[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21852-21934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10333]




[[Page 21851]]

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Part II





Department of Justice





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Office of Justice Programs Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plans; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 1995 / Notices 
   
[[Page 21852]] 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs
[OJP NO. 1048]
ZRIN 1121-ZA11


Office of Justice Programs Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plans

AGENCY: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

ACTION: Notice of program plans.

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

DATES: See specific Program Plan.

ADDRESSES: All questions concerning these Program Plans should be 
addressed to the appropriate Bureau or Office at 633 Indiana Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC 20531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Winfield of the Department of 
Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Preface

OJP Bureaus' Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plans

    The increasing crime rate, particularly escalating violent crime by 
juvenile offenders, continues to be a major concern of the American 
public. No community is untouched. Law enforcement and criminal justice 
agencies around the country are faced with new and increasing 
challenges as they respond to crime.
    The Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plans for the United States Department 
of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureaus--the National 
Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Office of 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims 
of Crime--reflect an effort to address these problems aggressively. 
Their simultaneous publication in the Federal Register reflects an 
emphasis on collaborative relationships among the Bureaus and a strong 
commitment to working in partnership with communities across the 
country in addressing the problem of crime.
    These plans not only reflect a renewed commitment to coordination 
among the OJP Bureaus, but also demonstrate a recognition that the only 
way in which we can hope to have an impact on the country's crime 
problems is by reaching out to public agencies at all levels of 
government, as well as a broad range of community and private groups. 
In developing their Program Plans, the Bureaus solicited input from 
State and local criminal justice agencies, constituent and community 
groups, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, corrections agencies, and 
victim service providers, as well as other Department of Justice 
components and other Federal agencies. Thus, in addition to embracing 
existing Administration and Department of Justice initiatives--reducing 
violent crime, developing comprehensive community-based approaches to 
crime and violence, focusing on youth crime and firearms, actively 
involving citizens in prevention efforts, and meeting the needs of 
crime victims--the Fiscal Year 1995 OJP Program Plans also reflect 
needs expressed by the field.
    The Program Plans encourage applicants to forge partnerships along 
new frontiers, often reaching beyond criminal justice boundaries to 
find solutions. By approaching crime and violence in a comprehensive 
fashion--bringing all the players in the system together--applicants 
are encouraged to improve the effectiveness of their services, reduce 
wasteful duplication, and identify new and innovative approaches to 
tough problems.
    For example, OJP Bureaus are working together on several 
initiatives, such as Project PACT (Pulling America's Communities 
Together), the Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP), and the new 
Safe Futures Program, that fund communities to mobilize their law 
enforcement and justice system resources together with a coalition of 
government agencies and private sector resources. Working in 
partnership with the community, key officials and community leaders 
develop broad-based, coordinated strategies to reduce the high rates of 
drug abuse and related crime and violence in their neighborhoods. 
Project PACT, CCP, and Safe Futures are examples of programs that 
empower communities to impact crime and violence, particularly youth 
violence, through comprehensive planning, and improved 
intergovernmental relationships.
    Another recurrent theme in the OJP Program Plans is the Federal 
government's role in providing leadership and guidance on crime 
control, prevention and victims issues by developing and testing new 
approaches and determining ``what works.'' As model programs are tested 
and developed through research, evaluation, and demonstration grants, 
information on effective programs and practices is disseminated widely 
to State and local criminal justice and social service agencies. Local 
communities should not have to ``road test'' new ideas without solid 
knowledge about what has been tried before in other jurisdictions, what 
has worked, and what has not. The Program Plans also provide 
information on the availability of training and technical assistance to 
assist States and local jurisdictions interested in implementing ``best 
practices.''
    Important priorities identified in the 1994 Crime Act--particularly 
with regard to violence against women, the illegal possession and use 
of firearms, and comprehensive, innovative prevention and early 
intervention strategies aimed at high risk youth--are also reflected in 
the Program Plans.
    Another key goal for OJP was to make it easier for States and local 
communities to access OJP services, programs, and information. As a 
result, we have set up a new inter-department, Internet-based 
clearinghouse called PAVNET. PAVNET will provide information on 
promising programs, available funding, and technical assistance. We 
have also set up the Department of Justice Response Center to answer 
questions concerning program availability and funding.
    The Program Plans that follow, describe in greater detail OJP's 
funding goals and priorities for this Fiscal Year. For more information 
about the application process, as well as about Crime Act programs, you 
can call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800-421-6770.
* * * * *
    As we move ahead with our initiatives for Fiscal Year 1995, the 
Office of Justice Programs is committed to working in close partnership 
with communities at the State and local level. Only by working together 
can we hope to have an impact on the enormous problems of crime and 
violence confronting our nation today.
Laurie Robinson,
Assistant Attorney General Office of Justice Programs.

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plan

    I am pleased to announce the Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) 
Discretionary Program Plan for FY 1995. BJA assists States and local 
jurisdictions through the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law 
Enforcement Assistance Program. Through the Byrne Discretionary Grant 
Program, BJA provides leadership and guidance on crime and violence 
prevention and control and 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 State and local agencies. 
[[Page 21853]] 
    This year, BJA's plan focuses primarily on national scope 
demonstration programs. These programs support two goals: to assist 
States and local units of government to reduce and prevent crime, 
violence, and drug abuse and to improve the criminal justice system. To 
meet these goals BJA will work with communities to develop 
comprehensive strategies and expansive, problem-solving partnerships. 
Special emphasis is placed on anti-violence initiatives, particularly 
those dedicated to reducing the availability of illegal firearms and 
providing young people with alternatives to gangs and criminal 
involvement. Additionally, BJA will continue to work in partnership 
with State and local law enforcement, as well as the United States 
Attorneys; improve the adjudication process; assist States with 
alleviating prison overcrowding by fostering corrections options 
programs; and focus resources on both evaluation of promising programs 
and dissemination of information about these programs to the field.
    BJA's Program Plan for FY 1995 includes a $50 million appropriation 
for general programs and a $12 million appropriation for Corrections 
Options Programs. It describes planned activities for the Regional 
Information Sharing Program (RISS) and the National White Collar Crime 
Center. Joint efforts planned with other Federal agencies are also 
described.
    Obviously, our dollars are limited. Consistent with the 
Administration's policies and in an effort to get the most for each 
dollar spent, I am committed to making BJA's Discretionary Grant 
Program as competitive as possible and to maximizing the impact of 
these limited competitive dollars through a wide array of programs 
directed toward urban communities, rural areas, and Native American 
communities. For this reason, in FY 1995 BJA will:
     Give preference to applicants who leverage BJA dollars 
through partnerships among organizations bringing a commitment of other 
resources to the table (such as Empowerment Zones/Enterprise 
Communities);
     Notify all grantees that continuation funding in future 
years is not guaranteed but, rather, will be based on performance and 
other relevant factors;
     Institute the practice of awarding a declining BJA share 
of funding for second and subsequent years where continuation funding 
is provided;
     Complete the process of developing, in consultation with 
the National Institute of Justice, a strategy for obtaining early 
evaluative information on particularly promising programs for early 
dissemination to our constituents;
     Promote activities complementing the initiatives being 
implemented through the Crime Act; and
     Continue to maximize OJP resources by working in 
partnership with the National Institute of Justice, the Office for 
Victims of Crime, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention, and other components of the Justice Department.
    These initiatives, coupled with focused goals and objectives, will 
build stronger partnerships at all levels. I envision these 
partnerships to be a continuum of relationships encompassing all 
components of the criminal justice system.

Goals

    The FY 1995 Program Plan addresses BJA's two goals: To help State 
and local units of government (1) reduce and prevent crime and violence 
and (2) improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. 
Enhanced coordination and cooperation of Federal, State and local 
efforts facilitate the achievement of these goals. The objectives for 
each of the goals are outlined below. The programs developed to address 
the objectives are described in the plan.
 Reduce and Prevent Crime and Violence
    Encourage the development and implementation of comprehensive 
strategies, in coordination with human service providers, to reduce and 
prevent crime and violence.
    Encourage the active participation of community organizations and 
citizens in crime- and violence-prevention efforts.
    Provide national scope training and technical assistance to support 
local crime-, drug use-, and violence-prevention efforts.
    Provide young people with legitimate opportunities and activities 
which 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.
 Improve the Functioning of the Criminal Justice System
    Enhance the ability of law enforcement agencies to reduce crime, 
drug trafficking and 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, to apprehend and 
deport criminal aliens.
    Evaluate the effectiveness of funded programs, disseminate results, 
and enhance the ability of criminal justice agencies to use new 
information technologies.

How Priorities Were Established

    Priorities for the FY 1995 Discretionary Grant Program reflect a 
balance of congressional mandates, Administration priorities, and needs 
expressed by State and local criminal justice practitioners. The goals 
are defined by the authorizing legislation for the Edward Byrne 
Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program. Priorities 
for a number of specific programs to address those goals are mandated 
by Congress through the earmarking of the appropriation.
    BJA's priorities also reflect Administration and Department of 
Justice priorities, especially those related to reducing violent crime, 
the need to develop comprehensive approaches to crime and violence, the 
focus on youth, and the need for active citizen participation in 
prevention efforts.
    During the planning process, BJA solicited input on priorities from 
national organizations which represent State and local governments, 
criminal justice agencies, and community groups. Input was also 
requested from the State agencies which administer the Byrne Formula 
Grant Program as well as from U.S. Attorneys. A number of programs that 
address current issues were incorporated into the plan in response to 
this valuable input.

Types of Programs

    BJA is authorized by Congress to make awards to public and private 
agencies and organizations for national scope and multi-State programs, 
demonstration programs, training, and technical assistance to assist 
States and local jurisdictions. National scope programs provide a 
service or product of benefit throughout the country or across multiple 
States or address issues that are of concern nationally. Demonstration 
programs are used to develop, test, evaluate, and document new programs 
and practices. Training is developed and provided to State and local 
criminal justice practitioners and others to provide them with state-
of-the-art information on effective programs and practices. Technical 
assistance is [[Page 21854]] provided to sites participating in 
demonstration programs or is available to help an individual 
jurisdiction implement a program or practice or address a specific 
issue.

Competitive and Noncompetitive Grants

    Each section of this Program Plan is divided into programs that 
will be awarded on a competitive basis and those that are 
noncompetitive. Whenever possible, BJA encourages broad participation 
in the grants process by public and private agencies and organizations 
at the State and local levels and makes awards on a competitive basis.
    Each year, BJA also makes noncompetitive awards. There are a number 
of factors that limit the number of competitive programs:
     Congressional Earmarks--Each year Congress directs BJA to 
award a portion of the appropriated funds for specified programs and/or 
organizations. In FY 1995, over $23 million of the $50 million 
appropriated for general discretionary programs were earmarked for 
specific programs. BJA was also directed to review other programs (soft 
earmarks) for possible funding.
     Continuation and Implementation Grants--Many of BJA's 
programs require several years of funding to accomplish their goals. 
For example, training efforts require several years of funding to 
develop the curriculum and to reach the intended audience. 
Demonstration sites, which are generally selected competitively the 
first year, require 2-3 years of funding to develop fully, implement, 
and evaluate the program. In addition, BJA has funded several planning 
efforts with implementation funding provided in subsequent years.
     Limited Competition--Limited competition is used when a 
limited number of jurisdictions or organizations meet the requirements 
of the program. These jurisdictions or organizations are then invited 
to compete for an award. A limited competition saves jurisdictions or 
organizations that will not qualify the time and expense of preparing 
an application. It also allows BJA to concentrate technical assistance 
and training on this limited pool of applicants.
     Sole Source Selection--In some cases, there is only one 
organization or agency that has the capability, expertise, or 
constituents to administer a program that BJA wants to implement. For 
example, an association that represents a constituency which BJA wants 
to reach with technical assistance or training may be the best 
organization to implement the program. In other cases, BJA may make an 
award on a non-competitive basis to an agency that has developed an 
innovative program and has the expertise to implement it.
    In FY 1995, BJA has modified applicant requirements and review 
criteria to facilitate stronger partnerships with grantee agencies and 
to maximize the impact of limited competitive dollars. These include:
     Preference will be given to applicants who leverage BJA 
dollars through partnerships among organizations bringing a commitment 
of other resources to the table;
     All grantees are on notice that continuation funding in 
future years is not guaranteed but, rather, will be based on 
performance and other relevant factors; and
     As appropriate, BJA will provide a declining share of 
total funding for second and subsequent years where continuation 
funding is provided after FY 1995.

Application Process

    A Program Announcement and Application Kit, which will be available 
in late April, will serve as a request for proposals. It will contain 
detailed descriptions of competitive programs and complete forms and 
instructions for developing an application.
    Competitive Programs--The Program Announcement and Application Kit 
will describe for each competitive program: the purpose of the program, 
background, goals, objectives, program design, eligibility 
requirements, selection criteria, award period, award amount and due 
date. Applications for competitive programs are due by June 30, 1995. A 
panel of experts will be established for each competitive program area 
to review and rank the applications. Funding decisions are made by the 
Director of BJA.
    Non-Competitive Programs--BJA staff will contact applicants for 
noncompetitive programs to discuss application requirements and due 
dates.
    The Department of Justice Response Center staff are available to 
respond to questions and provide technical assistance to applicants and 
other interested parties. The Response Center number is (800) 421-6770.

Goal I: Reduce and Prevent Crime and Violence

Comprehensive Communities Program

Encourage the Development and Implementation of Comprehensive 
Strategies To Reduce and Prevent Crime and Violence
    The Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) reflects the 
Administration's priority of reducing crime and violence by initiating 
comprehensive planning and improving intergovernmental relationships. 
It requires selected jurisdictions to engage in a comprehensive 
planning and strategy development process for crime and violence 
control and prevention. It requires law enforcement and other 
governmental agencies to work in partnership with communities to 
address crime problems, as well as the factors that increase the risk 
that individuals will become involved in problem behavior.
    In FY 1994, 16 jurisdictions faced with high rates of crime and 
violence were selected to participate in CCP. The four Pulling 
America's Communities Together (Project PACT) sites were included in 
this group. Each jurisdiction was provided with planning funds to 
develop a strategy that demonstrates a jurisdictionwide commitment to 
community policing, coordination among public and private agencies 
(including, social services, public health, etc.), and an active role 
by the community in problem solving.
    BJA made funding available for a number of program components to 
assist with implementation of the strategy. These components are 
designed to implement specific models that BJA has already developed 
and found to be effective or models the agency wants to test. These 
components also allow for the development of new models, which, if 
successful, can be replicated by other jurisdictions. The program 
components are described below. Each strategy was required to include 
community policing and community mobilization/prevention initiatives. 
Six sites received awards from the FY 1994 allocation. The remaining 10 
sites received awards in FY 1995.

Jurisdictionwide Community Policing

    Jurisdictionwide Community Policing, a mandatory program component, 
forms the core of the Comprehensive Communities Program. It requires 
the applicant to implement a jurisdiction-wide model of community 
policing using a framework developed by a consortium of national law 
enforcement organizations working with BJA. Funding for this component, 
in the amount of $9,990,000 was provided by the COPS Office.

Community Mobilization/Prevention--$969,718

    Community mobilization, also a mandatory component, focuses on 
implementation of strategies to promote the acceptance and practice of 
community policing, rehabilitate crime-ravaged neighborhoods, and 
empower [[Page 21855]] communities by strengthening relationships among 
citizens, law enforcement, and other public and private service 
providers.

Nonviolent Dispute Resolution

    The Non-Violent Dispute Resolution component is a joint effort of 
BJA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
(OJJDP) to test a variety of strategies to train teenagers 
constructively to manage anger, resolve conflict without the use of 
firearms or violence, learn the importance of mutual respect, and be 
responsible for their actions. Funding, in the amount of $300,000 is 
being provided by OJJDP.

Boys & Girls Clubs Demonstration

    The goal of this component is to establish or expand Boys and Girls 
Clubs in public housing and other at-risk communities through the Boys 
and Girls Clubs of America. This program will be supported under an 
earmark to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America described in the section 
on Youth and Gangs.

Comprehensive Gang Initiative

    The Comprehensive Gang Initiative requires sites to implement a 
model comprehensive approach to gang issues that carefully balances 
initiatives for prevention, intervention, and suppression. Funding for 
this component, in the amount of $799,345, is being provided by OJJDP.

Community Prosecution--$969,719

    This program component encourages local prosecutors to be more 
responsive to the needs of their communities by bringing the prosecutor 
and the community together as partners to maintain public safety.

Community-Based Alternatives to Incarceration--$1,350,000

    This program component encourages local communities to develop 
community-based alternatives to incarceration that hold offenders 
accountable while keeping them in the community where they can 
participate in job training and/or work, substance abuse treatment, 
restitution or community service, and other services needed to make 
them productive citizens.

Continued Comprehensive Planning--$400,000

    Four of the sites that participated in the Comprehensive 
Communities Program planning process in FY 1994 will be provided with 
additional time and resources to refine their comprehensive strategies.

Implementation Funding--$1,600,004

    Funds are being set aside to assist the four sites still engaged in 
planning with implementation of their strategies.

Training and Technical Assistance--$300,000

    Training and technical assistance will be provided to the 
Comprehensive Communities Program sites to assist them with the 
planning process and the effective implementation of their strategies.

Community-Based Programs

Encourage the Active Participation of Community Organizations and 
Citizens in Crime- and Violence-Prevention Efforts
    Crime and violence are only symptoms of broader problems which 
plague our communities. Crime cannot be stopped by law enforcement 
without the active participation of the community and other public and 
private agencies. It cannot be eradicated unless we address the causes 
which surround our children with violence, crime, and despair.
    BJA plans to expand and enhance community mobilization efforts by 
assisting local communities and law enforcement agencies actively to 
engage residents and community groups in taking back their 
neighborhoods. One neighborhood at a time, these partnerships will seek 
to rid communities of drug dealers, gangs, and other criminals.
    Operation Weed and Seed will be continued and expanded in FY 1995. 
This comprehensive, multiagency approach is helping 36 communities 
address both public safety and neighborhood revitalization issues. BJA 
will also continue to fund several community mobilization/action 
programs that encourage citizens to work with the police, government, 
community organizations, and the private sector to explore new and 
innovative approaches to preventing crime, youth handgun violence, and 
drug abuse.
    In FY 1995, BJA will also address the Attorney General's commitment 
to focus resources on problems faced by many American Indian tribes by 
establishing Federal/tribal partnerships with several tribes for the 
purpose of developing tribal strategies against violence. Violence in 
public housing will also be addressed by assisting local communities 
develop comprehensive approaches to crime and violence in public 
housing. Both of these planning processes will be documented to serve 
as guides for other communities.
    To address the rights and needs of the victims of crime, which are 
important components of all of the community-based programs, BJA and 
the Office for Victims of Crime will jointly fund a number of programs 
to assist the victims of crime and to increase the criminal justice 
system's responsiveness to the rights and needs of victims.

Competitive

Communities in Action to Prevent Drug Abuse--$400,000

    The Bureau of Justice Assistance in cooperation with the Employment 
and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, will continue a 
unique demonstration program at the grassroots-level. The National 
Training and Information (NTIC) and up to ten of its affiliated 
neighborhood-based organizations will implement a program to reduce 
crime and violence and to help residents access services of local job 
training and employment systems. Key program elements are: building 
and/or enhancing local planning teams and partnerships made up of 
public officials, law enforcement, representatives of private industry 
councils and other groups that focus on providing job training and 
related services, other service providers, businesses, churches, 
schools, community organizations, youth, and other residents; the 
development of short-, intermediate-, and long-term strategies; 
community policing; prevention education; and, the development of 
training opportunities for job placement.

Non-Competitive

Tribal Strategies Against Violence--$300,000

    This program is a Federal/tribal partnership initiative designed to 
galvanize Native American communities in up to five sites to develop 
strategies to reduce the incidence of family violence, child abuse, and 
juvenile delinquency as well as to foster community participation and 
support in the implementation of the strategies.

Community Drug Abuse Prevention Initiatives--$500,000

    The National Crime Prevention Council will continue to provide 
cost-effective technical assistance and training to reduce crime, 
violence, and the demand for drugs, with a focus on acceptance of 
community policing, rehabilitating crime-ravaged neighborhoods, and 
community empowerment. [[Page 21856]] 

National Neighborhood Mobilization Program to Prevent Crime--$50,000

    This program will provide continuation funding for a grassroots 
organization in Philadelphia to support community policing through the 
implementation of comprehensive, innovative, anti-crime, anti-firearm, 
and anti-drug strategies.

Victim Services as a Component of the Criminal Justice System $450,000

    This project will provide training and technical assistance to 
criminal justice agencies to encourage them to be more responsive to 
the needs and concerns of victims and to incorporate victim services 
into criminal justice functions.

Operation Weed and Seed--Demonstration and Technical Assistance--
$10,000,000

    Operation Weed and Seed is a community-based, comprehensive, 
multiagency approach designed to ``weed'' out crime and gang activity 
from target neighborhoods and then ``seed'' them with a wide range of 
human services that provide opportunities for citizens to live, work, 
and raise families in a stable environment. The 36 existing 
demonstration sites will receive awards to continue activities and/or 
expand into new target neighborhoods. Five sites will also receive 
funding to participate in the National Performance Review Lab, focused 
on neighborhood revitalization strategies. An array of technical 
assistance and training services will be available to the demonstration 
sites. Weed and Seed is a joint effort between BJA and the Executive 
Office for Weed and Seed. The Executive Office will contribute 
approximately $13 million to the program, in addition to the BJA funds.

Community Crime and Drug Abuse Prevention and Education Initiatives

Provide National Scope Training and Technical Assistance To Support 
Local Crime-, Drug Use-, and Violence-Prevention Efforts
    This program area implements national-level programs which provide 
training and technical assistance to local communities to support their 
prevention activities. For example, local programs may make use of, and 
localize, nationally and professionally developed print and television 
crime prevention messages through the National Citizens' Crime 
Prevention Campaign. Use of the McGruff the Crime Dog logo, which is 
recognized and respected by over 97 percent of school age children, 
provides local programs with instant credibility. Similarly, 
participation in National Night Out serves as a rallying point for 
citizen participation in local efforts. Both of these programs provide 
communities with technical assistance and crime prevention materials 
that can be used locally.
    In FY 1995, BJA will continue to support the five Drug Abuse 
Resistance Education (DARE) Training Centers. These centers prepare 
State and local law enforcement officers to teach the DARE program in 
local schools. These Centers have been critical in facilitating the 
expansion of this very popular program and ensuring that both large and 
small jurisdictions from across the country have access to the 
training. Program funds are also used to develop enhancements to the 
DARE program, such as the mentoring program, the DARE parent program, 
and DARE training for junior and senior high school students.
    The TRIAD Program, initiated in FY 1994, will be continued in FY 
1995. This program focuses specifically on reducing the incidence and 
impact of crime and violence on the elderly. TRIAD, conducted jointly 
by the National Sheriffs' Association, the International Association of 
Chiefs of Police, the American Association of Retired Persons, the 
Office for Victims of Crime, and BJA will provide technical assistance 
and will develop training and materials at the national level for 
dissemination to local jurisdictions throughout the country.

Non-Competitive

National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign--$3,000,000

    The National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, best known for 
McGruff the Crime Dog and the TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME slogan, will 
continue to rally national, State and local crime and violence 
prevention efforts through the development and implementation of timely 
and effective crime-, violence-, and drug-prevention materials, 
publications, technical assistance, training, and programming.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)--$1,750,000

    BJA will continue to support the DARE Regional Training Centers 
which train law enforcement officers to teach the DARE program to 
students from elementary through high school to help them learn how to 
resist drug use, gangs, and violent behavior; build self-esteem; and 
prevent abduction.

The National Association of Town Watch: Crime- and Drug-Prevention 
Campaign--$200,000

    Commonly known as ``National Night Out'', this year-long program 
provides information, materials, and technical assistance for the 
development of effective police/community partnerships to reduce crime, 
violence, and substance abuse.

TRIAD--$200,000

    TRIAD, a program developed by the National Sheriffs' Association, 
the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the American 
Association of Retired Persons, strives to reduce the adverse impact of 
crime and violence on the elderly and promote a better quality of life 
through volunteerism and the provision of prevention services to their 
peers. Additional funding of $50,000 will be provided by the Office for 
Victims of Crime.

Youth and Gangs Programs

Provide Young People With Legitimate Opportunities and Activities Which 
Serve as Alternatives to Crime and Involvement With Gangs
    Research has identified certain risk factors which contribute to 
substance abuse, delinquency, and violence among adolescents as well as 
protective factors which promote positive behavior. BJA's youth and 
gang programs are designed to address a number of risk factors related 
to: attitudes and norms favorable to problem behaviors, friends who 
engage in problem behavior, lack of commitment to school, and parental 
attitudes and involvement. The programs help to balance the risk 
factors in high-risk communities by establishing or strengthening 
protective factors which counter or provide buffers against the risk 
factors. These programs are designed to establish or strengthen 
protective factors which address the relationships between youth and 
their social environment.
    Most of the programs are joint efforts between BJA and the Office 
of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Several include 
participation by private foundations. All of the programs bring 
together various service agencies and community organizations to assist 
and provide opportunities for at-risk youth.

Competitive

Pathways to Success--$200,000

    The Pathways to Success program, funded jointly by BJA, OJJDP, and 
the National Endowment for the Arts, is designed to encourage young 
people to explore a wide range of career and life 
[[Page 21857]] options. The program will promote arts education, 
recreation, job skills training, and business entrepreneurial programs 
for after-school and weekend hours at the community level. This program 
will fund up to five applications at up to $40,000 under OJJDP's Safe 
Futures Program and up to five competitive sites at up to $50,000 each 
for the first year of a 2-year project.
    Interested applicants will need to demonstrate that collaboration 
has taken place with existing arts, education, business and community 
groups, and youth-serving agencies in the development of its program, 
including, where appropriate, collaboration with existing after school 
and weekend youth programs. The Pathways to Success program is designed 
to serve at-risk youth from 6 to 18 years of age, but a project need 
not cover the full age range. Each applicant will be expected to define 
a lasting outcome, i.e. a product that benefits the community, or to 
provide an ongoing program that will continue to provide community-
based services beyond the end of the funding cycle. OJJDP will also 
contribute $200,000 to and will administer the Pathways to Success 
Program.

Non-Competitive

Truancy Reduction Training and Technical Assistance--$200,000

    BJA will collaborate with the OJJDP to address the needs of 
truants, dropouts, children afraid to go to school, children who have 
been suspended or expelled, as well as children in the juvenile justice 
system. Program activities include regional hearings, training and 
technical assistance, and related support services for communities 
interested in comprehensively addressing the needs of these youth. 
OJJDP will also contribute $200,000 to and will administer the program.

Boys & Girls Clubs Demonstration--$4,350,000

    BJA will provide resources to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America 
to promote the establishment of Boys and Girls Clubs in public housing 
and other at-risk communities.

Children At-Risk Program--$1,150,000

    This program tests a variety of intervention strategies for 
preventing and controlling illegal drugs, gun use, and related crime 
and for fostering healthy development among young people from drug- and 
crime-ridden neighborhoods. In FY 1995, an impact evaluation, technical 
assistance with emphasis on community policing, and existing 
demonstration sites will be continued. This program is joint venture 
between BJA, OJJDP, and the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse, 
with additional funding provided by several foundations. OJJDP will 
contribute $350,000 to the program.

Comprehensive Gang Initiative--$150,000

    Under the Comprehensive Gang Initiative, BJA developed a model 
comprehensive approach to gang issues that carefully balances 
initiatives for prevention, intervention, and suppression. In FY 1995, 
BJA will provide continuation funding for the four currently funded 
projects and provide technical assistance to help other jurisdictions 
experiencing emerging gang problems. OJJDP will contribute $600,000 to 
this joint BJA/OJJDP effort.

