[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22876]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]


_______________________________________________________________________

Part VI





Department of Justice





_______________________________________________________________________



Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention



_______________________________________________________________________




Office of Justice Programs; Missing Children's Assistance Act; Fiscal 
Year 1994 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program: Second National 
Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children 
(NISMART II); Notice
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

 
Office of Justice Programs; Missing Children's Assistance Act; 
Fiscal Year 1994 Competitive Discretionary Grant Program: Second 
National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway 
Children (NISMART II)

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention, Justice.

ACTION: Notice of Issuance of solicitation for applications for the 
Second National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and 
Thrownaway Children (NISMART II).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
(OJJDP) is publishing this Notice of a Competitive Discretionary Grant 
Program and announcing the availability of the OJJDP application kit 
under section 404(b)(2)(D) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act 
of 1974, as amended (the Act), 42 U.S.C. 5773(b)(2)(D). An OJJDP 
Application Kit containing a copy of the Guidelines, application form 
(Standard Form 424), standard and special conditions, the OJJDP Peer 
Review Guidelines, OJJDP Competition and Peer Review Procedures, and 
other supplemental information relevant to the application process can 
be obtained by calling the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, toll-free, 
24 hours a day, (800) 638-8736.

DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. e.s.t., October 30, 
1994. Applications received after the deadline date will not be 
considered.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed or delivered to: NISMART II, 
Research and Program Development Division, OJJDP, Room 782, 633 Indiana 
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., 20531. (202) 307-0586.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Cammarata, Research and Program 
Development Division, OJJDP, Room 782, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW, 
Washington, D.C., 20531. (202) 307-0586.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose

    Pursuant to the Missing Children's Assistance Act, Title IV, 
section 404(b)(3) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
Act of 1974, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5773(b)(3), OJJDP is required to 
conduct periodic studies of the incidence of missing children. The 
first such study was published in May 1990, providing national 
estimates of the numbers of children who were abducted by family or 
non-family members, runaway, thrownaway, lost or otherwise missing 
during 1988. OJJDP is now conducting the second National Incidence 
Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway & Thrownaway Children (NISMART 
II). The purpose of NISMART II is to develop reliable and valid 
statistics on the incidence of children who are missing, abducted, 
runaways or thrownaway.

Background

    ``Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrownaway Children in America, 
First Report: Numbers and Characteristics,'' (NISMART I) published in 
May 1990, was developed in response to the statutory mandate, section 
404(b)(3) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 
1974, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5773, which requires OJJDP to conduct 
periodic national incidence studies to determine for a given year the 
actual number of children reported missing, the number of children who 
are victims of abduction by strangers, the number of children who are 
victims of parental kidnappings and the number of children who are 
recovered each year. The studies funded by OJJDP had two primary 
objectives: (1) To develop valid and reliable national estimates of the 
numbers of children reported and/or known to be missing in the course 
of a given year as well as the number of these children who are 
recovered; and (2) To establish profiles of missing children and 
characteristics of the episodes.
    NISMART I developed a comprehensive strategy to respond to the 
specific requirements of the legislation and to the unique problems of 
defining and counting these children. Five distinct categories of 
problems that children experience were examined in the study in order 
to seek evidence of missing children. Each involved certain situations 
in which children were missing or displaced in some manner that 
appeared to put them at risk of harm. The five populations include:

(1) Family Abductions (children abducted by parents or other family 
members)
(2) Non-Family Abductions (children abducted by strangers and other 
non-family members)
(3) Runaways
(4) Thrownaways
(5) Lost or Otherwise Missing Children

    The NISMART I studies included:

(1) A Household Telephone Survey
(2) A Juvenile Facilities Survey
(3) A Returned Runaway Study
(4) A Network Study
(5) A Police Records Study
(6) An FBI Data Reanalysis Study
(7) A Community Professionals Study

