Title: FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results. Series: Monograph Author: Bureau of Justice Assistance Published: September 1999 Subject: Funding Resources 27 pages 58, 200 bytes ---------------------------- Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from BJA at 1-800-688-4252. ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 Janet Reno Attorney General Daniel Marcus Acting Associate Attorney General Laurie Robinson Assistant Attorney General Noel Brennan Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nancy E. Gist Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov Bureau of Justice Assistance World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA For grant and funding information contact U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 ---------------------------- This document was prepared by the National Council on Crime and Deliquency under grant number 99-DD-BX-0005, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice. ---------------------------- The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ---------------------------- Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results Monograph September 1999 NCJ 178232 ---------------------------- Foreword The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement continues to follow the new direction in grantmaking that began in 1997. The response to the FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement was tremendous. More than 1,300 applications were received from a wide array of state, local, and tribal governments. All proposals submitted for the Open Solicitation supported the implementation of innovative programs and policies that help to reduce crime and improve the criminal justice system. The FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement provided a unique opportunity for local practitioners from every region of the country to identify local problems and propose solutions tailored to meet their needs. The proposals showcased the efforts of applicants to build partnerships with schools, social service agencies, law enforcement, and virtually every type of institution that can play a role in improving local criminal justice systems. The potential of these partnerships for addressing the nation's most challenging criminal justice issues is truly exciting. This report summarizes the types of FY 1998 Open Solicitation submissions received by BJA. One of the report's most valuable findings, for both practitioners and policymakers, is the identification of emerging trends in state, local, and tribal criminal justice. It is our hope that these insights into areas of local need will assist grantmakers at all government levels, as well as their grantees, to design more effective programs that will strengthen the responses of local criminal justice systems to crime and victims of crime. Nancy E. Gist Director ---------------------------- Contents Chapter 1. Overview of FY 1998 Open Solicitation Program Chapter 2. Review and Analysis of FY 1998 Applications --The BJA Review Process --Content Analysis of the Applications --Major Results o Diversity in Types of Applicants o Prevalent Types of Applicants o Diversity in Topic Areas Addressed o Diversity in the Proposed Strategies To Reduce Crime or Improve the Criminal Justice System Chapter 3. The 1998 Grantees: Innovative Ideas From Diverse Communities --Alaska o Providing Traditional Cultural Services to At-Risk Youth --California o Teaching Tolerance to Juvenile Offenders o Engaging the Community To Improve Residents' Quality of Life o Reaching Out to Victims in the Immigrant Community o Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases o Bringing Court Services to the Homeless o Providing Counseling and Resources to Victims and Witnesses of Hate Crimes o Implementing a Community Justice Approach --District of Columbia o Establishing a Community Justice Youth Court --Florida o Developing a Juvenile Sentencing Project o Improving Services for Persons With Mental Health Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System --Illinois o Establishing a Financial Exploitation of the Elderly Unit --Massachusetts o Addressing Hate Crimes Through Law Enforcement Partnerships -- Michigan o Expanding the A.C.T.I.V.E. Volunteer Program --Minnesota o Removing Barriers to Justice for Immigrant Populations Nebraska o Establishing a Community Coordinating Council --Nevada o Increasing the Reach of the Kid's Korner Program --New Jersey o Establishing a Community Court --New York o Strengthening Community Prosecution Efforts --Puerto Rico o Improving the Justice System's Response to Senior Citizens --South Dakota o Delivering Alcohol and Drug Treatment to Women --Tennessee o Establishing a Community Court --Texas o Creating a Special Foster Care Court --Utah o Moving Beyond a Law Enforcement Response to Methamphetamine o Prostitution Project --Vermont o Establishing a Community Justice Center o Identifying and Accommodating Defendants' Developmental Disabilities --Virginia o Developing a Southeast Asian Outreach Program --Washington o Establishing a Mental Health Court o Reducing Racial Disparity in the Justice System o Developing an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team --Wisconsin o Replacing Alcohol and Drug Dependence With Traditional Cultural Values Sources for Further Information ---------------------------- Chapter 1 Overview of FY 1998 Open Solicitation Program The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 1998 Open Solicitation Program continues to follow the new direction in grantmaking that successfully began in 1997. This initiative is part of BJA's overall effort to support innovative programs that strengthen the nation's criminal justice system. Through BJA's Discretionary Grant Program, the Open Solicitation Program is designed to encourage state, local, and tribal community agencies and governments to submit applications consistent with BJA's overall objectives. The FY 1997 Open Solicitation resulted in BJA receiving more than 1,700 applications from every level of government and every component of the criminal justice system. Significantly, many of these FY 1997 applicants had not submitted applications to BJA in the past. The tremendous number of applications submitted and the variety of agencies applying were repeated with the FY 1998 Open Solicitation. The FY 1998 program emphasized the following three principles: --Local agencies and public-private partnerships, not the Federal Government, should identify the problems that need solving. --The application process should be short and uncomplicated. --As many agencies as possible should be encouraged to apply. Consistent with these principles, FY 1998 applicants were required to submit short concept papers (six pages or less) that identified problems and recommended solutions. In developing their concept papers, applicants had to address one of the following 10 topic or subject areas: 1. Community Justice. 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes. 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Rural Tribal Communities. 4. Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens. 