Violence Reduction

Reduce the Availability of Illegal Weapons and Develop Programs to 
Address Violence in Our Communities, Homes, Schools, and Workplaces
    Efforts to reduce and prevent violence continue to be high 
priorities in FY 1995. BJA's efforts will include the continuation and 
expansion of programs to reduce the availability of illegal firearms, 
prevent homicides, and reduce violence in our communities.
    In FY 1993 and 1994, BJA began to address the increase in gun 
violence and homicides through the initiation of a Firearms Licensee 
Compliance Program, the establishment of a Firearms Investigative Task 
Force Program, the creation of a Homicide Task Force, and other 
initiatives. These programs will be expanded and built upon in 
coordination with the U.S. Attorneys' Anti-Violence and Youth Handguns 
Initiatives to assist State and local criminal justice agencies and 
communities control and prevent street violence.
    BJA will also continue its focus on domestic and relational 
violence. According to the Surgeon General, the number one public 
health risk to adult women in the United States is violence. For women 
ages 15-44, violence is the leading cause of injuries. The nature and 
prevalence of this problem has been dramatized by recent news events. 
BJA developed a new initiative in FY 1993 to address violence against 
women, including spouse abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual 
assault, and stalking. This initiative promotes a systems approach 
which emphasizes criminal prosecution with comprehensive case follow-
through. This demonstration program will be evaluated and documented 
this year to provide guidance to the States as they implement the 
Violence Against Women Block Grant Program created by the Violent Crime 
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
    New initiatives will be implemented to address the growing problem 
of violence in the workplace and to create a National Major Gang Task 
Force to track and respond to the growing interaction between street 
and prison gangs. BJA will also participate in a public/private 
partnership against violence in America which is a joint effort among 
private and corporate foundations and several Federal agencies to help 
local communities address violence.

Competitive

Homicide Investigation Enhancement Program--$300,000

    The purpose of this program is to develop a model(s) to assist 
jurisdictions faced with high and increasing rates of homicides by 
increasing their capacity and ability to investigate homicides. One or 
two demonstration sites will implement this model(s) and its various 
procedures and policies as appropriate to their situation. The 
development of the model(s) will be based on the Homicide Investigation 
Enhancement Program at the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), 
District of Columbia. This program, funded in FY 1994, assisted the MPD 
in restructuring its Homicide unit and its operations. In addition, 
ways to utilize the resources and expertise of the Federal law 
enforcement agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 
U.S. Marshal's Service, will be explored. The Police Executive Research 
Forum will develop this model(s) and provide technical assistance to 
the demonstration sites.

Firearms Trafficking Program--$1,000,000

    The purpose of the BJA Firearms Trafficking Program, working in 
cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is 
to demonstrate effective strategies to reduce the level of violent 
crime by controlling the illegal trafficking of firearms. The goals of 
the program are to: (1) Reduce the number of Federal firearms licensees 
and ensure that those who do obtain licenses have a legitimate reason 
for doing so, and (2) reduce the level of firearms-related violent 
crime in the demonstration sites. Applicants may address either of the 
two program goals set forth for this program or develop a strategy 
which combines both of the [[Page 21858]] program goals in a 
comprehensive approach to reducing firearms-related violence. Three or 
four demonstration sites will be funded.

Non-Competitive

Firearms Trafficking Program--$1,750,000

    The Firearms Trafficking Program is designed to assist State and 
local governments reduce incidents of violence by reducing the 
availability of and the illegal trafficking in firearms. This program 
contains several components which BJA has found to be effective or 
promising in reducing the availability of firearms.
     The Firearms Licensee Compliance Program enhances the 
ability of State or 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 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 the Federal and/or State 
firearms laws.
     Interstate Firearms Trafficking Program supports a 
cooperative effort among the Governors of 14 States, the District of 
Columbia, and the ATF to address the increase in violent crime 
committed with firearms obtained through interstate trafficking of 
guns.
     Innovative Firearms Program assists State or local 
jurisdictions in developing and implementing innovative new or enhanced 
projects designed to control illicit firearms trafficking. In addition, 
BJA, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), 
ATF, and U.S. Attorneys will work together to develop a State or local 
project to implement the new Youth Handgun Safety Act. OJJDP will 
contribute $250,000.

Public/Private Partnership Against Violence in America--$1,000,000

    A Funding Collaborative, comprised of private and corporate 
foundations, the Department of Justice, and other Federal agencies, has 
been established to address violence in America, particularly violence 
affecting children and youth. Local sites will be selected to 
participate in this program on a competitive basis by the Funding 
Collaborative.

Arson and Explosives--Investigation and Prosecution Training for 
Prosecutors--$50,000

    This program supports national training for State and local 
prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of arson and bombings 
by addressing the personal and economic losses caused by incendiary and 
suspicious fires. The U.S. Fire Administration will also contribute 
$50,000 to this program.

Prison Gang Tracking System--$450,000

    This program will support a National Major Gang Task Force designed 
to provide a coordinated law enforcement and corrections response to 
the growing interaction between street and prison gangs.

Firearms Legislation Program--$125,000

    The purpose of this project is to develop a body of general 
information about key provisions of States' firearms codes. The Office 
for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention contributed $52,500 to 
this program.

Violence Against Women Demonstration Program--$400,000

    This program is designed to demonstrate and assess a systems 
approach to violence against women including spouse abuse, child abuse, 
sexual assault, and stalking, which coordinates criminal prosecution 
with comprehensive case follow-through of court orders, monitoring and 
enforcement services, and protection for victims. This program will 
provide continuation funding for three existing sites.

Violence Against Women Program--Training and Technical Assistance--
$150,000

    A consortium, established between BJA, the American Prosecutors 
Research Institute, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family 
Court Judges, will assist the demonstration sites described above in 
addressing the critical issues related to violence against women.

Goal II: Improve The Functioning Of The Criminal Justice System

Comprehensive Law Enforcement Initiatives

Enhance the Capacity of Law Enforcement Agencies To Disrupt Crime, Drug 
Trafficking and Sales, and Violence
    The Comprehensive Law Enforcement Initiatives are designed to 
develop and test new programs and practices that enhance the 
effectiveness of State and local law enforcement agencies in making our 
communities safe from serious and violent criminals. In addition to 
continuing several drug task force and financial investigation 
demonstration programs in FY 1995, BJA will fund an Anti-Car Theft 
Demonstration Program; a Major Crime Problem Solving Unit; and Gang 
Organized Crime Narcotics and Violence Enforcement Task Forces. Under 
these programs, new approaches to major crime and gang problems will be 
developed, implemented, documented, and made available to other 
jurisdictions.
    Training and technical assistance related to Organized Crime 
Narcotics (OCN) Enforcement, Financial Investigations, and Clandestine 
Laboratory Investigation and Interdiction, which have been in great 
demand by local agencies, will be continued. Training currently under 
development through a BJA grant to the National Organization of Black 
Law Enforcement Executives will be initiated in FY 1995 to enhance the 
ability of law enforcement officers to draw on social and economic 
support systems available in their community to assist minority 
families.
    BJA will also continue the National Law Enforcement Policy Center, 
which provides a national resource for local agencies to use in 
establishing and enhancing their policies and procedures. The Center 
focuses on new and difficult issues facing local law enforcement 
agencies. It is a valuable resource to many small- and medium-sized 
departments that do not have the resources or expertise to conduct 
research.

Competitive

Auto-theft Deterrence, Investigation and Prosecution Program--$200,000

    The purpose of the Auto-Theft, Deterrence, Investigation, and 
Prosecution Program is to develop, demonstrate, and assess effective 
strategies to reduce the incidence of auto theft, carjackings and 
trafficking in stolen motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts. It is 
designed to: Develop new and innovative strategies to reduce, prevent 
and deter motor vehicle theft and violence; develop tactical 
coordination and interagency plans between law enforcement agencies and 
prosecutors to increase the likelihood of arrest and prosecution for 
motor vehicle theft and carjacking; and target repeat offenders. The 25 
cities with the highest motor vehicle theft rates per 100,000 
population in 1993 and/or the 15 cities with the highest number of 
carjackings in 1992 are eligible to apply for one of two awards to be 
made. See the Program Announcement and Application Kit for a list of 
eligible cities. [[Page 21859]] 

Non-Competitive

Anti-Car Theft Program--$300,000

    The purpose of this program is to establish a National Stolen Auto 
Part Information System to assist law enforcement agencies in tracking 
parts from stolen vehicles.

Training and Technical Assistance to Rural Areas--$150,000

    This program assists rural areas in the development of approaches 
and strategies to address 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.

Non-Traditional Law Enforcement Responses to Minority Families--
$150,000

    The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, in 
partnership with the Jefferson Institute, will continue the development 
and implementation of a training program through which law enforcement 
officers will be taught how to access a variety of community resources 
to address problems facing minority families.

National Law Enforcement Policy Center--$200,000

    The National Law Enforcement Policy Center, administered by the 
International Association of Chiefs of Police, will continue to develop 
and disseminate model policies for use by State and local law 
enforcement agencies.

Washington Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force--$2,000,000

    The Washington, DC, 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.

Major Crime Problem Solving Unit--$400,000

    The North Miami Beach Police Department will expand its innovative 
community policing approach to the detective function.

Chicago Building Interdiction Team Efforts--$500,000

    This program will continue the Chicago Building Interdiction Team 
(BITE), a joint effort of the Chicago and the Chicago Housing Authority 
Police Departments, in the Robert Taylor Homes/Gateway Gardens Public 
Housing Developments. It is designed to regain control of these 
developments from gangs committing violent crime, particularly firearms 
crimes, and restore tenant confidence in law enforcement agencies.

Organized Crime Narcotics (OCN) Program--Technical Assistance--$300,000

    This program will continue to provide technical assistance to the 
OCN projects, that are demonstrating the effectiveness of law 
enforcement agencies working together under a shared management concept 
to attack multijurisdictional criminal conspiracies involving 
narcotics.

Gang OCN Violence Enforcement Program--$500,000

    This program is designed 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 
selected to gather intelligence and develop investigative and 
prosecutorial strategies designed to weaken the structure and 
activities of violent gangs.

Statewide Intelligence Sharing (SIS) Program--Demonstration and 
Technical Assistance--$850,000

    This program will continue to develop, implement, and demonstrate 
the efficacy of centrally coordinated statewide narcotics intelligence 
sharing, using the OCN approach to system design, management, and 
operation. The four SIS projects will be continued in FY 1995.

Financial Investigations (FINVEST)--Demonstration and Technical 
Assistance--$900,000

    The FINVEST sites will continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of 
coordinated multijurisdictional financial investigations and 
prosecutions, using the shared management concept and attacking the 
profit motive of illegal narcotics trafficking at the State and local 
levels.

OCN/FINVEST--Multi-Agency Response Training Project--$650,000

    The Multi-Agency Response Training Project will continue to help 
State and local agencies address management issues and provide 
dedicated training and technical assistance in support of the OCN--New 
Directions, Statewide Integrated Resources Model, the Financial 
Investigations Demonstration Programs, as well as for other State and 
locally funded multi-agency task forces.

Financial Investigation and Money Laundering--Training and Technical 
Assistance--$250,000

    This program will enable the National Association of Attorneys 
General to continue comprehensive program development initiatives, 
develop program documentation, and provide training and technical 
assistance to State Attorneys General to assist them in conducting 
complex financial investigations of and prosecuting illicit drug 
enterprises.

Clandestine Laboratory Training and Certification $300,000

    The Clandestine Laboratory Model Enforcement Program assists State 
and local policymakers and practitioners develop policies, procedures 
and programs related to the hazardous chemicals problems associated 
with clandestine laboratories. In FY 1995, training and followup 
technical assistance will be provided in approximately nine locations 
by The Circle, Inc. BJA funding will also enable the Drug Enforcement 
Administration (DEA) to continue to provide regional safety 
certification training to State and local law enforcement officers.

Community-Focused Adjudication

Improve the Effectiveness and Efficiency of All Aspects of the 
Adjudication Process
    BJA is committed to the development of partnerships among the 
various components of the criminal justice system to focus on problem 
solving in the adjudication process and in the wider community.
    The Community Focused Adjudication programs address a wide variety 
of issues facing all of the players in the adjudication process: The 
courts, local prosecutors, and defense attorneys. A number of the 
programs, such as Tribal Courts, Partnerships for the Improvement of 
Adjudication, Technical Assistance to State Courts, and the National 
Judicial College, are designed to enhance the capacity of State and 
local judges and court systems effectively and efficiently to process 
the large numbers of cases and to address the complex issues that are 
presented to the courts.
    BJA is also committed to assisting State and local courts expand 
[[Page 21860]] sentencing or referral options to better meet the needs 
of the community, the victim, and the offender. The Drug Court Resource 
Center and the Denial of Federal Benefits Program, which will be 
continued in FY 1995, help to make such options available to judges.
    BJA is also committed to assisting State and local prosecutors 
address new and complex issues such as the growing problem of fraud and 
abuse by health care providers. As with other components of the 
criminal justice system, BJA will continue to support activities which 
encourage prosecutors to work more closely with and be more responsive 
to the needs of the communities they serve.

Competitive

Adjudication Partnership--$250,000

    The purpose of this program is to enhance the State and local 
adjudication process by improving practices and partnerships among the 
various components of the criminal justice system. Innovative, 
coordinated adjudication efforts across component systems will be 
identified, documented, and assessed. A symposium will be held to 
discuss the barriers to cooperation as well as creative methods of 
overcoming those impediments. One award will be made. Two jurisdictions 
will receive subawards of $50,000 each to implement model programs.

Improving the Interaction Among State, Tribal, and Federal Courts--
$200,000

    In close collaboration with the tribal courts, this program will 
improve the interrelations of State, tribal and Federal courts. The 
goals of the program are to identify and develop a long-range research, 
demonstration, and training agenda to improve tribal, State, and 
Federal court relations; provide direct technical assistance to tribal 
courts on issues of court organization, personnel management, 
facilities, automation, caseflow, evaluation, and criminal justice 
records; and enhance the tribal administration of justice by helping 
prosecutors, probation officers, and judges develop long term plans and 
strategies with the tribal government. One award will be made.

Litigation Project--$100,000

    The purpose of this program is to examine the impact of pro se 
inmate litigation and to document innovative methods to address the 
growing demands on State Attorneys General, Federal (and to a limited 
extent, State) courts, and State correctional departments caused by 
State prisoners' direct access and appeal to the courts. The program 
will identify and develop strategies to assist civil and criminal 
justice agencies in dealing with the increase in inmate litigation; 
develop and initiate stringent screening procedures to determine which 
cases have sufficient merit to proceed in forma pauperis; and produce 
more efficient case management systems for managing and disposing of 
pro se inmate litigation. A single award will be made to an educational 
institution, not-for profit private organization, prosecution agency or 
State court.

Health Care Fraud Investigation and Prosecution Demonstration--$600,000

    The purpose of this program is to develop a prototype Statewide 
Health Care Fraud Prosecution Unit capable of investigating and 
prosecuting all types of health care fraud. It will provide support for 
the planning, organization and implementation of demonstration health 
care fraud prosecution units. The program will assess and document 
State Attorney General's leadership role in directing and coordinating 
complex health care fraud investigations. Grant awards of up to 
$200,000 each will be awarded to up to three State Attorneys General 
offices.

Non-Competitive

Health Care Fraud Investigation and Prosecution Training and Technical 
Assistance--$250,000

    This project will enable the National Association of Attorneys 
General to work with the demonstration sites described above to develop 
prototype strategies for conducting health care fraud investigations 
and prosecutions by State Attorneys General, including health care 
consumer fraud, Medicaid fraud, and fraud against traditional insurance 
companies and HMOs.

Community Prosecution--$250,000

    BJA and NIJ will conduct a joint effort in FY 1995, to assess the 
state of the art in community prosecution and develop a program 
initiative that will move this important community-based effort to its 
next phase of development and implementation. This effort will build on 
the American Prosecutors Research Institute's earlier work to define 
and document community prosecution.

Model State Drug Enforcement and Treatment Statutes--$200,000

    This program will continue the education and promotion of 
comprehensive model State drug laws which significantly reduce, with 
the goal to eliminate, substance abuse through effective use and 
coordination of enforcement, treatment, education, prevention, 
community, and corrections resources.

Technical Assistance to State Courts--$150,000

    American University will provide technical assistance to State 
courts that request help in addressing specific problems related to 
such issues as case processing and backlog, family violence and 
protective orders, sentencing, and other emerging problems.

Denial of Federal Benefits--$125,000

    This program provides an information system for the courts to use 
to notify the Federal government about offenders convicted of certain 
drug-related offenses that disqualify them from receiving various 
Federal benefits, including contracts and grants.

Drug-Related Legal Education for Judges--$100,000

    The National Judicial College will provide approximately 175 
scholarships to State and local trial court judges to attend training 
on subjects identified by the Administration as high priorities, such 
as Alcohol and Other Drugs and the Courts; Domestic Violence; Equal 
Justice in the Courts; and Effective Sentencing and Probation 
Management for Judges and Probation Officers.

DNA Legal Assistance Unit--$150,000

    This project will fill the void created when the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation discontinues DNA testing and related legal and technical 
services for local prosecutors.

Correctional Options, Boot Camps, and Treatment

Assist States in Freeing Prison Space for Serious and Violent Offenders 
Through the Design, Development, and Implementation of Effective 
Correctional Options for Nonviolent Offenders
    The purpose of the Correctional Options Program is to help States 
plan, design, develop, implement, and evaluate innovative alternatives 
to traditional modes of incarceration for youthful offenders, including 
offender education, training, work, skill development, substance abuse 
treatment, and transitional release programs.
    The program operates under the authority established by Title XVIII 
of the Crime Control Act of 1990 and provides grants to both public 
agencies and private organizations. The goals of the Correctional 
Options Program are to reduce the costs of incarceration, relieve 
prison and jail crowding, lower recidivism rates for youthful 
offenders, [[Page 21861]] and introduce innovation in correctional 
practices.
    Congress appropriated $12 million for this program in FY 1995, 
which is allocated by Congress among the three program areas described 
below. The balance of the allocation for Part I will be awarded under 
the Comprehensive Communities Program for Community-based Alternatives 
to Incarceration.

Part I--Demonstration Programs--$8,250,000

    The purpose of this program is to demonstrate the development and 
implementation of correctional options within existing correctional 
systems. The term ``correctional option'' includes community-based 
incarceration, weekend incarceration, correctional boot camps, 
transitional programs and aftercare services, drug courts, day 
reporting, structured fines, electronic monitoring, intensive 
probation, and other innovative sanctions designed to have the greatest 
impact on offenders who can be dealt with more effectively in a 
nontraditional correctional environment.
    Some sites, funded with demonstration grants in FY 1992 and FY 
1993, will receive continuation funding. Up to 10 new sites will be 
selected competitively from among the 24 sites funded with planning 
grants in FY 1994, to receive Correctional Options Demonstration 
Grants.
    BJA will also provide $1.5 million to support two demonstration 
sites for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency's (OJJDP) 
Accountability Based Community Intervention Program. In addition, 
$500,000 has been allocated to support OJJDP's Intensive Aftercare 
Program.
    From Part I, $1.35 million has been allocated for the development 
of community-based alternatives to incarceration under the 
Comprehensive Communities Program.

Part II--Training and Technical Assistance--$1,200,000

    The purpose of this program is to make grants to private, nonprofit 
organizations to provide training and technical assistance to criminal 
justice personnel and establish small, innovative demonstration 
projects. In FY 1995, the Correctional Options Technical Assistance and 
Support Program will continue to provide services to public agencies 
that have been awarded Part I grants for demonstration programs and 
Part III grants for correctional boot camps. The program will also 
implement a nationwide outreach program to jurisdictions seeking to 
plan, develop, implement, improve, or expand alternatives to 
traditional modes of incarceration.
    As described below, the nationwide outreach program will include 
the efforts of a number of other nonprofit organizations with 
specialized areas of expertise, some of which will not receive new 
awards in FY 1995.
     Treatment Alternatives for Special Clients (TASC)--The 
National Consortium of TASC Programs will provide technical assistance 
and training on developing linkages between treatment and criminal 
justice.
     American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) will 
provide technical assistance and training on Intensive Supervision 
Programs and mobilizing community involvement and support for 
correctional options programs.
     The Sentencing Project will provide training and technical 
assistance on defense-based sentencing initiatives.
     The American Correctional Association will convene a 
National Meeting to Promote Correctional Options, support follow-up 
regional meetings and training sessions, and provide training and 
technical assistance to support the Federal Surplus Property Program.
     Productive Work and Employment Preparedness--The 
Correctional Industries Association (CIA) will provide technical 
assistance and support to the Prison Industries Enhancement and 
Certification Program. BJA will also continue to provide technical 
assistance and program development to support productive work 
opportunities in local jails, through a continuation grant to the Jail 
Work and Industries Center.
     Structured Sentencing-- The National Council on Crime and 
Delinquency will complete a study of structured sentencing practices 
and experiences nationwide and will develop a dissemination and 
technical assistance initiative.
     Telecommunications to Support Correctional Options--The 
Community Corrections Improvement Association will develop 
informational and training videos, a national satellite teleconference 
on correctional options, and other telecommunications products, such as 
telephone training conferences, computer bulletin boards, or regional 
teleconferences.
     Transitional and Aftercare Services--The VERA Institute 
will provide technical assistance and support to strengthen 
transitional and aftercare services available to youthful offenders 
that successfully complete correctional boot camp programs. It will 
also support the design of community-based intervention services for 
drug dependent offenders.
     Prosecutor and Public Defender Training--The Institute for 
Law and Justice will continue to work with prosecutors and public 
defenders to promote a greater understanding of the issues that 
influence the development, implementation, and successful operation of 
correctional options.

Part III--Boot Camps--$1,200,000

    The purpose of this program is to develop and test the 
effectiveness of correctional boot camps as a correctional option. 
Sites that received boot camp implementation grants in FY 1992 and FY 
1993 will be eligible to receive continuation funding in FY 1995. Funds 
will also be available to support boot camp applications developed by 
FY 1994 planning grant recipients.

Criminal Aliens Initiatives

Enhance the Ability of State and Local Agencies, in conjunction with 
the Immigration and Naturalization Service, To Apprehend and Deport 
Criminal Aliens
    The number of criminal aliens being arrested and incarcerated is 
increasing, adding to the already enormous criminal justice caseload 
and to the crowding in our jails and prisons. An estimated 100,000 
illegal aliens convicted of felonies reside in our Federal, State, and 
local correctional/detention facilities. The identification and 
deportation of criminal aliens are high priorities for the Department 
of Justice. BJA, in conjunction with the Immigration and Naturalization 
Service (INS), will continue to assist State and local law enforcement 
and corrections agencies in addressing the problems associated with the 
investigation of criminal aliens involved in drug trafficking and other 
serious crime as well as the impact of criminal aliens detained in 
State correctional systems.

Non-Competitive

Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention--$1,000,000

    The Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program is 
designed to enable the earliest possible identification of aliens 
arrested for felony offenses through INS's Law Enforcement Support 
Center (LESC). During FY 1995, the six States that have documented the 
largest alien populations in their correctional systems will continue 
to serve as demonstration sites. Technical assistance will be provided 
by the [[Page 21862]] Institute for Intergovernmental Research.

Training in Anti-Drug Activities and Cultural Differences Involving 
Illegal Aliens--$125,000

    This project will, through a collaborative effort between the 
International Association of Chiefs of Police and INS, continue to 
present a series of training seminars to local law enforcement officers 
that will enable them more effectively to investigate crimes involving 
criminal aliens.

Evaluation, System Improvement, and Information Dissemination

Evaluate the Effectiveness of Funded Programs, Disseminate Results, and 
Enhance the Ability of Criminal Justice Agencies To Use New Information 
Technologies
    The primary purpose of the programs in this program area is to 
determine ``what works'' in crime control/prevention and criminal 
justice system improvement and to disseminate that information to 
practitioners throughout the country. BJA will continue to work with 
the National Institute of Justice to support the evaluation of BJA-
funded Discretionary and Formula Grant Programs. BJA will also continue 
to support the building of an evaluation capacity at the State and 
local levels to increase the quality and quantity of programs funded 
with formula grant and local resources.
    Dissemination of the evaluation results is accomplished through the 
BJA Clearinghouse and Response Center, conferences, publications, 
technical assistance, and training.
    The other important purpose of this program area is to enhance the 
capacity of State and local criminal justice agencies to share 
intelligence information and to use information system technology.

Non-Competitive

Evaluation--$1,500,000

    This program will be implemented by the National Institute of 
Justice (NIJ) which will evaluate several BJA funded programs and then 
disseminate information to States and local jurisdictions on ``what 
works'' against crime and violence. Additionally BJA and NIJ will 
convene a national conference on ``Evaluating Violent Crime and Drug 
Abuse Initiatives.''

Operational Systems Support Training and Technical Assistance--
$1,000,000

    This program will continue to provide training and technical 
assistance on criminal justice information management, the use of 
microcomputer technology among criminal justice agencies, and the 
operational benefits of technology. An award will be made to SEARCH 
Group, Inc.--the National Consortium for Justice Information and 
Statistics.

Federal/State/Local Partnership Conference--$200,000

    This project will enable BJA to hold a conference with State and 
local governmental and criminal justice officials to discuss issues 
related to crime and violence in America.

Technical Assistance and Training to State and Local Criminal Justice 
Agencies--$1,500,000

    This program will provide training and technical assistance to 
States, local, and Native American Indian jurisdictions in developing 
and implementing comprehensive strategies. It also encourages States to 
include the programs and strategies developed through BJA's 
Discretionary Program in their State violent crime and drug control 
strategies developed under the Formula Grant Program.

Peer Review Services--$150,000

    Applications submitted to BJA in response to a competitive program 
announcement are reviewed by a panel of independent experts who have 
experience and expertise in the subject area. A Peer Review Services 
contract provides administrative support and pays the expenses of the 
reviewers.

Department of Justice Response Center and BJA Clearinghouse--$1,139,000

    This program supports the BJA Clearinghouse which serves as an 
information and dissemination source for the criminal justice field. 
BJA is also responsible for the management of the Department of Justice 
Response Center, which provides timely and accurate information on 
Department of Justice initiatives.

Report Publication and Dissemination--$200,000

    This allocation enables BJA to produce and disseminate information 
to the criminal justice field about state-of-the-art programs and 
activities to improve the criminal justice system through publications 
and other media materials (e.g., brochures, pamphlets, videos, and 
updating electronic bulletin boards).

Regional Information Sharing Systems--$14,500,000

    The Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) program is composed 
of six regional projects that share intelligence and coordinate efforts 
of State and local law enforcement against criminal networks that 
operate in many locations across jurisdictional lines. In FY 1995, all 
RISS projects will enhance gang and firearms intelligence, provide 
linkages within RISS and outreach linkages to other systems, and assist 
the U.S. Attorneys antiviolence initiative.

National White Collar Crime Information Center--$1,400,000

    The National White Collar Crime Center takes the lead in multi-
State investigations of white collar crimes including but not limited 
to: Investment fraud, telemarketing fraud, securities fraud, boiler 
room operations, and advanced fee loans.

Immediate Response to Emerging Problems--$1,500,000

    This program will provide BJA the resources to respond quickly to 
emerging problems or target ``hot spot'' areas by providing programs, 
training, and/or technical assistance to State and local criminal 
justice agencies.

Automated Speech Recognition--$200,000

    BJA will provide an award to Advanced Solutions Group of South 
Carolina to develop automated speech storage and retrieval software and 
automated speech recognition for input into database fields, in order 
to reduce the time that law enforcement officers devote to preparing 
incident reports and to fulfilling other reporting requirements.

