based on planning and input by prosecutors familiar with juvenile justice needs. The project draws on the expertise of working groups of elected or appointed prosecutors and juvenile unit chiefs to support project staff in providing technical assistance, juvenile justice-related research and program information to practitioners nationwide, and training. Start up activities focused on the collection of information through a questionnaire that was sent to every prosecutors' office regarding juvenile programs. APRI also sponsored a National Invitational Symposium on Juvenile Justice which provided a forum for prosecutors to exchange ideas, programs, issues, legislation, and practices in juvenile justice. APRI will conduct three workshops for elected and appointed prosecutors and juvenile unit chiefs to help improve prosecutor involvement in the prosecution and prevention of juvenile delinquency. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, APRI. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Due Process Advocacy Program Development In FY 1993, OJJDP funded the American Bar Association (ABA), in partnership with the Juvenile Law Center (JLC) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Youth Law Center (YLC) of San Francisco, California, to develop strategies to improve due process and the quality of legal representation. The goals of the program are to increase juvenile offenders' access to legal services and to improve the quality of preadjudication, adjudication, and dispositional advocacy for juvenile offenders. The strategies developed will be made available to State and local bar associations and other relevant organizations so that they can develop approaches to increase the availability and quality of counsel for juveniles. In FYs 1994 and 1995, the ABA, JLC, and YLC conducted an assessment of the current state of the art with regard to legal services, training, and education. This survey included a review of literature, case law, State statutes, and a survey of public defenders, court appointed lawyers, law school clinical programs, and judges. A report, entitled ``A Call for Justice, An assessment of the Access to Counsel and Quality of Representation in Delinquency Proceedings'' was developed and published by the ABA. It has been widely distributed to State and local bar associations, Chairs of State Juvenile Justice Advisory Committees, participants in the ABA survey, the National Association of Child Advocates, and others. In FY 1996, training is scheduled to begin with the first training being provided to the States of Tennessee, Maryland, and Virginia. The structure and scope of the training will be tailored to fit the needs of each site. A training manual, under development, will cover training on key issues such as detention, transfer or waiver, and dispositions. It is designed to fill gaps in existing training programs. The ABA and its partners will also establish networks with public defenders offices, children's law centers, and others through the HANDSNET system and mailings that provide program updates. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, ABA. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical Assistance Program This initiative is designed to support implementation, training and technical assistance, and evaluation of an intensive community-based aftercare model in four jurisdictions that were competitively selected to participate in this demonstration program. The overall goal of this intensive aftercare model is to identify and assist high-risk juvenile offenders to make a gradual transition from secure confinement back into the community. The Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) model can be viewed as having three distinct, yet overlapping segments: (1) pre- release and preparatory planning activities during incarceration; (2) structured transitioning involving the participation of institutional and aftercare staffs both prior to and following community reentry; and (3) long-term reintegrative activities to insure adequate service delivery and the required level of social control. In FY 1994, The Johns Hopkins University received a grant to test an intensive community-based aftercare model in four demonstration sites: Denver (Metro), Colorado; Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada; Camden and Newark, New Jersey; and Norfolk, Virginia. Each of the four sites received additional funds to support program implementation in FY 1995. The Johns Hopkins University contracts with California State University at Sacramento to assist in the implementation process by providing training and technical assistance and by making funds available through contracts to each of the four demonstration sites. Each of the sites have developed risk assessment instruments for use in selecting specific youth who need this type of intensive aftercare intervention, hired and trained staff in the intensive aftercare model, identified existing and needed community support (intervention) services, and identified data necessary for an accurate evaluation of the intensive community-based aftercare program. In addition, each of the sites has begun random assignment of clients to the program. The Johns Hopkins University and its sub-contractor, California State University at [[Page 21281]] Sacramento, have provided continuous training and technical assistance to both administrators/managers and line staff in the intensive community-based aftercare sites. Staff have been trained in the theoretical underpinnings of the IAP model as well as in the practical applications of the model, such as techniques for identifying juveniles appropriate for the program. Training and technical assistance in this model have also been available to other States and OJJDP grantees on a limited basis. In FY 1996, the sites will continue to implement and test the aftercare model. An independent evaluation contractor is performing a process evaluation and has designed an impact evaluation to be implemented under a separate grant. The Johns Hopkins University will provide continuing training and technical assistance to the four selected sites and will initiate aftercare technical assistance services to jurisdictions participating in the OJJDP/Department of the Interior Youth Environmental Services (YES) Program and to OJJDP's six SafeFutures Program sites. This funding supports the third budget period of a 3-year project period. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, The Johns Hopkins University. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training and Technical Assistance for National Innovations to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Confinement (The Deborah Wysinger Memorial Program) National data and studies have shown that minority children are over represented in juvenile and criminal justice facilities across the country. Accordingly, Congress, in the 1988 reauthorization of the JJDP Act, amended the Formula Grants Program State plan requirements to include addressing disproportionate confinement of minority juveniles. This is accomplished by gathering data, analyzing it to determine the extent to which minority juveniles are disproportionately confined, and designing strategies to address this issue. A Special Emphasis discretionary grant program was developed to demonstrate model approaches to addressing disproportionate minority confinement (DMC) in five State pilot sites (Arizona, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, and Oregon). Funds were also awarded to a national contractor to provide technical assistance to assist both the pilot sites and other States, to evaluate their efforts, and share relevant information. In FYs 1994 and 1995, OJJDP made additional Special Emphasis discretionary funds available to non-pilot States that had completed data gathering and assessment in order to provide initial funding for innovative projects designed to address DMC. These efforts to impact DMC have yielded an important lesson: that systemic, broad-based interventions are necessary to reduce DMC. OJJDP recognizes the need to foster the development and documentation of effective strategies using training, technical assistance, information dissemination, provision of practical and targeted resource tools, and public education. In order to further these strategies, OJJDP proposes to competitively solicit innovative proposals to implement a 3-year national training, technical assistance, and information dissemination initiative focused on the disproportionate confinement of minority youth. The selected grantee will: (1) review and synthesize current State and local practices and policies designed to reduce DMC; (2) develop and deliver training to juvenile justice specialists, SAG Chairs, and selected grantees to inform them of DMC requirements, best practices and issues; (3) assist key OJJDP grantees to incorporate DMC issues, practices and policies into their training and education programs (key grantees are those training and technical assistance providers working with police, the courts and juvenile detention staff, SafeFutures sites, Title V, and some State Challenge Program grant recipients); (4) assist the eight current DMC grantees to manage and institutionalize their programs; (5) support the Formula Grants Program technical assistance contractor and OJJDP staff in reviewing State DMC plans; and (6) develop and carry out a national dissemination and public education program on DMC and help States and localities develop similar local education programs. The selected DMC grantee will coordinate with OJJDP's National Training and Technical Assistance Center and other OJJDP contractors to identify OJJDP program areas where DMC policies and practices can be integrated into ongoing program activities. The DMC grantee and the National Training and Technical Assistance Center will also collaborate in the development of toolkits and resource products--screening tools, assessment, and training components--to be used by jurisdictions at each stage of their DMC data gathering, assessment and program response cycle. Other resource products will include educational curricula, technical assistance protocols for working with courts, police, intake services, probation and prosecutor's offices, assessment and screening tools, and planning and analysis tools for juvenile justice specialists. OJJDP will competitively award a single grant to implement a 3-year national training, technical assistance, and information dissemination initiative focused on the disproportionate confinement of minority youth. Juvenile Probation Survey Research Juvenile probation is one of the most critical areas of the juvenile justice system. However, there is presently very little information available on juveniles on probation. We do not know how many juveniles are on probation, their demographic characteristics, their offenses, or the conditions of their probation, including length, residential confinement, electronic monitoring, restitution, etc. This project will conduct survey research and develop a questionnaire to collect this important information. As States operate their juvenile probation systems in very different manners, this project will also examine how these differences affect the information collected. OJJDP plans to undertake a 2-year project to complete this research through an interagency agreement with the Bureau of the Census. Improvements in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders The Improvements in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders Program, a program development and demonstration initiative, was awarded to the National Organization for Social Responsibility (NOSR) in FY 1992. It is being implemented in three phases: identification, assessment, and testing and dissemination. The purpose of the Program is to assist juvenile corrections administrators in planning and implementing improved educational services for detained and incarcerated juvenile offenders. During the 3-year project period, the grantee implemented the first two phases of the program. An extensive literature search of effective education practices was undertaken and a report on effective practices in juvenile corrections education was published and a training and technical assistance manual were published. In addition, three State juvenile corrections facilities were selected as model sites for testing effective educational practices. The sites are: Adobe Mountain School, Arizona; Lookout Mountain Youth Center, Colorado; and Sauk Centre, Minnesota. In FY 1995, NOSR received funding to implement Phase III, testing and [[Page 21282]] dissemination. The three model test sites are receiving site specific technical assistance in the assessment of their educational programs and in the development and implementation of effective educational practices, including reintegration of appropriate juveniles back into the mainstream education system. Fiscal Year 1996 funds will be used to assist each site to enhance its curriculum and implementation strategy to better address the needs of the juveniles they serve. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, NOSR. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Performance-Based Standards for Juvenile Detention and Correctional Facilities There is a need to increase the accountability of detention and correctional agencies, facilities, and staff in performing their basic functions. The development of performance-based standards has emerged as a primary strategy for improving conditions of confinement. This program supports the development and implementation of performance- based standards for juvenile detention and corrections. The performance measures and standards being developed will address both services and the quality of life for confined juveniles. They will reflect the consensus of a broadly representative group of national organizations on the mission, goals, and objectives of juvenile detention and corrections. OJJDP plans to promote nationwide adoption and implementation of the measures and standards through a future training and technical assistance program. In FY 1995, OJJDP awarded a competitive 18-month cooperative agreement to the Council of Juvenile Corrections Administrators (CJCA) to develop national performance-based standards for juvenile detention and correctional facilities. A National Consortium of major professional and advocacy organizations is providing technical advice and support in all aspects of the development and implementation of the standards. The project will focus on standards in the areas of: safety; security; order; programming/treatment/education; health; and justice. During FY 1996, the working groups will complete the drafting of performance criteria and measures, as well as assessment tools for monitoring performance in all substantive areas. In addition, all materials will be field tested and revised as needed. A plan for implementation will also be submitted. By 1997, initial performance standards and a measurement system will be developed along with specific plans for an 18-month period of intensive demonstration and testing of the performance-based standards and their impact on juvenile corrections and detention programming. The program will be implemented by the current grantee, CJCA. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention (The James E. Gould Memorial Program) The primary purpose of the Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention project is to provide specialized technical assistance to juvenile corrections, detention, and community residential service providers. The grantee, the American Correctional Association (ACA), also plans and convenes an annual Juvenile Corrections and Detention Forum. The Forum provides an opportunity for juvenile corrections and detention leaders to meet and discuss issues, problems, and solutions to emerging corrections and detention problems. The ACA also provides workshops and conferences on current and emerging national issues in the field of juvenile corrections and detention and offers technical assistance through document dissemination. OJJDP awarded a FY 1995 competitive grant to ACA to provide these services over a three-year project period. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, ACA. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training for Juvenile Corrections and Detention Staff In FY 1996, OJJDP will continue to support the development and implementation of a comprehensive training program for juvenile corrections and detention management staff through an interagency agreement with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). The program is designed to offer a core curriculum for juvenile corrections and detention administrators and mid-level management personnel in such areas as leadership development, management, training of trainers, legal issues, cultural diversity, the role of the victim in juvenile corrections, juvenile programming for specialized needs of offenders, and managing the violent or disruptive offender. The training is conducted at the NIC Academy and regionally. This program is a continuation activity, initiated in FY 1991 under an interagency agreement with NIC that was renewed in FY 1994. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training for Line Staff in Juvenile Detention and Corrections In FY 1994, the National Juvenile Detention Association (NJDA) was awarded a competitive three-year project period grant to establish a training program to meet the needs of the more than 38,000 line staff of juvenile detention and corrections facilities. In the first year under the grant, NJDA revised and updated a 40-hour Detention Careworker curriculum, developed a 24-hour Train-the-Trainer for the Detention Careworker curriculum, conducted 16 separate trainings and developed new lesson plans in 7 substantive areas, conducted a national training needs assessment for juvenile corrections careworkers, and provided technical assistance to 37 agencies and training to 887 line staff. In FY 1996, NJDA will continue to offer training to practitioners, develop new curriculums around emerging issues, and complete the development and testing of a 40-hour basic careworker curriculum for juvenile corrections line staff. Additionally, NJDA will deliver selected training programs for juvenile detention and corrections line staff on a number of topical issues. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, NJDA. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training and Technical Support for State and Local Jurisdictional Teams To Focus on Juvenile Corrections and Detention Overcrowding The Conditions of Confinement: Juvenile Detention and Correctional Facilities Research Report (1994), completed by Abt Associates under an OJJDP grant, identified overcrowding as the most urgent problem facing juvenile corrections and detention facilities. Overcrowding in juvenile facilities is a function of decisions and policies made at the State, county, and city levels. The trend in a number of jurisdictions toward an increased use of detention and commitment to State facilities has been reversed when key decision makers, such as the chief judge, chief of police, director of the local detention facility, head of the State juvenile correctional agency, and others who affect the flow of juveniles through the system, agree to make decisions collaboratively and to modify practices and policies. In some instances modification has occurred in response [[Page 21283]] to court orders. Compliance with court orders is improved with the support of enhanced interagency communication and planning among those agencies affecting the flow of juveniles through the system. In addressing the problems of overcrowded facilities, OJJDP considered the recommendations of the Conditions of Confinement study regarding overcrowding, the data on over representation of minority youth in confinement, and other information that suggests crowding in juvenile facilities must be reduced. Policy makers can do this by increasing capacity, where necessary, or by taking other steps to control crowding. This project, competitively awarded to the National Juvenile Detention Association (NJDA) in FY 1994 for a three-year project period, provides training and technical assistance materials for use by State and local jurisdictional teams. In FY 1995, the project collected information on strategies that are used or could be used to control crowding, and prepared training and technical assistance materials. Based on the demonstrated need for assistance and related criteria, NJDA will select three jurisdictions in FY 1996 for onsite development, implementation, and testing of crowding reduction procedures, and will provide regional training on these procedures to other jurisdictions. A FY 1996 continuation award will be made to the current grantee, the National Juvenile Detention Association. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. National Program Directory In FY 1995, OJJDP initiated the development of a National Program Directory, a national list of all juvenile justice offices, facilities, and programs in the United States, through the Bureau of the Census. The Census Bureau developed a directory format for juvenile detention and correctional facilities, which would contain the addresses and phone numbers of localities, names and titles of directors, and important classification information, classify facilities by the agency or firm that operates them, and list the functions of the facility. This structure was developed specifically to provide OJJDP with the ability to conduct surveys and censuses of juvenile custody facilities. The effort placed into developing this structure would also translate to other areas, such as a list of juvenile probation offices. Beyond developing the computer structure, this project will develop, in FY 1996, the actual sampling frame or address list. The development of complete frames for any segment of the juvenile justice system requires many different approaches. The Census Bureau will use contacts with professional organizations to compile a preliminary list of juvenile facilities, courts, probation offices, and programs. The Census Bureau will then seek contacts in each State for further clarification of the lists, following up until a complete list of all programs of interest has been compiled. This program will be funded through an interagency agreement with the Census Bureau. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Delinquency Prevention and Intervention Training in Risk-Focused Prevention Strategies OJJDP will provide additional training in FY 1996 to communities interested in developing a risk-focused delinquency prevention strategy. This training supports OJJDP's Title V Delinquency Prevention Incentive Grants Program, codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec. 5781-5785, by providing the knowledge and skills necessary for State, local, and private agency officials and citizens to identify and address risk factors that lead to violent and delinquent behavior in children. In FYs 1994 and 1995, this training was offered to all States, territories, and the District of Columbia that received discretionary grants from OJJDP to implement the Title V Program. OJJDP awarded a new contract with FY 1995 funds to perform ongoing tasks and provide prevention training in the following areas: (1) orientation on risk and resiliency-focused prevention theories and strategies for local community leaders; (2) the identification, assessment and addressing of risk factors; (3) training of trainers in selected States to provide a statewide capacity to train communities in risk-focused prevention; and (4) development of training curriculums and materials to increase the capacity of States and localities to conduct risk-focused prevention training. These services will be provided through second year funding of a competitive contract awarded to Developmental Research and Programs, Inc. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Youth-Centered Conflict Resolution Increasing levels of juvenile violence have become a national concern. Violence in and around school campuses and conflict among juveniles both in schools and neighborhoods have become extremely problematic for school administrators, teachers, parents, community leaders, and the public. While experts may debate the merits and impact of the varied contributing factors, most would agree that school curriculums do not provide for the systematic teaching of problem- and conflict-resolving skills. To address this issue, OJJDP awarded a competitive grant in FY 1995 to the Illinois Institute for Dispute Resolution to develop, in concert with other established conflict resolution organizations, a national strategy for broad-based education and training in the use of conflict resolution skills. In support of this task, the grantee is to conduct four regional conferences based on a joint publication being developed by the Departments of Justice and Education. The grantee will also provide technical assistance and disseminate information about conflict resolution programs. The project will be continued by the current grantee, the Illinois Institute for Dispute Resolution. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Pathways to Success This project is a collaborative effort among OJJDP, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Pathways to Success Program promotes vocational skills, entrepreneurial initiatives, recreation, and arts education during afterschool, weekend, and summer hours by making a variety of opportunities available to at-risk youth. Through a competitive process, five sites were funded in FY 1995, the first year of a 2-year project period. The selected programs are located in: Newport County, Rhode Island; New York, New York; Anchorage, Alaska; Washington, D.C.; and Miami, Florida. The SOS Playbacks: Arts-Based Delinquency Based Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program, located in Newport County, Rhode Island, provides an afterschool arts program for students aged 13-18 from local public housing developments. Students in the program participate in peer-to-peer support and education through the mediums of visual arts, dance, and drama. Project CLEAR, located in New York City, provides extended day programs to students in two elementary schools that have a high percentage of students who live in low-income areas and have limited English proficiency. Services include academic tutoring, arts in education instruction, physical recreation, and group counseling services. Two hundred students in [[Page 21284]] grades 1-6 are served annually. Saturday programs for targeted youth and their families and evening programs for parents are also provided. The Anchorage School District and the out-North Theater in Anchorage, Alaska have collaborated to provide afterschool and summer theater programs for students aged 12-14 from low income areas in Anchorage. Students involved in this program will produce and perform in plays they have written that reflect their personal life experiences. The District of Columbia Courts Elementary Baseball Program provides combined recreational activities, tutoring activities, one-to- one mentoring, and parent workshops for students aged 6-10 who are enrolled in Garrett Elementary School in Washington, D.C. This school is located in one of the highest crime areas in Washington, D.C. The central activity of this program is interleague baseball games. Team participation is contingent upon student participation in tutoring and other activities. The Aspira ``Youth Sanctuary'' Program, located in Dade County, Florida, addresses delinquency and other behavioral problems of Latino youth aged 10-16 who reside in migrant camps. This program teaches art, including community mural projects, folklore dance incorporating Latino dancing, and provides recreation opportunities for targeted students afterschool, on weekends, and during the summer months. Parent training workshops and parent support are key activities in this program. This Program will be implemented in FY 1996 by the current project grantees. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Teens, Crime, and the Community: Teens in Action in the 90s* This continuation program is conducted by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) in partnership with the National Institute for Citizen Education in the Law (NICEL). Teens in Action in the 90s is a special application of the Teens, Crime, and Community (TCC) program that operates on the premise that teens, who are disproportionately the victims of crimes, can contribute to improving their schools and communities through a broad array of activities. During FY 1995, the TCC Program expanded to more than 100 new sites, primarily through five regional expansion centers located in New England, the Mid-Atlantic States, the Mid-South, the Deep South, and the Pacific Northwest Coast. These TCC projects utilized Boys and Girls Clubs of America and their affiliates in six localities to become partners in TCC efforts in these cities. More than 4,000 teachers, social service providers, juvenile justice professionals, law enforcement officers, and other community leaders participated in intensive training to help sites implement the TCC curriculum in their communities. Over 1,000 individuals benefited from technical assistance, materials, and consultation regarding TCC in areas of program implementation, fund development, and networking opportunities. In FY 1996, NCPC and NICEL will implement the National Teens, Crime, and the Community Program in additional locations across the country. In addition, TCC will seek to implement projects in the six SafeFutures Program sites. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, NCPC. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Law-Related Education (LRE) The national Law-Related Education (LRE) Program ``Youth for Justice'' includes five coordinated LRE projects and programs operating in 48 States and 4 non-State jurisdictions. The program's purpose is to provide training and technical assistance to State and local school jurisdictions that will result in the institutionalization of quality LRE programs for at-risk juveniles. The focus of the program during FY 1996 will be to continue linking LRE to violence reduction and to involve program participants in finding solutions to juvenile violence. The major components of the program are coordination and management, training and technical assistance, assistance to local program sites, public information, and program development and assessment. This program will be implemented by the current grantees, the American Bar Association, the Center for Civic Education, the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the National Institute for Citizen Education in the Law, and the Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Cities in Schools' Federal Interagency Partnership This program is a continuation of a national school dropout prevention model developed and implemented by Cities in Schools, Inc. The Cities in Schools (CIS) Program provides training and technical assistance to States and local communities, enabling them to adapt and implement the CIS model. The model brings social, employment, mental health, drug prevention, entrepreneurship, and other resources to high- risk youth and their families in the school setting. Where CIS State organizations are established, they assume primary responsibility for local program replication during the Federal interagency partnership. The Federal Interagency Partnership program is based on a program strategy that is designed to enhance CIS, Inc.'s capability to provide training and technical assistance, introduce selected initiatives to CIS youth at the local level, disseminate information, and network with Federal agencies on behalf of State and local CIS programs. Fiscal year 1995 accomplishments include the following: establishment of 15 student-run entrepreneurship programs; establishment of a consulting program consisting of a pool of CIS State and local program directors and other experts to support the expanded technical assistance needs of the CIS network of State and local programs; production and distribution of two publications, a catalogue of program resources, and a history of the CIS program; a three-day training session featuring presentations from Federal agencies on the financial and programmatic resources available through their Departments; and a catalogue of State and local programs in the areas of family strengthening and parent participation, working with adjudicated or incarcerated youth, violence prevention, prevention of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, and conflict resolution. The Cities in Schools Federal Interagency Partnership program is jointly funded by OJJDP and the Departments of Health and Human Services and Commerce under an OJJDP grant. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, Cities in Schools, Inc. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Race Against Drugs The Race Against Drugs (RAD) Program is a unique drug awareness, education, and prevention campaign designed to help young people understand the dangers of drugs and live a non-impaired lifestyle. With help and assistance from 23 motor sports organizations, the cooperation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Navy, and other government agencies, the National Child Safety Council, and a variety of corporate sponsors, RAD has become an exciting and innovative addition to drug abuse [[Page 21285]] prevention programs. RAD activities now include national drug awareness and prevention activities at schools, malls, and motor sport events; television and public service announcements, posters, and signage on T- shirts, hats, decals, etc.; and specialized programs like the ``Adopt- A-School Essay and Scholarship'' and ``Winner's Circle'' programs. Curriculum materials include the Be A Winner Action Book for 6-8th graders, a RAD Adult Guide, and a RAD coloring book for K-4th graders. In FY 1995 the program was funded to develop additional and updated curriculum materials, reach additional program sites, and demonstrate the Winner's Circle Program in Seattle, Washington. It was funded jointly by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and OJJDP with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) providing extensive printing and clearinghouse support. In FY 1996, OJJDP will continue funding to assist RAD to expand program operations to reach 500,000 youth at 300 RAD events annually, conduct 20 adopt-a-school programs in conjunction with major racing events, develop mobile educational exhibits and a variety of new educational materials, and conduct a program evaluation. OJJDP anticipates that the program will operate with private direct funding and in-kind support at the end of the project period. The program will be implemented by the current grantee, the National Child Safety Council. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. The Congress of National Black Churches: National Anti-Drug Abuse/ Violence Campaign (NADVC) OJJDP will continue to fund the Congress of National Black Churches' (CNBC) national public awareness and mobilization strategy to address the problem of juvenile drug abuse and violence in targeted communities. The goal of the CNBC national strategy is to summon, focus, and coordinate the leadership of the black religious community, in cooperation with the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies and organizations, to mobilize groups of community residents to combat juvenile drug abuse and drug-related violence. The campaign now operates in 37 city alliances, having grown from 5 original target cities. The smallest of these alliances consists of 6 churches and the largest has 135 churches. The NADVC program involves approximately 2,220 clergy and affects 1.5 million youth and the adults who influence their lives. NADVC also provides technical support to four statewide religious coalitions. As a result of NADVC's technical assistance and training workshops, project sites have been able to leverage approximately $1.5 million in private and government funding. NADVC has contributed to the planning and presentation of numerous technical assistance and training conferences on violence and substance abuse prevention and produced a National Training and Site Development Guide and a video to assist sites implementing the NADVC model. The Program will be expanded in FY 1996 to address family violence intervention issues and target up to 6 additional cities, for a total of 43 cities. Consideration will be given to SafeFutures sites when selecting the new sites. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, CNBC. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Community Anti-Drug-Abuse Technical Assistance Voucher Project The National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (NCNE) has extended its outreach to community-based grassroots organizations around the country that are working effectively to solve the problems of juvenile drug abuse. This project has three goals: (1) to allow various neighborhood groups to inexpensively purchase needed services through the use of technical assistance vouchers disbursed by NCNE; (2) to demonstrate the cost-effective use of vouchers to help neighborhood groups secure technical assistance for anti-drug-abuse projects to serve high-risk youth; and (3) to extend OJJDP funded technical assistance to groups that are often excluded because they lack the administrative sophistication, technical and grantsmanship skills, and resources to participate in traditional competitive grant programs. The Technical Assistance Voucher Project builds upon the strengths and problem solving capacity existing in low-income communities nationwide and provides much needed technical and monetary resources to grassroots organizations that are operating youth anti-drug programs and activities for high risk youth. The program awards 15-25 vouchers, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 annually. Eligible organizations must have: proven effectiveness in serving a specific constituency; a small operating budget ($150,000 maximum); 501(c)(3) tax exempt status; and a program that targets high- risk youth and/or juvenile offenders; and leadership that is indigenous to the community. Vouchers can be used for planning, proposal writing, program promotion, legal assistance, financial management, and other activities. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, NCNE. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Training and Technical Assistance for Family Strengthening Services Prevention, early intervention, and effective crisis intervention are critical elements in a community's family support system. In many communities, one or more of these elements may be missing or programs may not be coordinated. In addition, technical assistance and training have not generally been available to community organizations and agencies providing family strengthening services. In response, OJJDP awarded a three-year competitive grant in FY 1995 to the University of Utah's Department of Health and Education to provide training and technical assistance to communities interested in establishing or enhancing a continuum of family-strengthening efforts, including parent training. Grant activities include a literature review, national search, rating, and selection of family strengthening models, development and implementation of a marketing and dissemination strategy, and the selection of sites to receive intensive technical assistance. The grantee will also convene two regional conferences, produce user and training-of-trainers guides, and distribute videos of several family-strengthening workshops. This program will be implemented by the current grantee, the University of Utah's Department of Health and Education. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Henry Ford Health System* In FY 1995, the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) initiated a two- year program in Detroit, Michigan called ``Reducing Youth Violence Through School-Based Initiatives.'' The program serves seven elementary schools and two middle schools that feed into a Detroit high school. Primary Program activities are to identify juveniles at high risk, assess the needs of target youth, identify resources available in the community to serve those needs, coordinate community resources to create comprehensive programs, and evaluate the efficacy of the program. Participants include teachers, family members, community programs and agencies, as well as student and health center staff. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, [[Page 21286]] HFHS. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Jackie Robinson Center* This three-year project, initially funded in FY 1994, supports expansion of the Brooklyn USA Athletic Association, Inc.'s Jackie Robinson Centers for Physical Culture (JRC), which provide a comprehensive youth development and delinquency and crime prevention program. Presently, there are 18 school and 3 replication sites in operation serving in-school youth between the ages of 8 and 18. JRC's services are designed to prevent New York City youth from becoming involved in street gangs, violence, or drug and alcohol abuse, and to alert, educate, and inform youth and their parents about these issues. Activities conducted by JRC include development of positive peer groups, youth leadership, social and personal skills training, academic tutoring, sports, cultural activities, rap and discussion groups, individual counseling, parent education and involvement, community events, on-site crisis intervention, referral to treatment, physical/ medical examinations, social service referral, and college and job placement assistance. JRC has increased its recruitment and registration from 750 to 6,600 students. Students in each of the 18 sites participated in a minimum of 3 special events during the year. In FY 1996, JRC will develop a data bank system to monitor the in- school progress of participating students through indicators such as attendance, academic, and behavioral records. This project will be implemented by the current grantee, the Brooklyn USA Athletic Association, Inc. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Child Abuse and Neglect and Dependency Courts A Community-Based Approach to Combating Child Victimization Statistics on child abuse and neglect are alarming. In 1994 alone, an estimated 3.1 million abused or neglected children were reported to public welfare agencies. More than 1 million of these cases were substantiated. Each year, an estimated 2,000 childrenmost under 4 years olddie at the hands of parents or caretakers. Research demonstrating a link between child victimization and later involvement in violent delinquency suggests the efficacy of preventing child abuse and neglect and treating the victims of abuse as a means of reducing later violent and delinquent behavior. To break the cycle of childhood victimization and violent delinquency, OJJDP plans to enter into a joint solicitation with other bureaus of the Office of Justice Programs, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, to foster comprehensive, community-based, interagency and multi disciplinary approaches to the prevention, identification, intervention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. It is anticipated that two to five demonstration projects will be competitively awarded in FY 1996 as part of a 5-year project period. Sites will be required to address each of the following program areas: (1) data collection and evaluation; (2) system reform and accountability; (3) training and technical support to practitioners; (4) provision of a continuum of services to protect children and support families; and (5) prevention education and public information. Training and technical assistance will be made available to selected sites in a number of areas, including system reform, practitioner training, victim advocacy, team-building and interagency collaboration, family-strengthening services assessment and implementation, and diversity/cultural awareness training. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an ability to leverage other available sources of funds and document a readiness to engage in reform of child protection systems, progress in assessing and addressing child abuse and neglect, and broad community representation, commitment, and participation. Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children* This is a national project to prevent unnecessary foster care placement of abused and neglected children, to reunify the families of children in care, and to ensure permanent adoptive homes when reunification is impossible. The purpose is to ensure that foster care is used only as a last resort and as a temporary solution. Accordingly, the project is designed to ensure that government's responsibility to children in foster care is acknowledged by the appropriate disciplines. Project activities include national training programs for judges, social service personnel, citizen volunteers, and others under the Reasonable Efforts Provision of the Social Security Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 671(a)(15), training in selected States, and implementation of a model guide for risk assessment. The project is implemented by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) . NCJFCJ provides support services to coordinate programs, trains judges in the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, and implements the Model Court Program in additional jurisdictions. In FY 1996, a new program to divert families from the court system through arbitration under court supervision will be developed in three model courts using other funding sources. However, the program will be incorporated into NCJFCJ's permanency planning training. The Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children Program will be implemented by the current grantee, NCJFCJ. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Parents Anonymous, Inc.* Parents Anonymous, Inc. (PA) establishes groups and adjunct programs that respond to the needs of families through a mutual support model of parents and professionals sharing their expertise and their belief in each individual's ability to grow and change in ways that create caring and safe environments for themselves and their children. In FY 1994, OJJDP began supporting PA's Juvenile Justice Project to enhance PA's mission to prevent child abuse and neglect by developing a new capability within the PA network to address the needs of high-risk, inner-city populations, with an emphasis on minority parents. As a result of OJJDP funding, PA has: developed 31 new groups in 11 states; produced and disseminated the booklet, I Am A Parents Anonymous Parent, in Spanish; convened a National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. in February 1995 which focused on outreach, recruitment and services for families of color and collaboration with juvenile justice agencies; convened an Executive Directors' Leadership Conference in Claremont, California, in November 1995; conducted written surveys, focus groups, and intensive telephone interviews to gather ``best practices'' data; produced and disseminated 12,000 copies of an expanded Innovations PA newsletter; and produced and disseminated 15,000 copies of The Parent Networker, a new semi-annual publication focused on issues of diversity. In FY 1996, PA will convene at least two regional trainings focused on working with families of color in high-risk settings, produce and disseminate two technical assistance bulletins, one on parent involvement as it relates to [[Page 21287]] communities and families of color, and the other on strategies for providing PA programs for incarcerated parents, conduct two teleconference trainings, provide training and technical assistance to implement PA services in up to six SafeFutures Program sites, expand the number of PA affiliates working with the Juvenile Justice Project, and publish and disseminate a ``PA Best Practices'' manual. The project will be implemented by the current grantee, PA. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc.* OJJDP will continue to fund Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc. (LCC) of Charleston, South Carolina in its expansion and coordination of the services required to create a model multi disciplinary, crisis intervention program for child victims of sexual assault and their families. LCC's goals are to: (1) continue their existing multi disciplinary services; (2) enhance support and coordination between law enforcement and the Solicitor's (prosecutors) office in cases concerning allegations of child physical and sexual assault; (3) provide medical examination in a timely manner; and (4) collect and analyze data regarding the demographics of child victims and their families and the characteristics of the perpetrator, the sexual assault, and the community response. In 1995, as a result of this multi disciplinary approach, LCC has exceeded its initial projections regarding the number of individual children who have been assessed and the number of clinical treatment units provided to these children and their families (as of December 31, 1995). LCC provided physical examinations for 194 children alleged to be victims of sexual abuse in a child-oriented environment and in a timely manner. This project will be continued by the current grantee, LCC, Inc. No additional applications will be solicited in FY 1996. Shay Bilchik, Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Office for Victims of Crime Fiscal Year 1996 Discretionary Program Plan Victim Services 2000: A Vision for the 21st Century Introduction The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is pleased to announce its Discretionary Program Plan for Fiscal Year 1996 (FY96). OVC was created to help ensure justice and healing for our nation's crime victims. It carries out this broad mandate by funding crucial victim services, supporting training for the diverse professionals who work with crime victims, and developing programs to enhance victims' rights and initiation, frequency, and termination patterns. Studies of specific OVC administers two formula and many discretionary grant programs designed to benefit victims. These programs are funded by the Crime Victims Fund, which is derived from the fines, penalty assessments, and bail forfeitures of Federal criminal offenders--not from tax dollars. In FY96, OVC has approximately $220 million to support critical services to crime victims, national-scope training and technical assistance, and demonstration programs. Under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), 97 percent of this money is allocated to States for the funding of victim assistance and compensation programs. Three percent of the Fund's annual collections must be spent for discretionary programs, and under the Children's Justice Act, $1.5 million is allocated for programs to improve the handling of child abuse cases in Indian Country. This year's planned scope of activities to benefit crime victims is OVC's most comprehensive to date and includes the office's first major demonstration project. Spurred on by the fast approaching millennium, OVC seeks to create a blueprint for communities to build integrated, inclusive environments where service providers work together in one location to care for crime victims. It plans to offer communities the information, training, tools, and technical assistance that they need to create supportive, multi-disciplinary facilities designed especially for victims. Appropriate to this goal, the theme of the program plan is ``Victim Services 2000: A Vision for the 21st Century.'' Last year, OVC launched several major programs: The National Crime Victims Agenda, a project to (1) serve as a guide for long-term action to improve victims' rights and services in future years, and (2) update the 1982 President's Task Force Report on Victims of Crime by describing the progress on victims' issues during the past fourteen years; The publication of bulletins describing promising practices that are currently used by diverse victim service providers, including law enforcement, prosecution, medical, and corrections personnel; Projects to expand the capacity of the Federal criminal justice system and Indian Country to respond to crime victims; and The National Victim Assistance Academy, which offers comprehensive, cutting edge training presented by leaders in the field to victim service providers. Building on the achievements of past efforts and guided by extensive input from its numerous constituent groups, OVC will fund the following major FY96 initiatives: The completion of the National Crime Victims Agenda project and the publication of a long-term action plan for supporting crime victims; Victim Services 2000, a strategy to support communities in implementing comprehensive, collaborative services for all crime victims in a victim-centered environment that integrates many of the promising practices identified by FY95 grantees; An expanded National Victim Assistance Academy, simultaneously conducted at three sites through an interactive video hook-up, which will provide intensive education and training for policy makers and practitioners, as well as a training of trainers seminar to build expertise and promote leadership in the victim services field; The new Training and Technical Assistance Center, which will funnel resources to local, State, tribal, and Federal agencies to strengthen their capacity to serve crime victims; A major effort to improve the response of communities and the juvenile justice system to victims of juvenile offenders and gang violence; and A comprehensive plan to expand victim-witness training in the Federal system, including funding of full-time trainers for U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), demonstration projects to improve services to white-collar crime and bank robbery victims, and major new initiatives in Indian Country to improve the handling of child abuse and domestic violence cases. Many programs in OVC's FY96 plan grew out of dozens of meetings with constituent groups around the country and were developed in partnership with other agencies. These include other bureaus in the Office of Justice Programs (OJP); Department of Justice (DOJ) offices, including the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, the Violence Against Women Office, and the Office for Policy Development; as well as other Federal agencies. For example, the TRIAD Program, which is a partnership between older Americans and law enforcement personnel to improve services to elderly crime victims, has been supported by OVC, the Bureau of [[Page 21288]] Justice Assistance (BJA), and the Administration on Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services. TRIAD was developed by the American Association of Retired Persons, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Sheriffs' Association and has established over 260 local programs nationwide. Among the many other examples of collaboration is the Attorney General's Indian Country Justice Initiative, which funds comprehensive services for two Indian tribes. It is a cooperative effort between the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Department of the Interior, and various DOJ components, including the Criminal Division, the Office of Tribal Justice, the Office of Policy Development, and OVC, as well as other OJP bureaus. In this plan, the discretionary programs are separated into five major categories: The Vision, Voices from the Field, Building Vital Capacity in Victim Services, VOCA Enhancements, and Victim Assistance in Indian Country. The first category--``The Vision''--exemplifies the overall theme and includes the National Crime Victims Agenda project, the demonstration initiative Victim Services 2000, and the National Victim Assistance Academy. Other programs in this section are designed to fill gaps in existing services and gather information on promising practices that have not yet been identified and examined. Programs included under the heading ``Voices from the Field'' offer resources to fund projects that are generated from the field and will have a national impact on improving services to crime victims. They may include demonstration projects, training efforts, and materials such as films, curricula, brochures, and interactive training packages. The third category--``Building Vital Capacity in Victim Services''--includes other programs designed to expand the ability of local, State, and Federal agencies to serve crime victims. Examples of these programs are the Trainers Bureau, which provides national experts to local communities and agencies, and the Community Crisis Response Program, which makes teams of trained crisis responders immediately available to assist communities in the wake of major violent incidents. Programs under ``VOCA Enhancements'' direct discretionary funds to improve the effectiveness of State victim compensation and assistance programs, which receive the vast majority of Crime Victims Fund monies each year. A mentoring program and training conferences are included. Finally, ``Victim Assistance in Indian Country'' (VAIC) encompasses a host of programs designed to meet the needs of tribal communities in working with crime victims and enhancing system capacities. One major project supports over 30 direct service programs on Indian reservations. Another, the Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native Americans, makes direct grants to tribes to improve their response to child abuse cases and supports the development of related training materials. Within each of the five categories, programs are designated as competitive or non-competitive. Competitive programs are those for which OVC is inviting proposals. Non-competitive programs include most of the programs directed to support enhancements of services to Federal crime victims, many continuations of current grants, collaborative efforts in which OVC will participate but not award a new grant, and specific programmatic activities that OVC will conduct internally. This plan is a summary of the projects OVC plans to support during the coming funding cycle. The competitive projects are open to public and private not-for-profit organizations. Recent legislation has provided OVC with the authority to fund demonstration projects, but OVC is not authorized to support research, evaluation, or prevention activities. Most competitive programs, unless clearly designated for local, State, or regional purposes, must be national in scope. Anticipated funding levels, which are listed for some programs for FY97 and future years, are not guaranteed but are contingent upon the amount of funding that becomes available in those years for discretionary purposes. Application Process A Program Announcement and Application Kit, which will be available beginning May 20, 1996 will serve as a request for proposals. It will contain detailed descriptions of competitive programs and complete forms and instructions for developing an application. To receive a Program Announcement and Application Kit, please call 202/307-5983 or write to: Office for Victims of Crime, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 200, NW, Washington, D.C. 20531. Competitive Programs. The Program Announcement and Application Kit will describe for each competitive program: the purpose of the program, background, goal, program strategy, eligibility requirements, award period, award amount, and application due date. Application due dates will vary for different programs. A panel of experts will be established for most competitive program areas to review and rank the applications. Awards will be made to organizations and agencies offering the greatest potential for achieving the programs' goals on the basis of information provided in the applicants' proposals and assessments of past performance on OVC/OJP grants. Funding decisions will be made by the Director of OVC. All applications for competitive programs are due July 15, 1996 except for the Field Generated/National Impact Projects and the Action Partnerships with Professional Organizations. Applications for these two projects are due September 1, 1996. Non-Competitive Programs. OVC staff will contact applicants for non-competitive programs to discuss application requirements and due dates. Solicitation of Concept Papers. OVC invites eligible public and private not-for-profit agencies to submit concept papers for potential funding in FY97. Agencies submitting outstanding concept papers will be invited to submit complete proposals for funding consideration. Concept papers will be accepted on two dates: October 1, 1996 and February 1, 1997. We hope that the following program plan will generate creative and comprehensive proposals from diverse applicants and will nurture improved and expanded services needed to ensure justice and healing for all crime victims. Aileen Adams, Director, Office for Victims of Crime. Summary of Competitive Projects To facilitate applications, competitive projects which are described in various places throughout the program plan are together below: 1. Victim Services 2000 ($200,000 in FY96 and substantial continuation of funding in FY97-2000) 2. Victims of Gang Violence ($125,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 3. Juvenile Court Response to Victims of Juvenile Offenders ($150,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 4. School Demonstration Projects to Assist Victims and Witnesses ($200,000 in FY97) 5. Sexual Victimization of Youth Symposium ($50,000 in FY96) 6. Assisting Disabled Victims of Crime Symposium ($50,000 in FY96) 7. Victim Assistance for Stalking Victims ($75,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 8. Cultural Considerations in Assisting Victims of Sexual and Physical [[Page 21289]] Violence ($75,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 9. Restitution: Promising Practices ($100,000 in FY96) 10. Sexual Assault Curriculum and Training Project ($100,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 11. Field Generated National Impact Projects ($550,000 in FY96 and in FY97) 12. Concept Papers for FY97 ($600,000 in FY97) 13. State and Regional Conference Support Initiative ($75,000 in FY96) 14. Innovative Federal Victim and Witness Practices ($100,000 in FY96) 15. Capacity Building Technical Assistance (up to $10,000 per site in FY96) 16. Action Partnerships with Professional Organizations ($120,000 in FY97) 17. Resource Materials for Victim Organizations ($125,000 in FY96) 18. OVC ``Help'' Series ($30,000 in FY97) 19. Regional Technical Assistance Meetings for State VOCA Administrators ($25,000 in FY97) 20. Children's Advocacy Centers in Indian Country ($50,000 in FY96) 21. Topic-Specific Monographs ($75,000 in FY96) I. The Vision A. Comprehensive Initiatives 1. The National Crime Victims Agenda ($125,000)--Non-Competitive The National Crime Victims Agenda report will be published in 1996. The report will focus on promising practices in a variety of disciplines and crime victim categories, and will encourage reforms that build on the recommendations presented in the 1982 Final Report of the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime. A funding priority for OVC in 1997 is to support programs that implement key recommendations of the Agenda report. 2. Victim Services 2000 ($200,000 in FY96 and Substantial Continuation of Funding in FY97-2000)--Competitive Victim Services 2000 will support the development of a comprehensive victim service system in at least two select communities--one in an urban setting and the other in a rural area. The purpose of this initiative is to support comprehensive, collaborative services for all crime victims in a victim-centered environment. Demonstration sites will involve victim service practitioners, criminal justice and local emergency response personnel, support groups, medical and mental health providers, clergy, schools, youth, and youth workers as active participants in the planning and implementation of their programs. Sites also will be encouraged to develop linkages with the media, professional educators, legislators and other elected leaders, community leaders, the private sector, professional associations, and others to improve services to victims. The integration of recently developed technologies, special service settings, community-based programs, appropriate State and local laws, interagency linkages, and an internal assessment process will be critical to the success of these Victim Services 2000 laboratories, which will function as training sites for other communities. The initiative will require three phases: community planning and model development, component implementation, and training and information dissemination. During the first phase, sites will conduct a collaborative needs assessment and planning process, creating a model for a comprehensive victim service environment in their communities and a detailed plan for implementing the model. In subsequent years, they will implement the plan by enhancing existing services, filling service gaps, and integrating new promising programs and strategies into their system of services. Once the demonstration sites are fully implemented, they will assume two additional functions: to serve as a training laboratory for victim service personnel from other communities and to produce information useful to others wishing to replicate or adapt their model. The solicitation for the initiative will be directed toward communities that have already made substantial progress in developing a comprehensive and coordinated system of victim services. Applicants are expected to collaborate with other relevant public and private agencies that serve crime victims locally and document these relationships through written interagency agreements and commitments to share resources. First year funding will be in the amount of $100,000 for each site. Based upon grantee performance and availability of future funds, substantial funding for four subsequent years is anticipated. 