    Subsequent to the NISMART I project, OJJDP funded a planning effort 
to support methodological and conceptual activities in preparation for 
the second national study of the incidence of missing children. The 
major purposes of the planning effort were to examine conceptual, 
methodological, policy, cost, and other factors in connection with 
NISMART II, and to make recommendations for the design of this second 
study. Major planning activities included:
    (1) An assessment of NISMART I;
    (2) A Key Informants Survey to identify NISMART II information 
needs and sources of information;
    (3) A Planning Symposium which brought together knowledgeable 
individuals to comment and make recommendations for NISMART II;
    (4) An exploration of additional data sources and methodologies 
that may improve NISMART I;
    (5) Development of draft definitions, and draft screening and 
survey questions for a household survey;
    (6) An analysis of the Police Records Study conducted in NISMART I; 
and
    (7) Recommendations for NISMART II.
    The results of the planning effort are presented in the report 
entitled ``Planning the Second National Incidence Studies of Missing, 
Abducted, Runaway & Thrownaway Children,'' which is available at the 
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (1-800-638-8736), along with related 
references cited later in this announcement.

Goals

    OJJDP undertakes this project to provide crucial information to 
parents, legislators, judges, police, social workers, and many other 
related professionals. The project will build upon the conceptual and 
methodological experiences of NISMART I, and will build upon the 
activities of the NISMART II planning effort in order to conduct a 
sound, valuable, cost-effective study focusing on the classification 
and estimation of missing children incidents.
    The project will allow for a better understanding of the extent of 
missing, abducted, runaway, and thrownaway youth, and other 
victimizations of children, by focusing more sharply than NISMART I on 
the incidence of missing children.

Objectives

     To develop valid and reliable national estimates of the 
numbers and characteristics of the incidents and children who are 
missing, abducted, runaway or thrownaway, and the number reported to 
the police and/or known to be missing in the course of a given year as 
well as the number of these children who are recovered;
     To develop valid and reliable national estimates of the 
incidence of sexual assault and exploitation of children and youth by 
non-family members;
     To improve the validity and reliability of incidence 
estimation regarding the number of children who are missing, abducted, 
runaway, or thrownaway;
     To improve identification of eligible incidents, and to 
accommodate recommended changes in the definition of case types;
     To respond to the legislative requirements, the strengths 
and weaknesses of NISMART I, the comparability between NISMART I and 
II, and the recommendations of the planning effort for the conduct of 
NISMART II;
     To develop a single estimate of missing children that is 
methodologically sound and meaningful for interpretive and policy 
making purposes; and
     To refine survey methods for interviewing youth about 
victimization and other high-risk experiences.

Program Strategy

    The organization selected to conduct this research project will be 
responsible for all aspects of the project, whether carried out 
directly or contracted to other organizations or individuals.
    Applicants should familiarize themselves with all relevant NISMART 
materials listed in the Reference Section.
    The following discussion of program strategy summarizes some of the 
recommendations from the planning process. Applicants are expected to 
describe in their application how the recommended strategy may or may 
not result in achievement of the stated objectives. Furthermore, 
applicants are also invited and encouraged to submit alternative 
methods for carrying out the goals and objectives of this research 
project. Regardless, applicants are expected to expand upon their 
strategy by providing a discussion of the issues and more detail 
regarding the methodology.
    The proposed program strategy includes seven components:

(1) A project advisory board
(2) A household survey
(3) A police records study
(4) A juvenile facilities study
(5) An analysis of the community professionals study conducted under 
NIS-3
(6) The development of a single estimate of missing children
(7) A project implementation plan

Project Advisory Board

    A core program advisory board of at least three outside experts and 
three Federal agency representatives will be selected to provide 
substantive and technical advice to this program. OJJDP also encourages 
seeking input from additional scholars, practitioners, educators and 
policy makers. The board will provide advice, guidance and overall 
direction of the project, and to review project plans, and draft and 
final reports of the grantee.

Household Survey

    A nationally representative household survey consisting of 
interviews regarding 40,000 children will be conducted for the major 
purpose of collecting data to support incidence estimates for non-
family and family abductions, runaways, thrownaways and lost, injured 
or otherwise missing children. The study will focus on the 
classification and estimation of incidents; however, the study will 
retain sufficient detail about the cases, children, and perpetrators in 
order to provide useful information for prevention, policy and program 
development.