State and Local Evaluation Capacity Building Initiative--$1,000,000

    Technical assistance and training will be provided by the Justice 
Research and Statistics Association to State and local agencies 
responsible for implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and developing 
reporting mechanisms for violent crime and drug control programs 
implemented under the Byrne Formula Grant Program.
Nancy E. Gist,
Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Final 
Comprehensive Program Plan for Fiscal Year 1995 and Notification of the 
Availability of the FY 1995 Competitive Discretionary Assistance 
Program and Application Kit

Introduction

    The Nation's juvenile justice system stands at a crossroads. We are 
faced with a disturbing increase in violent [[Page 21863]] crimes 
committed by juveniles and an alarming rise in abuse, neglect, and 
street violence perpetrated against American youth. In light of this 
emerging crisis, we can no longer afford a narrow focus by separate 
disciplines to attack this problem. To effectively address the rising 
levels of juvenile crime, participants from all community sectors, 
public and private, and across specializations, must plan 
collaboratively and comprehensively to reduce violence and build safer 
and healthier communities. Collectively, we must launch a two-pronged 
assault on juvenile delinquency and violence, and their causes. 
Prevention and early intervention programs, coupled with a strong focus 
on law enforcement and a comprehensive system of graduated sanctions 
are crucial to this battle.
    The public's fear of youth violence is well founded. Assuming that 
juvenile violent crime arrest rates increase annually at the rate they 
have in the past decade, juvenile violent crime arrests would more than 
double by the year 2010. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform 
Crime Reports for 1992-1993 show that the greatest increase in arrests 
of violent offenders involves children under the age of 18. Offenders 
under the age of 15 show the greatest increase in offenses involving 
the use of weapons. No place is a haven. Our neighborhoods, our schools 
and our homes are becoming increasingly violent. In 1992, 1.55 million 
violent crimes were committed against juveniles age 12 to 17, a 23.4% 
increase since 1987. The increased use of weapons, particularly 
firearms, by juveniles has created a climate of fear both for and of 
our children.
    An increased emphasis on law enforcement and corrections has been 
the most common response to rising levels of juvenile violent crime. 
Assuredly, our communities have a vital stake in ensuring that serious, 
violent and chronic offenders are removed from the street. However, 
providing more detention beds and secure commitment facilities and 
increasing prosecution of juveniles as adults can only protect our 
communities in the short term. Such measures alone cannot put an end to 
youth violence. While we need to take immediate steps to protect our 
communities today, programs that prevent delinquency and violence 
tomorrow are the greatest hope for the future.
    We must intensify our efforts to prevent delinquency by seeking 
ways to target services to youth and families at risk and to intervene 
immediately to hold first time juvenile offenders accountable before 
they become serious, violent, or chronic delinquents or graduate to 
become adult criminals. Working with our communities, we must integrate 
a system of support for families and children that will help them live 
in a safe and healthy environment. America's children should awaken 
each morning in homes that are free of child abuse and neglect; they 
should attend schools that are free of drugs, gangs, and guns; and 
after school, they should be able to play in parks that are safe and 
return to homes that provide a nurturing and supportive atmosphere.
    Much of the public debate about juvenile delinquency centers on at-
risk youth. If we are to provide early and effective intervention to 
prevent delinquency, we must begin by more precisely targeting at-risk 
children and families, but we should not exclude any child who needs 
services.
    The road to adulthood has become increasingly hazardous in our 
society, and many families have broken apart. We must strengthen and 
preserve families. In particular, we must help families provide their 
children with the support that young people need to become productive 
and law abiding citizens.
    If we are serious about combating crime, we must start early to 
ensure the healthy development of our children. We know that the early 
years of life are highly significant in a child's development. It is 
during that period that children learn empathy from caring adults with 
whom they have secure attachments and develop a sense of trust derived 
from parental responsiveness and loving attention.
    Therefore, it is critical to:
     Offer parents the tools they need to nurture their children 
effectively, through parent training classes and home visitation 
programs, including parents of offenders and juvenile offenders who are 
teen parents.
     Enable children to enter kindergarten ready for school with a 
chance to succeed, through programs such as Head Start and HIPPY (Home 
Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters).
     Keep students in school, where they can acquire the tools to 
become self-sufficient through truancy and dropout prevention and 
intervention programs.
     Give youth a positive alternative to being out on the street 
and the violence this encourages through after-school activities and 
conflict resolution programs.
     Provide youth with positive role models through mentoring 
programs.
    There are clear correlations between child abuse and neglect and 
increased delinquency and violence. A National Institute of Justice 
study on the cycle of violence reports that childhood abuse and neglect 
increase the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile and as an adult. The 
direct connection between violence and child neglect is striking: 12.5 
percent of neglected children and 15.8 percent of physically abused 
children will be arrested for a violent offense by the age of 25. An 
ongoing OJJDP study on the causes and correlates of delinquency found 
that adolescents from families in which two or more forms of violence 
are present (e.g. child and spouse abuse) are almost twice as likely to 
report committing violent offenses as their peers from nonviolent 
families.
    Thousands of alleged incidents of child abuse and neglect are 
reported to authorities every day. These reports must be handled within 
systems that are ill-equipped to properly investigate cases, report 
adequately to the court, or provide effective protective supervision, 
appropriate foster care, or timely permanent placement. As a result, 
children may be harmed by the very systems designed to protect them. 
The juvenile justice system's inability to properly deal with the 
deluge of abuse and neglect cases is devastating families.
    In addition to manageable caseloads, child protective service 
workers, investigators, police officers, and others responsible for 
protecting children need expert training in child development and 
investigative techniques. This will enable them to gather the 
information needed to make legal determinations while displaying 
sensitivity to the child and the family. To effectively manage their 
cases, court counselors must have sufficient time to get the critical 
details needed to make appropriate recommendations regarding such 
matters as placement and future court action. Social workers must have 
adequate time to work with families, ensure compliance with court 
orders, and, above all, ensure the safety of children. Monitoring a 
child's status in foster care and minimizing the trauma of out-of-home 
placement is a time consuming responsibility. Judges need the time to 
thoughtfully and thoroughly deliberate in order to render informed 
decisions that are in the best interests of the child, justice and 
society. Finally, necessary resources to meet the treatment needs of 
the child and the family must be available in the community.
    The juvenile justice system must also be strengthened if we are to 
reduce delinquency and juvenile violence. [[Page 21864]] There must be 
a full range of graduated sanctions designed to meet the needs of each 
juvenile in the juvenile justice system. We have learned that immediate 
intervention programs, based on a proper assessment, are a critical 
need the first time a juvenile commits an offense. A variety of 
innovative early intervention programs for first-time, nonviolent 
offenders have been implemented successfully. They include neighborhood 
resource teams, informal probation, peer mediation, community service, 
victim awareness programs, restitution, day treatment, alternative 
education, and outpatient alcohol and drug abuse treatment. These types 
of programs need to be replicated across America.
    We must ensure that appropriate sanctions are available for more 
serious offenders and for offenders who have failed to benefit from the 
early interventions described above. Such sanctions include drug 
testing, weekend detention, intensive supervision for probationers, 
inpatient drug and alcohol abuse treatment, electronic monitoring, 
community-based residential programs and boot camps.
    Secure facilities are needed for serious, violent, and chronic 
offenders who require a structured treatment environment or who 
threaten community safety. If a review of the nature of the offense, 
the offender's amenability to treatment, and the offender's record 
indicate that the juvenile justice system cannot provide appropriate 
services and adequately protect the community, the prosecution of such 
offenders in the criminal courts is both appropriate and necessary.
    Finally, aftercare, or ``community care,'' must be more than an 
afterthought. Such services must be an integral aspect of all 
dispositions involving residential placement and include the active 
involvement of the child's family. It makes little sense to intervene 
in a significant way in children's lives only to send those children 
back into the same environment without a support system for the family 
and child. OJJDP's intensive aftercare program is developing both the 
programmatic and policy underpinnings for enhancing our efforts in this 
vital area.
    Existing research points to the efficacy of a community-wide, 
comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach. This approach should include 
family support, prevention programs, immediate and intermediate 
sanctions, small secure facilities for the most serious offenders, and 
sound re-entry and aftercare services. As a result of research and 
evaluation, we can now point to a variety of program models proven to 
reduce delinquency and control youth violence. In these times of 
limited resources, program development should be predicated on this 
knowledge and innovative demonstration programs should be evaluated to 
measure their impact. Information, technical assistance, and training 
on the most promising programs should be provided as quickly and 
broadly as possible.
    Protecting our communities and protecting our children: this two-
part strategy lies at the heart of OJJDP's leadership of the Nation's 
efforts to prevent and combat delinquency and of the programs proposed 
in this plan. Community-based, collaborative efforts that involve 
comprehensive strategies aimed at reducing delinquency and youth 
violence will be critical to our success. Federal departments whose 
programs affect youth must work in an interdisciplinary manner, 
adopting this approach. With the tools now at hand--including enhanced 
community-oriented policing, delinquency prevention and intervention 
programs, and new correctional programs and facilities--we have an 
opportunity to build prevention and intervention strategies that can be 
implemented to reduce juvenile delinquency and violence across America.

OJJDP's Comprehensive Response

    The Justice Department has called for an unprecedented national 
commitment of public and private resources to reverse the rising trend 
of juvenile violence and victimization. OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy 
for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders, which outlines 
the two principal components of prevention and intervention, is the 
centerpiece of this call for action.
    The prevention component of the Strategy calls for establishing 
community-based planning teams and collaborative efforts between the 
juvenile justice system and other service systems, including mental 
health, health, child welfare, and education. To be effective, 
delinquency prevention programs should be based on a risk-focused 
approach in which communities systematically assess their delinquency 
problem in relation to known risk factors and implement programs to 
counteract them.
    A key strategy to counter risk factors for delinquency in young 
people's lives is to enhance protective factors that fall into three 
basic categories: (1) Individual characteristics (having a resilient 
temperament or a positive orientation), (2) bonding (positive 
relationships with adult role models), and (3) healthy beliefs and 
clear standards.
    The intervention component of the Comprehensive Strategy is based 
on a model for the treatment and rehabilitation of delinquent offenders 
that combines accountability and sanctions with increasingly intensive 
treatment and rehabilitation. Families must be integrated into 
treatment and rehabilitative efforts at each stage of this continuum. 
Aftercare must be a formal component of all residential placements, 
actively involving the family and the community in supporting and 
reintegrating the juvenile into the community.
    The intervention component also calls for a range of graduated 
sanctions to provide both immediate interventions and intermediate 
sanctions, including extensive use of nonresidential community-based 
programs. Many serious, violent, and chronic offenders will require the 
use of secure detention to protect the community and provide a 
structured treatment environment.
    To expand implementation of the Comprehensive Strategy, OJJDP will 
fund several key initiatives in fiscal year 1995 designed to assist 
both urban and rural communities to address youth violence.
    The National Council on Crime and Delinquency and Developmental 
Research and Programs have identified the most effective, promising 
programs for use in implementing the Comprehensive Strategy. Reports 
will be published on:
     Effective prevention strategies from birth to age six.
     Selected prevention strategies for early childhood and 
adolescence.
     Effective and promising graduated sanctions programs for 
serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders.
     Use of risk assessment and classification instruments.
    These reports will be combined with an operations manual, which 
communities can use as a blueprint to assess their efforts in the areas 
of prevention and graduated sanctions to design and implement 
improvements that respond to community-identified needs.
    Extensive efforts to coordinate and develop solutions to youth 
violence are ongoing at the Federal level. For example, a national 
conference, Solving Youth Violence: Partnerships that Work, was held in 
1994. OJJDP is providing extensive technical assistance and training to 
four pilot jurisdictions in an interdepartmental initiative called 
Project PACT (Pulling America's Communities Together). The Denver 
metropolitan area, the District of [[Page 21865]] Columbia, the Atlanta 
metropolitan area, and the State of Nebraska are developing coordinated 
solutions to violence. Key officials and community leaders are being 
trained and assisted in assessing the local adult and juvenile violence 
problem and mobilizing their justice system responses and resources to 
develop system-wide solutions. Staff are being trained in establishing 
effective delinquency prevention programs using a risk-focused strategy 
and in intervention efforts employing a range of graduated sanctions 
for juveniles in the juvenile justice system.
    OJJDP is participating in a collaborative effort with the Bureau of 
Justice Assistance called the Comprehensive Communities Program, in 
which cities or counties faced with high rates of drug-related crime 
and violence are developing a comprehensive strategy for crime- and 
drug-control that requires law enforcement and other government 
agencies to work in partnership with the community to address these 
problems by focusing on the environment that fosters them.

Program Plan Contents

Overview

1992 JJDP Act Amendments
Fiscal Year 1995 Program Planning Activities
Discretionary Program Activities
Discretionary Grant Continuation Policy
OJJDP Funding Policy
Application and Further Information
Strengthening of the Juvenile Justice System
Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Delinquency Prevention
Missing, Exploited and Abused Children
Fiscal Year 1995 Programs
Fiscal Year 1995 Program Listing

Overarching Programs

New Programs
SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency
Information and Statistics Projects
OJJDP Management Evaluation Contract
Technical Assistance for State Legislatures
Contra Costa County, California Continuum of Care Program*
Evaluation of SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and 
Delinquency Program

Overarching Programs

Continuation Programs
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse
Coalition for Juvenile Justice*
OJJDP Technical Assistance Support Contract: Juvenile Justice Resource 
Center
National Juvenile Court Data Archive*
Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development
Insular Area Support*
Development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and 
Chronic Juvenile Offenders
Research Program on Juveniles Taken Into Custody--NCCD
Children in Custody--Census
Contract for the Evaluation of OJJDP Programs
Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) Program Development
Juveniles Taken Into Custody (JTIC): Interagency Agreement
Juvenile Justice Data Resources

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

New Programs
Mental Health in the Juvenile Justice System
Bethesda Day Treatment Center
Interventions to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Confinement in Secure 
Detention and Correctional Facilities (The Deborah M. Wysinger Memorial 
Program)
The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center
Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention (The James 
E. Gould Memorial Program)

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

Continuation Programs
Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program
Juvenile Court Training*
Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical 
Assistance Program
Native American Alternative Community-Based Program
Training for Juvenile Corrections and Detention Staff
Technical Assistance to the Juvenile Courts*
Due Process Advocacy Program Development
Improvement in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders
Robeson County, North Carolina*
P.A.C.E., Center for Girls, Inc.*
Juvenile Restitution: Balanced Approach
Evaluation of Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and 
Technical Assistance Program
Douglas County, Nebraska*
Professional Development for Youth Workers
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania*

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

New Programs
Gangs and Delinquency Research
Field-Initiated Gang Research Program
Juvenile Transfers to Criminal Court Studies
Innovative Firearms Program
Gangs, Groups, Individuals, and Violence Intervention
Youth Handgun Study/Model Juvenile Handgun Legislation

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

Continuation Programs
Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program
Comprehensive Communities Program--Comprehensive Gang Initiative
Targeted Outreach with a Gang Prevention and Intervention Component 
(Boys and Girls Clubs)
Comprehensive Gang Initiative
Violence Studies*
Violence Study--Causes and Correlates
Child Centered Community-Oriented Policing
National School Safety Center
Enhancing Enforcement Strategies for Juvenile Impaired Driving Due to 
Alcohol and Other Drug Use
Training in Cultural Differences for Law Enforcement/Juvenile Justice 
Officials

Delinquency Prevention

New Programs
Community-Based Gang Intervention
Family Strengthening and SupportIncluding Non-English Speaking
Comprehensive Community-Based Services for At-Risk Girls and 
Adjudicated Juvenile Female Offenders
Innovative Approaches in Law-Related Education*
Training in Risk-Focused Prevention Strategies
Pathways to Success
Truancy
North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. (Building Esteem and Responsibility 
Systematically) Program*
Training and Technical Assistance for Family-Strengthening Services
Youth-Centered Conflict Resolution
ASAP: Athlete Student Achievement Pact*
Project Mister/Project Sister*
Facing History and Ourselves*
La Nueva Vida*
Henry Ford Heath System*
Anti-Crime Youth Council*

Delinquency Prevention

Continuation Programs
Law-Related Education (LRE)*
Teens, Crime, and Community: Teens in Action in the 90s*
Satellite Prep School Program and Early Elementary School for 
Privatized Public Housing [[Page 21866]] 
Children at Risk
Nonviolent Dispute Resolution
The Congress of National Black Churches: National Anti-Drug Abuse 
Program
``Just Say No'' International*
Jackie Robinson Center (JRC)*
Cities in Schools--Federal Interagency Partnership Hate Crimes
Community Anti-Drug Abuse Technical Assistance Voucher Project
Race Against Drugs

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

New Programs
Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc.*
KidsPeace*
Multipurpose Educational Curriculum for Young Victims

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

Continuation Programs
Parents Anonymous, Inc.*
Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children*
Children as Witnesses to Community Violence

Discussion of Comments

Overview

    OJJDP was established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-415), as amended, to provide a 
comprehensive, coordinated approach to prevent and control juvenile 
crime and improve the juvenile justice system. Under Title II, OJJDP 
administers the State Formula Grants and State Challenge programs in 56 
States and territories, funds more than 100 national, State and local 
projects through its Special Emphasis Discretionary Grant Program and 
its National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 
and funds projects under both Part D (Gangs) and Part G (Mentoring) 
programs.
    OJJDP serves as the staff agency for the Coordinating Council on 
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, coordinates the 
Concentration of Federal Efforts Program, and all Federal activities 
related to juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, and administers 
the Title IV Missing and Exploited Children's Program, the Title V 
Prevention Incentive Grants Program, and programs under the Victims of 
Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended (42 U.S.C. 13001 et seq.).

1992 JJDP Act Amendments

    The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Amendments of 1992 
(Public Law 92-586) expanded the role of OJJDP in Federal efforts to 
prevent and treat juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice 
system by including three new priorities: strengthening the families of 
delinquents; improving State and local administration of justice and 
services to juveniles; and assisting States and local communities in 
preventing youth from entering the justice system. The Amendments 
encourage coordination of services, interagency cooperation, and 
parental involvement in treatment and services for juveniles. Seven new 
studies were mandated. The Comptroller General is in the process of 
completing five of these studies: (1) Juveniles waived, certified, or 
transferred to adult court, (2) Admissions of juveniles with behavior 
disorders to private psychiatric hospitals, (3) Gender bias in State 
juvenile justice systems, (4) Native American pass-through under the 
Formula Grants Program, and (5) Access to counsel in juvenile court 
proceedings. OJJDP is conducting the other two studies: one on the 
incidence, nature, and causes of violence committed by or against 
juveniles in urban and rural areas, and a second on the extent and 
characteristics of juvenile hate crimes.
    The JJDP Act Amendments of 1992 authorized OJJDP to administer 
several new grant programs.
     Part E, State Challenge Activities, authorizes grants to 
States participating in the Part B Formula Grants Program that provide 
up to 10 percent of a State's Formula Grants Program allocation for 
each of 10 challenge activities in which the State participates.
     Part F, Treatment for Juvenile Offenders Who are Victims of 
Child Abuse or Neglect, authorizes grants to public and nonprofit 
private organizations for treatment of juvenile offenders who are 
victims of child abuse or neglect, transitional services, and related 
research.
     Part G, Mentoring, authorizes three-year grants to local 
education agencies, or to private nonprofit or organizations working in 
partnership with such agencies, for mentoring programs designed to link 
at-risk youth with responsible adults to discourage youth involvement 
in criminal and violent activity.
     Part H, Boot Camps, authorizes grants to establish up to 10 
military-style boot camps for delinquent juveniles.
     Title V, Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention 
Programs, authorizes grants to local governments for a broad range of 
delinquency prevention activities targeting youth who have had contact 
with, or are at-risk of contact with, the juvenile justice system.
    In fiscal year 1995, funds were appropriated for three of the five 
programs cited above: Part G, Mentoring ($4 million), Title V, 
Prevention Grants ($20 million), and Part E, State Challenge Activities 
($10 million). These programs are not included in this Plan (except for 
$1 million of Part G and $1 million of Title V funds committed to the 
SafeFutures Program), nor are programs authorized and funded under the 
Title IV Missing Children's Assistance Act and the Victims of Child 
Abuse Act of 1990, as amended.

Fiscal Year 1995 Program Planning Activities

    The OJJDP program planning process for fiscal year 1995 has been 
coordinated with the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice 
Programs (OJP), and the four other OJP Program Bureaus: The Bureau of 
Justice Assistance (BJA); the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS); the 
National Institute of Justice (NIJ); and the Office for Victims of 
Crime (OVC). OJJDP's program planning process involved the following 
steps:
     Internal review of existing programs by OJJDP staff.
     Internal review of proposed programs by OJP bureaus and 
selected Department of Justice components.
     Review of information and data from OJJDP grantees and 
contractors.
     Review of information contained in State comprehensive plans.
     Review of comments made by youth services providers, juvenile 
justice practitioners, and researchers.
     Consideration of suggestions made by juvenile justice policy 
makers concerning State and local needs.
     Consideration of all comments received during the period of 
public comment on the Proposed Comprehensive Plan.
    An example of the intra-agency coordination between OJP Program 
Bureaus involves OJJDP and Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) gang 
initiatives. Although these programs are being implemented in a similar 
manner, the two initiatives are different in their theoretical approach 
and program targets.
    BJA's fiscal year 1995 Comprehensive Gang Initiative is based on a 
prototype developed through a grant to the Police Executive Research 
Forum in 1992. The prototype emphasizes prevention, intervention, and 
suppression and encompasses strategies which bring together cooperative 
and coordinated efforts of the police, other criminal justice agencies, 
human service providers, and community programs. This initiative is 
primarily designed to [[Page 21867]] focus on older teens and adults. 
In fiscal year 1995, this program is featured in BJA's Comprehensive 
Communities program.
    OJJDP's fiscal year 1995 Gang-Free Schools and Communities Program 
is based on a prevention-based community mobilization model derived 
from the research of Dr. Irving Spergel and colleagues. This model 
specifically focuses on juveniles and young adults under age 22. This 
fiscal year, the program has a specific focus on gang-free schools and 
public or federally subsidized housing. Another differentiating factor 
is that OJJDP's fiscal year 1995 initiative will be concentrated within 
the overarching SafeFutures demonstration program, as part of the 
comprehensive continuum of care that the program is designed to 
establish.

Discretionary Program Activities

Discretionary Grant Continuation Policy
    OJJDP has listed on the following pages continuation projects 
currently funded in whole or in part with Part C and Part D funds and 
eligible for funding in fiscal year 1995, either within an existing 
project period or through an extension for an additional project 
period. A grantee's eligibility for continued funding for an additional 
budget period within an existing project period depends on the 
grantee's compliance with funding eligibility requirements and 
achievement of the prior year's objectives.
    Consideration for continuation funding for an additional project 
period for previously funded discretionary grant programs is based upon 
several factors, including:
     The extent to which the project responds to the applicable 
requirements of the JJDP Act.
     Responsiveness to OJJDP and Department of Justice fiscal year 
1995 program priorities.
     Compliance with performance requirements of prior grant 
years.
     Compliance with fiscal and regulatory requirements.
     Compliance with any special conditions of the award.
     Availability of funds (based on program priority 
determinations).
    In accordance with section 262 (d)(1)(B), 42 U.S.C. 5665a, the 
competitive process for the award of Part C funds shall not be required 
if the Administrator makes a written determination waiving the 
competitive process:
    1. With respect to programs to be carried out in areas in which the 
President declares under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that a major disaster 
or emergency exists, or
    2. With respect to a particular program described in part C that is 
uniquely qualified.
    In implementing the fiscal year 1995 Program Plan, OJJDP will 
continue the process of developing, testing, and demonstrating both the 
prevention efforts and the graduated sanctions concept throughout its 
programs, such as in SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence 
and Delinquency, while also prioritizing support for applicants that 
reflect the coordinated, interdisciplinary approaches found in Weed and 
Seed sites and Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities. This 
support will be provided through:
     New competitive programs to be funded at the State or local 
level and new programs that provide funds to national organizations to 
provide services at the State and local level.
     Continuation awards, under which OJJDP will negotiate with 
grantees and task contractors to identify and ensure the provision of 
site specific technical assistance, training, information, and direct 
program services to Weed and Seed sites, Empowerment Zones and 
Enterprise Communities, and jurisdictions adopting a continuum of care 
program approach.

OJJDP Funding Policy

    OJJDP focuses its assistance on the development and implementation 
of programs with the greatest potential for reducing juvenile 
delinquency and crime and that create and strengthen partnerships with 
State and local organizations. To that end, OJJDP has defined four 
programatic themes that constitute the major elements of a sound policy 
for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention:
     Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System.
     Public Safety and Law Enforcement.
     Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Intervention.
     Missing, Exploited and Abused Children.
    OJJDP will also fund a new overarching demonstration program, 
SafeFutures: Partnerships To Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency, 
which builds on the knowledge accumulated over 30 years of juvenile 
justice research. This overarching program builds upon broad-based 
community planning and support from all sectors and systems to provide 
a continuum of programs that focus on ameliorating known community risk 
factors. It stresses addressing the problems of youth along a continuum 
of prevention and intervention activities, from those aimed at the at-
risk child to the serious and violent juvenile offender. Other 
overarching programs, both new and continuation, that cross 
programmatic themes will also receive OJJDP funding under this Plan.

Application and Further Information

    Program inquiries are to be addressed to the attention of the OJJDP 
staff contact person identified in the FY 1995 Competitive 
Discretionary Program Announcements and Application Kit. For general 
information, contact Marilyn Silver, Management Analyst, Information 
Dissemination Unit, (202) 307-0751. This is not a toll-free number. Due 
dates for all competitive programs are contained in the FY 1995 
Competitive Discretionary Program Announcements and Application Kit. 
Please call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, toll-free, 24 hours a 
day, (800) 638-8736 to obtain a copy.
    Applications are invited from eligible public and private agencies, 
organizations, institutions, individuals, or combinations thereof. 
Eligibility differs from program to program. Please consult the FY 1995 
Competitive Discretionary Program Announcements and Application Kit for 
individual competitive program announcements and specific eligibility 
requirements. Where eligible for an assistance award, private for 
profit organizations must agree to waive any profit or fee. Joint 
applications by two or more eligible applicants are welcome, as long as 
one organization is designated as the primary applicant and the 
other(s) as co-applicant(s). Applicants must demonstrate that they have 
experience in the design and implementation of the type of program or 
program activity for which they are an applicant.

Strengthening of the Juvenile Justice System

    All parts of the juvenile justice system are straining under the 
burden of increasing numbers of juvenile offenders. In 1992, the 
juvenile arrest rate was the highest in 20 years. Between 1982 and 
1992, juvenile courts saw a 26% increase in the number of delinquency 
cases. In 1990, a congressionally mandated study identified several 
areas in which problems in secure juvenile facilities are substantial 
and widespread, most notably living space (crowding), health care, 
security, and control of suicidal behavior. OJJDP is continuing to fund 
[[Page 21868]] several programs that aggressively address these issues.
    The limited resources of the juvenile justice system must continue 
to target the most difficult and intractable problems of juvenile 
crime. Strengthening the system requires support of all parts of the 
justice system, including law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts, 
as well as detention and corrections, including alternative residential 
placements and aftercare. A sound policy includes the assessment of 
each offender's needs and risks to the community, and concentrates the 
more formal, expensive, and restrictive options of the juvenile justice 
system in two areas:
     Youth behavior that is most serious and least amenable to 
preventive measures and community responses.
     Problems of youth and their families that exceed community 
resources and require more stringent legal resolution. This approach 
should promote accountability on the part of individual juvenile 
offenders to their victims.

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

    The epidemic of youth violence is striking fear in communities 
across the Nation. While violent crime statistics are generally down, 
violent criminal activity is increasing among the young. Juvenile 
arrests for violent crime increased 57% between 1983 and 1992. The 
nearly 54,200 juvenile weapons arrests in 1992 accounted for nearly 1 
of 4 weapons arrests. Violent youth gangs, often associated with large 
urban areas, are emerging in smaller cities.
    While ultimately the reduction in youth violence depends on 
overcoming or changing those societal factors that propel troubled 
youth toward violent behavior, immediate public safety issues require 
the justice system to incapacitate the small number of serious, violent 
and chronic offenders responsible for the majority of juvenile 
violence. However, a sound policy for combating juvenile crime must not 
indiscriminately treat children as small versions of adults. Law 
enforcement training on how to deal with juvenile offenders and victims 
and how to address the problems of youth gangs and the increasing use 
of guns by juveniles is an integral part of a comprehensive response to 
the escalating violence.

Delinquency Prevention and Intervention

    By the year 2005, the total population of youths from 15 to 19 
years old will grow by an estimated 23 percent. Research has shown that 
the peak age of arrest for serious violent crime is 18 years. It has 
also shown that we must focus on addressing the root causes of 
delinquency as well as the symptoms. OJJDP programs encourage a risk-
focused approach based on public health and social development models.
    Communities cannot afford to place responsibility for juvenile 
crime entirely on the juvenile justice system. We must maximize the use 
of a community's less formal, less expensive, and less alienating 
responses to youthful misbehavior, while at the same time maintaining 
the safety of the public. The science of prevention has taught us that 
a sound policy for juvenile delinquency prevention must strengthen the 
most powerful contributing factor to good behavior: A productive place 
for young people in a law-abiding society. This type of preventive 
measure can operate on a large scale, providing gains in youth 
development while reducing juvenile delinquency.

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

    The Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 5771-5780, 
Title IV of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 
1974, as amended) established OJJDP as the lead federal agency in 
matters pertaining to missing and exploited children. The fiscal year 
1995 Competitive Discretionary Grant Programs for Title IV Missing and 
Exploited Children's Program and Application Kit Notice was published 
in the Federal Register on January 5, 1995.