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime. 6. Indigent Defense. 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice. 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public Safety. 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations. 10. Local Priorities. These areas were identified through a series of BJA-initiated focus groups and criminal justice constituent group meetings. Many of the topics are consistent with other initiatives funded by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The concept paper itself had to consist of a proposal narrative that addressed the following five questions about the applicant's proposed program: 1. What is the problem? 2. What are you proposing to do and how do you intend to do it? 3. What other agencies/resources will work with you? 4. How will you know if your concept works? 5. What are the costs and cost benefits of implementing the strategy? The concept paper also had to include a budget that could not exceed $150,000 and would provide adequate funding for up to 18 months. With these instructions, the FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement was mailed to more than 40,000 units of state, local, and tribal governments in April 1998 with a deadline for submission of July 2, 1998. Despite this relatively short time period for responding to the announcement, BJA received more than 1,300 formal submissions. From this pool of applications, BJA selected 32 to receive federal funding. This report summarizes the applications submitted to BJA. The findings provide information that BJA and other components of OJP can use to develop a more precise picture of the problems that local criminal justice systems face and to make recommendations on how best to address these problems. BJA is sharing this information with its Program Development Division, State Administrative Agencies, and other OJP bureaus. The information will also be used to guide BJA's policymaking, technical assistance, and discretionary programs. ---------------------------- Chapter 2 Review and Analysis of FY 1998 Applications The BJA Review Process BJA received more than 1,300 applications, of which 1,202 met the submission requirements. To determine which applicants would be selected for an award, BJA conducted a comprehensive and three-part review process. The first review was conducted by several practitioner/peer review panels comprising individuals with expertise in the subject areas of the solicitation and who represented a diverse cross-section of state and local criminal justice systems. Each panel member received instructions from BJA on the criteria to be used for assessing the applications. Reviewers were encouraged to evaluate the concept papers on their suitability for implementation in their own jurisdictions, as well as the overall quality of the application itself. The peer review panel scored each application on a scale of 1 to 200 for each of the 5 questions addressed, for a possible total of 1,000 points. Submissions with the highest scores were then forwarded to a team of BJA staff with expertise in the solicitation's general topic areas. Based on these internal reviews, recommendations for awards were forwarded to the Director of BJA. These recommendations were based on the quality of the proposal, the geographical location of the prospective grantee, and the type of governmental agency (state, local, or tribal). The use of brief concept papers, coupled with the peer review panels, dramatically increased the efficiency of the process of determining which concept papers were best suited for funding. Moreover, practitioners report that the solicitation's streamlined concept paper and review process was far more user friendly than BJA's traditional and more complex application process. Content Analysis of the Applications Given the large number of applications, BJA was interested in assessing the number of submissions by topic area and geographical region and the types of agencies applying for funds. Such an assessment provides an accounting of the 1998 program and helps BJA better understand how to modify and structure future Open Solicitation Programs. To assist BJA with this task, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) and the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections (ICJC) at The George Washington University conducted a content analysis of each application. A team of NCCD/ICJC staff was assembled to record basic descriptive information contained on the application forms (e.g., agency affiliation) and the funds requested. The NCCD/ICJC team then conducted a content analysis of answers to the five questions addressed in the proposal narrative. This analysis was accomplished by reviewing approximately 100 applications and developing coding categories to classify each application by a number of attributes. A precoded data sheet was created to ensure a high degree of consistency among application reviews. When the content analysis of each application was completed, the data were computerized and analyzed. The results of this analysis are presented in the following section. Major Results Diversity in Types of Applicants One of the most important goals of the Open Solicitation Program is to encourage agencies that rarely apply for federal funds to submit applications. State and local agencies representing large populations are often better positioned to respond to and submit sophisticated proposals typically required by the Federal Government. This application's short, straightforward format clearly helped encourage agencies to prepare and submit proposals, particularly those agencies serving rural and tribal areas that historically have not had the resources to compete for grants with complex technical requirements. In this respect, the effort to simplify the application process in 1997 was successfully continued in 1998. As illustrated in exhibit 1, 80 percent of the eligible applicants were non-state government agencies, with most of the applications submitted by municipal and county agencies. Nineteen percent of the applicants reported that this was their first proposal to a federal agency. Another 31 percent indicated that this was their first U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) proposal. Only 5 percent (62 applicants) had submitted their proposals under the 1997 program, and only 2 percent (29 applicants) had submitted their proposal to other federal agencies. A large number of these applications submitted to BJA presented ideas for crime prevention and reduction that had not been previously proposed to the Federal Government. Exhibit 1 also shows that the program was successful in attracting applications from rural areas, with nearly 260 applicants (21 percent) from jurisdictions with populations of less than 25,000 residents. Most applications were submitted by multiagency partnerships attempting either to implement a new program or policy or to share information and resources in an innovative manner. Exhibits 2 and 3 show the geographical distribution of the Open Solicitation applicants. Applications were received from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. While 36 states (including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories) had fewer than 25 applicants, 14 states had 25 to 49 applicants, and 3 states had 50 or more applicants. Ten states accounted for 50 percent of the 1,202 eligible applications: California (172), New York (69), Florida (67), Massachusetts (49), Virginia (48), Texas (46), New Jersey (41), Washington (41), Ohio (38), and Pennsylvania (36). Prevalent Types of Applicants The most prevalent type of applicants were police, sheriff, and other law enforcement agencies, which made up 35 percent of the total number of eligible applications received (exhibit 4). The next largest category was multiagency applications (16 percent), some of which consisted of a police department partnering with a noncriminal justice agency, such as a local public school, to formulate and implement a school violence reduction program. In other situations, law enforcement and probation agencies proposed to work together to better supervise those on probation. The next largest group was prosecutors (9 percent). Few applications were received from state corrections agencies (4 percent), public defenders (4 percent), probation and parole agencies (2 percent), tribal agencies (2 percent), public schools (2 percent), or community organizations (1 percent). Although small, these numbers are significant because they represent agencies that have rarely submitted proposals to BJA or other DOJ agencies. Diversity in Topic Areas Addressed No particular problem area identified by the applicants seemed to dominate the submissions. As exhibit 5 indicates, each of the first nine predefined topic areas received significant numbers of applications. The 10th topic area (Local Priorities) represented issues that applicants wished to address but were not prescribed by the other nine categories. In the final analysis, Local Priorities proved to be the most popular category, with 455 applications (or 38 percent of the total). Following is a description of the types of programs proposed for each of the 10 topic areas. Topic Area 1: Community Justice (123 Applications). Most applicants in this group underscored the need for communities to build problem-solving partnerships with criminal justice agencies (typically police) and community organizations. Community policing and restorative justice programs were often cited in these applications. Many applications emphasized the need to respond to demographic shifts in the number and ethnic makeup of their juvenile populations. Topic Area 2: Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes (45 Applications). Somewhat related to the Community Justice theme were applications that focused on reducing the rising incidence of hate crimes often directed at minority ethnic groups and homosexuals. The most frequently reported state and local requirement was the need for police to build community partnerships. Other needs involved strategies to raise cultural awareness among police officers and strategies to combat and prevent hate crimes. Some applicants were responding to communities in their jurisdiction that were experiencing major demographic shifts in Asian and Hispanic immigrant populations. Topic Area 3: Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Tribal Communities (82 Applications). Among rural and tribal community applications, many noted the lack of communication systems that would increase the speed at which crimes are reported to police and thus enhance the ability of police to respond. Many applications described increases in property crimes that caused damage to agriculturally based businesses. This category also included applications from tribal communities concerned about rising levels of juvenile crime, alcoholism, drug abuse, and the lack of economic opportunity. These applications cited a need to link criminal justice reforms to the restoration of the ethnic heritage of Native-Americans. Topic Area 4: Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens (117 Applications). Among topic area 4 submissions, the most frequently reported state and local need was to create strategies to prevent the abuse, both physical and mental, of our rapidly increasing elderly population. Other needs included strategies for building community partnerships to prevent and raise public awareness of elder abuse. In many communities that have witnessed demographic shifts in senior citizen populations that cannot speak English, elder abuse has become a concern. Many programs would provide additional school-age volunteers and increase involvement with existing social service agencies. Topic Area 5: The Role of Alcohol and Crime (85 Applications). In this topic area, the most frequently reported state and local need was to address alcoholism. Special concern was directed at drunk driving, domestic violence, and other crimes of violence that are often related to alcoholism. Other needs involved strategies for correctional and social service agencies to enhance counseling and treatment services for youth and families. The proposals specified ways to develop partnerships with schools, families, and law enforcement so that youth and families can receive the care they require. Topic Area 6: Indigent Defense (50 Applications). Indigent defense challenges are of particular concern to poor and urban communities experiencing the deadly nexus of gun availability, widespread crack cocaine use, and high unemployment. Among these submissions, the most frequently cited need was to expand existing indigent defense services and to improve interagency information sharing with prosecutors, police, probation, and the courts. Many proposals also noted the need to provide legal assistance to lawful immigrants who have been accused of minor offenses. Many proposed training sessions for public defenders regarding changes in federal immigration law and policies to better serve their clients. Topic Area 7: Cultural Barriers to Justice (96 Applications). Many of these applicants were responding to the growing Hispanic and Asian immigrant populations in certain neighborhoods. The local criminal justice system is often unfamiliar with the culture and customs of these populations. Concept papers proposed to enhance cultural awareness among police officers and social workers by providing training and hiring bilingual staff. Other papers proposed strategies to raise public awareness of cultural diversity in the community. Topic Area 8: Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public Safety (65 Applications). These applications, submitted by prosecutors, noted difficulties in expediting cases through the courts. They often referenced rising numbers of violent crimes by juveniles, crimes committed by street gangs, and drug-related crime problems. Proposals consisted of developing special prosecutorial teams that would focus on specific crimes (ranging from truancy to violent crimes) from the time of arraignment through sentencing, working more closely with law enforcement and victim services groups, and creating a community prosecutorial team that would be located within a targeted high crime-rate district. Topic 9: Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations (84 Applications). Among public health partnership submissions, the most frequently proposed strategies were designed to treat alcoholism, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. Programs that rely on well-trained volunteers to assist victims of domestic violence were also suggested. Other proposals would create public health partnerships to increase interagency cooperation, especially in situations where victims need medical and/or mental health services. Topic 10: Local Priorities (455 Applications). As previously noted, Local Priorities received more submissions than any other category. The most frequently proposed strategies included enhancing the training of law enforcement personnel in domestic violence situations; creating alternatives to incarceration to reduce prison and jail crowding; enhancing community supervision for pretrial release, probation, and parole; managing incidents involving police use of force; and improving drug treatment programs. The desire to purchase electronic equipment (computers, cameras, modems, software) or to plan for such technology was often mentioned in connection with these proposals. Diversity in the Proposed Strategies To Reduce Crime or Improve the Criminal Justice System An analysis was conducted to determine the most frequently cited strategies proposed in the applications. Because applicants were permitted to list multiple approaches, the responses shown in exhibit 6 exceed the total number of applications submitted. The most frequently cited strategy reflected the growing concern about juvenile crime and juvenile gangs in particular. Applications supported prevention programs as well as policies designed to "get tough" with juveniles who commit violent crimes. Establishing partnerships with other criminal justice and community-based organizations highlighted the need to better coordinate and use existing agency resources activities that can be conducted with a relatively small grant. The need for improved computer technologies that would enable agencies to better track and monitor their performance was also frequently expressed. Proposals in this category often recommended studies to determine the weaknesses of current information systems the results of which could then be used when purchasing equipment and software. Implementing alternatives to incarceration and improving communications with the public were also frequently cited in the concept papers. Public education proposals ranged from printing posters for display in schools to producing television commercials directed at youth to dramatize the negative effects of drug use and crime. ---------------------------- Chapter 3 The 1998 Grantees: Innovative Ideas From Diverse Communities Of the more than 1,200 eligible papers submitted to BJA, 32 were selected in October 1998 for awards of up to $150,000 and covering a period of up to 18 months. Like the general pool of Open Solicitation applicants, many grantees were rural and tribal agencies historically underserved by federal grant competitions. In this chapter, brief descriptions of the 32 projects are provided. Each grantee will receive technical assistance from and be evaluated by the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Bethel, Alaska Providing Traditional Cultural Services to At-Risk Youth The Orutsararmuit Native Council (ONC) is located in Bethel on the Yukon Kuskokwin River Delta. The region is geographically and culturally removed from urban Alaska, and many services are unavailable or inaccessible to families in the area. Although the region's remoteness has helped to preserve tribal traditions and cultures, modern culture has also created many social problems for the community. Modern conveniences have replaced traditional practices, leaving people with fewer activities in which to participate. Compounding the problem is the sense of hopelessness created by the lack of jobs in the region. This combination of inactivity and hopelessness has contributed to increases in substance abuse and criminal activity in the tribal community, especially among juveniles. ONC, through the Rural Alaska Juvenile Tribal Court Program, will work with the state of Alaska to divert juvenile delinquency cases from state courts to the ONC Children's Court. Juveniles referred to the ONC Children's Court will receive comprehensive services designed to remove barriers to living a healthy and productive life. ONC will offer young offenders services and counseling on mental health, anger management, and substance abuse. Participants will also work closely with tribal elders to learn traditional methods for dealing with problems. Los Angeles, California Teaching Tolerance to Juvenile Offenders The Los Angeles County District Attorney will create a Juvenile Offenders Learning Tolerance (JOLT) Program for at-risk youth who commit nonviolent hate crimes and for their parents. The JOLT Program will focus on reaching youth at three points in the juvenile justice system: prevention, intervention, and suppression. Activities at these three points will be provided through a cooperative multiagency program designed to strengthen the community's response to hate-related violence. Marin, California Engaging the Community To Improve Residents' Quality of Life While violent crime rates fell nationwide and within Marin County during the past few years, violent crime rates in the city of Marin's public housing increased. Life in this Bay Area community is often characterized by visible drug trafficking and use, neighborhood noise, high unemployment, poverty, and violence. The county and city of Marin have joined with the Marin Housing Authority, Bay Area Community Resources, the Marin City Project, Marin Services for Women, and the Marin County Sheriff's Department to provide the tools, training, and support for this community to identify and solve the daily problems residents face. The program will engage the community, establish community action teams, support community education efforts, and connect the community with services. The program's effectiveness will be measured by indicators of increased utilization of services and increased community satisfaction. Orange County, California Reaching Out to Victims in the Immigrant Community The Orange County District Attorney's Office lacks sufficient resources to reach out to the county's immigrant populations and educate them about the services available to victims of crime. Many immigrants distrust the legal system and are reluctant to come forward to seek help or testify in criminal cases. In response to these concerns, the District Attorney's Office will create a public outreach program called Prosecution Resource Outreach Generating Immigrant Victim Education (PRO GIVE). Using the latest computer technologies, PRO GIVE will educate immigrants about the role of the District Attorney's Office, the progression of a case through the criminal justice system, and the many services available through the District Attorney's Office for victims, witnesses, and their families. Presentations will be created in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Riverside, California Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases The Coachella Valley in Riverside County is home to more than 70,000 senior residents. At least 30 percent live at or below the poverty level, and 24 percent are minorities. Nationally, it is estimated that elder abuse has increased more than 100 percent in the past decade, but only 1 in 14 cases is reported. In Coachella Valley, Protective Services investigated more than 600 cases of elder abuse in 1997, but only 20 cases were referred for review and criminal prosecution. Through this project, the Riverside County District Attorney will establish and participate in an aggressive multiagency effort to address incidents of elder abuse. This project will serve as a national model for the role of the district attorney in providing leadership on this issue. A key component of the project will be the establishment of an Elder Abuse Prevention Unit in the Riverside County District Attorney's Office to ensure the prosecution of elder abuse cases and provide supportive services to elderly victims. The unit will work closely with the county's Office on Aging, Adult Protective Services, and other relevant agencies and will produce a how-to guide to assist other jurisdictions that face this growing problem. San Diego, California Bringing Court Services to the Homeless The city of San Diego is home to an estimated 7,500 homeless individuals. The cycle of living on the street frequently results in contact with the police in the form of an arrest or an illegal lodging citation. In a traditional court setting, many homeless defendants fail to appear, thereby clogging court calendars. Nearly 10 years ago, San Diego held its first Stand Down, a 3-day event in which Vietnam Veterans coordinated a range of services for homeless veterans, including employment and housing consultation, legal assistance, medical and mental health treatment services, and other social support services. The court joined this effort, and the result was the resolution of thousands of outstanding court cases. To build on the achievements of Stand Down, the Homeless Court Program will bring the court to shelters each month to improve access to the court, resolve outstanding cases, build community collaborations, reduce court and jail costs, and ultimately bring the homeless back into society. The program's effectiveness will be measured through a cost-benefit analysis as well as an assessment of recidivism rates and experiences of defendants. San Diego, California Providing Counseling and Resources to Victims and Witnesses of Hate Crimes The San Diego Police Department will organize a comprehensive array of services designed to address the unique issues involved with hate crimes and their tangible and intangible effects on victims and witnesses. This program will offer resources for less tangible injuries or losses, specifically the emotional pain, confusion, and posttraumatic stress associated with hate crimes. To achieve the project's goals, the police department will develop a community-based response, support, and referral system adapted to the special needs of hate crime victims; organize a volunteer corps of Hate Crime Crisis Intervention Specialists to provide immediate, on-scene support and assistance to hate crime victims and witnesses; and provide immediate and ongoing support, resources, assistance, and referral to victims in the crucial hours and days after the crime. San Francisco, California Implementing a Community Justice Approach The Mayor's Criminal Justice Council of San Francisco will implement a community court pilot project. This program will address quality-of-life crimes that degrade local neighborhoods and provide relief to San Francisco's overburdened criminal court system by implementing an innovative community court initiative in two diverse neighborhoods. The council will develop a program model that can be used to launch other community courts throughout San Francisco, as well as to help other jurisdictions develop community justice programs. In addition, the council will develop a training curriculum to educate the community about the program and will hold neighborhood advisory meetings on the community court process. District of Columbia Establishing a Community Justice Youth Court The Superior Court of the District of Columbia will convert its existing youth court from an isolated demonstration program to the cornerstone of a community justice system. To build on the success of the demonstration project, the superior court will reshape and secure long-term support for the youth court. The D.C. superior court will secure long-term support for and expand the scale of the youth court by increasing the size of the jury pool, the number of hearings, and the number and range of community placements. In addition, the superior court will transfer current oversight of the youth court to a community governance structure and develop a governance system with shared ownership and responsibility for implementation. Miami, Florida Developing a Juvenile Sentencing Project In 1997, 1,298 juveniles were transferred to the adult criminal court in Miami-Dade County, up from 643 in 1992. Public defenders represented nearly 900 of these cases. Although Florida law mandates that felony court judges consider juvenile sanctions in lieu of adult punishment for transferred juveniles, assistant public defenders have been unable to advocate effectively for the imposition of juvenile, rather that adult, sanctions. Only 50 of the 900 juveniles represented received juvenile sanctions. This overreliance on adult sanctions is due, in large part, to heavy caseloads and lack of experience of public defenders, prosecutors, and judges regarding children and sentencing options. Through this grant, public defenders will improve sentencing options for juveniles who are being considered for or who have already been transferred to criminal court. This project will develop a national model for defense-based sentencing planning for this growing population of youth, including a comprehensive client-specific assessment of youth being tried as adults as well as specialized training for attorneys and other court personnel. Polk County, Florida Improving Services for Persons With Mental Health Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System Individuals with a mental health disability pose high-risk, challenging situations for the Polk County Jail. Arrest and detention frequently exacerbate the mental health problems of the arrestee, and this disability presents a unique challenge during the sentencing process because mental health treatment should be a factor in the disposition of the case. Additionally, the arrestee may present a public safety threat if continuum-of-care services are not established prior to release from jail. As of June 1998, approximately 7 percent of the inmates in Polk County Jail were receiving antipsychotic medication. The goals of this program are to increase services to persons with mental health disabilities who are arrested in Polk County, to ensure the establishment of a continuum of care between the criminal justice and mental health systems, and to reduce the involvement of mental health inmates