    The NISMART II household survey would differ from NISMART I in the 
following areas:
    (1) Greater focus on the classification and estimation of 
incidents;
    (2) An increase in child sample size to at least 40,000;
    (3) Interviews with 12-17 year old youth for all categories of 
children;
    (4) More extensive screening questions;
    (5) Use of a standard incident report form integrated for all child 
case types; and
    (6) National estimates of the incidence of sexual assault and 
exploitation of children and youth by non-family members.
    NISMART II will consist of a telephone survey yielding 40,000 
interviews with youth age 12-17 as the primary respondents. Parents/
caretakers will serve as proxies, as appropriate, and for children 
under age 12.
    Discussions among researchers and practitioners indicate that 
definitions of missing, abducted, runaway, and thrownaway children need 
to be reviewed and revised accordingly. Several suggestions and 
alternative definitions are provided in the referenced material. Also, 
NISMART I provided two estimates for each of the five categories based 
on study definitions for ``broad scope'' (broad definition) and 
``policy focal'' (more serious) cases. Alternative definitions for 
policy focal runaway and thrownaway youth are also provided in the 
referenced material.
    Additional screening questions are needed to identify missing 
events. Screening questions for all case types will be revised and 
enhanced to improve respondent recall, i.e., more direct cues about 
places or situations. Screening questions will also be developed that 
use different terminology for children to associate with and 
understand.
    Additional screening questions will also cue for non-family 
abductions involving sex offenses. Research indicates that abductions 
involving sex offenses appear to be a relatively frequent occurrence, 
and therefore, may be better identified through a household survey 
rather than police records which have been documented as lacking the 
necessary information to classify such events.

Police Records Study

    Experiences of NISMART I confirmed that the original sample size 
and methods of the household survey would not identify enough cases of 
non-family abduction to produce a reliable estimate. The police records 
study was conducted to accommodate this problem; but not without its 
drawbacks. A significant amount of information on key criteria 
necessary for classifying and counting a case as a non-family abduction 
was not available in police records on homicide, abductions, and sex 
offenses. Although a number of non-family abduction cases were 
identified in the police records study, the study was labor intensive 
and expensive, and offered little information about the details of the 
incident.
    However, a police records study may offer a source of information 
on stereotypical kidnappings and stranger abduction homicides. A police 
records study may also be used to validate pre-testing activities, 
i.e., seeding a sample for pre-testing a new survey instrument.
    Applicants are requested to describe how a police records study may 
assist in developing estimates on stereotypical kidnapping and stranger 
abduction homicides, in validating pre-test activities, or in achieving 
other stated objectives of this project.

Juvenile Facilities Study

    The NISMART I study also included a juvenile facilities study which 
identified juvenile runaways from nonhousehold settings. This 
subpopulation is believed to be substantial in size and different in 
characteristics from other runaway populations. Failure to include this 
subpopulation will result in undercoverage, particularly of the 
population that has frequent encounters with the juvenile justice 
system. Consequently, NISMART II will include a juvenile facilities 
study to capture the portion of the target population comprised of 
runaways from facilities. Facilities will include: shelters, juvenile 
correctional facilities, group homes, boarding schools, and residential 
mental health facilities. The study should include:

(1) A sample of 30 counties
(2) A sample of 75 facilities within the counties
(3) Survey on all children running away from the facilities in the 
previous 12 months.

    Facility officials will serve as survey respondents and will be 
asked for information about the institution, number of children in 
residence, type of facility, and the number of children who have 
runaway from the facility in the previous 12 months. Detailed 
information about specific recent runaway episodes will be gathered on 
a specified number of children.