Fiscal Year 1995 Programs

    Brief summaries of each of OJJDP's new and continuation programs 
for fiscal year 1995 are provided below. The programs are organized 
according to the four areas that constitute the major elements of 
OJJDP's comprehensive approach to preventing juvenile justice and 
improving public safety.
    A number of programs have been identified for funding by Congress 
with regard to the grantee(s), the amount of funds, or both. Such 
programs are indicated by an asterisk (*). The 1995 Appropriations Act 
Conference Report for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, 
the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Programs identified 13 programs for 
OJJDP to examine and fund if warranted. Three of the programs are 
included in this Plan for continuation funding. Nine of the remaining 
ten have been reviewed and will receive consideration for funding in 
fiscal year 1995 at the levels indicated in the Final Plan.
    OJJDP's new overarching demonstration program, SafeFutures: 
Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency Program, is 
presented first since it addresses the major elements that must be 
present in an effective strategy to prevent and control delinquency and 
provide the juvenile justice system with the program resources needed 
to do its job effectively. This new program focuses on a variety of 
services and funding resources. Other overarching programs are then 
presented, followed by programs that seek to strengthen juvenile 
justice, enhance public safety and law enforcement, prevent 
delinquency, and address the problem of missing, exploited and abused 
children.

Fiscal Year 1995 Program Listing

Overarching Programs

New Programs
SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency--
$7,200,000
Information and Statistics Projects--525,000
OJJDP Management Evaluation Contract--360,000
Technical Assistance For State Legislatures--262,500
Contra Costa County, California: Continuum of Care Program*--247,000
Evaluation of SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and 
Delinquency Program--150,000

Overarching Programs

Continuation Programs
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse--$1,031,167
Coalition for Juvenile Justice*--700,000
OJJDP Technical Assistance Support Contract: Juvenile Justice Resource 
Center--650,000
National Juvenile Court Data Archive*--611,000
Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development--550,000
Insular Area Support*--511,000
Development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and 
Chronic Juvenile Offenders--500,058
Research Program on Juveniles Taken Into Custody-NCCD--450,000
Children in Custody-Census--450,000
Contract for the Evaluation of OJJDP Programs--290,000
Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) Program Development--
261,000
Juveniles Taken Into Custody (JTIC): Interagency Agreement--200,000
Juvenile Justice Data Resources--25,000 [[Page 21869]] 

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

New Programs
Mental Health in the Juvenile Justice System--$750,000
Bethesda Day Treatment Center--320,000
Interventions to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Confinement in Secure 
Detention and Correctional Facilities (The Deborah M. Wysinger Memorial 
Program)--300,000
The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center--300,000
Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention (The James 
E. Gould Memorial Program)--200,000

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

Continuation Programs
Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program--
$1,500,000
Juvenile Court Training*--1,074,000
Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical 
Assistance Program--620,000
Native American Alternative Community-Based Program--600,000
Training for Juvenile Corrections and Detention Staff--500,000
Technical Assistance to the Juvenile Courts*--389,943
Due Process Advocacy Program Development--250,000
Improvement in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders--250,000
Robeson County, North Carolina*--202,645
P.A.C.E., Center for Girls, Inc.*--150,000
Juvenile Restitution: Balanced Approach--100,000
Evaluation of Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and 
Technical Assistance Program--80,000
Douglas County, Nebraska*--67,055
Professional Development for Youth Workers--50,000
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania*--50,000

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

New Programs
Gangs and Delinquency Research--$500,000
Field-Initiated Gang Research Program--300,000
Juvenile Transfers to Criminal Court Studies--275,000
Innovative Firearms Program--250,000
Gangs, Groups, Individuals, and Violence Intervention--250,000
Youth Handgun Study/Model Juvenile Handgun Legislation--202,838

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

Continuation Programs
Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program--$1,504,924
Comprehensive Communities Program--Comprehensive Gang Initiative--
799,345
Targeted Outreach with a Gang Prevention and Intervention Component 
(Boys and Girls Clubs)--600,000
Comprehensive Gang Initiative--600,000
Violence Studies*--500,000
Violence Study--Causes and Correlates--300,000
Child Centered Community-Oriented Policing--300,000
National School Safety Center--250,000
Enhancing Enforcement Strategies for Juvenile Impaired Driving Due to 
Alcohol and Other Drug Use--150,000
Training in Cultural Differences for Law Enforcement/Juvenile Justice 
Officials--100,000

Delinquency Prevention

New Programs
Community-Based Gang Intervention--$2,000,000
Family Strengthening and Support--Including Non-English Speaking--
1,000,000
Comprehensive Community-Based Services for At-Risk Girls and 
Adjudicated Juvenile Female Offenders--600,000
Innovative Approaches in Law-Related Education*--600,000
Training in Risk-Focused Prevention Strategies--500,000
Pathways to Success--450,000
Truancy--400,000
North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. (Building Esteem and Responsibility 
Systematically) Program*--300,000
Training and Technical Assistance for Family-Strengthening Services--
250,000
Youth-Centered Conflict Resolution--200,000
ASAP: Athlete Student Achievement Pact*--150,000
Project Mister/Project Sister*--146,500
Facing History and Ourselves*--100,000
La Nueva Vida*--64,000
Henry Ford Health System*--58,000
Anti-Crime Youth Council*--50,000

Delinquency Prevention

Continuation Programs
Law-Related Education (LRE)*--$2,800,000
Teens, Crime, and Community: Teens in Action in the 90s*--1,000,000
Satellite Prep School Program and Early Elementary School for 
Privatized Public Housing--720,000
Children at Risk--350,000
Nonviolent Dispute Resolution--300,000
The Congress of National Black Churches: National Anti-Drug Abuse 
Program--250,000
``Just Say No'' International*--250,000
Jackie Robinson Center (JRC)*--250,000
Cities in Schools--Federal Interagency Partnership--200,000
Hate Crimes--200,000
Community Anti-Drug Abuse Technical Assistance Voucher Project--200,000
Race Against Drugs--150,000

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

New Programs
Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc.*--$250,000
KidsPeace*--140,000
Multipurpose Educational Curriculum for Young Victims--75,000

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

Continuation Programs
Parents Anonymous, Inc.*--$250,000
Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children*--225,000
Children as Witnesses to Community Violence--170,658

Overarching Programs

New Programs
SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency--
$7,200,000

Background

    The SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and 
Delinquency Program rests on two important premises: The first is that 
public safety can be improved by providing prevention, intervention and 
treatment services to all at-risk youth. These three elements 
constitute a continuum of care that should be directed at youth 
throughout their development. The second premise is that the strategy 
for implementing this continuum of care lies with a comprehensive, 
customer-focused approach in which there is broad collaboration between 
all service agencies, all levels of government, and the public and 
private sectors. Availability of services, community responsiveness, 
and partnerships leading to increased public safety constitute the 
heart of the SafeFutures Program.
    Many communities throughout the country have been engaged in reform 
efforts to develop a comprehensive, community-based service delivery 
[[Page 21870]] system for disadvantaged children. OJJDP's Comprehensive 
Strategy for Serious, Violent and Chronic Juvenile Offenders presents a 
similar approach. Under this strategy, a broad-based community planning 
board systematically assesses the risk factors present in the 
environment that are best known to foster delinquent behavior in 
children. The community then develops a strategy to address identified 
risk factors for delinquency and increase protective factors that 
promote healthy and productive behavior. In addition, the board 
develops a full range of graduated sanctions, beginning with immediate 
interventions, that are designed to hold juvenile delinquents 
accountable to the victim and the community, ensure community security 
and provide a continuum of services that responds appropriately to the 
needs of each juvenile offender.
    SafeFutures builds on and expands the model presented in the 
Comprehensive Strategy. Five sites will be selected: Three urban, one 
rural, and one Native American site. Each must have completed risk 
assessments and developed a comprehensive delinquency prevention, 
intervention and treatment plan prior to application to the SafeFutures 
program. At least one of the sites will be an Empowerment Zone or 
Enterprise community. Each must have established a multi-disciplinary 
community team to oversee implementation efforts. Finally, each site 
must have forged partnerships between government, local businesses and 
civic organizations, and leveraged resources from a variety of sources. 
The Native American site must have a Tribal Court.
    SafeFutures is geared toward communities who have made significant 
progress in reforming their systems and implementing a strategy to 
reduce youth violence and juvenile delinquency. It will provide them 
with additional resources to expand existing efforts and fill in the 
gaps in service each has identified.
Program Goals
    Specifically, SafeFutures will assist communities to:
    1. Control and prevent juvenile violence and delinquency by--

a. Reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors
b. Developing a full range of graduated sanctions, beginning with 
intermediate interventions that are designed to hold delinquents 
accountable to the victim and ensure community safety
c. Providing a continuum of services for all youth, with appropriate 
treatment for juvenile offenders

    2. Develop a more efficient and effective service delivery system 
for at-risk youth and their families, capable of meeting their needs at 
any point of entry into the system.
    3. Build the capacity to institutionalize and sustain coordinated 
efforts through streamlining the service delivery system, and 
expanding, and diversifying its sources of funding.
    4. Determine what outcomes have been achieved and whether a 
comprehensive strategy involving a concentration of effort and 
resources is successful at preventing and controlling juvenile 
delinquency.
    Many communities have begun this process on their own, while others 
throughout the country have received support for these planning and 
implementation activities through OJJDP's Title V Prevention Program 
and programs designed to intervene with delinquent juveniles. Failure 
to previously participate under Title V, however, does not preclude 
selection as a SafeFutures applicant as long as the requirements 
described in the next section are met.
    OJJDP will provide each site with up to $1.44 million the first 
year, with subsequent funding anticipated for four additional years. 
This amount includes not only OJJDP program dollars, but other federal 
sources of support which OJJDP has leveraged. In addition, OJJDP will 
offer all sites a comprehensive technical assistance package.
Grant Programs
    Units of general local government or combinations thereof are 
eligible to apply. Successful applicants must demonstrate the capacity 
to establish and sustain a continuum of care for the jurisdiction's at-
risk and delinquent youth and their families. If the size or makeup of 
the applicant's local unit(s) does not make jurisdictional-wide 
services practical or desirable, the applicant may request resources 
for an identified local area(s) or neighborhood.
    The applicant must provide evidence of the following:
     The presence of risk factors for delinquency in the target 
area such as high rates of crime, poverty, teenage pregnancy, child 
abuse and neglect, dysfunctional or single parent families, school 
drop-outs, unemployment or other risk factors the community identifies;
     An established planning board in existence, with balanced 
representation of public and private agencies, community organizations 
and residents, including youth representation;
     Completion of a needs and resources assessment;
     A comprehensive delinquency prevention, intervention, and 
graduated sanction plan for their jurisdiction;
     Federal, State, local and private partnerships, and a 
commitment to leverage additional resources and coordinate the 
necessary systemic changes to both the juvenile justice and social 
services system of care.
    In addition to providing overall administrative support for the 
coordination and implementation activities, SafeFutures provides 
specific support for ten program components. The applicant's proposal 
must demonstrate how each of the components described below will be 
implemented, its relationship to others within the continuum of care, 
and its impact upon at-risk youth and their families. Applicants that 
can demonstrate that they have adequately addressed, with their own 
resources, specific program components funded with Part C monies, will 
have the flexibility to use those designated funds (with the exception 
of the Day Treatment component) for alternative delinquency prevention 
activities. Each of the components is grouped below according to major 
OJJDP goals. Each is described in greater detail under these same goal 
areas in the Fiscal Year 1995 Program Plan.

Strengthening the Juvenile Justice System and Law Enforcement

     Serious,Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender 
Accountability and Treatment Programs (Part C--$500,000).
     Comprehensive Community-Based Services for At-Risk Girls 
and Adjudicated Female Juvenile Offenders (Part C--$600,000).
     Day Treatment Services (Part C--$150,000).
     Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Program (Part C--
Technical Assistance).
     Community-Based Gang Intervention (Part D--$2,000,000).
     Mental Health Services for At-Risk and Adjudicated Youth, 
including treatment services for juvenile sex offenders and victims of 
sexual abuse (Part C--$750,000).

Providing Opportunities and Role Models for High-Risk Youth

     Youth Skills/Pathways to Success (Part C--$200,000).
     Mentoring (Part G--$1,000,000). [[Page 21871]] 

Breaking the Cycle of Violence Through Prevention

     Family Strengthening, including services for non-English 
speaking families (Part C--$1,000,000).
     Delinquency Prevention Program (Title V--$1,000,000).
    Sites funded under this initiative will be eligible for program 
implementation, training, and technical assistance directly from OJJDP 
grantees and contractors. In addition, sites will receive training and 
technical assistance from:
    Boys and Girls Clubs of America, to develop or enhance a Boys and 
Girls Club in the target area;
    National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, to develop 
or enhance a Juvenile Youth Corps Program; and the
    Home Builders Institute, to develop an apprenticeship program for 
high-risk youth in sites which have a local association of home 
builders.

In addition, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), 
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Education (DOE), and Labor (DOL), 
AmeriCorps, and the National Endowment for the Arts have agreed to 
participate in the SafeFutures Program by making available resources, 
technical assistance, and linkages to existing grant programs. OJJDP is 
also seeking other public and private partnerships to support substance 
abuse prevention, jobs skills development, individual youth assessment 
and evaluation activities by the SafeFutures sites.
Evaluation
    Sites will be expected to demonstrate a strong capacity for data 
collection and analysis in order to support a requisite and stringent 
evaluation component addressing both process and outcome measures. 
Partnerships with academic institutions to enhance evaluation efforts 
are also encouraged.
Collaboration
    Applicants are expected to demonstrate how they have linked their 
activities with other Federal, State, and local programs; national and 
community foundations; and private sector programs. Federal programs 
include: HUD's Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities and Hope Six; 
HHS's Family Preservation and Support Services; DOE's Safe and Drug 
Free Schools; DOL's Youth Fair Chance; and the Department of Justice's 
(DOJ) Operation Weed and Seed, PACT, Community Oriented Policing 
Services, Boot Camps, Drug Courts, Comprehensive Communities programs; 
and the U.S. Attorneys' anti-violence strategies.
Application Process
     OJJDP will utilize a two stage process to select grantees. All 
applicants will first submit concept papers. Jurisdictions will be 
required to document existing legislation, executive orders, memoranda 
of understanding, and other formal commitments of bona fide 
partnerships. Preference will given to jurisdictions that demonstrate 
linkages with other Federal, State and local programs as well as the 
ability to secure additional financial and programmatic resources. 
Those best demonstrating an ability to qualify for funding will then be 
invited to submit full applications.
     Prospective applicants should obtain a copy of OJJDP's 
Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile 
Offenders and the forthcoming Implementation Guide for the 
Comprehensive Strategy. The Guide identifies promising programs, 
suggests effective community assessment tools and in general offers 
guidance to communities implementing a continuum of care model. Copies 
of the Guide will be available from OJJDP in May 1995.
     OJJDP plans to conduct several workshops to answer questions about 
SafeFutures requirements prior to the concept paper submission date. To 
obtain more information regarding these workshops, please contact the 
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse.
Information and Statistics Projects--$525,000
    OJJDP recently conducted an independent review of its Information 
and Statistics Program to help the Office develop a 5-year plan for 
information and data collection. As a result of this review, $525,000 
will be allocated to the following new projects: National Juvenile 
Statistics Analysis Center; National Indicators of Risk and Protective 
Factors; Juveniles in the Criminal Justice System; National Program 
Directory; and Integrated Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, and Child 
Welfare Data Collection.
National Juvenile Statistics Analysis Center--($200,000)
     OJJDP is considering the establishment of a center devoted to 
collecting and analyzing statistics generated by OJJDP programs, State 
agencies, academic research, and other Federal agencies and programs. 
This National Juvenile Statistics Analysis Center would focus on two 
principal activities: (1) Retrieving Federal, State and local research 
and data, and (2) providing quick analyses to inform Federal, State, 
and local policy and program decisions. The impetus for the Center 
comes from the recognition that many States are collecting data and 
performing statistical analyses of their delinquency and juvenile 
justice systems and that other jurisdictions can benefit greatly from 
access to this information. The Center would function as a collection 
point for this research. With an increased national emphasis on 
juvenile justice issues, there is more need for specific and quick 
analyses of particular issues. The Center would provide such analyses 
on a wide range of subjects.
    Other statistical activities identified as important include:
     Analyzing demographic, delinquency, and violence trends, 
including surveys of delinquency and related youth problems, Uniform 
Crime Report data, and victimization surveys.
     Analyzing violent behavior trends and patterns, 
particularly assaults and robberies, to increase our understanding of 
these phenomena.
     Maintaining national data sets on juvenile justice system 
handling of juveniles. State studies of disproportionate minority 
confinement and gender bias being conducted pursuant to the JJDP Act 
would be of particular interest.
     Retrieving statewide data sets for analysis and 
cultivating State resources for information and statistics.
     Maintaining data sets produced under major studies of 
delinquency and related juvenile problems.
     Distributing the results of statistical analyses conducted 
by others at the State and local level.

Once OJJDP determines the specific nature of this project, a subsequent 
announcement will be made.
National Indicators of Delinquency, Risk and Protective Factors--
($225,000)
     Widespread adoption of the public health model has stimulated 
interest in viewing juvenile delinquency and other problem behaviors in 
terms of risk and protective factors. At the same time, interest in 
developing social indicators of delinquency has grown. Because of these 
two developments, the collection and analysis of national indicators of 
risk and protective factors will be explored. State and community level 
baselines would enable measurement of the impact of delinquency 
prevention programs on risk and protective factors. A national 
baseline, with annual comparisons, would permit forecasts of changes in 
delinquency and youth violence levels and trends.
[[Page 21872]]

    Several projects have laid the foundation for national and state-
by-state baselines: Kids Count, the National Youth Survey, OJJDP's 
Causes and Correlates Research Program, the Six State Communities that 
Care Pilot Program, and InfoNation. The key issue concerns the 
feasibility of nationwide establishment, at the State level, of 
reporting requirements necessary to generate comparable data.
    OJJDP will explore the feasibility of establishing comparable 
measurements of risk and protective factors, and prevalence measures 
for delinquency and other problem behaviors, at the individual, 
community, State, and national levels. This effort will involve a wide 
range of expertise, including researchers, practitioners, and 
policymakers. OJJDP will examine the most direct and efficient manner 
of gathering these indicators. In particular, OJJDP will explore 
cooperation with other Federal agencies. Once the nature of this 
project has been finalized, OJJDP will make a subsequent announcement.
Juveniles in the Criminal Justice System
    Policymakers and legislators seeking data on how juveniles get to 
criminal court and on rates of conviction and sentencing, treatment, 
and conditions of confinement have found that existing information is 
often inadequate to help them make decisions about legislation, policy, 
and program development.
    OJJDP, in cooperation with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) 
and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), seeks to identify and fill 
these data gaps by working collaboratively with interested State and 
local officials. Through OJJDP's Juvenile Justice Statistics and 
Systems Development Program, a series of meetings will be convened 
involving prosecutors, judges, corrections officials, State Statistical 
Analysis Centers, researchers, and staff from OJJDP, NIJ, and BJS. The 
purpose of the meetings will be to plan multi-jurisdictional studies of 
the transfer process and its outcomes. The project also will identify 
information needs to recommend for inclusion in the BJS National Survey 
of State Prosecutors.
    A number of multi-agency planning teams will be invited to assist 
in the collaborative design of the studies by identifying core data 
elements and definitions for cross-jurisdictional collection and 
analysis. The design process will be informed by a literature review 
and the identification of existing studies and data sets for secondary 
analysis to fill immediate gaps. A detailed review of the Government 
Accounting Office's pending waiver study will inform the project as to 
the feasibility of certain options. No funds will be awarded in fiscal 
year 1995.
National Program Directory--$100,000
    To further develop OJJDP's statistical capability, OJJDP will 
create a National Program Directory. This directory will contain the 
names and addresses of specific juvenile justice programs along with 
important identifying information and will include prosecutors, 
juvenile probation departments, juvenile court judges, mental health 
agencies, youth welfare agencies, and other executive branch juvenile 
justice agencies. OJJDP will use the directory as a sampling frame for 
future surveys.
    An important feature of this project is a series of Quick Response 
Surveys (QRS). Each QRS addresses a specific problem and is directed to 
a specific group of respondents. The goal of each QRS will be to 
provide vital information quickly on emerging problems and issues. QRS' 
will be made possible through Census Bureau development of program and 
facility directories on juvenile courts, detention centers, and long-
term State confinement facilities. These surveys will address such 
issues as: characteristics of assaultive behaviors, juveniles in police 
lock-ups, juvenile sex offenders, family issues, and overcrowding.
    The initial phase of this project will focus on developing a 
directory structure, collecting core information, and developing a QRS 
strategy. These funds will be transferred to the Census Bureau through 
an interagency agreement.
Integrated Juvenile Justice, Mental Health and Child Welfare Data 
Collection
    Recent research has documented the co-occurrence of delinquency, 
mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, and child abuse and 
neglect. However, linkage of client data from the juvenile justice 
system with data from the mental health and child welfare systems is 
not possible with current data collection mechanisms. Information is 
needed on how the child welfare and mental health systems function as 
diversion programs and as providers of alternative incarceration for 
problem youth not served by the juvenile justice system. Ways of 
linking these data collection systems would be explored in order to: 
(1) Understand the interrelationships of the three systems, (2) develop 
models that coordinate the actions of the three systems, and (3) 
integrate them into a continuum of care.
    OJJDP will support a planning effort to map out steps toward 
integrated juvenile justice, mental health, and child welfare data 
collection. OJJDP will carry this work out in collaboration with other 
Federal agencies that have an interest in the objectives of this 
program, including the National Institute of Mental Health; the Center 
for Mental Health Services; the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the 
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse; the Administration on Children, 
Youth and Families; and the Social Security Administration. This 
project will also involve practitioners and researchers from the mental 
health, juvenile justice, and child welfare fields. OJJDP's Statistics 
and Systems Development Program will provide staff support for this 
planning activity, including conducting a literature review, 
identifying useful data sets for secondary analysis, and convening 
planning meetings. The results will include recommendations for future 
implementation steps.
    OJJDP's current Statistics and System Development Program grantee, 
the National Center for Juvenile Justice, will conduct this program 
activity. No funds will be awarded in fiscal year 1995.
OJJDP Management Evaluation Contract--$360,000
    The purpose of this contract is to provide OJJDP with an expert 
resource capable of performing independent, management-oriented 
evaluations of selected OJJDP programs. Evaluations will determine the 
effectiveness and efficiency of either individual projects or groups of 
projects.
    Evaluations could include demonstrations, tests, training, and 
technical assistance programs. Evaluations will be requested through 
work orders issued by OJJDP and carried out in accordance with work 
plans prepared by the contractor and approved by OJJDP. Each evaluation 
will be defined by OJJDP and costs, method, and timetable determined 
through negotiation between OJJDP and the contractor. The contract will 
be funded through a competitive award in fiscal year 1995.
Technical Assistance for State Legislatures--$262,500
    State legislatures are being pressed to respond to public fear of 
juvenile crime, and a loss of confidence in the capability of the 
juvenile justice system to respond effectively. For the most part, 
State legislatures have had insufficient information to properly 
address juvenile justice issues. Consequently, OJJDP will award a grant 
to the National Conference of State Legislatures to identify, analyze, 
and disseminate information to help State legislatures 
[[Page 21873]] make more informed decisions about legislation affecting 
the juvenile justice system. A complementary task will involve 
supporting increased communication between State legislators and State 
and local leaders who influence decisionmaking regarding juvenile 
justice issues. A $262,500 grant will be awarded to the NCSL in fiscal 
year 1995. No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 
1995.
Contra Costa County, California: Continuum of Care Program*--$247,000
    The purpose of this program is to develop and implement a model 
continuum of care program for youth in the Juvenile Justice System. The 
model proposes three specific components: (1) Development of risk and 
needs assessment instruments that reflect law enforcement and juvenile 
justice consensus; (2) establishment of linkages and coordination among 
several major planning efforts; and (3) the implementation and 
coordination of existing programs.
    Grant funds will be used to fund several positions charged with 
building the continuum of care infrastructure, improving coordination, 
and managing the implementation. This grant will also contribute 
funding to an Employment Aftercare Program for youth returning to the 
community from secure institutional confinement and will provide 
technical support for a community education effort, designed to build 
public awareness and involvement in the reform of the juvenile justice 
system and the provision of services.
Evaluation of SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and 
Delinquency--$150,000
    OJJDP will fund five communities (three urban, one rural, and one 
Native American) under the SafeFutures: Partnerships to Reduce Youth 
Violence and Delinquency. SafeFutures will provide a range of 
coordinated services to meet the needs of at-risk youth and families 
and juveniles in the juvenile justice system. This Program will also 
serve to strengthen the juvenile justice system and develop the ongoing 
sustainability of service collaboration within the jurisdiction.
    The evaluation of each of the five sites will be supported by this 
Program and will consist of both process and impact components. The 
process evaluation, to begin during the first year, will include an 
examination of planning procedures and the extent to which the sites' 
implementation is consistent with the principles of a continuum of 
care/graduated sanctions model. The evaluation process will identify 
the key factors responsible for successful implementation. It will also 
be important for the evaluation to identify substantial obstacles to 
successful implementation of the SafeFutures continuum model.
    The selected evaluator will be responsible for developing a cross-
site monograph that discusses Program implementation for use by other 
communities that want to develop and implement a community strategy to 
address serious, violent, and chronic delinquency.
    The evaluator will develop a research design for the impact 
evaluation within the first year. Data collection for the impact 
evaluation would begin during the second year of the evaluation and 
will address the effects of the community's SafeFutures Program on the 
clients served. Furthermore, it will address the efficacy of the 
structure and operation of the SafeFutures model.
    OJJDP will award a single cooperative agreement for up to $150,000 
for first-year funding of this multiyear evaluation program. 
Significant funding for the evaluation is anticipated in the second and 
subsequent years of this evaluation.