in the criminal justice system. Springfield, Illinois Establishing a Financial Exploitation of the Elderly Unit This project supports the development of a Financial Exploitation of the Elderly Unit within the Illinois State Police to respond to requests for assistance and training in the investigation and prosecution of statewide financial exploitation cases against the elderly. The project will fund two investigators who will serve as advocates to help facilitate the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators of financial crimes against the elderly and to educate the elderly on financial abuse. They will also use deterrence to reduce the instances of financial exploitation committed against elderly citizens. Boston, Massachusetts Addressing Hate Crimes Through Law Enforcement Partnerships The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety, Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes, will address the problem of underreporting hate crimes. The program will research and develop innovative and wide-ranging countermeasures against hate crimes, based on a clear understanding of the challenges posed by underreporting. The task force will assess and quantify the extent of underreporting of hate crimes and perform intensive outreach and assistance to organizations potentially available to help victims report hate crimes. In addition, the task force will conduct diversity training seminars for both youth and convicted hate crime perpetrators. Forsyth Township, Michigan Expanding the A.C.T.I.V.E. Volunteer Program Forsyth Township, a rural community on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is the state's largest township, covering 181 square miles. The Forsyth Township Police Department, which consists of seven sworn police officers, patrols this large geographical area. Generally, each shift is covered by one officer. Because the township is so large, many outlying homes receive limited patrol coverage from the police department. Officers spend much of their time responding to priority calls and often do not have the opportunity to respond immediately to nonemergency incidents, such as vandalism, theft, and other less important complaints. To address this problem, the Forsyth Township Police Department has created a volunteer program called Adults Committed Toward Implementing Volunteer Efforts (A.C.T.I.V.E.). A.C.T.I.V.E. members patrol outlying areas, take accident reports, assist with traffic control, collect evidence, participate in public relations activities, and perform other administrative duties while sworn officers are responding to more serious and more urgent situations. Five volunteers have been selected for the A.C.T.I.V.E. program and will receive training at the local police academy. Through this grant, the Forsyth Township Police Department will purchase a specially equipped vehicle for the program, as well as uniforms and related supplies. Hennepin County, Minnesota Removing Barriers to Justice for Immigrant Populations During the past decade, many immigrants and refugees have moved to Hennepin County and settled in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. The rapid growth of the area's immigrant population has placed new strains on the court system. Increasingly, Hennepin County courts are facing difficulties in providing qualified interpreters for court proceedings involving defendants and witnesses who do not speak English. Compounding the problems caused by the language barrier, many immigrants, especially from the area's growing East African community, are unfamiliar with local laws and the criminal justice system. Hennepin County has developed a two-pronged strategy to address these issues. The first strategy seeks to evaluate, assess, and improve the quality of interpretive services provided to non-English speakers at the Hennepin County District Court. The county will work with the Minnesota State Court System to create a model interpreter program that can be used in other jurisdictions. The second strategy will focus exclusively on improving the relationship between the Hennepin County District Court and the county's East African community. Hennepin County will contract with Jambo, Inc., a nonprofit East African advocacy organization, to provide liaison services to this population. Omaha, Nebraska Establishing a Community Coordinating Council This award will support the partnership between the Omaha Human Relations Department and the city's Community Coordinating Council Against Hate Crimes, which will coordinate the development of a detailed strategy to address hate crimes. The purpose of the project is to support metropolitan Omaha's efforts to reduce the incidence of hate crimes through increased public awareness and reporting and to improve prosecution and law enforcement through enhanced investigation and training on hate violence. The project will develop a variety of public relations initiatives and conduct training seminars for law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public. Reno, Nevada Increasing the Reach of the Kid's Korner Program Many low-income families in the Reno area live in motels that are old, poorly maintained, and frequently in violation of building, safety, and health codes. In June 1996, two Reno police officers investigated several incidents involving small children and their parents who were living in the motels. The police officers found that the children were often unsupervised, hungry, and living in extreme filth and poverty. In response, the Reno Police Department created the Kid's Korner program. Kid's Korner, a partnership of five local agencies, is a "knock and talk" program in which police officers visit local motels to check on the welfare of the children living there and provide families with access to community resources. A community health nurse accompanies each police officer to offer on-the-spot health and social assessments of the families, "well-baby" checkups, immunizations, and immediate medical care. The nurse also provides education on hygiene, nutrition, child development, parenting skills, and the effects of drugs and alcohol. Funding from this grant will add a full-time police officer and a community health nurse to Kid's Korner, enabling the program to significantly increase the number of children and families it serves. Belleville, New Jersey Establishing a Community Court This project supports the establishment of a community court in the Valley section of Belleville Township, which will become an integral part of the Community Policing Partnership Program. The project will fund several positions to create a community court that will make justice visible to, accessible to, and proactive for Valley residents who will become stakeholders in the process. The goals of the project are to reduce the number of complaints in the Valley and restore a sense of community, well-being, and pride by creating a partnership between the community and the local judicial system. Mineola, New York Strengthening Community Prosecution Efforts The Nassau County District Attorney's Office will work with BJA to reduce the incidences of crime in Hempstead Village. This project will