3. National Victim Assistance Academy In 1995, OVC initiated the National Victim Assistance Academy, the first course of its kind to train victim practitioners and policy makers. The Academy offered basic and advanced interdisciplinary victim assistance training to students from across the country. In 1996, OVC will expand the effort by weaving cutting edge and tested training materials into a program that encourages excellence in leadership and in daily practice. The Academy will offer specialized training topics, basic and advanced instruction, and a train the trainer series to meet the needs of victim service providers and criminal justice personnel at local, tribal, State, and Federal levels. In addition, OVC will conduct a program assessment and then craft a plan for building a comprehensive, multi-faceted Academy that coordinates the best adult education training technologies with OVC's resources and current training programs. National Victim Assistance Academy Programs ($207,000)--Non- Competitive. OVC will provide second year funding for a five-day national victim assistance seminar for 120 victim service providers from the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels. The seminar will originate from a university campus located in Washington, D.C., and the instruction will be simultaneously broadcast to two additional campuses--one located in Kansas and the other in California. Each site will accommodate 40 students. In addition, the seminar faculty will conduct a two and one half day Train the Trainers program in Washington, D.C. for 30 victim service professionals who may serve as future seminar faculty in OVC or State sponsored victim service provider courses. Train the Trainer Seminar Series ($450,000)--Non-Competitive. Another major component of the Academy is a train the trainer seminar series. Each year, several topics are identified for which there is an evident shortage of qualified trainers to address the needs of the field. For FY96, four topics have been identified to offer in this series: Hate/Bias Crime, Victim Assistance in Community Corrections, Responding to Staff Victimization in Correctional Agencies, and Death Notification. The Train the Trainer Seminar Series is described in greater detail below under ``Building Vital Capacity in Victim Services, Comprehensive Initiatives.'' Victim Assistance Training Strategies ($25,000)--Non-Competitive. This project will assess the various strategies used by OVC to offer training to the field, and lay the framework for an expanded Academy which will include many of those strategies as Academy components. This project is described below under ``Building Vital Capacity in Victim Services, Non-Competitive Projects.'' [[Page 21290]] 4. Comprehensive Initiative To Improve Services to Victims of Gang and Other Juvenile Violence In FY96, OVC will launch a multi-faceted initiative to address the serious and growing problem of gang violence and its devastating impact on individuals and communities. The initiative includes the following component projects: Victims of Gang Violence ($125,000 in FY96 and in FY97)-- Competitive. This project will develop technical assistance materials to help victim service providers better serve victims of gang-related crime. Due to the fear of retaliation, revenge, and intimidation that commonly accompany gang violence, crime victims or their survivors are often afraid to exercise certain basic rights such as appearing in court, making an impact statement, pursuing restitution, or participating in other case events. In addition, these victims are often blamed for the violence or dismissed as contributing to the crime. This project will identify and document the successful ways agencies and communities are serving these victims and their families and describe practical applications for criminal justice and victim services staff. A package of technical assistance materials will be developed. Simultaneously, the grantee will work with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) demonstration sites, which are currently implementing that office's Comprehensive Community-Wide Approach to Gang Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Program, and assist them in developing policies, procedures, and services that address the needs of the victims of gang violence. It is anticipated that this assistance process will aid the grantee in developing the technical assistance package and also provide ample opportunity for pilot-testing the materials. Juvenile Court Response to Victims of Juvenile Offenders ($150,000 in FY96 and in FY97)--Competitive. In 1995, OVC funded three regional forums to assess the needs of victims of juvenile offenders and to propose action steps to address these needs. Although the recommendations generated by these forums are not yet available, information learned in the assessment phase of the project can serve as a starting point for focusing additional resources on areas of identified need. One such area is information and education on victim-related issues for juvenile court personnel and probation staff. The recipient of this grant will conduct a nationwide survey of practices and programs of juvenile courts that address the needs of crime victims. From information gathered by the survey and through a general search for additional promising practices, the grantee will develop a training and technical assistance package. The package should cover such topics as victims' legal and procedural rights, victim impact statements, restitution orders, and other programs and services that target victims of juvenile offenders for services or involve them in the court process. While the package will be directed primarily toward an audience of juvenile court personnel and probation staff, it also should provide useful information for victim service providers who work with victims of juvenile offenders. A training event will pilot- test the materials. In FY97, court jurisdictions will be invited to submit applications to receive intensive training and technical assistance from the grantee. Applicants with extensive prior experience in providing judicial education and training are encouraged to apply for this grant. Symposium on Gang Violence ($25,000)--Non-Competitive. Together with OJJDP, OVC will co-sponsor a one-day meeting of gang violence victims and victim service providers in conjunction with a larger conference on gang violence being held in June 1996. Participants will explore the strategies that seem to work in their communities, the current connections that exist among organizations serving victims of gang violence, the value in bringing these groups together, and the role that government can play in helping to reduce gang violence. Funding will cover expenses for victims of gang violence and for service providers to attend a planning session and the gang violence conference. School Demonstration Projects to Assist Victims and Witnesses ($200,000 In FY97)--Competitive. OVC plans to dedicate $200,000 to support two demonstration programs located in schools to assist pre- teen and teenage victims and witnesses of gang violence and other juvenile crimes. The purpose of these projects is to establish comprehensive programs for these young victims which can be replicated in additional communities. To be eligible for the project, a school should have or be willing to offer the following resources: an acceptable course of study on victim issues, which includes material on the impact of crime, presented in part by victims themselves; training on peer support, crisis response, and mediation techniques; individual and group counseling services; avenues for parental involvement; liaison with local advocacy programs to support youth who must deal with the court system; and support services for victimized teachers. Teleconference for Teachers on Staff Victimization. In FY97, OVC anticipates funding a teleconference for teachers on the topic of staff victimization, that is, victimization in the school and elsewhere that occurs as a consequence of their professional role. B. Competitive Projects 1. Issue Symposia ($100,000) OVC will fund two two-day symposia in the amount of $50,000 each on important and emerging topics in the victims field. As a substantive understanding of each topic is critical to the success of this program, it is likely that separate awards will be made to applicant organizations displaying the greatest depth of knowledge and experience in each area. The purpose of the symposia is to stimulate discussion on specific victim-related issues and to generate recommendations and action plans for addressing the issues effectively. Between 15 and 20 experts in a given topic area will be invited to attend each event. The symposium facilitator will survey the field for promising and model practices, relevant research and/or evaluation findings, and available statistics, and will provide this material to participants in advance of the event. The agenda will include expert presentations, round-table discussions, and the development of an action plan for the field that outlines specific steps for outreach, training and technical assistance, and public education. Specific recommendations for practitioners also will be generated where appropriate. For each event, the facilitator will report on the group's findings, recommendations, and action plan. These highlights will be summarized in a short monograph suitable for publication as an OVC bulletin. The symposia topics are: Sexual Victimization of Youth. National-scope studies such as Rape in America have documented the prevalence of sexual violence in the lives of youth. Failure to intervene during these formative years can lead to long lasting mental health problems and vulnerability to further victimization. Nonetheless, adolescent and pre-adolescent victims of sexual violence remain a population underserved by victim assistance professionals. The symposium ``Sexual Victimization of Youth'' will focus on effective means of reaching and assisting young victims. Assisting Disabled Victims of Crime. Persons with physical and [[Page 21291]] developmental disabilities face increased vulnerability to crime victimization, and at the same time, remain a population acutely underserved by victim assistance providers. Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act has heightened the visibility of the issue and prompted thought about how service providers can best extend the reach of their services to disabled victims. ``Assisting Disabled Victims of Crime'' will explore issues of service accessibility and appropriateness, as well as legal considerations arising from the law. 2. Victim Assistance for Stalking Victims ($75,000 in FY96 and in FY97) Although almost every State has passed anti-stalking legislation and developed a model code, communities are challenged with enforcing the new laws. This project will build upon the model anti-stalking code and recommendations developed by the National Criminal Justice Association under grants from OVC, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and BJA. The project will support a survey of promising practices for effectively managing stalking cases in the criminal justice system, with particular attention to protection and support for victims. The grant recipient will produce a compendium of promising practices in States and localities, with an in-depth focus on the case management systems implemented at three model sites. The grantee will examine strategies for coordination between victim assistance providers and members of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges. The grantee also will document innovative laws and policies, relevant and reliable case law, and the use of technology (e.g., special monitoring equipment) to protect victims. The grantee's final compendium will describe key elements of a model system response to stalking victims. Grant activities will cover two years with $75,000 available in FY96 and an additional $75,000 available for training and technical assistance in FY97. 3. Cultural Considerations in Assisting Victims of Sexual and Physical Violence ($75,000 in FY96 and in FY97) Female victims of sexual and physical violence come from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The diversity of this population presents victim advocates and criminal justice professionals with unique challenges in outreach and service delivery. Language barriers, cultural stigmas attached to being sexually victimized or battered, and lack of awareness of the availability of services often deprive women and their children of critical victim assistance services and criminal justice protections. This program will train domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocates, law enforcement, and attorneys to be more responsive to the female victims of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. A major portion of the training will be devoted to implementation of the Violence Against Women provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. 4. Restitution: Promising Practices ($100,000) Restitution is a direct and positive way to hold offenders accountable for the harm caused by their offenses. With widespread support from many victims and members of the general public, restitution has increasingly become mandatory for offenders in both juvenile and adult courts at the local, State, and Federal levels. Yet many jurisdictions find that orders of restitution are extremely difficult to enforce. Barriers to enforcement include inadequate administrative policies and practices, as well as the indigence of some offenders. This project, jointly sponsored by OVC and BJA, will identify promising approaches used in the criminal and juvenile justice systems to establish and enforce orders of restitution and to ensure that victims receive the payments due them. Such approaches might include the use of efficient, simple-to-use software programs to track and manage restitution orders; procedures for assessing victim losses to determine appropriate amounts of restitution to order; and strategies for collecting restitution payments. The grantee will produce a compendium of promising practices and accompanying training and technical assistance materials to assist jurisdictions that wish to implement them. In addition, limited technical assistance will be provided to sites seeking to improve their capacity to carry out court- ordered restitution. 5. Sexual Assault Curriculum and Training Project ($100,000 in FY96 and in FY97) OVC will fund a three phased project to develop comprehensive training for rape crisis counselors and victim advocates who are responsible for providing services and securing rights for adult victims of sexual assault. In phase one of the project, the grantee will conduct an extensive literature search and review and develop a comprehensive training curriculum and train the trainer guidebook for program managers and statewide coalition leaders. The curriculum will present effective service delivery strategies, including crisis counseling, support groups, criminal justice advocacy, outreach, and referral services. Since the curriculum and guidebook will build upon existing training curricula and will include standard core elements, these products can be developed concurrently with the literature review. Phase two of the project will focus on the delivery of training to service providers and victim advocates at national, regional, and statewide training events. In the final phase of the project, it is anticipated that the grantee will present the training as part of the train the trainer component of the OVC National Victim Assistance Academy. In addition, the grantee will assess the training and make recommendations for modifications and further dissemination of materials. Highlights of the training program will be summarized in a short monograph suitable for publication as an OVC bulletin. Continuation funding in FY98 will be considered, depending upon the success of the project. C. Non-Competitive Projects 1. Law School Clinics as Resources Against Family Violence ($25,000) In collaboration with the Violence Against Women Grants Office and the American Bar Association, OVC will support regional training conferences focusing on community responses to family violence. The target audience of the conference series consists of victim advocates and law school clinic personnel. The purpose of the grant is to encourage law school clinics to develop or enhance clinical programs that address family violence issues and to facilitate a recognition among victim advocates of law schools as valuable resources. The grantee will develop a monograph describing innovative services for family violence victims which will be disseminated to law schools nationwide. 