Analysis of the Community Professionals Study

    The thrownaways who are most difficult to identify are abandoned 
children, whose parents or caretakers have gone off and left them. 
NISMART I identified thrownaway children by capitalizing on the 
availability of national data from the National Incidence Study of 
Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-2) study. The NIS-2 study surveyed 
professionals in agencies likely to come into contact with such 
children in a nationally representative sample of 29 counties. A NIS-3 
study is planned for 1994, and therefore the data will be available in 
1995 to provide thrownaway incidence information in a manner timely for 
NISMART II, using a methodology similar to that used in NISMART I. The 
NIS-3 data will provide a thrownaway incidence estimate to augment the 
data collected by the household survey on thrownaways.

A Single Estimate of Missing Children

    The NISMART I incidence estimates for abducted, runaway, 
thrownaway, and lost or injured or otherwise missing children were not 
aggregated to produce a single estimate of missing children. The 
different case types were not summed for a variety of reasons: they 
represent very different phenomena, many of the children were not 
really missing, and the various NISMART I methodologies produced 
estimates that were not appropriate to aggregate. However, the 
legislation requires that OJJDP attempt to develop a single estimate of 
missing children.
    The applicant must discuss the legislative requirement, and develop 
procedure and criteria for arriving at a single estimate of missing 
children that is methodologically sound and meaningful for interpretive 
and policymaking purposes.

Project Implementation Plan

    The applicant must develop and provide a detailed time-task plan 
that covers all activities and includes expected dates for the delivery 
of products to OJJDP. The time-task plan should clearly identify major 
milestones related to each activity.

Project Activities

    The major activities to be undertaken for this project are outlined 
below:
     Refine definitions and measures for all NISMART case 
types, taking into consideration all the suggestions and alternatives 
provided in the referenced material.
     Develop survey/screening questions for interviewing both 
children age 12-17 years old and parents/caretakers. This activity 
includes developmental pre-testing to ensure that questions elicit 
reliable and valid answers from the appropriate respondents, and to 
ensure that questions are appropriate for the mode of interviewing.
     Develop and pre-test an integrated incident report 
instrument for all case types.
     In accordance with legislative mandates, develop criteria 
for arriving at a single estimate of missing children.
     Establish and convene advisory board meetings.
     Establish methods of quality control of the data.
     Prepare the information collection package for submission 
to the Office of Management and Budget for clearance.
     Recruit, hire, and train data collectors.
     Collect data and assure its quality.
     Perform data cleaning and processing tasks.
     Analyze data and compare to NISMART I, as appropriate.
     Write draft and final reports.
     Develop a marketing, product, and dissemination strategy 
for both the study results and the data set.

References

    Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, Section 
404(b)(3), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5773 (b)(3).

Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., & Sedlak, A. (1990). ``Missing, 
Abducted, Runaway & Thrownaway Children in America, First Report: 
Numbers & Characteristics, National Incidence Studies,'' OJJDP, 
Washington, DC.
Collins, J., Messerschmidt, P., McCalla, M., Iachan, R., & Hubbard, 
M. (March 1994). ``Planning the Second National Incidence Studies of 
Missing, Abducted, Runaway & Thrownaway Children. Final Report. 
OJJDP Grant 92-MC-CX-0018.
Plass, P. (June 1993). ``Distinguishing Between Keepings and Takings 
in the Definition of Family Abductions: Lessons from NISMART I and 
Advice for NISMART II.'' Paper presented following planning 
symposium in Washington, DC.
Mead, K. (February, 1993). ``NISMART II Planning Grant Literature 
Review''. Research Triangle Institute: North Carolina.
Dietz, P. (June 1993). ``Assessment of the Definitions of Runaway 
and Thrownaway Episodes used in NISMART I, and Recommendations for 
NISMART II''. Paper presented following planning symposium in 
Washington, DC.
Dietz, P. (June 1993). ``Summary of the Discussion Regarding Runaway 
and Thrownaway Definitions for NISMART II''. Paper presented 
following planning symposium in Washington, DC.

    * References are available from the Juvenile Justice 
Clearinghouse, 1-800-638-8736.