build upon the community problem-solving initiative instituted by the District Attorney's Office in 1997, expanding the effort's education, sports, and mentoring programs. This project will work to strengthen community prosecution by hiring an additional assistant district attorney to work in the community. The District Attorney's Office will work closely with law enforcement, the courts, the schools, social service agencies, youth-serving organizations, religious leaders, and athletic organizations. San Juan, Puerto Rico Improving the Justice System's Response to Senior Citizens This project supports the expansion of the city of San Juan's Domestic Violence Program to address the physical and emotional abuse of elderly women. The purpose of this project is to secure a mobile unit to regularly visit elderly women living in rural and marginal areas of San Juan and provide counseling, crisis intervention, and legal assistance. Eagle Butte, South Dakota Delivering Alcohol and Drug Treatment to Women The high crime rate on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation has a direct correlation to alcohol abuse. Nearly 87 percent of all criminal offenses on the reservation are alcohol related. The Four Bands Healing Center is responsible for alcohol and drug treatment on the reservation. The center has a comprehensive treatment program for men that provides a nonalcoholic environment during treatment. For women, however, there is no comparable nonalcoholic environment. This situation, coupled with child care issues, substantially impedes successful treatment for women. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe's Winyan Okiciyapi Oti (the home where women help each other) project is dedicated to changing the way treatment is delivered to women by providing an alcohol- and drug-free environment, secure child care during treatment, mental health services, and comprehensive aftercare. The program's effectiveness will be measured by the number of treatment and aftercare completions. Memphis, Tennessee Establishing a Community Court This project will establish a community court in the Frayser community of Memphis to address quality-of-life crimes and serve as the focal point of crime prevention efforts in the area. The court will be supported by a collaboration of criminal justice agencies and neighborhood groups working together to reduce and prevent crime in the Frayser neighborhood. The court will be located in a neighborhood building and will be available for the public and for school classes to observe its operations. Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas Creating a Special Foster Care Court This project will support the development of the Special Foster Care Court for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This court will assist the juvenile justice system, thereby providing immediate intervention and services for juvenile crime and preventing juvenile risk factors normally associated with criminality. The goals of the court will be to reduce the backlog of child protective service cases, reduce the amount of time children spend under temporary supervision, improve judicial proceedings involving foster care cases, and address the problematic issues of child abuse and crime. Salt Lake City, Utah Moving Beyond a Law Enforcement Response to Methamphetamine The Salt Lake City Corporation seeks to address the exposure of citizens in Salt Lake City to deadly chemicals found in methamphetamine labs. This project will increase the capacity of the local health department, child protective services, and police department through a two-pronged system. First, the strategy will enhance current methods of dealing with methamphetamine production, distribution, and use and integrate these methods into those of other agencies. Second, the agencies will work together to create a best-practices training curriculum to be shared with other jurisdictions. Salt Lake City, Utah Prostitution Project The number of young women, including juveniles, in Salt Lake City who have become involved in prostitution has steadily increased in recent years. In addition to street prostitution, many women are also engaged in prostitution through the city's escort businesses, which are more difficult for police to investigate. In response, Salt Lake City initiated a collaborative community effort in 1995 to develop interventions for young women involved in prostitution. Expanding on this initiative, the city will continue the police department's emphasis on arresting pimps and owners of illegal sexually oriented businesses. The project will also emphasize the coordination of community resources available to women who want to leave prostitution. A victim advocate and public health nurse/social worker will be hired to provide educational and social services to women and juveniles involved in prostitution. These individuals will work closely with the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office as part of an interagency team responsible for the coordination of community resources and programs. Burlington, Vermont Establishing a Community Justice Center Burlington, located in the northwest corner of Vermont on the shores of Lake Champlain, has a population of 40,000 year-round residents. It is also home to 15,000 college students during the school year. Although not the sole source of community disturbances, college students make their presence felt in some areas of the city in ways that do not ingratiate them to the city's permanent residents. In the past 3 years, neighborhood disturbances have accounted for 25 percent of calls to the police department, and noise complaints have constituted 40 percent of all disturbance calls. People feel less safe, and these fears are driven largely by a decline in neighborhood civility and quality of life. The goals of this project are to establish a place for citizens to learn about conflict resolution and restorative justice, enhance the city's Reparative Probation Program, develop community boards to deal with low-level crime, better coordinate existing services, and provide citizens with the tools for resolving neighborhood conflict. Montpelier, Vermont Identifying and Accommodating Defendants' Developmental Disabilities The Vermont Office of the Defender General will work to improve the representation of and participation by persons with developmental disabilities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. This program will improve the Vermont criminal justice system's awareness and handling of developmentally disabled clients. The program is expected to reduce recidivism and decrease litigation by reducing the number of probation violation complaints, postconviction challenges, plea confusions, motions to withdraw, and appeals. These goals will be achieved through a program designed to recognize the special needs of developmentally disabled clients when they first enter the judicial system. Roanoke, Virginia Developing a Southeast Asian Outreach Program Over the past few years, Roanoke has experienced significant growth in its Vietnamese population. At 2 percent of the population, these refugees represent the largest ethnic culture in