Program Plans for Fiscal Year 1996

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

You can access the Bulletin Board through the Internet (telnet to

ncjrsbbs.aspensys.com or gopher to ncjrs.aspensys.com 71) or through a

modem (set at 9600 baud and 8-N-1; dial 301-738-8895). The NIJ Research

Plan is listed under the ``National Institute of Justice Information''

menu.

For Internet access information, e-mail [email protected].

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

[email protected] 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

initiation, frequency, and termination patterns. Studies of specific

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,

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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,

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