OVERARCHING PROGRAMS

Continuation Programs

Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse--$1,031,167
    As part of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), 
the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse provides support to OJJDP in: (1) 
Collecting, synthesizing, and disseminating information to the public 
on all aspects of juvenile delinquency; (2) developing publications; 
and (3) preparing specialized responses to information requests from 
the public. The Clearinghouse maintains a toll-free number for 
information requests. It also reviews reports, data, and standards 
relating to the juvenile justice system in the United States and 
develops specialized resource products for the juvenile justice 
community.
    The Clearinghouse serves as a center for acquiring and 
disseminating information on juvenile delinquency, including State and 
local juvenile delinquency prevention and treatment programs and plans; 
availability of resources; training and educational programs; 
statistics; and other pertinent data and information. It also serves as 
an information bank for the collection and synthesis of data and 
knowledge obtained from research and evaluation conducted by public and 
private agencies, institutions, or individuals concerning all aspects 
of juvenile delinquency.
    Recognizing the critical need to inform juvenile justice 
practitioners and other policymakers on promising program approaches, 
the Clearinghouse continually develops and recommends new strategies to 
communicate the research findings and program activities of OJJDP and 
the field to the practitioner community.
    The entire NCJRS, of which the OJJDP-funded Juvenile Justice 
Clearinghouse is a part, is administered by the National Institute of 
Justice under a competitively awarded contract.
Coalition for Juvenile Justice--$700,000
    The Coalition for Juvenile Justice supports and facilitates the 
purposes and functions of each State's Juvenile Justice State Advisory 
Group (SAG). The Coalition, acting as a Federal advisory committee, 
reviews Federal policies and practices regarding juvenile justice and 
delinquency prevention, prepares and submits an annual report and 
recommendations to the President and Congress, and provides advice to 
the OJJDP Administrator. The coalition is also authorized to develop an 
information center for the SAGs and to conduct an annual conference to 
provide training for SAG members. The program will be implemented by 
the current grantee, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
OJJDP Technical Assistance Support Contract: Juvenile Justice Resource 
Center--$650,000
    This contract provides technical assistance and support to OJJDP, 
its grantees, and the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention in the areas of program development, evaluation, 
training, and research. Support of this program will be supplemented in 
fiscal year 1995.
National Juvenile Court Data Archive*--$611,000
    The National Juvenile Court Data Archive collects, processes, 
analyzes, and disseminates automated data and published reports from 
the Nation's juvenile courts. The Archive's reports examine referrals, 
offenses, intake, and dispositions in addition to specialized topics 
such as minorities in juvenile courts and specific offense categories. 
The Archive also provides assistance to jurisdictions in analyzing 
their juvenile court data. In fiscal year 1995, the Archive will 
enhance the collection, reporting, and analysis of more detailed data 
on detention, dispositions, risk [[Page 21874]] factors, and treatment 
data using offender-based data sets from a sample of juvenile courts.
    The program will be implemented by the current grantee, the 
National Center for Juvenile Justice. No additional applications will 
be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems Development--$550,000
    The purpose of the Juvenile Justice Statistics and Systems 
Development (SSD) Program is to improve Federal, State, and local 
juvenile justice statistics on juveniles as victims and offenders. The 
SSD Program helps OJJDP to formulate a comprehensive program for the 
collection, analysis and dissemination of national statistics on 
juveniles as victims and offenders, and to document the juvenile 
justice system's response. A major product to be completed will be a 
national report on juvenile offending and victimization. Work on this 
product will consist mainly of report production followup, including 
the completion of a detailed technical appendix and preparation of 
additional products for dissemination. The SSD program will focus on 
the following areas in fiscal year 1995: (1) Juveniles in the criminal 
justice system; (2) development and testing of a training curriculum 
for improving information systems; (3) integration of juvenile justice, 
mental health, and child welfare data collection; and (4) improving 
information on juvenile detention.
    The program will be implemented by the current grantee, the 
National Center for Juvenile Justice. No additional applications will 
be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Insular Area Support*--$511,000
    The purpose of this program is to provide supplemental financial 
support to the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands. Funds are available to address the special 
needs and problems of juvenile delinquency in these insular areas, as 
specified by section 261(e) of the JJDP Act, 42 U.S.C. 5665(e).
Development of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and 
Chronic Juvenile Offenders--$500,058
    The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD), in 
collaboration with Developmental Research and Programs, Inc. (DRP), has 
completed Phase I of a collaborative effort to support development and 
implementation of OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, 
and Chronic Juvenile Offenders. This effort involved assessing existing 
and previously researched programs in order to identify effective and 
promising programs which can be used in implementing the Comprehensive 
Strategy. A series of reports, which will be combined into a Guide to 
the Comprehensive Strategy, has been completed on early intervention 
for ages 0 to 6, prevention from childhood to adolescence, graduated 
sanctions, risk and needs assessments, and an operations manual. Phase 
II, to be carried out in fiscal year 1995, will include: (1) convening 
a national forum on youth violence; (2) information dissemination; (3) 
program development and implementation activities; (4) providing 
information to national, State and local organizations; (5) providing 
training and technical assistance to Title V Prevention, Serious, 
Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment and SafeFutures sites; 
and (6) conducting a series of regional training sessions for 
representative groups of key leaders. The national forum and regional 
training sessions will contribute to implementation of the National 
Juvenile Justice Action Plan being formulated by the Coordinating 
Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
    The program will be implemented by NCCD ($274,627) and DRP 
($225,431) under cooperative agreements. No additional applications 
will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Research Program on Juveniles Taken Into CustodyNCCD--$450,000
    The Research Program on Juveniles Taken Into Custody was designed 
in response to a statutory requirement to produce a detailed annual 
summary of juvenile custody data. During the next 24-month period, the 
National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) will continue to 
implement and refine the State Juvenile Correctional System Reporting 
Program. It is anticipated that individual-level data for 1993 will be 
representative of more than 75 percent of the at-risk juvenile 
population. In addition, NCCD will prepare two additional reports for 
OJJDP. These reports will provide a detailed summary and analysis of 
the most recent data regarding: (1) The number and characteristics of 
juveniles taken into custody; (2) the rate at which juveniles are taken 
into custody; and (3) the trends demonstrated by the data.
    The 1994 data collection will expand coverage by collecting data 
from several small, nonautomated State systems. In order to better 
understand the data collected under the State Juvenile Corrections 
System Reporting Program, NCCD will conduct a State Juvenile 
Corrections Organizational Survey to identify critical dimensions of 
corrections administration that may explain variation in results. NCCD, 
in cooperation with the National Center for Juvenile Justice, will 
assess the proportion of all court commitments that are covered by the 
State Juvenile Corrections Reporting Program as compared with direct 
commitments by local authorities. NCCD will also conduct a pilot data 
collection and research effort on a small sample of detention centers 
to generate data and information on juveniles in detention.
    This program will be implemented by the current grantee, NCCD. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Children in Custody--Census $450,000
    Under this ongoing collaborative program between OJJDP and the U.S. 
Bureau of the Census, OJJDP proposes to transfer funds to the Census 
Bureau to conduct the 1995 biennial census of public and private 
juvenile detention, correctional, and shelter facilities. The census 
describes juvenile custody facilities in terms of their resident 
population, programs, and physical characteristics. It provides 
information on trends in the use of juvenile custody facilities for 
delinquent juveniles and status offenders. The Census Bureau's Center 
for Survey Methods Research will also continue to develop and test a 
roster-based data collection system designed to significantly improve 
information on juveniles in custody. The Bureau's Governments Division 
will create a new directory of facilities.
    The program will be implemented under an interagency agreement with 
the U.S. Bureau of the Census. No additional applications will be 
solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Contract for the Evaluation of OJJDP Programs--$290,000
    This contract will be extended and supplemented in the amount of 
$290,000 to complete evaluation reports on OJJDP's Boot Camp Pilot 
Program, to continue the evaluation of the Disproportionate Minority 
Confinement and Title V Prevention Program evaluations, and to provide 
other evaluation services required by OJJDP prior to the award of a new 
competitive contract.
    The contract supplement will be awarded to Caliber Associates. A 
new competitive contract will be solicited in fiscal year 1995. 
[[Page 21875]] 
Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) Program Development--
$261,000
    Project PACT is an initiative through which Federal agencies work 
with State and local agencies and communities to develop a strategic 
plan to help reduce crime and violence by building healthier 
communities. The role of the Federal government in Project PACT is to 
support the community's identification of needs, formulation of a 
coordinated community response, and development of resources to 
implement a community action plan. OJJDP will continue to provide PACT 
cities with technical assistance and information on programs and 
services that offer the best hope for success in the development of 
antiviolence strategies for juvenile offenders and victims.
    The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) has provided 
the Project PACT jurisdictions of Metro Atlanta, Metro Denver, 
Nebraska, and Washington, D.C., with technical assistance for the past 
year. NCCD will continue to provide such assistance through fiscal year 
1995 by responding to requests for assistance in implementing juvenile 
justice reform through OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, 
Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders.
    This program will be implemented by NCCD. No additional 
applications would be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Juveniles Taken Into Custody (JTIC): Interagency Agreement--$200,000
    The U.S. Bureau of the Census is working with OJJDP and the 
National Council on Crime and Delinquency to develop a comprehensive 
national statistical reporting system that is responsive to the 
information requirements of the JJDP Act, the needs of the juvenile 
justice field for data on juvenile custody populations, and the needs 
of State legislatures and juvenile justice professionals for data to 
assist in making informed planning and policymaking decisions.
    The Census Bureau acts as the data collection agent for the JTIC 
program under an interagency agreement. No additional applications will 
be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Juvenile Justice Data Resources--$25,000
    This program enhances the availability of juvenile justice data 
sets for secondary analysis. The project takes data files from OJJDP 
research and statistical programs and prepares them for use by other 
researchers. Data files made available during fiscal year 1994 include 
the 1993 Children in Custody Census, Juveniles Taken Into Custody, and 
the Causes and Correlates Research Program.
    This program will be implemented under an interagency agreement 
with the University of Michigan. No additional applications will be 
solicited in fiscal year 1995.

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

New Programs

Mental Health in the Juvenile Justice System--$750,000
    This program addresses the mental health and juvenile justice 
systems' lack of coordinated and adequate mental health treatment for 
at-risk and delinquent youth. The program will target juveniles with 
mental health problems and impairments (including learning 
disabilities), those who are at risk of becoming status or delinquent 
offenders, status offenders, and delinquents with undiagnosed or 
untreated mental health problems, including offenders in secure and 
non-secure residential care.
    Fiscal year 1995 funds will provide up to $150,000 to each of the 
five jurisdictions participating in the SafeFutures Program. Their 
planning process would be expected to provide comprehensive, 
coordinated, and collaborative approaches among juvenile justice, youth 
service, and mental health agencies to improve mental health services 
for juveniles in these five communities. A particular focus of the 
fiscal year 1995 funding will be to target victims of child abuse and 
juvenile sex offenders.
Bethesda Day Treatment Center--$320,000
    Pennsylvania's Bethesda Day Treatment Center is a private nonprofit 
agency established to provide intensive day treatment and a variety of 
other services that promote the social adjustment of juvenile offenders 
in the community.
    For four years, OJJDP has provided funds to the Center to develop 
and document intensive, outpatient, community-based treatment and care 
centers for juveniles at risk of delinquency and those who have been 
referred to court and are in the preadjudication or postadjudication 
stages of the juvenile justice system. Center services were initially 
designed to help youth in rural areas or small towns who committed 
offenses related to family supervision and control. More recently, the 
program has demonstrated its effectiveness in larger cities, including 
Kalamazoo, Michigan and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with juveniles who 
commit serious delinquent acts.
    Bethesda Day Treatment Center's services include intensive 
supervision, counseling, and coordination of a range of services 
necessary to develop skills that enable youth to function appropriately 
in the community. Services are client, group, and family focused. 
Client-focused services include intake, casework, service and treatment 
planning, individual counseling, intensive supervision, and study 
skills. Group-focused services include group counseling; life and jobs 
skill training, cultural enrichment, and physical education. Family-
focused activities include family counseling, home visits, parent 
counseling, and family intervention services.
    Day treatment services cost about 50 percent less than secure 
placement, pose a minimal risk to community safety, and can be 
implemented quickly. With management systems and funding in place, it 
takes only 6 to 9 months from startup to full implementation of a 
program.
    The Bethesda Day Treatment Center will offer to replicate the day 
treatment model in the five SafeFutures sites. Successful applicants 
will be eligible to submit applications to the Bethesda Day Treatment 
Center for up to $30,000, with a $30,000 local contribution, in 
training and technical assistance services. Other local jurisdictions 
will also be eligible to receive services from the grantee under the 
same terms. Interested jurisdictions should contact the Bethesda Day 
Treatment Center at (717) 568-1131. No additional applications will be 
solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Interventions to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Confinement in Secure 
Detention and Correctional Facilities (The Deborah Wysinger Memorial 
Program)--$300,000
    National data and studies have demonstrated that minority juveniles 
are over-represented in secure facilities across the country. In 
response to this problem, OJJDP issued regulations in 1989 requiring 
States participating in the Formula Grants Program to gather and assess 
data to determine the existence of disproportionate minority 
confinement and, if it existed, to design strategies to address the 
problem. To date, 47 States have completed the required data analyses, 
with all but five determining that minority juveniles are 
overrepresented in secure facilities. Analysis of the data indicates 
that in a majority of States minority juveniles are disproportionately 
represented at [[Page 21876]] several points of decision-making in the 
juvenile justice system.
    This competitive Special Emphasis program will provide funds to 
States, local units of government, and nonprofit organizations to 
demonstrate effective interventions designed to eliminate the 
disproportionate confinement of minority juveniles in secure detention 
or correctional facilities, adult jails and lockups, and other secure 
institutional facilities. Activities appropriate for funding under this 
initiative include such programs as:
     Training and education programs for law enforcement and 
juvenile justice practitioners.
     Diversion programs for minority youths who come in contact 
with the juvenile justice system.
     Prevention programs in communities with high numbers of 
minority residents.
     Programs to increase the capacity of community-based 
organizations to provide alternatives to detention and incarceration 
for minority youths.
     Aftercare programs designed to assist minority youths 
returning to their communities from secure institutions.
    Grants will be available in amounts ranging from $50,000 to 
$100,000 for the implementation and evaluation of interventions 
designed to reduce disproportionate minority confinement. In addition 
to the general selection criteria applied to all OJJDP competitive 
applications, OJJDP will consider the relationship of the application 
to the State's development of multiple strategies to address the 
State's problem based on minority overrepresentation indices as 
identified in the Phase I data collection analysis. Three to six 
competitive applications will be funded in fiscal year 1995 at $50,000 
to $100,000 each.
The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center--$300,000
    For several years, OJJDP has supported prosecutor training 
activities through the National District Attorneys' Association (NDAA). 
This project will establish a Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center to 
provide prosecutor training and implement workshops on juvenile justice 
related executive policy, leadership, and management for chief 
prosecutors and juvenile unit chiefs, and provide background 
information to prosecutors on juvenile justice issues and programs.
    The project will be implemented by the American Prosecutors 
Research Institute (APRI), based on planning and input by prosecutors 
familiar with juvenile justice needs. APRI is the research and 
technical assistance affiliate of NDAA. The project will utilize a 
working group of chief prosecutors and juvenile unit chiefs to support 
the project's staff in providing training, technical assistance, and 
juvenile justice related research and program information to 
practitioners nationwide. The expectation is that within the next three 
years a self-supporting Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center will be 
established through links with State prosecutor training programs.
    The award for the Juvenile Justice Prosecution Center will be made 
to APRI. No additional applicants will be considered in fiscal year 
1995.
Technical Assistance to Juvenile Corrections and Detention (The James 
E. Gould Memorial Program)--$200,000
    The purpose of this program is to continue OJJDP's capability to 
provide technical assistance for juvenile corrections and detention. A 
major responsibility of the grantee will be to plan and convene the 
annual Juvenile Corrections and Detention Forum. The forum provides an 
opportunity for 100 juvenile corrections and detention leaders to meet 
and discuss issues, problems, and solutions to corrections and 
detention problems. A second objective is to provide workshops and 
training conferences on current and emerging national issues in the 
field of juvenile corrections and detention. The grantee will provide 
limited technical assistance through document dissemination. OJJDP will 
award a competitive grant to an organization experienced in this area 
of expertise to provide these services.

Strengthening Juvenile Justice

Continuation Programs

Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offender Treatment Program--
$1,500,000
    In fiscal year 1993, under a competitive announcement, OJJDP 
awarded funds to enable two jurisdictions (Allegheny County, 
Pennsylvania and Washington, DC) to develop a plan for systematic 
graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders. The plan combines 
accountability and sanctions with increasingly intensive community-
based intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services as the 
seriousness of a juvenile's offenses increases or a particular offense 
warrants. The plan's basic elements are to: (1) Assess the existing 
continuum of secure and nonsecure intervention, treatment, and 
rehabilitation services in each jurisdiction; (2) define the juvenile 
offender population; (3) develop and implement a program strategy; (4) 
develop and implement an evaluation; (5) integrate private nonprofit, 
community-based organizations into juvenile offender services; (6) 
incorporate an aftercare program as a formal component of all 
residential placements; (7) develop a resource plan to enlist the 
financial and technical support of other Federal, State, and local 
agencies, private foundations, or other funding sources; and (8) 
develop a victim assistance component using local organizations.
    In fiscal year 1994, these jurisdictions each qualified for 
$500,000 implementation grants. Two additional jurisdictions are being 
selected for combined planning and implementation awards of $500,000 
each under a fiscal year 1994 competitive program.
    In fiscal year 1995, each of the original jurisdictions will 
receive continuation awards of $500,000 for second year implementation. 
Also in fiscal year 1995, up to $100,000 will be available to each of 
the five SafeFutures sites to refine and implement action plans for 
graduated sanctions systems in the target areas. The Bureau of Justice 
Assistance will transfer $1,500,000 to OJJDP to implement this program 
in fiscal year 1995. No additional applications will be solicited in 
fiscal year 1995.
Juvenile Court Training*--$1,074,000
    The primary purpose of this project is to continue and refine the 
training and technical assistance program offered by the National 
Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. The training objectives 
are to supplement law school curricula and provide judges with current 
information on developments in juvenile and family case law and 
available options for sentencing and treatment. Emphasis will also be 
placed on drug testing, gangs and violence, and intermediate sanctions. 
The project will provide both basic training to new juvenile and family 
court judges and specialized training to experienced judges.
    The program will be implemented by the current grantee, The 
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and Technical 
Assistance Program--$620,000
    This initiative is designed to support implementation, delivery of 
training and technical assistance, and evaluation for a statewide 
intensive community-based aftercare model in four states competitively 
selected to participate in this demonstration program. [[Page 21877]] 
    In fiscal year 1994, the Johns Hopkins University was awarded funds 
to test its intensive community-based aftercare model in four 
demonstration sites in Denver, Colorado; Clark County (Las Vegas), 
Nevada; Camden and Newark, New Jersey; and Richmond, Virginia. Each of 
the four sites will receive up to $100,000 to support program 
implementation in fiscal year 1995. An independent evaluation 
contractor is providing an initial evaluation design and documenting 
the implementation process under a separate grant.
    The Johns Hopkins University will receive a supplemental award of 
$220,000 to provide training and technical assistance to the four 
selected sites and to OJJDP's Youth Environmental Service Program, Boot 
Camp Pilot Program, and SafeFutures Program sites. This is the second 
budget period of a three-year project. BJA will contribute $500,000 to 
the support of this program in fiscal year 1995.
Native American Alternative Community-Based Program--$600,000
    This program is designed as a collaborative effort between OJJDP 
and other public and private organizations concerned about juvenile 
delinquency among Native Americans. Its purpose is to develop 
community-based alternative programs for Native American youth who are 
adjudicated delinquent and to develop a re-entry program for Native 
American delinquents returning from institutional placements. A 
multicomponent design has been developed in the four project sites. 
Fiscal year 1995 funding will support continued implementation of these 
projects. Training and technical assistance will also be provided to 
integrate the critical elements of OJJDP's intensive supervision and 
community-based aftercare programs with cultural elements traditionally 
used by Native Americans to control and rehabilitate offending youths.
    The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, the Navajo Nation, the Gila 
River Indian Community, and the Pueblo of Jemez are the project sites 
initially funded in fiscal year 1992. The National Indian Justice 
Center provides the sites with training and technical assistance. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Training for Juvenile Corrections and Detention Staff--$500,000
    OJJDP will continue the development and implementation of a 
comprehensive training program for juvenile corrections and detention 
management staff through its interagency agreement with the National 
Institute of Corrections (NIC). The program is designed to offer a core 
curriculum for juvenile corrections and detention administrators and 
mid-level management personnel in such areas as leadership development, 
management, training of trainers, legal issues, cultural diversity, the 
role of the victim in juvenile corrections, gang activity, juvenile 
programming for specialized needs of offenders, and overcrowding. The 
training is conducted at the NIC Academy and regionally. This program 
is a continuation activity, implemented in fiscal year 1995 under an 
interagency agreement with NIC. No additional applications will be 
solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Technical Assistance to the Juvenile Courts*--$389,943
    The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ), the research 
division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 
provides four types of technical assistance under this grant: (1) 
Information resources; (2) onsite consultation; (3) off-site 
consultation; and (4) a cross-site consultation. Emphasis will be 
placed on intermediate sanctions for handling juveniles involved in 
drug-related offenses and gang activities and other emerging issues 
confronting the juvenile court.
    The current grantee, the National Center for Juvenile Justice, will 
implement the program. No additional applications will be solicited in 
fiscal year 1995.
Due Process Advocacy Program Development--$250,000
    In fiscal year 1993, OJJDP funded the American Bar Association 
(ABA), in partnership with the Juvenile Law Center (JLC) of 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Youth Law Center (YLC) of San 
Francisco, California to develop due process advocacy program 
strategies. The goals of the program are: (1) To increase juvenile 
offenders' access to legal services; (2) to improve the quality of 
preadjudication, adjudication, and dispositional advocacy for juvenile 
offenders; and (3) to ensure due process to all juveniles in the 
juvenile justice system. The strategies will be made available to State 
and local bar associations and other relevant organizations so that 
they can develop approaches to increase the availability and quality of 
counsel for juveniles. The ABA, JLC, and YLC have completed an 
assessment of the current state of the art with regard to legal 
services, training, and education. In fiscal year 1995, they will 
develop strategies to improve access, availability, and the quality of 
counsel and provide a comprehensive report on these issues. During this 
second funding cycle, training materials will be developed and tested 
in selected sites. Training materials will be adjusted based on 
experience in the test sites and a dissemination strategy developed. 
The ABA will establish mechanisms for networking with legal service 
providers such as public defender offices and children's law centers. 
Fiscal year 1995 funding will support the second six months of the 
second year budget for this 3-year effort. No new applications will be 
solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Improvement in Correctional Education for Juvenile Offenders--$250,000
    The purpose of this program is to assist juvenile corrections 
administrators in planning and implementing improved educational 
services for detained and incarcerated juvenile offenders.
    In fiscal year 1992, the National Office for Social Responsibility 
(NOSR) was awarded a three-year cooperative agreement to conduct a 
comprehensive assessment of the literature and to produce a report 
documenting state of the art practices in educational reform. The 
results of this effort were utilized to develop a training and 
technical assistance program to improve educational services for 
incarcerated juveniles.
    In fiscal year 1995, NOSR will be awarded up to $250,000 to provide 
training and technical assistance to three sites to be competitively 
selected. No additional applications would be solicited for this 
training and technical assistance program during fiscal year 1995.
Robeson County, North Carolina*--$202,645
    This grant to the State of North Carolina will continue 
implementing a pilot program for African-American males, ages 12 to 15, 
who, in lieu of confinement, will be supervised in the community and 
assigned to a weekend academy where they will receive intensive 
services including counseling, tutoring, conflict resolution, and job 
training. In the first year, 100 juveniles were expected to be served. 
Second-year funds will be used to continue and expand the program.
P.A.C.E. Center for Girls, Inc.*--$150,000
    The P.A.C.E. Center for Girls, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, 
Florida, will expand its program to several new sites and provide 
technical assistance to jurisdictions that wish to adopt the P.A.C.E. 
program model. P.A.C.E. [[Page 21878]] provides juvenile court judges 
with an alternative program for at-risk teenage girls arrested for 
status and minor delinquent offenses. Fiscal year 1995 funds will 
support the second year of implementation.
Juvenile Restitution: Balanced Approach--$100,000
    OJJDP will continue to support the juvenile restitution training 
and technical assistance program in fiscal year 1995. The project 
design is based on practitioner recommendations for current needs in 
the field. OJJDP initiated a survey on how best to integrate and 
institutionalize restitution as a key component of juvenile justice 
dispositions. In addition to the survey, a working group was convened 
to help map out the course of OJJDP's support for optimum development 
of the components of restitution. These components include community 
service, victim reparation, victim-offender mediation, offender 
employment and supervision, employment development, and potential 
program elements designed to establish restitution as an important 
alternative in improving the juvenile justice system. This project is 
guided by the need to provide a balance of community protection and 
offender competency development and accountability in the provision of 
community-based sanctions.
    The Division of Applied Research of Florida Atlantic University was 
competitively selected in fiscal year 1992 to implement this project. 
The grant will be extended into fiscal year 1995 to enable the grantee 
to provide technical assistance and support to States and localities 
seeking to implement the balanced approach. No additional applications 
will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Evaluation of Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and 
Technical Assistance Program--$80,000
    This supplement will allow the evaluation grantee, the National 
Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD), to provide additional 
assistance in data collection in fiscal year 1995 to the four States 
implementing the Intensive Community-Based Aftercare Demonstration and 
Technical Assistance Program.
    The initial stage of this evaluation will assess the process used 
by the four demonstration states to implement an intensive community-
based aftercare program, evaluate technical assistance provided to 
these States, and develop a preliminary impact evaluation research 
design. This supplemental award will provide for the initiation of data 
collection efforts as soon as the research design for the impact 
evaluation is completed.
    This program will be implemented by NCDD. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Douglas County, Nebraska*--$67,055
    This grant for a youth pre-trial diversion program in Douglas 
County, Nebraska was initially funded in fiscal year 1994 for a two-
year project period. Fiscal year 1995 funding will support second-year 
implementation.
Professional Development for Youth Workers--$50,000
    The primary purpose of this program is to promote professional 
development of youth service and juvenile justice system providers 
through formal training. The program will include an inventory of 
existing training programs and their effectiveness, a needs assessment 
training survey, development of curricula for several program settings, 
design of a dissemination strategy, and an implementation plan for the 
third year of a three-year program.
    Initially funded in fiscal year 1992, the Academy for Educational 
Development, Inc., located in Washington, D.C., will continue the 
project for six months to train trainers in the new curricula. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania*--$50,000
    With fiscal year 1994 funds, the District Attorney's Office in 
Lackawanna County created a Comprehensive Juvenile Crime Unit to 
investigate, prosecute, and prevent juvenile crime and to coordinate 
with other county agencies that are helping youth avoid delinquent 
behavior and become productive citizens. The primary activity will be 
to establish a Juvenile Justice Task Force to work with the Juvenile 
Probation Office to assess the needs and services of Lackawanna County. 
The Task Force will also review the last five years of the Juvenile 
Probation Office files to determine demographics, numbers of juvenile 
crimes committed, recidivism, and school district disciplinary and 
rehabilitation programs. Fiscal year 1995 funds will complete 
implementation of this program.
Public Safety and Law Enforcement

New Programs

Gangs and Delinquency Research--$500,000
    In fiscal year 1994, OJJDP channeled its gang-related activities 
into the Comprehensive Gang Program, made possible by an increased Part 
D appropriation. The National Gang Assessment and Resource Center, 
funded under the fiscal year 1994 Program Plan, will provide a national 
baseline study of the presence and characteristics of violent gangs. 
This year, OJJDP proposes to supplement this baseline study with two 
studies designed to develop detailed information on various aspects of 
gangs in gang-plagued cities identified in the baseline studies. The 
main purpose of these supplemental studies is to examine gang behavior 
as a subset of overall delinquency. This program will fund the addition 
of gang studies to ongoing studies of juvenile delinquency, including 
serious, violent, and chronic delinquency. Specific issues to be 
examined include assessing the relationship of gang participation to 
other forms of delinquency and violence associated with gang membership 
and determining the proportion of violent youth crime accounted for by 
youth gangs. Proposals are encouraged that incorporate gang studies 
into ongoing studies of large samples of juveniles.
    OJJDP will provide up to four assistance awards in amounts ranging 
from $100,000 to $150,000 each under this program.
Field-Initiated Gang Research Program--$300,000
    OJJDP's Field-Initiated Research Program offers support for 
research ideas generated in the field rather than by OJJDP. Fiscal year 
1995 Field-Initiated Research Program funding will be directed to the 
support of research on gangs, reflecting the growth in violence among 
youth gangs. Priority research topics include evaluation of prevention 
and intervention approaches aimed at diverting at-risk youth from 
becoming gang members, factors related to joining and leaving gangs, 
ethnographic studies on the dynamics of gang creation or joining, or 
other topics identified by applicants.
    OJJDP will provide up to three assistance awards ranging from 
$75,000 to $125,000 each under this program.
Juvenile Transfers to Criminal Court Studies--$275,000
    States are increasingly enacting new legislation mandating transfer 
of [[Page 21879]] juveniles to criminal courts. This trend includes the 
development of innovative procedures such as blending traditional 
features of juvenile and criminal justice procedures and sanctions and 
statutes that categorize juvenile offenders into different classes 
according to the seriousness of the offense, designating juvenile or 
criminal court for each class. Research in this area has been limited. 
Few studies have evaluated juvenile and criminal court handling of 
serious or violent juvenile offenders.
    OJJDP proposes to support two studies in fiscal year 1995. The 
first will compare juvenile and criminal court handling of juveniles. 
This comparison would be made between a State(s) that allows for 
judicial waiver of serious or violent juvenile offenders and a State(s) 
that mandates criminal court handling for specified categories of 
offenders. The second study will evaluate an innovative system of 
blending criminal and juvenile justice systems to handle serious or 
violent juvenile offenders.
    Funding for the initial phase of each of these studies will be 
competitively awarded and will be up to $150,000 each for up to two 
grant awards.
Innovative Firearms Program--$250,000
    The purpose of the Innovative Firearms Program is to assist State 
and local jurisdictions to develop and implement new or enhanced 
projects to prevent the possession and use of firearms by juveniles and 
control illicit firearm trafficking. Law enforcement, prosecutorial 
agencies, schools, community groups, and juvenile justice system 
representatives may participate in the program. The grantee(s), in 
cooperation with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), OJJDP, and the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, will also work with U.S. 
Attorneys to develop and implement State and local projects related to 
the new Youth Handgun Safety Act that prohibits the possession of a 
handgun or ammunition by, or the private transfer of a handgun or 
ammunition to, a juvenile. BJA and OJJDP will also work with local 
jurisdictions to develop a program to reduce firearms crimes by 
juvenile gangs through improved enforcement of firearms laws and other 
laws and regulations, such as tax and business laws, that are used to 
control firearm sales. OJJDP and BJA will jointly fund this program at 
$500,000. BJA will administer the program.
Gangs, Groups, Individuals, and Violence Intervention--$250,000
    Little is known about the interrelationships among gang 
participation, group delinquency, and individual violence. The dynamics 
of a juvenile's movement in and out of these relationships is not well 
understood. How these patterns of delinquency contribute to the careers 
of serious and violent offenders is also unknown. Nor do we have a 
clear understanding of the prevention and intervention program 
implications of these patterns of delinquency.
    This project will involve a systematic review, assessment, and 
synthesis of existing research results on gangs, other types of group 
involvement, and individual serious and violent delinquency to 
determine the implications for prevention and juvenile/criminal justice 
system interventions. The framework to be used in conducting this 
review of existing knowledge is a criminal career model, including 
onset, acceleration, maintenance, and desistance elements.
    Implications for OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, 
Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders project will be drawn. 
Recommendations will be made for prevention programs and interventions 
in the juvenile and criminal justice systems that take into account 
meta-analyses of prevention and intervention programs. One cooperative 
agreement will be competitively awarded to implement this project in 
fiscal year 1995.
    The results of this program will be of interest to other OJP 
agencies addressing serious, violent and chronic offender careers. The 
results also will be shared with OJP agencies through the Gangs Working 
Group and with other Federal agencies through the National Gang 
Consortium.
Youth Handgun Study/Model Juvenile Handgun Legislation--$202,838
    Reducing and preventing gun violence is a primary concern of 
Federal, State, and local governments. This violence affects youth not 
only as perpetrators but also as victims and witnesses. There is a need 
to know about the various State laws concerning youth and handguns. 
This project will collect, analyze, and compare selected provisions of 
State firearms codes, particularly as they pertain to juveniles. The 
purpose is to develop a body of information about key provisions of 
State firearms codes. The results of this study will assist in 
formulating laws, policies, and programs to reduce firearms-related 
violence.
    The product to be developed is a guide to selected State firearm 
provisions. This study, and the development of a model juvenile handgun 
law, are mandated by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 
of 1994. In order to immediately begin collecting study data to assist 
in developing the model law, a total of $75,290 was transferred to the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance for a joint award to the National Criminal 
Justice Association for the purpose of collecting, examining, and 
analyzing existing and proposed State firearms codes. The Crime Act 
requires the Attorney General, through the Administrator and the 
National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to 
develop a Constitutional and enforceable model juvenile handgun law. 
This model law will guide the States in their development of laws 
concerning juvenile handgun possession. The model law will be stated in 
a format designed to enable States to determine which provisions are 
best suited to their individual needs. This effort is being assisted by 
the National Criminal Justice Association under a grant in the amount 
of $127,548. No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal 
year 1995.