Eligibility Requirements

    Pursuant to the provisions of title IV (The Missing Children's 
Assistance Act) of the 1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5775, applications will not be accepted from 
for-profit agencies. In submitting applications that contain more than 
one organization, the relationships among the parties must be set forth 
in the application. As a general rule, organizations which describe 
their working relationship in the development of products and the 
delivery of services as primarily cooperative or collaborative in 
nature will be considered co-applicants. In the event of a co-applicant 
submission, one co-applicant must be designated as the payee to receive 
and disburse project funds and be responsible for the supervision and 
coordination of the activities of the other co-applicant. Under this 
arrangement, each organization must agree to be jointly and severally 
responsible for all project funds and services. Each co-applicant must 
sign the SF 424 and indicate its acceptance of the conditions of joint 
and several responsibility with the other co-applicant.
    Applications which include non-competitive contracts for the 
provision of specific services must include a sole source justification 
for any procurement in excess of $25,000. The contractor may not be 
involved in the development of the statement of work. The applicant 
must provide sufficient justification of not offering for competition 
the portion of work proposed to be contracted.
    Applicants must demonstrate sufficient experience in conducting 
research and data analysis to complete this project. Extensive 
knowledge of survey research methods is essential. The successful 
applicant must have experience in designing and carrying out research 
that presents difficult challenges for conceptualizing the research, 
defining and measuring the phenomenon, administering the study and 
conducting data analysis. The organization must have personnel with the 
necessary communications skills and organizational ability to carry out 
this project effectively and in a competent and timely manner. Further, 
applicants must demonstrate adequate substantive knowledge in the areas 
of missing children and child victimization, which require special 
study methods to produce reliable, valid data. Applicants must also 
have an understanding of related law enforcement and social services 
operations.
    Applicants must demonstrate the management capability, fiscal 
integrity, and financial responsibility to carry out this project. This 
includes but is not limited to having an acceptable accounting system 
with sufficient internal controls, compliance with grant fiscal 
requirements, and the capability to implement a project of this nature.

Selection Criteria

1. Statement of the Problem. (10 Points)

    Each applicant must describe the problem addressed in this program 
in a clear problem statement. The applicant must demonstrate an 
understanding of the substantive and technical issues related to 
NISMART II and for future periodic studies.

2. Definition of Objectives. (10 Points)

    The applicant should provide a clear and definitive statement of 
the applicant's understanding of the goals and overall objectives of 
the project.

3. Project Design. (35 Points)

    The overall program design must be appropriate, methodologically 
sound, and constitute an effective approach to meet the goals and 
objectives of this project. The applicant must provide adequate 
justification for research strategy, and demonstrate the 
appropriateness of the methods for achieving the project's objectives 
and goals.

4. Management Structure. (15 Points)

    The management of the project must be consistent with the project 
goals and tasks described in the application. The project 
implementation plan will be evaluated to determine: the adequacy and 
appropriateness of the project management structure and activities 
specified in the project implementation plan; the extent to which the 
applicant has demonstrated in the time-task plan and program design 
that it will complete the major milestones of the project on time; and 
evidence of commitment or collaboration and cooperation with other 
related research projects.

5. Organizational Capability. (25 Points)

    Both the personnel of the organization as well as the technical 
capabilities of the organization must be sufficient to accomplish the 
tasks of the project. Staff members must demonstrate that they have 
sufficient substantive and technical experience. The clarity and 
appropriateness of position descriptions, required qualifications and 
staff selection criteria relative to the specific functions set out in 
the project implementation plan must also be demonstrated. The 
organization must demonstrate, based on its past experience and current 
capabilities, that it has adequate management and personnel resources 
to ensure the successful completion of the project.

6. Reasonableness of Costs. (5 Points)

    Budgeted costs are reasonable, allowable, and cost effective for 
the activities proposed, and are directly related to the achievement of 
the project objectives. All costs must be fully justified in a budget 
narrative.

Award Period

    Funding will be for 2 years of this 3-year project.

Award Amount

    The award amount will not exceed $1,500,000 for the first 24 
months.

Due Date

    Applications must be received by mail or delivered to OJJDP by 
October 30, 1994, at Room 782, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 
20531.
John J. Wilson,
Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 94-22876 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P