2. Teleconference on Staff Victimization in Correctional Facilities ($50,000) A two-hour teleconference on staff victimization in juvenile and adult correctional facilities will be conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and OJJDP. The teleconference, transmitted via satellite, will allow participants to view the event ``live'' on a television or a large projection screen and ask questions of the experts by telephone during the program. OVC, OJJDP, and NIC staff will jointly plan the teleconference agenda. They will competitively contract for both the [[Page 21292]] production of short videotaped segments to highlight key elements of the topic and the ``uplink'' transmission of the event. Sites will register to serve as host sites, and each will designate a contact person to coordinate the teleconference, duplicate camera-ready materials for the participants, and submit participant evaluations to OVC. 3. Domestic Violence Against Women Technical Assistance Program Last year, OVC provided seed money so that customized, multi- disciplinary training could be provided to jurisdictions seeking to create a coordinated response to family violence. In 1996, OVC will continue to work with the Violence Against Women Grants Office to provide Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors (STOP) grantees technical assistance, including site visits for family violence teams to observe innovative programs in operation. 4. Safe Kids/Safe Streets: Community Based Approaches To Intervening in Child Abuse and Neglect ($100,000 in FY97) OVC will join with other OJP Bureaus to support the Child Safe Project, which will coordinate Federal, State, and local resources into a comprehensive prevention and intervention program for child victims and their families. This OJP-wide program will create systemic reforms to improve services for abused children; provide training and technical assistance support to practitioners who serve child victims and their families; strengthen a continuum of family support services to assure that assessment, counseling, and victim assistance services are available; assure the uniformity of evaluation protocols across sites; and provide prevention education and public information. OVC will provide selected grantees with training, technical assistance, and training materials on improving services for child victims. Assistance will focus on expanding the availability of medical services to sexually and physically abused children and mentoring or training programs for communities wishing to establish a Children's Advocacy Center. New technologies, use of specially trained nurse practitioners, and coordination with facilities that are providing quality forensic examinations and other medical services to child victims are some of the approaches that will be utilized to improve medical services for young victims. 5. Child Sexual Exploitation: Improving Investigations and Protecting Victims ($189,000) OVC and OJJDP will jointly support the continuation of a project that has developed a model for linking criminal justice personnel across jurisdictional boundaries and sources of victim assistance when sexually exploited children or youth are identified. During this phase, the grantee will: develop a ``promising practices'' report to document varying approaches to multi-jurisdictional collaboration; organize a conference, in conjunction with the 1997 National Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse, to bring together existing multi-jurisdictional teams; and develop a videotape and users' guide to showcase models for multi- jurisdictional collaboration. 6. FBI Victim-Witness Programs ($100,000) OVC will provide up to $100,000 to support one demonstration victim-witness program in an FBI field office or resident agency. OVC will work with the FBI's Victim-Witness Assistance Program to announce the availability of the funding to field agencies. Applicant sites will submit a proposed implementation plan and budget. The selected project will identify, implement, and document promising practices for working with crime victims. Information about the results of this demonstration program will be distributed to other FBI field offices for possible replication. OVC will provide funding for one year, with a possible second year renewal. 7. U.S. Attorney Victim-Witness Program ($150,000) OVC and BJA will provide joint second year funding to support a demonstration victim-witness assistance program in the Eastern District of Wisconsin U.S. Attorney's Office. The purpose of the program is to improve the capability of U.S. Attorneys' Offices to respond to the rights and needs of Federal crime victims. Funds provide for the hiring of a victim-witness counselor advocate, a community drug victim specialist, and a victim-witness paralegal assistant. OVC and the U.S. Attorney's Office will compile the program's promising practices and disseminate them to other U.S. Attorneys Offices for replication. 8. National Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse ($37,000) OVC will support the participation of teams of Federal criminal justice personnel nominated by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices to attend the National Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse. OVC will also sponsor workshops specific to the unique dynamics attendant to Federal sexual abuse cases. 9. White-Collar Crime Victim Advocate Pilot Project ($100,000) OVC will support a pilot project in the Northern District of California U.S. Attorney's Office to improve services for white-collar crime victims. The project will identify, implement, and document promising practices for working with white-collar crime victims. Funds will be used to hire a white-collar crime victim advocate who will aid in identifying and recovering assets for victims. The advocate will work under the direction of the Chief of the Economic Crimes Division and will work closely with other components including the Asset Forfeiture Division, criminal investigators, the Financial Litigation Unit, U.S. Marshals, and the Victim-Witness Coordinator. Funds will also provide for computer support and travel. As part of the project, a representative of the U.S. Attorney's Office will participate in an ad- hoc working group which will: (1) Identify and assess materials and practices that could benefit white-collar crime victims; (2) produce a resource kit that includes a victim pamphlet, victim handbook, and videotape; and (3) create a Victim-Witness Coordinator guide to assisting white-collar crime victims. Information about the results of this demonstration program will be distributed to other U.S. Attorneys Offices for possible replication. 10. U.S. Parole Commission Interagency Agreement ($54,000) Through an interagency agreement with the U.S. Parole Commission, OVC will fund a Victim-Witness Coordinator position to provide services for victims and witnesses with respect to attendance at Federal parole revocation hearings and notification of the results of those hearings. The Victim-Witness Coordinator also will coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Prisons when offenders are returned to prison to ensure that victims of the original Federal offenses are notified of the offenders' return to prison, any subsequent parole considerations, and the offenders' eventual release. At the end of the first year of this project, the Parole Commission will conduct an evaluation of the effort, including a review of case files for victim and witness appearance rates, and will survey victims, witnesses, and parole staff through questionnaires or phone interviews. The results of this review and survey may provide information [[Page 21293]] that can be used in State systems. The project might also document promising practices for Federal cases in which post-release supervision is provided by United States Probation Officers and in revocation proceedings conducted by the Federal Courts. 11. Children's Advocacy Center Pilot Project ($95,000) Through funds provided to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia, OVC will support the establishment of a Children's Advocacy Center demonstration site for Federal prosecutors and other agencies. The Center will showcase interagency services in a child-oriented environment. The multi-disciplinary Center will reduce the trauma to children by implementing a joint interview/assessment process among key agencies, thus minimizing the number of interviews. Program materials such as forms, letters, memoranda of agreement, policies, procedures, brochures, and informational materials for child victims and their families will be compiled and shared with other sites wishing to replicate or develop similar services for child victims. 12. International Victim Assistance Summit ($15,000) OVC will provide funding to assist the National Organization for Victim Assistance in organizing and implementing a summit on international victim assistance issues involving expert leaders from around the world. II. Voices From the Field A. Comprehensive Initiatives 1. Field Generated National Impact Projects ($550,000 in FY96 and in FY97)--Competitive This program is designed to give the field wide latitude in making proposals to improve practices and enhance crime victims' access to rights and services. OVC invites the submission of proposals for training and technical assistance projects that: (1) Address an area of ongoing or emerging need; (2) are national in scope or will have a national impact; and (3) will provide products or materials that may be easily adapted, replicated, and disseminated to practitioners in the field. Proposals must be congruent with OVC's discretionary funding authority to support demonstration, training, and technical assistance projects that improve the response to and services for crime victims. Activities outside the scope of OVC's funding authority include prevention, treatment for perpetrators, research, evaluation, and other activities not directly linked to assisting crime victims. Proposed projects may range from $50,000 to $100,000. Consideration will be given to projects that warrant multi-year funding based on project design. However, each phase should be capable of standing alone. Examples of the kinds of activities that can be supported include, but are not limited to: One to two day symposia on promising practices in a given topic area. Products will include an inventory of practices and programs; a list of expert trainers/practitioners; and symposia proceedings, and suggested strategies for action. Training programs for trainers and practitioners in a given program area. Train the trainer programs using existing and demonstrated successful curricula as well as the development of new training materials are encouraged. Products will include a survey of promising practices for new programs or an update of the curricula for existing programs; development and pilot-testing of training curricula and participant manuals; and plans to train with or directly disseminate the training products. Compendia of promising practices and program guidelines. Products will include a survey of the field; inventory and identification of promising approaches; identification of core programmatic elements and development of model programs or practices briefs; and publication of a short bulletin. Training videotapes with instructional booklets, for use by a trainer or as stand-alone training aids. Innovative applications of technology, such as interactive computerized training materials, or instruction and guidance in using other emerging technologies to inform, assist, or improve services to crime victims. Demonstration projects built on existing innovative programs that can serve as learning laboratories or production of information that enables others to replicate promising policies, practices, or entire programs. Examples of topics might include, but are not limited to: victim notification systems; training programs for judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers; train the trainer programs using curricula which have been demonstrated to be successful; victim assistance programs tailored to meet the unique needs of campus, white-collar crime, and bank robbery victims; and assistance practices that are responsive to ``hidden'' or underserved victim populations. Applicants for train the trainer projects must include the curriculum they intend to use. Proposals involving collaboration between public, not-for-profit, and private sector organizations are encouraged. OVC also is seeking to stimulate a response to crime victims from diverse fields such as the religious community, private non-profit agencies that link with the corporate community to address victim issues (such as workplace violence), and partnerships between organizations that result in expanded services for crime victims. In order to draw diverse skill, experience, and knowledge from the range of organizations that address crime victim issues, no more than two proposals or more than $150,000 will be considered for award to any single victim organization in a single year. B. Competitive Programs 1. Solicitation of Concept Papers for FY97 ($600,000) Innovative Training, Technical Assistance and Demonstration Projects In FY96, OVC anticipates funding five or six of the highest ranking applications submitted under ``Field Generated National Impact Projects,'' which is described above. OVC is also inviting the submission of concept papers on victim-related topics. OVC will review and rank the papers, and invite the highest ranking applicants to submit full proposals for FY97 funding consideration. Concept papers will enable OVC to explore new ideas without burdening prospective applicants, and also permit OVC to project more accurately the nature and amount of future grant awards. To be considered for funding, concept papers must address program areas within OVC's funding authority. Please see ``Field Generated National Impact Projects'' above. The examples provided, which illustrate permissible activities, are not intended to limit innovative ideas or approaches; the examples should not be construed as the only areas of interest or topics that will be funded. OVC's Program Announcement and Application Kit will give further guidance on preparing and submitting concept papers, which are due October 1, 1996 or February 1, 1997 for two cycles of review and funding. Special Focus: Assisting the Victims of Crime in the Adjudicative and Administrative Aspects of Criminal, Civil, and Tribal Courts OVC recognizes the central role courts play in ensuring the delivery of justice, enhancing victims' perceptions that [[Page 21294]] justice has been done, and improving their sense of safety and redress. In recent years, court personnel--judges, court administrators, and clerks of court--have increasingly developed innovative strategies for assisting the victims of crime in both adjudicative and administrative aspects of criminal, civil, tribal, and juvenile courts. OVC seeks concept papers from courts, court-related organizations, and other agencies with relevant expertise to support activities that enhance or demonstrate innovations in courts' responses to and activities with victims of crime, and that can be replicated in other jurisdictions. Such court activities can involve, but are not limited to: (1) The development and delivery of education and training or curricula development for court personnel, victim advocates, and victims, with particular emphasis on increasing coordination with the prosecutor and other components of the criminal justice system; (2) activities to improve victims' access to justice, including the access of those proceeding pro se in related civil/domestic relations matters; (3) diagnostic services and referrals to appropriate community services; (4) programs to increase the safety of victims and witnesses in cases of stalking, threats, and intimidation and to reduce their exposure to the offender and the offender's supporters throughout the trial period; and (5) programs that ensure victims are kept informed of, prepared for, and have the opportunity to be heard at the various stages of the court process. Other issues of particular interest that proposed projects might address are: the impact of the media in high profile cases; gaining acceptance and understanding of the role of victim advocates in the judicial system; and procedures that limit the trauma of testimony by making accommodations to victims with special needs, such as children and the disabled. 