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

Continuation Programs

Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program--
Sec. 1,504,924
    This continuation award will supplement the contract between OJJDP 
and Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. Fiscal year 
1995 funds will be used to conduct a nationwide training and technical 
assistance program designed to improve law enforcement's capability to 
respond to serious juvenile crime, to contribute to delinquency 
prevention, and to address issues of missing and exploited children and 
child abuse and neglect. Technical assistance under this contract is 
provided in response to a wide variety of requests from Federal, State, 
local, and county agencies with responsibility for the prevention and 
control of juvenile delinquency and juvenile victimization. The 
contract supports continuation of the Police Operations Leading to 
Improved Children and Youth Services (POLICY) series of training 
programs and other law enforcement training programs offered by OJJDP. 
No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Comprehensive Communities ProgramComprehensive Gang Initiative--
$799,345
    Under the Comprehensive Communities Program, the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance (BJA) provides funds [[Page 21880]] to communities to 
implement a Comprehensive Gang Initiative. Funding for fiscal year 1995 
would be a joint BJA and OJJDP effort, with OJJDP transferring $799,345 
to BJA to support continued implementation of the Comprehensive Gang 
Initiative. The program includes a training curriculum and the 
provision of technical assistance to model demonstration sites by the 
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Four competitively selected 
demonstration sites were funded during fiscal year 1993 with technical 
assistance provided by PERF. Four additional sites will be funded in 
fiscal year 1995 through a competitive process. Applications will be 
solicited by BJA.
Targeted Outreach With a Gang Prevention and Intervention Component 
(Boys and Girls Clubs)--$600,000
    This program is designed to enable local Boys and Girls Clubs to 
prevent youth from entering gangs and to intervene with gang members in 
the early stages of gang involvement to divert them from gang 
activities and into more constructive programs. The National Office of 
Boys and Girls Clubs will provide training and technical assistance to 
existing Gang Prevention and Intervention sites and expand the gang 
prevention and intervention program to other Boys and Girls Clubs, 
including those in the SafeFutures sites. The program will be 
implemented by the current grantee, the Boys and Girls Clubs of 
America. No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 
1995.
Comprehensive Gang Initiative--$600,000
    Under the Comprehensive Gang Initiative, BJA has developed a model 
comprehensive approach to gang issues that carefully balances 
prevention, intervention, and suppression approaches. The model 
incorporates strategies that bring together cooperative and coordinated 
efforts of the police, other criminal justice agencies, human services 
providers, and community programs. Funds in the amount of $600,000 will 
be transferred to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). In fiscal 
year 1995, BJA will provide continuation funding for the four currently 
funded project sites.
Violence Studies*--$500,000
    The 1992 Amendments to the JJDP Act required OJJDP to conduct 
studies on violence. Sites were selected and grants awarded in 
Columbia, South Carolina; Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin; and Washington, DC. Building on the results of OJJDP's 
Program of Research on Causes and Correlates, these studies address the 
incidence of violence committed by or against juveniles in urban and 
rural areas of the United States. In fiscal year 1993, OJJDP initiated 
these studies by supporting a planning phase and providing funding to 
each of four programs with fiscal year 1994 funds. Awards will be 
required to continue studies in two of the four designated sites in 
fiscal year 1995. No additional applications would be solicited in 
fiscal year 1995.
Violence Study--Causes and Correlates--$300,000
    OJJDP proposes to support additional analyses of data collected 
under its Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of 
Delinquency, conducted at the State University of New York at Albany, 
the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Colorado. Because 
of the richness and scope of the data base, many issues have yet to be 
addressed. The main purpose of additional analyses to be conducted 
under this program is to inform the further development of OJJDP's 
Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile 
Offenders. In addition to conducting analyses specifically related to 
the Comprehensive Strategy, the grantees will produce an updated 
summary of their research results.
    This program will be implemented by the grantees noted above. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Child Centered Community-Oriented Policing--$300,000
    In fiscal year 1993, OJJDP provided support to the New Haven, 
Connecticut, Police Department and the Yale University Child 
Development Center to document a child-centered community-oriented 
policing model, which is being implemented in New Haven. The basic 
elements of the model are a 10-week training course in child 
development for all new police officers, and child development 
fellowships for all community-based district commanders who direct 
neighborhood police teams. The fellowships provide 4 to 6 hours of 
training each week over a 3-month period at the Child Study Center. The 
program also includes: (1) 24-hour consultation from a clinical 
professional and a police supervisor to patrol officers who assist 
children in violent situations; (2) weekly case conferences with police 
officers, educators, and child study center staff; and (3) open police 
stations, located in neighborhoods and accessible to residents for 
police and related services, community liaison, and neighborhood foot 
patrols.
    In fiscal year 1994, Community Policing funds transferred from the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance supported a technical assistance and 
training grant to allow the Yale/New Haven project to serve as a host 
site for jurisdictions interested in replicating the essential elements 
of the model. In fiscal year 1995, OJJDP funds will support the 
continuation of this project in two to four replication sites. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
National School Safety Center--$250,000
    The purposes of this collaborative program between OJJDP and the 
Department of Education are: (1) To provide training and technical 
assistance regarding school safety for elementary and secondary schools 
and, (2) to identify methods for diminishing crime, violence, and 
illegal drug use in schools and on campuses, with special emphasis on 
gang-related crime. The National School Safety Center maintains a 
library and clearinghouse with specialized information, does research 
on school safety issues, and develops publications and training 
programs. The program focuses on preventing drug abuse and violence in 
schools and providing State personnel trained in school safety to give 
technical assistance to localities.
    The Department of Education contributed $1 million to the program 
in fiscal year 1994. The program will be implemented by the current 
grantee, the National School Safety Center at Pepperdine University. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Enhancing Enforcement Strategies for Juvenile Impaired Driving Due to 
Alcohol and Other Drug Use--$150,000
    Through a $75,000 interagency agreement with the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration of the Department of Transportation, 
OJJDP ($75,000) is supporting an initiative on Enhancing Enforcement 
Strategies for Juvenile Impaired Driving Due to Alcohol and Other Drug 
Use. The goals of this program are: (1) To increase the use of the 
arrest sanction among law enforcement agencies in cases where juvenile 
drivers are impaired by alcohol and other drugs, by developing and 
testing a model comprehensive program in selected demonstration sites 
and by disseminating training and technical assistance materials for 
police, [[Page 21881]] prosecutors, judges, and probation officers on 
effective procedures and law enforcement strategies, and (2) to 
increase community reliance on a unified systemwide response to 
juvenile impaired driving by involving the criminal justice system and 
other elements of the community in encouraging enforcement efforts that 
use the arrest sanction.
    This three-phase program is entering its third and final phase. To 
date, the grantee, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), has 
developed a draft comprehensive Juvenile Driving Under the Influence 
Enforcement Working Model, training curricula, and technical assistance 
materials. Five sites have been selected and are testing the model and 
receiving training and technical assistance from PERF. The 
demonstration sites are Albany County, New York; Astoria, Oregon; 
Hampton, Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
    In the third phase of the program, the observations and lessons 
learned from the demonstration sites will be categorized, analyzed, 
consolidated, and organized into a replicable model. The model will be 
presented to law enforcement and other interested public and private 
organizations through a variety of ``how-to'' materials. Program work 
products will be developed as a series of discrete, stand-alone 
publications to be published and distributed with the notation that the 
materials, like the various model components, must be coordinated in 
order to produce the desired result--a cooperating local criminal 
justice system that supports its police in the use of the arrest 
sanction as a principle deterrent to juvenile impaired driving. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Training in Cultural Differences for Law Enforcement/Juvenile Justice 
Officials--$100,000
    Under a previous OJJDP award, The American Correctional Association 
(ACA), in collaboration with the Police Executive Research Forum 
(PERF), developed and tested a 2\1/2\ day cultural diversity training 
curriculum that is applicable to all juvenile justice system 
components. The curriculum has been presented by ACA and PERF trainers, 
and has been well received by training attendees, particularly juvenile 
justice/law enforcement trainers. In addition, the ACA has received 
numerous requests from juvenile justice agencies to provide the 
training to their personnel.
    In recognition of the need for and benefits of cultural diversity 
training, OJJDP will continue support for the above project in fiscal 
year 1995. The purpose of the additional funding is to enable the 
grantee to implement additional State and regional training-of-trainers 
programs across the country in response to requests from the field.
    The competitively awarded grant to the ACA for this project will be 
supplemented in fiscal year 1995 in the amount of $100,000.

Delinquency Prevention

New Programs

Community-Based Gang Intervention--$2,000,000
    This program is designed to help communities build coalitions to 
reduce gangs and violence in public housing developments in partnership 
with public and federally subsidized housing residents. Fiscal year 
1995 funding will establish the program in public and federally 
subsidized housing developments in the five SafeFutures sites. Under 
this program, community-based groups that can demonstrate a successful 
record of providing services to public housing youth and residents will 
be eligible to receive funds for a community coalition to address the 
needs of youth at risk for gang involvement. Program components will 
include: (1) Prevention and intervention activities directed at 
elementary school through high school gang violence; and (2) on-site 
technical assistance to community-based groups, including members of 
the local public housing resident association, and residents who are 
parents of youth to be served.
    Each grantee must conduct a community assessment of current 
conditions and programs directed at youth and at preventing violence 
that uses a planning committee composed of residents and 
representatives from those sectors of the community which the residents 
believe can help reduce youth violence. Based on this assessment, the 
committee will develop and initiate its local program. Under an 
interagency agreement between OJJDP and the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, $250,000 will be provided for the technical 
assistance and training component of this program.
Family Strengthening and SupportIncluding Non-English Speaking--
$1,000,000
    Strengthening and supporting families, including non-English 
speaking families, is a priority area in the JJDP Act and a key 
component of the comprehensive approach to delinquency prevention and 
control envisioned in OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy to Address 
Serious, Violent, and Chronic Delinquency and the proposed SafeFutures: 
Partnerships to Reduce Youth Violence and Delinquency. OJJDP will 
provide funding to each of the five communities selected to implement a 
SafeFutures Program. Funds will be used to initiate or expand family-
strengthening intervention and treatment programs, including programs 
for English and non-English-speaking families, that involve juveniles 
who are parents and are in the juvenile justice system, and that enlist 
schools and other local entities in family programming.
    A major family-strengthening research project funded by OJJDP was 
recently completed. The grantees, the University of Utah and the 
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, produced a user's guide, 
Strengthening America's Families: Promising Parenting and Family 
Strategies for Delinquency Prevention, and an executive summary that 
reviews both the current impact of family characteristics on risk for 
delinquency and the most promising family change interventions. Given 
the multiple variations of intervention strategies, the project 
recommends the organization of family-strengthening programs and 
services according to the family's level of functioning and the child's 
age. A representative group of 25 particularly promising programs were 
identified.
    Under this program area, OJJDP will support implementation of new 
or expanded family-strengthening efforts designed to improve parental 
functioning as part of an overall plan to prevent delinquency or 
intervene with juveniles and their families who are in the juvenile 
justice system. Communities that compete and are selected as 
SafeFutures sites will be eligible to receive funding under this 
program. Family Strengthening and Support Program funds will be 
available to the five selected SafeFutures communities at $200,000 per 
site.
Comprehensive Community-Based Services for At-Risk Girls and 
Adjudicated Juvenile Female Offenders--$600,000
    This program will focus on providing comprehensive, gender-specific 
prevention, intervention, treatment, and alternative services that 
include an intensive aftercare component for juvenile female offenders 
and girls who are at high-risk of entering the juvenile justice system. 
The program will be part of the SafeFutures program. Applicants must 
assess existing community services for at-risk and adjudicated female 
juvenile offenders and document [[Page 21882]] the need for a new or 
improved comprehensive prevention, intervention, treatment, or 
alternative service project in their target area. An aftercare 
component will be required to assist juvenile female offenders who are 
returning to the community from an out-of-home placement.
    While intervention services should be provided in the least 
restrictive environment, the increase in arrests of female juvenile 
offenders indicates that community-based intervention is not always 
possible. In order to offer needed prevention and intervention services 
to as many juveniles as possible, this program will focus on girls in 
nonresidential and nonsecure residential programs such as day treatment 
and group homes. One hundred and twenty thousand dollars will be 
available to each of the five SafeFutures grantees to coordinate 
community service providers, assess existing services, identify local 
resources to supplement funded services, and provide training for 
project staff.
Innovative Approaches in Law-Related Education*--$600,000
    The purpose of this competitive program is to support and advance 
the practices of law-related education (LRE) for the prevention of 
delinquency within and outside the classroom. Funds will be available 
for assistance awards to support up to six projects, at up to $150,000 
each, that promote innovative methods, techniques, approaches, or 
delivery related to LRE. The promising approaches or ideas submitted 
will be judged on their applicability to delinquency prevention, on 
whether the proposed approach differs from previously funded efforts of 
OJJDP, and on the extent to which they provide an innovative approach 
consistent with accepted LRE program principles.
Training in Risk-Focused Prevention Strategies--$500,000
    OJJDP will provide additional training in fiscal year 1995 for 
communities interested in developing a risk-focused delinquency 
prevention strategy. This training is designed to support OJJDP's Title 
V Delinquency Prevention Program and similar federally funded programs 
by providing the knowledge and skills necessary for local, State, and 
private agency officials and citizens to identify and address risk 
factors that are known to lead to violent and delinquent behavior in 
children and youth. In fiscal year 1994, this training was offered in 
all 50 States and the District of Columbia, and to State and local 
officials engaged in planning associated with Department of Health and 
Human Services prevention programs.
    OJJDP will award a contract to provide the training, including the 
following: (1) Orientation training on risk and resiliency-focused 
prevention theories and strategies for State, local and private 
community leaders; (2) identifying, assessing, and addressing risk 
factors; (3) training for trainers in selected States to provide 
statewide capacity to train communities on risk-focused prevention; and 
(4) development of training curricula, materials, and media to increase 
the capacity of States and localities to conduct risk-focused 
prevention training. This training will be provided through a 
competitive contract award.
Pathways to Success--$450,000
    This project will support a collaborative effort among OJJDP, the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and the National Endowment for the 
Arts (NEA). The project will promote vocational skills, entrepreneurial 
initiatives, recreation, and arts education for after-school, weekend 
hours, and summer that make a variety of opportunities available to at-
risk youth outside the regular school curriculum. Hours considered to 
be outside the regular school curriculum include after-school, weekend 
hours, and summer; however, the project would not need to, but may, 
cover the full year.
    This program will be jointly funded by OJJDP ($200,000), BJA 
($200,000), and NEA ($50,000). Through a competitive concept paper and 
application process, it will fund five sites, at up to $50,000 each, 
for the first year of a two-year project period. Prospective applicants 
will be asked to submit a pre-application concept paper. Based on 
OJJDP's review of these papers, those best demonstrating an ability to 
qualify for funding will be invited to submit full applications. 
Applicants interested in applying for this program must demonstrate 
that collaboration has taken place with existing education, business, 
arts, and community groups, and youth-serving agencies in the 
development of its program including, where appropriate, collaboration 
with existing after-school, weekend, and summer youth programs. The 
applicant should develop and submit written documentation of existing 
and proposed collaboration as part of the application process, such as 
memoranda of understanding, legislation, executive orders, and/or other 
formal commitments of bona fide partnership (e.g., collapsed funding 
streams, wrap-around services, multi-service centers, and procedures 
for service coordination). Prospective applicants must serve at-risk 
youth who are 6 to 18 years of age, but a project would not need to 
cover the full age range.
Truancy--$400,000
    The Truancy Project will be part of a joint effort with the Bureau 
of Justice Assistance and the under the Youth Out of the Education 
Mainstream Initiative (Initiative). The Initiative will address the 
needs of truants, dropouts, children who are afraid to go to school, 
children who have been suspended or expelled, and children in the 
juvenile justice system who need to maintain or enhance their 
educational status and be reintegrated into the school system upon 
their release from residential placement. The Initiative proposes a 
series of activities that includes regional hearings, training and 
technical assistance, and related support services for communities that 
wish to comprehensively address the needs of these youth. The training 
and technical assistance services will help jurisdictions direct their 
efforts at model prevention and intervention programs that address the 
needs of the students through a wide range of collaborative services. 
These models will make collaborative multi-disciplinary services 
available to students from agencies within the school, law enforcement, 
social services, and community organizations. These services would 
include student and parent attendance policy review, attendance review 
boards, parental notification of absences, individual education 
programs for students with special needs, mental health counseling, 
drug and alcohol abuse treatment, career and vocational courses, 
tutorial assistance, in-school suspension, parenting training, law 
enforcement partnerships, and transitional programs assisting students 
reentering the mainstream school.
    The National School Safety Center (NSSC) will work with 
jurisdictions to develop and implement model programs to address the 
problems of youth out of the education mainstream. Those jurisdictions 
that have current programs working with these students, but would like 
to expand and improve support services to better address the needs of 
these youth, may also request training and technical assistance 
services through NSSC. Funds for implementing the truancy component of 
the Initiative will be awarded to the NSSC as a supplement to its 
current grant. The Office of Juvenile Justice and 
[[Page 21883]] Delinquency Prevention and the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance are each contributing $200,000 to this effort. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. (Building Esteem and Responsibility 
Systematically) Program*--$300,000
    The North Omaha B.E.A.R.S. Program will enhance and expand its 
delinquency prevention program over a three-year period. This program 
focuses on at-risk youth ages 7-14 from the city of Omaha, Nebraska, 
using athletic participation as a means of providing tutoring, social 
enhancement and other services to Omaha youth. Funds will be used to 
enhance the linkages between the B.E.A.R.S. Program and the community. 
These funds will also be utilized to expand the number of at-risk 
juveniles and juveniles in the juvenile justice system being served by 
this program.
Training and Technical Assistance for Family-Strengthening Services--
$250,000
    Prevention, early intervention, and effective crisis intervention 
are critical elements in a community's family support system. In many 
communities, support services are geared toward intervention following 
a traumatic event, or toward the point when a child comes into contact 
with the justice system as a result of repeated behavioral problems. 
Over the years, OJJDP's program support and technical assistance has 
focused primarily on youth in the juvenile justice system. Technical 
assistance and training have not generally been available to community 
organizations and agencies focused upon family-oriented prevention 
services or early intervention initiatives. Currently, training is 
being provided to communities interested in implementing risk focused 
prevention. Following this training, communities will be better able to 
apply for and use Title V funds to support prevention programs.
    Title V funds, along with funds available through the State 
Challenge Activities Grant Program, provide resources through State 
agency recipients of formula grant funds for jurisdictions and 
communities wanting to strengthen family support services, develop 
services where gaps exist, or augment and retool existing services to 
respond to new populations. In fiscal year 1995, OJJDP will support a 
program to provide technical assistance and training to public and 
private nonprofit agencies and organizations interested in structuring 
or enhancing family strengthening program models in communities where 
such services are designed as part of community-wide efforts to prevent 
delinquency and reduce violence. Such assistance will be offered for a 
selected number of family support models that have been demonstrated to 
be effective in diverse communities. OJJDP will award a competitive 
grant to an organization experienced in this area of expertise to 
provide these services.
Youth-Centered Conflict Resolution--$200,000
    Violence in and around school campuses, conflict among students 
within schools, and conflicts between schools related to intramural 
activities have become increasingly problematic for school 
administrators, teachers, parents, and community leaders. While experts 
may debate the merits and impact of the varied contributing factors, 
most would agree that public school curricula, for the most part, do 
not provide for the systematic development of problem- and conflict-
resolving skills. Inclusion of problem-solving skills in school 
curricula and community activities can be expected to provide a 
continuum in problem-solving skills and approaches that will enhance 
school discipline and lead to improved functioning in a democratic 
society.
    OJJDP will award a grant to a qualified organization to develop, in 
concert with other established organizations currently providing 
conflict resolution services, a national strategy for broad-based 
education, training, and utilization of conflict resolution skills. In 
support of this task, the grantee would conduct four regional technical 
assistance workshops on the use of the joint publication being 
developed by the Departments of Justice and Education, Conflict 
Resolution Programs in Schools: A Guide to Program Selection and 
Implementation. This guide will be available late summer 1995. A 
complementary task may include the compilation of a compendium of model 
programs for this publication.
ASAP: Athlete Student Achievement Pact*--$150,000
    The Sports Museum of New England will refine and continue 
developing the Athlete Student Achievement Pact (ASAP) mentoring 
program. ASAP focuses on at-risk school aged youth demonstrating poor 
academic achievement or participation. Through a signed agreement 
between a mentor and the student, tutoring is provided to assist these 
youth in their academic progress, and by acting as role models, to help 
students understand how to become successful in society. This program 
also utilizes high profile sports figures as role models for these 
youth. The overall purpose of this program is to reduce gang 
involvement, drug use, delinquency and drop-out rates within the target 
population.
Project Mister/Project Sister*--$146,500
    This school-based delinquency prevention program will provide at-
risk youth in three alternative high schools in Seattle and Tacoma, 
Washington with expanded counseling and case management services, pre-
employment training, job search and placement, and parenting education. 
Many youth in these schools are teen parents and gang members. Most 
have been out of school at least once. Funds will support a full time 
case manager and job developer, and part-time parenting lab 
instructors. The goals of the program are to reduce the dropout rate, 
provide employment opportunities within two weeks of school completion, 
and prevent teen pregnancy.
Facing History and Ourselves*--$100,000
    Facing History and Ourselves (FHO) is a national program aimed at 
promoting citizenship through increased awareness of racism and 
examples of positive actions for participating in democracy. This 
awareness-training is conducted through in-depth examination of the 
Holocaust as a historical case study in which youth study the roles and 
actions of various persons such as bystanders, victims, rescuers, and 
resisters. FHO, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, serves 
approximately 600,000 youth beginning in the eighth grade in 39 states. 
This grant will enable FHO to expand to reach more approximately 40,000 
more youth through 350 newly trained teachers.
La Nueva Vida*--$64,000
    La Nueva Vida is a residential treatment program that has recently 
expanded to create a school-based prevention program. It has been 
active in four schools where special classes on prevention-related 
subjects are presented twice a week. With the funds provided through 
this grant, La Nueva Vida proposes to establish a youth leadership 
development program in the public housing areas of Santa Fe, New 
Mexico. Youth aged 16 to 21 will receive leadership training and 
supervision as they engage in cross-age teaching and mentoring type 
relationships with younger children in the public housing areas in 
Santa Fe. [[Page 21884]] 
Henry Ford Health System*--$58,000
    The Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) will implement a two-year 
Program called Reducing Youth Violence through School-Based initiatives 
in the Northern High School area of Detroit. The Program will develop 
and test a health care based violence prevention program through 
school-based health centers being established by HFHS at seven 
elementary schools, two middle schools, and the high school in this 
area. Participants will include teachers, family members, community 
programs and agencies, as well as student and health center staff. The 
initial program activities will involve an assessment of the problem in 
these school areas, and a coordinated planning process. The Program 
will then test approaches to violence prevention, evaluate the effort, 
and if it is successful, seek implementation funding from State, local 
and private funding sources.
Anti-Crime Youth Council*--$50,000
    The Anti-Crime Youth Council program was developed as a forum in 
New Haven, Connecticut in which students could get together to discuss 
crime and be empowered to develop and implement solutions. The Council 
holds monthly public forums either in the evening on a weeknight or 
during the school day. The youth have developed several committees, 
focusing on areas such as law enforcement and community service. One 
hundred and fifty students are currently involved in the Council. This 
grant will facilitate the operation and expansion of the Council 
program in Connecticut.