the city. Recent incidents requiring the involvement of law enforcement have revealed that the Vietnamese community generally distrusts the police and other government agencies and does not adequately understand the local judicial system. These problems are compounded by the police department's lack of understanding of Vietnamese culture and language. The goals of this program are to develop a better understanding of cultural differences, provide insight into the American judicial system, foster greater trust between the Vietnamese residents and law enforcement officials, and demonstrate the police department's commitment to the Vietnamese community. The police department will create two temporary civilian community resource specialist positions. These specialists will serve as liaisons to the Vietnamese community for 1 year. Through daily interaction with officers, they are expected to gain the experience necessary to become police officers. The Roanoke Police Department will also offer educational and cultural afterschool programs for Vietnamese youth, develop adult educational programs on police and court services, provide police officers with cultural diversity training that emphasizes Vietnamese culture, and offer special programs to encourage Vietnamese family interaction with the greater community. Seattle, Washington Establishing a Mental Health Court The traditional criminal justice system often fails to address the unique circumstances of mentally ill offenders. Currently, King County District Court in Seattle relies on a case processing strategy that requires misdemeanant defendants to appear before several different judges for the same case. Although this model provides an adequate level of service for most defendants, the approach creates barriers that prevent the court from identifying and addressing the needs of individuals who are mentally ill. Mentally ill offenders often cycle through the criminal justice system, spending unnecessary time in jail and lacking access to mental health treatment services. To address this problem, King County District Court will implement a Mental Health Court that will provide a single point of contact for mentally ill defendants who are charged with misdemeanor offenses. A team of specialists with knowledge in mental health issues, including a judge, prosecutor, defender, mental health court monitor, treatment provider, and probation officer, will work with defendants to develop a court-ordered treatment plan as a diversion from prosecution or as a sentencing alternative to jail. This strategy will use the authority and oversight capabilities of the court to link mentally ill defendants with mental health treatment providers. Seattle, Washington Reducing Racial Disparity in the Justice System The King County Office of Public Defense in Seattle will work to reduce racial disparities in bail and sentencing decisions, thereby improving the adjudication process by increasing public respect and enhancing fairness. The project will focus on three major areas: client representation, education of defenders, and education and discussion in the broader justice system concerning racial disproportion, its causes, and its effects. Spokane, Washington Developing an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team The project supports the development of an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team (EAPT) to aggressively prosecute perpetrators of physical abuse and neglect against elders. EAPT will facilitate enhanced victim advocacy services to the elderly and organize a Coordinated Community Response Coalition to develop a campaign to prevent violence and abuse against elders. The goals of the project are to vigorously prosecute those who commit elder abuse, educate the community to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse, employ knowledgeable investigators to increase and improve responses to reported crimes against the elderly, and work in partnership with community organizations to develop prevention strategies. Bayfield, Wisconsin Replacing Alcohol and Drug Dependence With Traditional Cultural Values The reservation of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe and Anishinabe), located in the northernmost part of Wisconsin in the Township of Russell, is the only reservation in Bayfield County. Although Native- Americans constitute only 13 percent of the county's population, they represent more than 30 percent of those involved in the county's criminal justice system. Many tribal members have been arrested for and convicted of crimes committed while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will develop an intervention program for tribal members who have committed a criminal offense while under the influence of alcohol. Through this program, the Red Cliff Band will seek to improve the quality of life for residents of the reservation and increase opportunities for individuals to become contributing members of the tribe. The program is based on the premise that a Native-American becomes a stronger person through the practice of his or her own culture and beliefs. This strength enables the individual to replace the need for alcohol and drugs with responsibility for oneself, one's family, and one's community. ---------------------------- Sources for Further Information For further information about the Open Solicitation Program or other BJA programs, contact BJA or the BJA Clearinghouse. Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 202-514-6278 World Wide Web: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 1-800-688-4252 World Wide Web: www.ncjrs.org U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 or 202-307-1480 ---------------------------- Bureau of Justice Assistance Information General Information Callers may contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center for general information or specific needs, such as assistance in submitting grants applications and information on training. To contact the Response Center, call 1-800-421-6770 or write to 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20005. Indepth Information For more indepth information about BJA, its programs, and its funding opportunities, requesters can call the BJA Clearinghouse. The BJA Clearinghouse, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), shares BJA program information with state and local agencies and community groups across the country. Information specialists are available to provide reference and referral services, publication distribution, participation and support for conferences, and other networking and outreach activities. The Clearinghouse can be reached by: --Mail P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 --Visit 2277 Research Boulevard Rockville, MD 20850 --Telephone 1-800-688-4252 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. eastern time --Fax 301-519-5212 --Fax on Demand 1-800-688-4252 --BJA Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA --NCJRS World Wide Web www.ncjrs.org --E-mail askncjrs@ncjrs.org --JUSTINFO Newsletter E-mail to listproc@ncjrs.org Leave the subject line blank In the body of the message, type: subscribe justinfo [your name]