2. State and Regional Conference Support Initiative ($75,000) In FY96, OVC will continue its successful Conference Support Training Initiative. This comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to training has provided an opportunity for nearly 10,000 victim assistance providers, crime victims, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and allied professionals to attend cost-effective State, regional, and national victim assistance conferences. Over the past three years, OVC has co-sponsored 35 State and regional victim assistance conferences, as well as tracks of victim assistance training at four national conferences of allied professions. Through this initiative, OVC will continue to fund State and regional training events. Priority funding consideration will be given to States that have not previously participated in this project. A portion of the training workshops must be devoted to Federal crime victim issues. These issues may include bank robbery, bias/hate crimes, white-collar crime, and crimes occurring on Federal lands or in Indian Country. 3. Innovative Federal Victim and Witness Practices ($100,000) OVC will entertain proposals for identifying promising practices in addressing Federal victim and witness-related issues. C. Non-Competitive Projects 1. Federal Crime Victim Assistance Fund ($75,000) Through an interagency agreement with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, OVC will provide financial assistance to victims of Federal crime when other resources are not available. OVC will respond to requests from individual U.S. Attorneys' Offices for assistance in meeting the direct and immediate needs of Federal crime victims. 2. District Specific Training ($80,000) OVC will provide funding to Federal Districts to support training conferences and seminars addressing Federal victims' rights issues and compliance with the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. The purpose of this program is to allow U.S. Attorneys' Offices to sponsor training events that meet local or regional needs. 3. Oklahoma City Federal Victim Assistance Program ($100,000 in FY96 and in FY97) Through an interagency agreement with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, OVC will make funding available to aid victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building bombing. OVC will respond to requests from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of Oklahoma for financial assistance to support transportation to the trial in Denver, Colorado, for temporary shelter, and for crisis counseling. OVC will make an additional $100,000 available for this program in FY97. III. Building Vital Capacity in Victim Services A. Comprehensive Initiatives 1. OVC Resource Center ($350,000)--Non-Competitive The OVC Resource Center is a national clearinghouse of information concerning victim and witness assistance programs, victim compensation programs, and organizations from the private sector that assist victims and witnesses. It serves a broad constituency of individuals and organizations with professional, academic, and advocacy-related interests in the welfare of crime victims, including victim service providers, law enforcement agencies, clergy, prosecutors, health care practitioners, legislators, researchers, and victims. Key projects anticipated during FY96 include the establishment and distribution of an OVC newsletter, the development of new Internet/World Wide Web-based resources, and extensive conference activity. This initiative is supported jointly by OVC and BJA. 2. Training and Technical Assistance Center In recent years, OVC has developed several new mechanisms to direct training and technical assistance toward building the capacities of victim service agencies, frequently in response to requests from individual agencies for help in dealing with specific topics or problems. The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center will offer a centralized access point for information about OVC's training and technical assistance resources. It will develop and disseminate training and technical assistance materials on topics of interest to the field, and mobilize specialized teams to address these topics and other identified areas of need. The Center also will assess and evaluate the training and technical assistance provided by Center components to ensure that high standards of quality are maintained. During FY96, OVC will publish a Request for Proposal (RFP) to contract services for FY97-2000. The Training and Technical Assistance Center will include: Capacity Building Technical Assistance--Competitive. OVC is launching a technical assistance program designed to strengthen community-based statewide and national victim assistance organizations, coalitions, and support groups. There are currently over 8,000 local victim service programs, hundreds of statewide coalitions, and nearly a dozen national [[Page 21295]] victim organizations that have worked to make the criminal justice and social service systems more responsive to the needs and rights of crime victims. Although their accomplishments have been impressive, many grassroots, volunteer-powered agencies need organizational development assistance in order to ensure their continuation and nurture future growth. Through this program, such agencies may request the assistance of an expert or team of experts who can assess their current operations and advise them on strengthening their organizational structure and funding base, suggest strategies for networking and outreach, support their capacity to seed new chapters or services, and provide leadership and board development training. Interested organizations may apply to OVC for Capacity Building Technical Assistance, following application guidelines which will be described in the Program Announcement and Application Kit. The five top-ranking applicants will receive up to $10,000 in intensive, individualized technical assistance. This project will be coordinated with OVC's organizational development resource kit described below under the heading, ``Resource Materials for Victim Organizations.'' Trainers Bureau ($165,000 in FY96)--Non-Competitive. The Trainers Bureau is a mechanism for supporting cost-effective training and technical assistance to victim assistance programs and other agencies that deal with crime victims. Since its creation in 1994, the program has responded to more than 80 requests for a broad range of assistance. During FY96, OVC will publish a Request for Proposal (RFP) to contract services for FY97-2000. It is anticipated that this program will continue without interruption, and public and private not-for-profit agencies can continue to request assistance by contacting OVC for application instructions. BJA is collaborating with OVC in supporting this program. The Trainer's Bureau also will support a conference for OVC's discretionary grantees that provides information on the best strategies for developing and conducting effective training events, incorporates new technologies, involves OVC grantees in summarizing their projects and accomplishments, and focuses on OVC staff and grantee reciprocal responsibilities. The purpose is to share information about all projects, promote networking, and provide a forum to discuss future activities that will improve the quality of OVC training and technical assistance products and services. Community Crisis Response (CCR) ($25,000)--Non-Competitive. Through CCR, which was formerly called Immediate Response to Emerging Issues (IREP), OVC will continue to provide rapid response to requests for emergency training or technical assistance from communities and Federal, State, and local agencies responding to a major crisis involving multiple victims. Communities and agencies can continue to request assistance by contacting OVC for application instructions. Victim Assistance Partnerships and Strategies for the 1996 Olympics--Non-Competitive. OVC will provide support to public and private partnerships in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding communities to assist them in addressing the increased and special needs of people victimized during the 1996 Olympic Games. The designated lead local agency will convene a planning committee of Federal, State, and local officials and victim advocates to develop a crisis response plan and protocols and to facilitate memoranda of understanding among the relevant agencies to carry out the plan. Conference and Meeting Support ($80,000)--Non-Competitive. This program will support logistics, planning, and travel-related costs for OVC-sponsored conferences and meetings. These events are likely to include: Focus groups that highlight major emerging issues. One topic OVC anticipates exploring through a focus group is victim assistance from the religious community. Since many victims and survivors seek counsel and support from their religious leaders, members of the clergy have a tremendous potential to assist crime victims. This focus group will recruit participants from the widest possible diversity of religious training institutions. A project advisory committee will be identified from staff of seminaries, bible colleges, rabbinical schools, and clerical training institutions, as well as from religious leaders who are involved in victim issues and victim advocates. Additional focus groups on other topics also may be convened. Meetings with OVC's various constituent groups, including State VOCA grantees. Support for Regional Coordination Initiative activities. Funding for unanticipated conferences and events that OVC may wish to conduct in the course of the year. 3. Regional Coordination Initiative--Non-Competitive This initiative is designed to promote networking and collaboration among victim service professionals on a regional basis. It mobilizes teams of Regional Field Coordinators (RFCs), selected from experienced victim service providers, to develop and implement regional training and technical assistance projects on victims issues. Each of four regional teams plans and organizes a training or technical assistance activity that their group will sponsor during the year. Activities are selected based upon input gathered from victim service providers and allied professionals throughout each region. Funding for team activities will be provided through the Training and Technical Assistance Center. 4. Train the Trainer Seminar Series ($450,000)--Non-Competitive Hate/Bias Crime ($150,000 in FY96 and in FY97) Victim Assistance in Community Corrections ($100,000) Responding to Staff Victimization in Correctional Agencies ($100,000) Death Notification ($100,000) OVC will sponsor a series of training for trainers seminars using curricula on topics of special interest that have already been developed through previous OVC grants. Between two and four seminars will be offered on each topic. Using the curricula they have already developed, pilot-tested, and delivered, the Education Development Center will offer training on Hate/Bias Crime; the American Probation and Parole Association will present seminars on Victim Assistance in Community Corrections; the National Victim Center will offer training on Responding to Staff Victimization in Correctional Agencies; and Mothers Against Drunk Driving will provide seminars on Death Notification. Respective grantees will: (1) Update the existing training package to produce comprehensive and user-friendly instructor and participant training manuals; (2) develop a plan for recruiting ``strategically placed'' individuals and supporting their attendance through scholarships at a training seminar; (3) produce a plan and instruments for assessing the impact of the training; (4) conduct train the trainer seminars; and (5) prepare a final report that presents the project assessment and makes recommendations for further improvements or training. Since the focus of the project is to integrate the training information into policies and procedures, the recruitment [[Page 21296]] process is crucial to the project's success. Grantees should therefore present a plan to attract certified trainers or individuals who are strategically located within a national, State, or local training academy or other system. Participating trainees must commit to disseminating the information through in-service training in their organizations, at State or local training academies, or via other means that channel the information to allied professionals in community, State, or national arenas. 5. TRIAD/Elder Abuse ($50,000 in FY96 and $200,000 in FY97)--Non- Competitive In 1994, OVC entered into a partnership with BJA and the Administration on Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services to support regional TRIAD conferences. These training conferences have stimulated the growth of over 260 TRIAD programs in 44 States around the country. TRIAD is a joint effort of the American Association of Retired Persons, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and National Sheriffs' Association to build a coordinated service response to elderly crime victims. This successful training will be continued in FY96 and FY97. 6. Reproduction and Distribution of Training Materials for Federal Personnel ($80,000)--Non-Competitive OVC will set aside funding for the reproduction and dissemination of various training manuals and informational materials, including monographs, videos, and the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. 7. Automated Victim Assistance Case-Tracking/Notification System ($100,000)--Non-Competitive OVC will support the development, testing, and use of a specialized computer program that tracks victim, defendant, case, and service agency information. The system would be designed to: send victims timely notification of case proceedings and dispositions; provide victim service referrals; generate victim-related statistics; and ensure compliance with the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. OVC will reimburse the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys for expenses incurred by their Management Information Systems and/or by U.S. Attorneys' Offices. B. Competitive Programs 1. Action Partnerships With Professional Organizations ($120,000 in FY97--Amounts up to $15,000 per Grant Will Be Awarded Depending on the Activities Pursued by Applicant Organizations) OVC seeks to join with national professional and membership organizations to support projects that provide information and training to their membership for the purpose of improving their response to crime victims. OVC is seeking proposals that specify techniques by which applicant organizations will disseminate the information to their membership and encourage its understanding, use, and integration into the daily practice of those who work with crime victims. Organizations of medical, mental health, legal, and criminal justice personnel, as well as the clergy and other allied professionals, are invited to propose one or more of the following activities: (1) Training tracks or a series of workshops at national conferences; (2) and sharing information through periodicals, special monographs or descriptions of model practices, ``codes of ethics,'' membership mailings, teleconferences, videotapes, new communication technologies, and other avenues for reaching the range of professionals who assist crime victims. OVC is particularly interested in projects that result not only in information dissemination but in increased interaction between the membership of two or more groups. This project is a new component of OVC's Training and Technical Assistance Center. 