Delinquency Prevention

Continuation Programs

Law-Related Education (LRE)*--$2,800,000
    The national Law-Related Education (LRE) Program, titled ``Youth 
for Justice'', includes five coordinated LRE projects and programs 
operating in 48 States and four non-State jurisdictions.
    The Program's purpose is to provide training and technical 
assistance to State and local school jurisdictions that will result in 
the institutionalization of quality LRE programs for at-risk youth. The 
focus of the program during fiscal year 1995 will be on linking LRE, 
violence reduction and youth action. The major components of the 
program are coordination and management, training and technical 
assistance, preliminary assistance to future sites, public information, 
program development, and assessment.
    This program will be implemented by the current grantees, the 
American Bar Association, the Center for Civic Education, the 
Constitutional Rights Foundation, the National Institute for Citizen 
Education in the Law, and the Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Teens, Crime, and Community: Teens in Action in the 90s*--$1,000,000
    This continuation program is conducted by the National Crime 
Prevention Council (NCPC) in partnership with and the National 
Institute for Citizen Education in the Law (NICEL). Teens in Action in 
the 90s is a special application of the Teens, Crime, and Community 
program, which operates on the premise that teens are 
disproportionately victims of crimes, and they can contribute to 
improving their schools and communities through a broad array of 
activities.
    Under the fiscal year 1995 award, NCPC and NICEL will work through 
the National Teens, Crime, and Community Program Center to harness the 
energies of young people toward constructive activities designed to 
reduce crime and violence. The Program Center will be enlarged to serve 
as a formal clearinghouse for information and materials dissemination 
and to provide technical assistance and training. With fiscal year 1995 
funds, NCPC and NICEL will significantly expand the number of 
communities participating in this program.
    This program will be implemented by the current grantee. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Satellite Prep School Program and Early Elementary School for 
Privatized Public Housing--$720,000
    This is a continuation of a demonstration program under which OJJDP 
supports the operation of an early elementary school program on the 
premises of the Ida B. Wells Public Housing Development in Chicago, 
Illinois. The program is a collaborative effort among OJJDP, the 
Chicago Housing Authority, and the Westside Preparatory School and 
Training Institute to establish a prep school for children in 
kindergarten through 4th-grade who live in the Development.
    On October 1, 1991, the Wells prep school opened with kindergarten 
and 1st-grade students. In September 1993, a 2nd grade was added and in 
September 1994, a 3rd grade was added. The prep school operates as an 
early intervention educational model based on the Marva Collins 
Westside Preparatory School educational philosophy, curriculum, and 
teaching techniques. The Westside Preparatory School, a private 
institution located in Chicago's inner-city Weed and Seed neighborhood, 
has had dramatic success in raising the academic achievement level of 
low-income minority children. Fiscal year 1995 funds will be used to 
continue the operation and management of the Wells prep school and to 
add a 4th grade. No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal 
year 1995.
Children at Risk--$350,000
    OJJDP, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and the Center on 
Addiction and Substance Abuse of Columbia University have undertaken a 
joint program to help communities rescue high-risk pre-adolescents from 
the interrelated threats of crime and drugs. The program tests a 
specific intervention strategy for reducing and controlling illegal 
drugs and related crime in target neighborhoods and fosters healthy 
development among youth from drug- and crime-ridden neighborhoods. 
Multi-service, multi-disciplinary, neighborhood-based programs are 
established to provide a range of opportunities and services for pre-
adolescents and their families who are at high risk of involvement in 
illegal drugs and crime. Simultaneously, the criminal and juvenile 
justice systems are targeting resources to reduce illegal drug use and 
crime in the neighborhoods where these young people reside. OJJDP funds 
are used for the delinquency prevention component of the program.
    The Center has received funding from a number of foundations that 
has been matched by OJJDP and BJA. Based on the proposals submitted, 
six communities were selected to receive funds beginning in fiscal year 
1992 to implement programs over a three-year period: Austin, Texas; 
Bridgeport, Connecticut; Memphis, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; 
Savannah, Georgia; and Seattle, Washington. Foundation and government 
funding ranging from $500,000 to $1 million was allocated to each 
community. The program will be implemented by the current grantee in 
each of the six communities. OJJDP funds will be transferred to BJA to 
implement the program. No additional applications will be solicited in 
fiscal year 1995.
Nonviolent Dispute Resolution--$300,000
    This program is a joint effort of OJJDP and the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance (BJA) to test a variety of strategies to train teenage 
students to constructively [[Page 21885]] manage anger, resolve 
conflicts, learn the importance of mutual respect, and be responsible 
for their actions. Organizations or agencies in jurisdictions 
participating in the Comprehensive Communities Program will be selected 
to implement program models. To qualify, applicants must have 
demonstrated successful work in programs that include collaborative 
efforts among educators, counselors, criminal justice representatives, 
and parents or caretakers. Applications will be solicited and awarded 
by BJA on a competitive basis under the Comprehensive Communities 
Program.
The Congress of National Black Churches: National Anti-Drug Abuse 
Program--$250,000
    OJJDP will continue to fund The Congress of National Black 
Churches' (CNBC) national public awareness and mobilization strategy to 
address the problem of drug abuse and enhance drug abuse prevention 
efforts in targeted communities. The goal of the CNBC's national 
mobilization strategy is to summon, focus, and coordinate the 
leadership of the black religious community, in cooperation with the 
Department of Justice and other Federal agencies and organizations, to 
mobilize groups of community residents to combat drug abuse and drug-
related crime activities among adults and juveniles. CNBC operates this 
program in 31 cities.
    The program will be expanded in fiscal year 1995 to address family 
violence intervention issues and target up to six additional cities for 
a total of 37 cities. Consideration will be given to expanding to 
SafeFuture sites when selecting the six new CNBC locations. No 
additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
``Just Say No'' International*--$250,000
    This two-year program is designed to assist ``Just Say No'' 
International to expand its Youth Power anti-drug program to public 
housing projects in Oakland, California, and Baltimore, Maryland. In 
fiscal year 1994, Just Say No expanded the program to Oakland, 
California and, in fiscal year 1995, will expand into Baltimore, 
Maryland.
Jackie Robinson Center (JRC)*--$250,000
    The Jackie Robinson Center (JRC) provides a comprehensive program 
of cultural education, sports, and counseling services for at-risk 
youth. This is the second year of the three year program designed to 
support expansion of the program to new sites in New York City.
Cities in SchoolsFederal Interagency Partnership--$200,000
    This program is a continuation of a national school dropout 
prevention model developed and implemented by Cities in Schools, Inc. 
(CIS). CIS provides training and technical assistance to States and 
local communities, enabling them to adapt and implement the CIS model. 
The model brings social, employment, mental health, drug prevention, 
entrepreneurship, and other resources to high-risk youth and their 
families at the school level. Where CIS State organizations are 
established, they will assume primary responsibility for local program 
replication during the Federal interagency partnership.
    This program is jointly funded by OJJDP and the Departments of the 
Army, Health and Human Services, and Commerce under an OJJDP grant. The 
project will be implemented by the current grantee. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Hate Crimes--$200,000
    The Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is developing a 
multipurpose curriculum for hate crime prevention in the schools and 
sanctions for juveniles who commit hate crimes. This curriculum is 
being pilot tested in the 8th grade of the Collins Middle School in 
Salem, Massachusetts. Once the pilot is evaluated and the curriculum 
redesigned, EDC will test the revised curriculum in two additional 
sites to ensure that it is geographically and demographically 
representative.
    In consultation with the Office of Victims of Crime, EDC will 
develop a dissemination strategy for the curriculum and other products, 
including a judges' guide for dealing with hate crimes.
    No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Community Anti-Drug-Abuse Technical Assistance Voucher Project--
$200,000
    In July 1991, OJJDP entered into a cooperative agreement with the 
National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise (NCNE) to extend its 
outreach to community-based grassroots organizations around the country 
that are working effectively to solve the problems of youth drug abuse. 
This project has three goals: (1) To allow various neighborhood groups 
to inexpensively purchase needed services through the use of technical 
assistance vouchers disbursed by NCNE; (2) to demonstrate the cost-
effective use of vouchers to help neighborhood groups secure technical 
assistance for anti-drug-abuse projects to serve high-risk youth; and 
(3) to extend OJJDP technical assistance to groups that are 
traditionally excluded because they lack the administrative 
sophistication, technical and grantsmanship skills, and resources to 
participate in traditional competitive grant programs.
    In order to accomplish these goals, NCNE : (1) Provides support to 
community groups in developing and implementing a strategy under the 
``Weed and Seed'' program; (2) functions as a clearinghouse for 
information on community anti-drug- prevention initiatives; and (3) 
reviews all technical assistance applications and select 15-25 eligible 
community-based anti-drug programs for award of vouchers.
    This continuation award is designed to provide more than $90,000 in 
vouchers to 20-30 organizations and to provide clearinghouse services 
to an additional 300 community groups.
    Vouchers, which range in value from $1,000 to $10,000, can be used 
for planning, proposal writing, program promotion, legal assistance, 
financial management, and other activities. Selection of awardees and 
amounts is determined by the degree to which applicants meet the 
following criteria:
     Not previously funded by OJJDP or NCNE.
     Lack of access to traditional funding sources.
     Need for technical assistance and training.
     Small budget.
     Comprehensiveness of youth anti-drug programs.
     Clarity and feasibility of strategies presented on 
application.
    No additional applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Race Against Drugs--$150,000
    Race Against Drugs (RAD) is a unique drug awareness, education and 
prevention campaign designed to help young people understand the 
dangers of drugs and live a non-impaired lifestyle. With the help and 
assistance from 21 motorsports organizations, and the cooperation of 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Child Safety 
Council, it has become a fun and exciting addition to drug abuse 
prevention programs. RAD now includes national drug awareness and 
prevention activities at schools, malls and motorsports events; 
television public service announcements, posters, and signage on T-
shirts, hats, decals, etc.; and specialized programs like the ``Adopt-
A-School Essay and Scholarship'' and ``Winner's Circle'' 
[[Page 21886]] programs. Curriculum materials include the Be A Winner 
Action Book for 6-8 graders, a RAD Adult Guide and a RAD Coloring Book 
for K-4 graders. This program will be supplemented and expanded to 
provide additional and updated curriculum materials, reach additional 
program sites, and demonstrate the Winner's Circle Program in Seattle, 
Washington. It will be funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) 
($25,000), OJJDP ($25,000), and the Center for Substance Abuse 
Prevention (C-SAP) ($100,000). It will be implemented by the current 
grantee, the National Child Safety Council. No additional applications 
will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

New Programs

Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc.*--$250,000
    The Lowcountry Children's Center, Inc., is a community-based 
program that offers services to children who are victims of violence. 
The Center is a nonprofit organization located in Charleston, South 
Carolina. Its mission is to coordinate a full range of services for 
abused and victimized children and their families. A major goal of the 
program is to restore child victims and their families to a healthy 
level of functioning. One Center currently provides an initial 
assessment, psychological testing, and individual, group, and family 
therapy. In addition, lay and expert testimony in court hearings, 
investigative/law enforcement services, on-going multidisciplinary case 
coordination and case tracking, professional training, and case and 
program consultation services are provided by the center. OJJDP funds 
will enable the Center to provide the array of services necessary to 
create a model comprehensive program of intervention for these children 
and their families. The Center will also focus on program evaluation 
and research to determine effective interventions in particular types 
of case-enabling the model created by this funding to be fully 
evaluated and, if successful, replicated. No additional applications 
will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
KidsPeace*--$140,000
    This program provides therapeutic foster care to children in 
crisis. Eighty percent of the children who are referred to the project 
are victims of child abuse. However, these children may be referred for 
delinquency, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy or other problems. The 
program now serves children in Pennsylvania, Georgia, New York, and 
Indiana. The grant will enable the program to expand into one 
additional state in fiscal year 1995.
Multipurpose Educational Curriculum for Young Victims--$75,000
    Funds for this program will be transferred to the Office for 
Victims of Crime. The project will develop curriculum and training 
materials for use by school personnel, youth groups, and victim 
services providers to teach adolescents about the impact of crime on 
victims, about available victim assistance resources, and about 
strategies for providing effective peer support for young victims of 
crime. The program is expected to enhance victim service provider 
outreach activities targeting youth at risk and promote violence 
prevention.

Missing, Exploited and Abused Children

Continuation Programs

Parents Anonymous, Inc.*--$250,000
    Parents Anonymous, Inc., (PA) will continue the program started in 
fiscal year 1994 and expand services in communities that have existing 
PA chapters to families and youth at highest risk of delinquency. The 
main focus of this program is to prevent child abuse and neglect 
through the creation of parent support groups.
Permanent Families for Abused and Neglected Children*--$225,000
    This is a national project to prevent unnecessary foster care 
placement of abused and neglected children, to reunify the families of 
children in care, and to ensure permanent adoptive homes when 
reunification is impossible. The purpose is to ensure that foster care 
is used only as a last resort and as a temporary solution. Accordingly, 
the project is designed to ensure that government's responsibility to 
children in foster care is acknowledged by the appropriate disciplines. 
Project activities include national training programs for judges, 
social service personnel, citizen volunteers, and others under the 
Reasonable Efforts Provision of 42 U.S.C. 671(a)(15), training in 
selected lead States; and development of a model guide for risk 
assessment. The program will be implemented by the current grantee, the 
National Council of Family and Juvenile Court Judges. No additional 
applications will be solicited in fiscal year 1995.
Children as Witnesses to Community Violence--$170,658
    This project develops, implements, and evaluates after-school 
interventions to protect elementary-school-age children in Washington, 
DC from the aftereffects of exposure to violence. The intervention 
program is expected to prevent or reduce the occurrence of certain 
negative psychological symptoms among children exposed to community 
violence. It should also help children develop coping skills that can 
reduce the likelihood of their future involvement in violence. The 
program is administered by Howard University and managed by the 
National Institute of Justice (NIJ). OJJDP funds will be transferred to 
NIJ to complete this program in fiscal year 1995.
Discussion of Comments
    OJJDP published its proposed Comprehensive Plan for fiscal year 
1995 in the Federal Register on December 30, 1994, 59 FR 68080, for a 
45-day period of public comment. The Office received 58 letters 
commenting on the proposed plan. All comments have been considered in 
the development of the Final Comprehensive Plan for Fiscal Year 1994.
    The majority of the letters OJJDP received provided positive 
comments about the overall plan and its programs. The following is a 
summary of the substantive comments and the responses by OJJDP. Unless 
otherwise indicated, each comment was made by a single respondent.
    Comment: A respondent noted agreement with an emphasis on 
prevention and early intervention and the establishment and utilization 
of a system of graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders. The 
respondent further noted that this is a prudent and logical approach 
that covers the entire spectrum of responses to youth involved with the 
juvenile justice system and addresses community concerns about the 
escalation of youth violence.
    Response: OJJDP's Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and 
Chronic Juvenile Offenders incorporates the two principal components of 
delinquency prevention and improving the juvenile justice system's 
response to delinquent offenders through a system of graduated 
sanctions and a continuum of treatment alternatives. The delivery of 
services must be provided with a balance of: (1) Community protection 
and public safety; (2) juvenile offender accountability; (3) competency 
development; (4) individualization; and (5) representation of the 
interests of the community, victim and juvenile. By 
[[Page 21887]] taking these factors into account in each program 
component, a new direction in the administration of juvenile treatment 
services is fostered.
    Comment: A respondent encouraged the ``renewed'' focus on 
aftercare. In addition, the respondent suggested that special attention 
be given to the coordination of mental health, medical, substance 
abuse, educational, independent living, and crisis intervention 
services well in advance of discharge. It was further suggested that 
these services should be an automatic extension of care given while in 
placement.
    Response: OJJDP's Intensive Community-Based Aftercare for High Risk 
Juvenile Offenders Project (IAP) incorporates this approach. The IAP 
model is currently being implemented in four competitively selected 
jurisdictions, following a multi-year research and development 
initiative conducted by Johns Hopkins University and California State 
University (Sacramento). Each Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile 
Offender Treatment Program site and the SafeFutures jurisdictions are 
expected to incorporate aftercare services as a key component of the 
graduated sanctions continuum. OJJDP will provide technical assistance 
on implementing the IAP model, as necessary, in these and other 
jurisdictions.
    Comment: A respondent recommended the use of ``teen mentors'' or 
peers as role models, presenters and speakers in programs for youth, 
based on the writer's success in using such youth in delivering various 
positive messages.
    Response: OJJDP agrees that involving peers as role models in 
delinquency prevention and intervention can be effective and that 
``peer-related prevention must be an essential part of comprehensive 
prevention programming.'' (Pransky, 1991) As reflected in the ``Ensure 
Education'' issue area of the SafeFutures program, peer mediation is 
addressed through ``encouraging the development of positive values and 
teaching critical social skills, including conflict resolution and peer 
mediation.''
    Comment: Two respondents recommended that input on prevention and 
intervention programs be sought and utilized from youth involved in the 
program. It was suggested that by making these involved youth part of 
the process, they will stay involved and programs will be improved.
    Response: OJJDP agrees with the respondents. Research has 
demonstrated that ``Young people are more likely to be active program 
participants if they themselves are involved in creating and running 
(the program)'' (Pransky, 1991).
    Comment: A respondent recommended that OJJDP support the 
development and/or acquisition of videos and provide information and 
training on promising and effective programs to assist in replication.
    Response: Through OJJDP's Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (JJC), the 
Office makes available a variety of program materials developed through 
OJJDP funded grants and contracts. This material includes videos, 
manuals, surveys, program summaries and directories of promising 
programs. In addition, JJC collects and disseminates similar materials 
on other programs of various types not funded by OJJDP. JJC can be 
reached by calling 1-800-638-8736 or sending an Internet message to 
``[email protected]''. OJJDP routinely provides training and 
technical assistance on promising programs such as Law-Related 
Education and the Intensive Community-Based Aftercare for Juveniles 
Program.
    Comment: A respondent recommended that OJJDP identify and promote 
existing and new programs. It was suggested that these programs be 
identified by soliciting responses from police, court, school, and 
media personnel.
    Response: Since 1992, OJJDP has annually awarded the Gould-Wysinger 
Award to State and local programs in order to recognize exceptional 
achievements in juvenile justice programming. This program is designed 
to both recognize and acknowledge outstanding local programs and to 
encourage replication in communities facing similar challenges. Each 
year, projects are nominated by each State's Formula Grants program 
agency, in consultation with the State Advisory Group. Winners of the 
award are published in OJJDP's Juvenile Justice Magazine and in an 
OJJDP Bulletin with a short description of each program along with a 
contact name and phone number for more information on the program. 
Since 1992, a total of 72 programs have received the Gould-Wysinger 
Award.
    It has also been recognized that identifying promising programs for 
delinquent and at-risk youth in the juvenile justice system is a key 
concern of juvenile justice practitioners and others. In 1992, OJJDP 
awarded a grant to the National Center for Juvenile Justice to identify 
programs that effectively address the needs of juvenile offenders. 
During the data collection process, 3,000 juvenile court judges, 
probation administrators, and line staff nominated more than 1,100 
programs in 49 States. The result is What Works: Promising 
Interventions in Juvenile Justice, a directory of 425 intervention 
programs deemed effective by the practitioners who use them. This 
directory and descriptions of those programs having received the Gould-
Wysinger Award are available from the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse by 
calling 1-800-638-8736, or sending an Internet message to 
[email protected]''.
    Comment: A respondent recommended that ``vocational education'' be 
provided to youth in various parts of the juvenile justice system, 
including ``community service, probation and to suspended students in 
an atmosphere conducive to youth involvement.'' It was further 
recommended that a ``recreational hook'' be used to ``get kids involved 
and build upon that `activity' in order to allow youth to learn 
`practical trades' and skills that can later be used in industry.''
    Response: OJJDP agrees in principle with the respondent and 
recognizes the need for comprehensive service delivery, including 
supplementing traditional academic education with vocational training. 
OJJDP also intends to address a number of these issues in the 
SafeFutures Program, including ensuring education, increasing the 
effectiveness of juvenile justice by providing youth vocational 
training and meaningful job opportunities, addressing truancy and 
school dropouts through alternative education, and providing a 
continuum of services to respond appropriately to the needs of each 
juvenile offender.
    OJJDP also agrees that ``recreation'', including cycling, baseball, 
football, and basketball, can be an effective ``hook'' to get youth 
involved in prevention services. However, it should be made clear that 
recreation alone is not an effective intervention. Wrap-around services 
that address the needs and risk factors of the youth involved are a 
necessity. For example, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America have 
successfully and consistently used recreation and other activities to 
reach out to at-risk youth in order to make available prevention and 
intervention services available once inside the clubs.
    Comment: A respondent recommended that ``job training skills'' be 
incorporated with the education process so as to allow youth ``to stay 
involved in a program by keeping them interested.'' Students who have 
been suspended should be allowed to ``prove'' themselves in a program 
that offers a variety of job opportunities. An 
[[Page 21888]] ``apprenticeship'' period should be created so they can 
be educated in the ``field'' by subsidizing their employment and 
allowing them to earn credits toward their High School Diploma. After 
graduation, this job opportunity should be available on a full time 
basis.
    Response: OJJDP is entering into a collaborative effort with the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Endowment for the Arts to 
promote business vocational skills, entrepreneurship, recreation, and 
arts programs for afterschool, weekend hours, and summer. 
Apprenticeships and other job skills programs would be developed with 
the involvement of the business sector. The Pathways to Success Program 
will be implemented as part of the SafeFutures Program to provide 
vocational, job, and other skills training as part of a comprehensive 
service delivery system. Five additional Pathways to Success grants 
will be competed and awarded independent of the SafeFutures Program.
    It is also possible that various components of the SafeFutures 
Program can be effectively linked with school-to-work opportunities in 
the applicant's State, if available. Created through the School-to-Work 
Opportunities Act, this collaborative initiative between the U.S. 
Departments of Education and Labor prepares youth for first jobs in 
high-skill, high-wage careers, to achieve high academic and 
occupational standards, and for further postsecondary education and 
training. The initiative has three core elements, including: (1) 
School-based learning consisting of classroom instruction based on high 
academic and occupational skill standards that integrates work-based 
learning and school-based learning; (2) work-based learning which 
includes work experience, structured training and mentoring at job 
sites; and (3) connecting activities, which include a variety of 
activities that build and maintain bridges between school and work. 
Examples of connecting activities include courses that integrate 
classroom and on-the-job instruction, matching students with 
participating employers and training job-site members.
    For more information on School-to-Work Opportunities, contact the 
School-to-Work Opportunities Information Center at (202) 260-7278.
    Comment: A respondent recommended that the prevention component of 
the Program Plan include youth suicide and teenage grief as well as 
provide a holistic approach to preventing delinquent behavior.
    Response: Teenage grief and suicidal patterns are common signs of 
psychological disturbances in juveniles at high risk of getting 
involved in delinquent behavior or social acting out. To address 
psychological needs, OJJDP is looking to mental health services to 
provide evaluation (diagnosis), prevention, and treatment of mental 
disorders for high-risk juveniles and juveniles in the juvenile justice 
system. Under the SafeFutures program, funds will be available to 
establish or enhance mental health services in the juvenile justice 
system and to promote, develop, and implement mental health services 
for at-risk children, including victims of child abuse.
    Comment: After studying OJJDP's proposed Comprehensive Program Plan 
for fiscal year 1995, one respondent commented that the Plan is still 
addressing symptoms rather than the core problem of family dysfunction.
    Response: OJJDP recognizes the critical importance of strong 
families and their essential role in nurturing strong, healthy 
children. The Office also recognizes the link between dysfunctional 
families and juvenile delinquency. OJJDP has long supported family-
related studies and programs designed to strengthen families and family 
strengthening remains a program priority. In 1988, OJJDP launched a 
major parenting initiative entitled Effective Parenting Strategies for 
Families of High-Risk Youth. An interdisciplinary team comprised of 
family researchers at the University of Utah and policy scientists at 
the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation conducted an 
extensive literature review focused on the causes and correlates of 
delinquency, and the effectiveness of prevention, intervention, and 
treatment strategies for high-risk families. The results of the study 
are summarized in a publication entitled Strengthening America's 
Families: Promising Parenting Strategies for Delinquency Prevention, 
User's Guide. The fiscal year 1995 OJJDP Comprehensive Program Plan 
provides funding support for family strengthening activities that build 
on the findings and recommendations of this study.
    Comment: A respondent noted that various segments of OJJDP's 
Proposed Comprehensive Program Plan touched on the lack of employment 
skills as a major contributor to juvenile crime, but did not thoroughly 
address this problem area and the need for early career and/or 
employment preparation. The suggested strategy for addressing this area 
is to teach employment skills and career preparation to all school 
children by incorporating instruction into the curriculum of every 
grade level, beginning in kindergarten.
    Response: OJJDP has long recognized the importance of providing 
juveniles with the skills they need to increase their employment 
potential and pursue the career of their choice. For this reason, many 
of the OJJDP supported programs have components that address this area. 
For example, the national Cities in Schools (CIS) dropout prevention 
program teaches job skills at the elementary, middle and high school 
levels. CIS has also established a number of alternative schools. A key 
component of their program is not only to provide young people with job 
skills, but to provide them with career exploration through job 
shadowing. Youth are also encouraged to pursue entrepreneurial 
activities. Several other fiscal year 1995 programs have components 
that address this issue. OJJDP also partners with other agencies such 
as the Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, Education, 
Labor and others and hopes to expand those partnerships in the future.
    Comment: One respondent was concerned that the Family Strengthening 
Program did not place greater emphasis to prevention or acknowledge a 
role for community-based organizations.
    Response: OJJDP remains committed to addressing the wide range of 
family strengthening needs that encompass prevention, intervention and 
treatment. The OJJDP publication, Strengthening America's Families: 
Promising Parenting and Family Strategies for Delinquency Prevention, 
User's Guide, stresses that there is no ``one-size-fits-all'' family 
strategy for preventing delinquency. Several types of parenting 
programs are needed. There are programs designed for parents of 
infants, children and adolescents. Some programs are best suited for 
well-functioning families, while others address the needs of 
dysfunctional families. OJJDP also remains committed to encouraging the 
involvement of community-based organizations. The Family Strengthening 
Program calls for the creation or expansion of programs ``that enlist 
schools and other local entities in family programming.'' ``Other local 
entities'' includes community-based organizations. Many of the 
representative 25 programs that the researchers identified as 
particularly promising classified themselves as ``prevention'' programs 
and most included relevant community- based organizations in aspects of 
their program strategy. OJJDP will continue to emphasize family 
strengthening through prevention, intervention and treatment utilizing 
a range of available resources that are community-based. 
[[Page 21889]] 
    Comment: One respondent felt that the Proposed Comprehensive 
Program Plan outline was unclear as to which programs allow a 
community-based organization to compete for funding and that many of 
the eligibility requirements seem to exclude community organizations 
with experience, providing only limited opportunities for these 
qualified organizations to receive OJJDP funding.
    Response: OJJDP recognizes the importance of community-based 
organizations, particularly in the planning phase of any collaborative 
project. The SafeFutures Program specifically calls for community-based 
collaboratives. Community-based organizations have the experience to 
operate a broad range of programs. In cases where only local units of 
government are eligible for awards, community-based organizations 
should pursue the option of partnering with them as a service provider 
or administering agency.
    Comment: A community-based organization commented that despite its 
varied experiences in a number of areas, including mentoring, it would 
be unable to compete for Part G Mentoring Funds, Title V Incentive 
Grants, and Part E State Challenge Activities. The respondent 
organization felt that these activities should require that funds go to 
community-based organizations that have significant experience 
providing culturally appropriate programs to at-risk ethnic minorities. 
Without this requirement, a real partnership will not be achieved.
    Response: For the activities mentioned above, community 
organizations can still qualify for support but they must do so through 
a local unit of government. For example, $1 million in fiscal year 1995 
Part G Mentoring Program funding is being awarded through the 
SafeFutures program. Mentoring is a logical component of a continuum of 
care for youth-at-risk. Under Part G and the SafeFutures Program, 
mentoring programs are required to be conducted either by LEA's (local 
education agencies) or by non-profit private organizations (including 
community-based organizations) or public agencies in partnership with 
LEA's.
    Comment: One respondent questioned whether the Native American 
Alternative Community-Based Program will receive additional funding in 
fiscal year 1995.
    Response: Continuation funding of $600,000 will be available for 
this program in fiscal year 1995.
    Comment: One respondent commented that the description of the 
Juvenile Justice Prosecutor Training Project is vague and that training 
should include cultural awareness and how poverty-related and 
misunderstood cultural behaviors affect decisions.
    Response: The Juvenile Justice Prosecution Training Center will 
support prosecutor training in areas of need identified by a working 
group of chief prosecutors. OJJDP expects that cultural differences and 
poverty-related problems among juvenile offenders will be covered in 
the training. In addition, OJJDP continues to support training in 
cultural differences for juvenile justice officials under a grant to 
the American Correctional Association for the Training in Cultural 
Differences for Law Enforcement/Juvenile Justice Officials Program.
    Comment: A respondent noted that the description of Interventions 
to Reduce Disproportionate Minority Confinement in Secure Detention and 
Correctional Facilities Program indicates that the application process 
is open to new applicants. However, the program is listed under 
Continuation Programs. It is unclear if additional organizations can 
apply.
    Response: This project was inadvertently listed under the 
Continuation Programs section. New applicants will be eligible to apply 
for OJJDP funding in fiscal year 1995.
    Comment: A respondent noted that the Nonviolent Dispute Resolution 
Program is listed under Continuation Programs, indicating that only 
prior recipients can apply. The description, however, seems to 
contradict this by indicating a competitive application process.
    Response: This is a competitive program being administered by the 
Bureau of Justice Assistance for cities which have been selected to 
receive funds under the Comprehensive Communities Program. OJJDP is 
contributing funds to the program.
    Comment: One State official commented that OJJDP should notify the 
State Formula Grants Program Agency when a project is selected for 
funding within a given State.
    Response: OJJDP agrees that in the interest of comprehensive 
planning and interagency coordination, cognizant State agencies should 
be notified when OJJDP awards funds directly to projects operating with 
the State. A formal notification process will be initiated to provide 
information on all discretionary grant awards to State agencies.
    Comment: One respondent proposed that OJJDP adopt a policy to 
provide periodic updates to State agencies on projects selected for 
funding under the SafeFutures Program.
    Response: The SafeFutures Program is based on a continuum of care 
model that calls for maximum coordination and cooperations among 
agencies serving juveniles. OJJDP encourages States having SafeFutures 
sites to include SafeFutures in the comprehensive planning undertaken 
for the Formula Grants Program and make maximum use of Formula Grant, 
Title V, and Challenge Grant funds to enhance juvenile justice and 
delinquency prevention activities in SafeFutures sites. While the level 
of State agency participation expected in SafeFutures should obviate 
the need for ``periodic updates'' by OJJDP, funded sites will be 
required to provide the cognizant State agency with a copy of their 
quarterly progress report.
    Comment: A national organization expressed concern about the level 
of support in the fiscal year 1995 Program Plan for programs to address 
disproportionate minority confinement.
    Response: OJJDP is strongly committed to supporting State efforts 
to address the disproportionate confinement (DMC) of minority juveniles 
in secure custody in States where such condition exists. The Office has 
supported demonstration efforts under the Special Emphasis 
discretionary grant program, as well as research, program evaluation, 
and training and technical assistance in this area. Many States are 
allocating significant amounts of their Formula Grants Program funds to 
address section 223(a)(23) of the JJDP Act.
    OJJDP is working with the Coalition for Juvenile Justice's 
Committee on Ethnic and Cultural Diversity to find other ways to 
improve our DMC programming. OJJDP looks forward to cooperative efforts 
with the Coalition and others committed to improving juvenile justice 
by addressing the DMC issue.
    Comment: One respondent suggested that OJJDP add language to the 
section which describes organizations with whom OJJDP would coordinate 
the SafeFutures Program to include Youth Corps that are certified by 
the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps and provide 
participants with a six to twelve month, full-time, crew- based, highly 
structured, and adult supervised work and learning experience, and that 
promote the development of citizenship, life and employment skills.
    Response: OJJDP concurs with the importance of coordinating the 
SafeFutures program with Youth Corps programs that have a component 
serving a juvenile population. The Office has incorporated appropriate 
language into [[Page 21890]] the fiscal year 1995 Final Comprehensive 
Program Plan.
    Comment: A number of respondents representing juvenile justice 
agencies across the country wrote in support of continued and/or 
increased funding for the Balanced and Restorative Justice Project 
(BARJ), a key component of OJJDP's Juvenile Restitution Program. They 
noted that the BARJ Project has advanced the implementation of the 
``Balanced Approach'' and the use of restitution and community service 
in a number of juvenile justice systems and that additional 
jurisdictions are interested in implementing this major shift in system 
philosophy and practice through BARJ Project training and technical 
assistance.
    Response: The BARJ Project will receive continuation funding of 
$100,000 in fiscal year 1995 and a similar amount is anticipated as a 
supplement from fiscal year 1996 funds. This will give the Project a 
twelve-month budget of $200,000 to complete its activities under this 
multi-year funded Program. State and local jurisdictions interested in 
adopting the balanced and restorative justice approach should also 
request technical assistance through OJJDP's technical assistance 
support contract under the Formula Grants program or seek local support 
for implementation funding.
    Comment: A respondent recommended giving youth access to their 
police chief and officers through programs funded under the Final 
Comprehensive Program Plan.
    Response: In fiscal year 1993, OJJDP provided support to the New 
Haven, Connecticut Police Department and the Yale University Child 
Development Center to document a child-centered community-oriented 
policing model. This is a continuation program of OJJDP and the Bureau 
of Justice Assistance and will serve as a model for other sites to 
replicate.
    Comment: A respondent stated that OJJDP has omitted a key group of 
professionals who have been trained in diversion and have demonstrated 
success in working to divert juveniles from the juvenile justice 
system, recommending that OJJDP include parks and recreation 
professionals in the SafeFutures Program.
    Response: OJJDP agrees that those within the ``justice system'' 
cannot make a difference alone. This is a key premise of the 
SafeFutures Program. OJJDP encourages local jurisdictions to develop a 
continuum of care that includes professionals representing all aspects 
of youth development, especially those who are in a position to promote 
positive youth development. OJJDP agrees with the National Parks and 
Recreation Association that the perception of public recreation should 
move beyond ``fun and games'' to the status of an essential service 
(National Parks and Recreation Association, 1994). OJJDP will work with 
the Association and other parks and recreation organizations during 
fiscal year 1995 to highlight the many outstanding delinquency 
prevention and intervention programs that are being implemented by 
local parks and recreation departments across the country and to 
further the evaluation of these programs.
    Due to the fact that OJJDP is not requiring the involvement of 
specific types of professionals, it is ultimately up to the 
jurisdictions chosen to implement the SafeFutures program to identify 
key resources to support a continuum of care. It is expected that parks 
and recreation professionals will be an integral part of this group. 
One possibility for parks and recreation professionals is involvement 
in the development and implementation of the ``Pathways to Success'' 
program within the SafeFutures program. This program emphasizes, in 
part, recreational alternatives during after-school and weekend hours.
    Comment: One respondent felt that the budget for Training for 
Family-Strengthening Services ($250,000) should be increased to support 
trained individuals who provide technical assistance for family 
strengthening.
    Response: One million dollars in Family Strengthening and Support 
funds will be available to the five SafeFutures program sites. These 
funds can be used for both training/technical assistance and direct 
service programs in the five sites. An additional $250,000 will be 
available for training/technical assistance in other communities 
interested in improving their Family Strengthening Service programs. 
Further support can be drawn from other OJJDP training/technical 
assistance projects, including the newly established National Juvenile 
Justice and Delinquency Prevention Training and Technical Assistance 
Center.
    Comment: One respondent questioned why virtually all funds for law-
related education were being awarded on a non-competitive basis to the 
Law-Related Education National Training and Dissemination Program, with 
only $200,000 in competitive funding being made available for 
``Innovative Approaches in Law-Related Education,'' thereby limiting 
opportunities for other organizations to seek funding for new law-
related education programs.
    Response: Eighty percent of the funds set aside for Law-Related 
Education are earmarked for the Law-Related Education National Training 
and Dissemination Program (Youth for Justice). OJJDP proposed to set 
aside $500,000 of the remaining $700,000 for a competitively awarded 
impact evaluation. However, because Department of Education funds were 
not available for a joint evaluation project, $600,000 of the $700,000 
is being made available to support the ``Innovative Approaches in Law-
Related Education'' program. One hundred thousand dollars will be 
awarded to fund the Facing History and Ourselves Program.
Shay Bilchik,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