2. Resource Materials for Victim Organizations ($125,000) This project will support the development of a training and resource kit designed to strengthen community-based statewide and national victim organizations, coalitions, and support groups. Family members of homicide victims and survivors of other violent crimes often turn to self-help organizations for critical and long-term support services, including peer support, criminal justice advocacy, and referrals. Self-help groups, typically staffed primarily or even solely by volunteers--many of whom are survivors--have continual and pressing needs for training and technical assistance on a variety of topics. The resource kit will be used to provide training and technical assistance that strengthens community-based statewide and national victim assistance organizations, coalitions, and support groups. The kit will cover such topics as: advocacy within the criminal and juvenile justice systems; working in the legislative, political, and media arenas; fund-raising and management techniques for volunteer organizations; strategies for networking; ways to strengthen organizational structure; techniques for leadership and board development; and outreach to underserved and minority populations. The grantee will identify an advisory committee of representatives of the major support groups for family members of homicide victims and survivors of other violent crimes, who will help shape the contents of the kit. The materials will be pilot-tested in several different settings. After they have been revised, they will be printed and disseminated to groups nationwide. OVC anticipates funding a second phase of this project which will provide funding to several support groups to use the training and resource kit with paid and volunteer staff members. 3. OVC ``Help'' Series ($30,000 in FY97) OVC will fund the development of a packet of crime-specific brochures that succinctly capture the best known information on a variety of crime-related topics and identify national resources and 800 numbers. The packet will complement the OVC Resource Center display; accompany responses to victims' letters, as appropriate; and serve as general public awareness material. Individual brochures will address the topics of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, drunk driving, and child abuse, with an edition specially tailored for children (ages 6-11 and 12-16 years). C. Non-Competitive Projects 1. Regional Seminars for Establishing Community and Institutional Crisis Response Teams ($100,000 in FY97) OVC will provide continuation funding to organize, conduct, and assess a series of three regional training seminars on establishing community and institutional crisis response teams. The regional training will assist participants in preparing a community or institutional crisis response plan that is flexible enough to appropriately address many possible crime-related crises. The plan must address both chronic crises, such as multiple victimizations on one college campus, and acute crises, such as hostage situations. The training also will assist in identifying key professionals to serve on the crisis response team. [[Page 21297]] 2. Victim Assistance Training Strategies ($25,000) As presented in 1995, the National Victim Assistance Academy consisted of a one week (40 hour), intensive block of training provided to approximately 40 victim service providers. In an effort to ensure that OVC is pursuing the most effective approach to building a training academy, this project will assess the basic elements of an effective academy, including: relevant target population, training practices and methodologies, technological pathways, and the relation of the academy to existing or potential State and national accreditation processes for victim service personnel. Options in all of these areas will be examined, as well as their respective cost implications. With input from OVC on the office's current training priorities and issues related to content, training sites, and number of participants, a recommendation report will be produced that can guide the process of building a multi-faceted Victim Assistance Academy that will enhance the quality of victim services in future years. 3. Resources for National Crime Victims Rights Week, 1997 ($30,000) Each year since 1982, National Crime Victims Rights Week (NCVRW) has been formally designated and commemorated at the Federal level during the month of April. NCVRW provides the nation the opportunity to acknowledge the plight of crime victims and to recognize the numerous reforms that have been instituted to advance their rights and respond to their unique needs. This project will support collaborative efforts between OVC and victim service organizations to make materials available to victims service providers, advocates, elected leaders, and the general public to assist in the commemoration of the national event. 4. Children's Advocacy Center Mentoring Program ($50,000) Children's Advocacy Centers (CAC) are assisting communities across the country in improving the handling of child victim cases by creating special child-friendly environments, adjusting criminal justice procedures to the needs and abilities of children, and adopting multi- disciplinary approaches. In FY95, OVC joined with OJJDP and the National Children's Advocacy Network to produce a video illustrating ``best medical practices'' for medical examinations; to conduct a conference to facilitate shared resources between CACs and family violence programs; and to support a specialized training track on family violence at the National Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse. In FY96, OVC will continue this joint effort with OJJDP by supporting a mentoring program that enables communities to connect with existing CACs and receive ongoing assistance in establishing or improving CACs or multi-disciplinary teams in their own communities. 5. Battered Women's Justice Project ($90,000) In FY95, OVC funded the Battered Women's Justice Project to analyze the Full-Faith and Credit provisions of the Violence Against Women Act and provide: (1) An in-depth State-by-State analysis of enforcement efforts; and (2) training and technical support for State and Federal prosecutors to implement these provisions. OVC is working closely with the Violence Against Women Office and the Violence Against Women Grants Office on this program and plans to continue this jointly funded effort in FY96. 6. Domestic Violence In Kentucky: Model Law Enforcement Response ($20,000) OVC has worked closely with the Community Oriented Policing Services Office (COPS) and the Violence Against Women Grants Office to establish a demonstration program in Kentucky to implement the Full- Faith and Credit provisions of the Violence Against Women Act. This program is both an intra-state and inter-state enforcement effort. 7. Office of Legal Education Victim Rights and Legal Issues Instructor ($100,000) OVC will support an attorney instructor who will draft litigation series chapters and course material and present classroom instruction on Federal victims' rights legislation, case law and policy, and prosecutors' duties and responsibilities to Federal crime victims. OVC will make funding available through an interagency agreement with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys. 8. Federal Prosecutor and Victim-Witness Coordinator Travel ($200,000) OVC will provide funding to allow victim-witness coordinators and prosecutors from U.S. Attorneys' Offices to attend various training conferences. These funds, to be made available through an interagency agreement with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, will cover travel-related expenses. 9. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center ($125,000) OVC will continue to support victim assistance training to law enforcement officers from over 70 Federal agencies. This agreement will provide funding for a trainer to present both basic and advanced courses at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. 10. FBI Agreement ($273,000) Through an interagency agreement with the FBI, OVC will support skill development training of Victim-Witness Coordinators at the investigative level. The agreement will provide for training for FBI Victim-Witness Coordinators and fund a full-time trainer at the FBI Academy. 11. Federal Interagency Agreements ($100,000) OVC will make funding available to various Federal agencies to enhance their capacities for responding to victim and witness needs. OVC will use funds to support requests for training or production and distribution of informational materials. 12. Federal Travel ($130,000) OVC will provide funding to allow non-U.S. Attorney Federal criminal justice personnel to both attend and train at OVC-sponsored training sessions. 13. Developing and Marketing of Products ($50,000 in FY96 and $110,000 in FY97) OVC is developing a minimum of 35 monographs and publications to disseminate descriptions of promising practices, that is, innovative and outstanding service strategies and programs that address the needs of crime victims. In addition, OVC will update the civil legal remedies bulletin, which informs victims of ways to pursue recovery and justice through civil procedures. The updated version will address current State laws and improved procedures and practices. Other products that will be reproduced and disseminated include the National Bias Crimes Training Guides, elder abuse training materials, and a guidebook for communities on responding to sexual abuse. IV. VOCA Enhancements A. Non-Competitive Programs 1. National Technical Assistance Conference for State VOCA Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance Administrators ($100,000) In FY96, OVC will provide funding to expand and enhance its support of [[Page 21298]] national-scope training and technical assistance for State VOCA victim compensation and assistance administrators. Grant awards will be made to the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) and the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards (NACVCB) jointly to plan and conduct a national training and technical assistance meeting. The meeting will bring VOCA victim compensation and assistance administrators together to receive guidance and technical assistance to advance their administration of the Federal VOCA grant programs. The grantees will work together to develop the conference agenda, identify presenters, and manage other conference activities. A major purpose of the grant is to foster ongoing collaboration and coordination among compensation and assistance programs. Compensation and assistance administrators throughout the country will be consulted by the grantees concerning conference dates, presenters, and agenda. 2. Mentor Program for State VOCA Victim Compensation and Assistance Programs ($50,000) OVC will continue support for a newly established mentoring program to provide for on-site, expert assistance for State VOCA victim compensation and assistance programs. Participating ``mentors'' are drawn from a pool of VOCA administrators who have demonstrated proficiency in a range of program management and operational areas. Technical assistance is customized to meet the specific needs of VOCA victim compensation and assistance administrators. OVC will make $50,000 available to continue in this effort. Approved on-site assistance will be short-term, generally lasting between one and three days. B. Competitive Program 1. Regional Technical Assistance Meetings for State VOCA Administrators ($25,000 in FY97) In FY97, OVC will continue to support regional training and technical assistance meetings for State VOCA compensation and assistance administrators. The purpose of this initiative is to fund a number of regional State VOCA administrators' meetings to address training and information needs. These meetings may focus exclusively on victim assistance or victim compensation, or on a combination of the two. Federal funds will be used to support coordination, materials, meeting space, consultants, and other costs associated with planning, delivering, and assessing each meeting. V. Victim Assistance in Indian Country A. Comprehensive Initiatives 1. Victim Assistance in Indian Country Promising Practices ($25,000)-- Non-Competitive OVC will provide funding to the National Institute of Justice to assess the efficacy of VAIC programs. B. Competitive Programs 1. Children's Advocacy Centers in Indian Country ($50,000) OVC will provide funding to assist two tribes in establishing Children's Advocacy Centers to serve as demonstration sites. In creating child-focused, multi-disciplinary settings, the centers will allow for a coordinated strategy to meet the needs of child victims and the criminal justice system. OVC will make funding available through OJJDP under a cooperative agreement with regional Children's Advocacy Centers. 2. Topic-Specific Monographs ($75,000) OVC will make funds available for the development of bulletins, fact sheets, and monographs on issues relevant to Native American child victims. Topics will include jurisdictional issues, child interviewing techniques, reporting procedures, child protection teams, psychological evaluations, cultural sensitivity, and tribal-Federal coordination. C. Non-Competitive Programs 1. Victim Assistance in Indian Country ($767,000) OVC will make funding available to 18 States to support on- reservation victim assistance programs in Indian country. OVC currently funds 32 such programs, enabling tribal communities under Federal jurisdiction to establish domestic violence shelters, crisis counseling programs, court advocacy networks, and other victim services. 2. Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native Americans ($717,000) OVC will provide third year funding to continue projects designed to improve the investigation and prosecution of child physical and sexual abuse cases in tribal communities. The programs have helped to establish special tribal child abuse prosecution units, develop interdisciplinary child abuse protocols, revise tribal legal codes, sponsor training, and support a variety of other initiatives designed to aid in the handling of child abuse cases. 3. Training and Technical Assistance for Children's Justice Act Grantees ($200,000) OVC will award continued funding to the National Indian Justice Center (NIJC) to provide training and technical assistance to tribes and tribal organizations in improving the handling of child physical and sexual abuse cases. NIJC will assess the needs of new Children's Justice Act grantees; develop plans to meet those needs; provide on- site and telephonic technical assistance to both new and continuation grantees; and produce a monograph which describes promising practices that have been implemented to assist child victims in Indian Country. 4. Tribal Court Appointed Special Advocate Programs ($50,000) OVC will support the continuation of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs in Indian Country. The programs will enable tribal court systems to assign advocates to represent the best interests of Native American children. Funding will be made available through OJJDP under a cooperative agreement with the National CASA Association. 5. Attorney General's Indian Country Justice Initiative ($273,000) OVC will make funding available to support the Attorney General's Indian Country Justice Initiative at the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana. This interagency initiative, which funds comprehensive services for two Indian tribes, is a collaborative effort between the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Department of the Interior, and various DOJ components, including the Criminal Division, the Office of Tribal Justice, the Office of Policy Development, and OVC, as well as other OJP bureaus. OVC will support Children's Justice Act and CASA projects, as well as victim-witness programs, at each site. OVC will work closely with the DOJ Criminal Division to implement these projects. 6. Tribal and Federal Judges Training ($50,000) Through an interagency agreement with the Federal Judicial Center and DOJ's Office of Policy Development, OVC will support a program to educate tribal and Federal judges on the handling of child sexual abuse cases in Indian country. The program will provide legal education on Federal procedural law involving the Federal [[Page 21299]] Rules of Evidence, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and the Major Crimes Act; issues of prosecutorial discretion; and relevant tribal law regarding child sexual abuse. Funding also will support the development of a program manual for tribal and Federal judges. [FR Doc. 96-11485 Filed 5-8-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-18-P