National Institute of Justice--Research Plan 1995-1996

    For general information regarding NIJ's 1995-96 Research Plan, 
please contact Edwin Zedlewski, at (202) 307-2953, or Winifred Reed, at 
(202) 307-2952. For other general NIJ information, contact Carrie 
Smith, at (202) 616-3233. For document publication information, contact 
Mary Graham, at (202) 514-6207.
    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.
    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. To inquire about 
NIJ receipt of applications, contact Louise Loften, at (202) 307-2965.
    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]. 
[[Page 21891]] 

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
Phyllis Poole
Carrie Smith

Office of Research and Evaluation

Sally T. Hillsman, Director
Louise Lofton
Evelyn Washington

Criminal Behavior

Thomas Feucht
James Trudeau

Crime Control

Lois Mock
Rosemary Murphy
Richard Titus
Winnie Reed

Criminal Justice

Bernard Auchter
Laurie Bright
Voncile Gowdy
Pamela Lattimore
Edwin Zedlewski

Office of Science and Technology

David Boyd, Director
Audrey Blankenship
Raymond Downs
Kevin Jackson
Richard Rau
Robert Tolle

Office of Communication and Research Utilization

Paul Cascarano, Director
Tamara Ross

Reference and Dissemination Division

Paul Estaver, Director
Mary Graham
Eugene Hebert
G. Martin Lively
Daniel Tompkins

Research Applications and Training Division

Virginia Baldau, Director
Cheryl Crawford
Marilyn Moses
Carolyn Peake
Samuel McQuade
John Spevacek
John Thomas

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.
    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. [[Page 21892]] 
    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
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 
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'' See p. 23 of 
this Plan.

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 
[[Page 21893]] 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.
    Violence Against Women. Note: NIJ is not receiving applications for 
research on violence against women under the June and December 1995 
deadlines. Instead, researchers should await the special solicitation 
to be issued in 1995, as noted in the Introduction to this Plan.

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 projects that will improve the criminal justice knowledge 
base about crimes and criminal behavior involving the use of drugs and 
alcohol. Through this solicitation the National Institute of Justice 
(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 antidrug 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 [[Page 21894]] have traced the 
trends in drug use among persons arrested for a wide range of offenses. 
Beginning in 1995, NIJ solicits proposals that capitalize and expand 
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. (For research on treatment drug 
courts, see page 16.)
    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 
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 
[[Page 21895]] 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 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 [[Page 21896]] 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 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 by mid-1995.
    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 [[Page 21897]] 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 not receiving applications for policing research 
against the June and December 1995 deadlines. Instead, researchers 
should await the special solicitation to be issued in 1995, as noted 
above.

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

    Boot Camps. Note: NIJ is not receiving applications for research on 
boot camps under the June and December 1995 deadlines. Instead, 
researchers should await the special solicitation to be issued in 1995, 
as noted above.
    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, 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
Bernard Auchter, (202) 307-0154, for adjudication
Laurie Bright, (202) 616-3624, for prosecution and defense
Voncile Gowdy, (202) 307-2951, for corrections and sanctions
Richard Titus, (202) 307-0695, 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 the National 
Institute of Justice (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 Technology Center (NLETC) (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 [[Page 21898]] 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 is also in the process of establishing 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 (ARPA) 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/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

Grant Proposals

    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, (202) 307-0648, for the Forensic Sciences Program and 
the Drug Testing Program
Raymond Downs, (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
John Pennella, (703) 696-2372, 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 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 [[Page 21899]] 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 15 and December 15, 1995, and 
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, 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, [[Page 21900]] anticipated telephone charges, and other 
common expenditures, with the basis for computing the estimates 
included (e.g., 100 reports  x  75 pages each  x  $0.05/page = 
$375.00). Supply and expense estimates offered simply as ``based on 
experience'' are not sufficient.
    8. What travel regulations apply to the budget estimates? 
Transportation costs and per diem rates must comply with the policies 
of the applicant organization, and a copy of the applicant's travel 
policy should be submitted as an appendix to the application. If the 
applicant does not have a travel policy established in writing, then 
travel rates must be consistent with those established by the Federal 
Government. The budget narrative should state which regulations are in 
force for the project and should include the estimated fare, the number 
of persons traveling, the number of trips to be taken, and the length 
of stay. The estimated costs of travel, lodging, ground transportation, 
and other subsistence should be listed separately. When combined, the 
subtotals for these categories should equal the estimate listed on the 
budget form.
    9. Which forms should be used? A copy of Standard Form (SF) 424, 
Application for Federal Assistance, plus instructions, appears in the 
back of this book. Please follow the instructions carefully and include 
all parts and pages. In addition to SF 424, recent requirements involve 
certification regarding (1) lobbying; (2) debarment, suspension, and 
other responsibility matters; and (3) drug-free workplace requirements. 
The certification form that is attached to SF 424 should be signed by 
the appropriate official and included in the grant application.
    10. What technical materials are required to be included in the 
application? A one-page abstract of the full proposal, highlighting the 
project's purpose, methods, activities, and when known, the location(s) 
of field research.
    A program narrative, which is the technical portion of the 
proposal. It should include a clear, concise statement of the problem, 
goals, and objectives of the project and related questions to be 
explored. A discussion of the relationship of the proposed work to the 
existing literature is expected.
    A statement of the project's anticipated contribution to criminal 
justice policy and practice. It is important that applicants briefly 
cite those particular issues and concerns of present-day criminal 
justice policy that stimulate the proposed line of inquiry and suggest 
what their own investigation would contribute to current knowledge.
    A detailed statement of the proposed research or study design and 
analytical methodologies. The proposed data sources, data collection 
strategies, variables and issues to be examined, and procedures of 
analysis to be employed should be delineated carefully and completely. 
When appropriate, experimental designs are encouraged because of their 
potential relevance to policymaking and the strength of the evidence 
they can produce.
    The organization and management plan to conduct the study. A list 
of major milestones of events, activities, and products and a timetable 
for completion that indicates the time commitments to individual 
project tasks should be included. All grant activities, including 
writing of the final report, should be completed within the duration of 
the award period.
    The applicant's curriculum vitae should summarize education, 
research experience, and bibliographic information related to the 
proposed work.
    11. Use of grant funds. Grant funds may be used to purchase or 
lease equipment essential to accomplishing the objectives of the 
project. The budget narrative must list such equipment and explain why 
the equipment is necessary. Funds may not be used for operating 
programs, writing texts or handbooks, training, etc.
    12. To what extent may indirect costs be included in the budget 
estimates? It is the policy of the Institute that all costs should be 
budgeted directly; however, if an applicant has an indirect cost rate 
that has been approved by a Federal agency within the past 2 years, an 
indirect cost recovery estimate may be included in the budget. A copy 
of the approved rate agreement should be submitted as an appendix to 
the application. If an applicant does not have an approved rate 
agreement, the applicant should contact the Office of the Comptroller, 
Office of Justice Programs, (202) 307-0604, to obtain information about 
preparing an indirect cost rate proposal.
    13. What, if any, matching funds are required? Units of State and 
local governments (not including publicly supported institutions of 
higher education) are encouraged to contribute a match (cash, noncash, 
or both) of requested funds. Other applicants also are encouraged to 
seek matching contributions from other Federal agencies or private 
foundations to assist in meeting the costs of the project.
    14. Should other funding sources be listed? Applicants are expected 
to identify all other Federal, local, or private sources of support, 
including other NIJ programs, to which this or a closely related 
proposal has been or will be submitted. This information permits NIJ to 
consider the joint funding potential and limits the possibility of 
inadvertent duplicate funding. Applicants may submit more than one 
proposal to NIJ, but the same proposal cannot be submitted in more than 
one program area.
    15. What are the deadlines? June 15 and December 15, 1995, and June 
17 and December 16, 1996.
    16. Is there a page limit? The Institute has established a limit of 
30 double-spaced pages for all normal grant applications. This page 
limit does not include references, budget narrative, curriculum vitae, 
or necessary appendices. Applications for small grants ($1,000-$50,000) 
are limited to 15 double-spaced pages. NIJ does not wish to create 
elaborate regulations regarding type fonts, margins, and spacing. 
Applicants are cautioned, however, that obvious attempts to stretch 
interpretations of the Institute's limits have, in the past, caused 
proposal reviewers to regard such efforts unfavorably.
    17. What is the page order? The following order is mandatory. 
Omission can result in rejection of the application:
    1. SF 424.
    2. Names and affiliations of all key persons from applicant and 
subcontractor(s), advisors, consultants, and Advisory Board members. 
Include the name of the Principal Investigator, title, organizational 
affiliation (if any), department (if institution of higher education), 
address, phone, and fax.
    3. Abstract.
    4. Table of Contents.
    5. Budget narrative.
    6. Assurances and Certifications, etc.
    7. Negotiated rate agreement.
    8. Program narrative.
    9. References.
    10. Resumes of key personnel.
    18. What does the review process entail? After all applications for 
a competition are received, NIJ will convene a series of peer review 
panels of criminal justice professionals and researchers. NIJ will 
assign proposals to peer panels that it deems most appropriate. Panel 
members read each proposal and meet to assess the technical merits and 
policy relevance of the proposed research. Panel assessments of the 
proposals, together with assessments by NIJ staff, are submitted to the 
Director, who has sole and final authority over approval and 
[[Page 21901]] awards. The review normally takes 60 to 90 days, 
depending on the number of applications received. Each applicant 
receives written comments from the peer review panel concerning the 
strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. These comments may include 
suggestions for how a revised or subsequent application to NIJ might be 
improved.
    19. What are the criteria for an award? The essential question 
asked of each applicant is, ``If this study were successful, how would 
criminal justice policies or operations be improved?'' Four criteria 
are applied in the evaluation process:
    Impact of the proposed project.
    Feasibility of the approach to the issue, including technical merit 
and practical considerations.
    Originality of the approach, including creativity of the proposal 
and capability of the research staff.
    Economy of the approach. Applicants bear the responsibility of 
demonstrating to the panel that the proposed study addresses the 
critical issues of the topic area and that the study findings could 
ultimately contribute to a practical application in law enforcement or 
criminal justice. Reviewers will assess applicants' awareness of 
related research or studies and their ability to direct the research or 
study toward answering questions of policy or improving the state of 
criminal justice operations.
    Technical merit is judged by the likelihood that the study design 
will produce convincing findings. Reviewers take into account the logic 
and timing of the research or study plan, the validity and reliability 
of measures proposed, the appropriateness of statistical methods to be 
used, and each applicant's awareness of factors that might dilute the 
credibility of the findings. Impact is judged by the scope of the 
proposed approach and by the utility of the proposed products. 
Reviewers consider each applicant's understanding of the process of 
innovation in the targeted criminal justice agency or setting and 
knowledge of prior uses of criminal justice research by the proposed 
criminal justice constituency. Appropriateness of products in terms of 
proposed content and format is also considered.
    Applicants' qualifications are evaluated both in terms of the depth 
of experience and the relevance of that experience to the proposed 
research or study. Costs are evaluated in terms of the reasonableness 
of each item and the utility of the project to the Institute's program.
    20. Are there any other considerations in selecting applications 
for an award? Projects should have a national impact or have potential 
relevance to a number of jurisdictions. Because of the broad national 
mandate of the National Institute of Justice, projects that address the 
unique concerns of a single jurisdiction should be fully justified. 
Projects that intend to provide services in addition to performing 
research are eligible for support, but only for the resources necessary 
to conduct the research tasks outlined in the proposal. The applicant's 
performance on previous or current NIJ grants will also be taken into 
consideration in making funding decisions.
    21. Who is eligible to apply? NIJ awards grants to, or enters into 
cooperative agreements with, educational institutions, nonprofit 
organizations, public agencies, individuals, and profitmaking 
organizations that are willing to waive their fees. Where appropriate, 
special eligibility criteria are indicated in the separate 
solicitations.
    22. Does NIJ accept resubmission of proposals? The Institute will 
accept resubmission of a previously submitted proposal. The applicant 
should indicate for Question 8, Form 424, that the application is a 
revision. The applicant should include this information in the 
abstract. Finally, the applicant should prepare a one-page response to 
the earlier panel review (to follow the abstract) including (1) the 
title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number of the 
previous proposal and (2) a brief summary of responses to the review 
and/or revisions to the proposal.

NIJ Policy Regarding Unsolicited Proposals

    It is NIJ's policy to submit all unsolicited proposals to peer 
review. NIJ's peer review process takes place in periodic cycles; 
unsolicited proposals received will be included in the next available 
review cycle. NIJ will offer the applicant the option of revising the 
proposal in accordance with the program goals established in the Plan 
or, alternatively, submitting the original proposal to the peer panel 
it deems most appropriate.

Requirements for Award Recipients

Required Products

    Each project is expected to generate tangible products of maximum 
benefit to criminal justice professionals, researchers, and 
policymakers. In particular, NIJ strongly encourages documents that 
provide information of practical utility to law enforcement officials; 
prosecutors; judges; corrections officers; victims services providers; 
and Federal, State, county, and local elected officials. Products 
should include:
    A summary of approximately 2,500 words highlighting the findings of 
the research and the policy issues those findings will inform. The 
material should be written in a style that will be accessible to policy 
officials and practitioners and suitable for possible publication as an 
NIJ Research in Brief. An NIJ editorial style guide is sent to each 
project director at the time of the award.
    A full technical report, including a discussion of the research 
question, review of the literature, description of project methodology, 
detailed review of project findings, and conclusions and policy 
recommendations.
    Clean copies of all automated data sets developed during the 
research and full documentation prepared in accordance with the 
instructions in the NIJ Data Resources Manual.
    Brief project summaries for NIJ use in preparing annual reports to 
the President and the Congress. As appropriate, additional products 
such as case studies and interim and final reports (e.g., articles, 
manuals, or training materials) may be specified in the proposal or 
negotiated at the time of the award.

Public Release of Automated Data Sets

    NIJ is committed to ensuring the public availability of research 
data and to this end established its Data Resources Program in 1984. 
All NIJ award recipients who collect data are required to submit a 
machine-readable copy of the data and appropriate documentation to NIJ 
prior to the conclusion of the project. The data and materials are 
reviewed for completeness. NIJ staff then create machine-readable data 
sets, prepare users'' guides, and distribute data and documentation to 
other researchers in the field. A variety of formats are acceptable; 
however, the data and materials must conform with requirements detailed 
in Depositing Data With the Data Resources Program of the National 
Institute of Justice: A Handbook. A copy of this handbook is sent to 
each project director at the time of the award. For further information 
about NIJ's Data Resources Program, contact Dr. Pamela Lattimore, (202) 
307-2961. [[Page 21902]] 

Standards of Performance by Recipients

    NIJ expects individuals and institutions receiving its support to 
work diligently and professionally toward completing a high-quality 
research or study product. Besides this general expectation, the 
Institute imposes specific requirements to ensure that proper financial 
and administrative controls are applied to the project. Financial and 
general reporting requirements are detailed in Financial and 
Administrative Guide for Grants, a publication of the Office of Justice 
Programs. This guideline manual is sent to recipient institutions with 
the award documents. Project directors and recipient financial 
administrators should pay particular attention to the regulations in 
this document.

Program Monitoring

    Award recipients and Principal Investigators assume certain 
responsibilities as part of their participation in government-sponsored 
research and evaluation. NIJ's monitoring activities are intended to 
help grantees meet these responsibilities. They are based on good 
communication and open dialogue, with collegiality and mutual respect. 
Some of the elements of this dialogue are:
    Communication with NIJ in the early stages of the grant, as the 
elements of the proposal's design and methodology are developed and 
operationalized.
    Timely communication with NIJ regarding any developments that might 
affect the project's compliance with the schedules, milestones, and 
products set forth in the proposal. (See statement on Timeliness, 
below.)
    Communication with other NIJ grantees conducting related research 
projects. An annual ``cluster conference'' should be anticipated and 
should be budgeted for by applicants at a cost of $1,000 for each year 
of the grant.
    Providing NIJ on request with brief descriptions of the project in 
interim stages at such time as the Institute may need this information 
to meet its reporting requirements to the Congress. NIJ will give as 
much advance notification of these requests as possible, but will 
expect a timely response from grantees when requests are made. NIJ is 
prepared to receive such communication through electronic media.
    Providing NIJ with copies of presentations made at conferences, 
meetings, and elsewhere based in whole or in part on the work of the 
project.
    Providing NIJ with prepublication copies of articles based on the 
project appearing in professional journals or the media, either during 
the life of the grant or after.
    Other reporting requirements (Progress Reports, Final Reports, and 
other grant products) are spelled out elsewhere in this section of the 
Research Plan. Financial reporting requirements will be described in 
the grant award documents received by successful applicants.

Communications

    NIJ Program Managers should be kept informed of research progress. 
Written progress reports are required on a quarterly basis. All awards 
use standard quarterly reporting periods (January 1 through March 31, 
April 1 through June 30, and so forth) regardless of the project's 
start date. Progress reports will inform the monitor which tasks have 
been completed and whether significant delays or departures from the 
original workplan are expected.

Timeliness

    Grantees are expected to complete award products within the 
timeframes that have been agreed upon by NIJ and the grantee. The 
Institute recognizes that there are legitimate reasons for project 
extensions. However, NIJ does not consider the assumption of additional 
research projects that impinge upon previous time commitments as 
legitimate reasons for delay. Projects with unreasonable delays can be 
terminated administratively. In this situation, any funds remaining are 
withdrawn. Future applications from either the project director or the 
recipient institution are subject to strict scrutiny and may be denied 
support based on past failure to meet minimum standards.

Publications

    The Institute encourages grantees to prepare their work for NIJ 
publication. In cases where grantees disseminate their findings through 
a variety of media, such as professional journals, books, and 
conferences, copies of such publications should be sent to the Program 
Manager as they become available, even if they appear well after a 
project's expiration. NIJ imposes no restriction on such publications 
other than the following acknowledgment and disclaimer: This research 
was supported by grant number __________ from the National Institute of 
Justice. Points of view are those of the author(s) and do not 
necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Data Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection

    Research that examines individual traits and experiences plays a 
vital part in expanding our knowledge about criminal behavior. It is 
essential, however, that researchers protect subjects from needless 
risk of harm or embarrassment and proceed with their willing and 
informed cooperation. NIJ requires that investigators protect 
information identifiable to research participants. When information is 
safeguarded, it is protected by statute from being used in legal 
proceedings: ``[S]uch information and copies thereof shall be immune 
from legal process, and shall not, without the consent of the person 
furnishing such information, be admitted as evidence or used for any 
purpose in any action, suit, or other judicial, legislative, or 
administrative proceedings'' (42 U.S.C. 3789g).
    Applicants should file their plans to protect sensitive information 
as part of their proposal. Necessary safeguards are detailed in 28 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR), 22. A short ``how-to'' guideline for 
developing a privacy and confidentiality plan can be obtained from NIJ 
program managers.
    In addition, the U.S. Department of Justice has adopted Human 
Subjects policies similar to those established by the U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services. In general, these policies exempt most 
NIJ-supported research from Institutional Review Board (IRB) review. 
However, the Institute may find in certain instances that subjects or 
subject matters may require IRB review. These exceptions will be 
decided on an individual basis during application review. Researchers 
are encouraged to review 28 CFR part 46, 46.101 to determine their 
individual project requirements.
Jeremy Travis,
Director, National Institute of Justice.

Office for Victims of Crime Notice of FY 1995 Discretionary Program 
Plan

    This Program Announcement is outlined as follows:

I. Introduction
II. New, Competitive Programs
    A. Promising Strategies and Practices to Improve Services to 
Crime Victims
    1. Law Enforcement Agencies
    2. Evidentiary Medical Examinations
    a. Nurse Examiners
    b. Specialized Settings
    3. Prosecutors
    4. Probation and Parole Agencies
    5. Corrections Agencies
    6. Judiciary
    7. Rural Areas
    8. Professional Education
    9. Technology
    10. White Collar Crime Victims [[Page 21903]] 
    11. Healing Through Community Service
    12. Guidelines for Victim/Offender Mediation and Dialogue
    13. Workplace Violence
    B. Training and Technical Assistance for Crime Victim 
Practitioners and Allied Professionals
    1. Regional Seminars for Establishing Community and 
Institutional Crisis Response Teams
    2. Conference Support Training Initiative
    3. National Symposium on Victims of Federal Crime
    4. Training of Trainers Seminars
    a. Victim Services in Rural Areas
    b. Responding to Staff Victimization
    c. Victim Impact Classes for Offenders
    5. Resources for State Compensation and Assistance 
Administrators
    a. National Technical Assistance Conference for State VOCA 
Assistance Administrators
    b. Regional Technical Assistance Meetings for State VOCA 
Administrators
    c. Mentor Program for VOCA Administrators
    C. Information Dissemination
    1. Videotapes
    a. Cultural Diversity
    b. Path Through the Criminal Justice System
    c. Victim Issues for Parole Boards
    2. Resources for National Crime Victims Rights Week, 1996
    D. Native American Programs
    1. Training and Technical Assistance for Victims of Federal 
Crime in Indian Country Discretionary Grant Subgrantees
    2. Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native 
Americans
    3. Cross-Cultural Skills Development and Training for Federal 
Criminal Justice Personnel in Indian Country
    4. Indian Nations Conference
III. Non-Competitive Programs
    A. OVC Training and Technical Assistance Resources
    1. OVC Trainers Bureau
    2. Immediate Response to Emerging Problems
    3. Emergency Fund for Federal Crime Victims
    B. Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Law Enforcement
    1. Federal Bureau of Investigation In-Service Training Support
    2. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
    3. Federal Victim-Witness Training Events
    4. Training-Related Travel for Federal Personnel
    C. Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Victim-Witness 
Coordinators and Assistant U.S. Attorneys
    1. Development of a Model U.S. Attorney Victim-Witness Program
    2. Dual Track Training
    3. District-Specific Training
    4. Huntsville Child Sexual Abuse Conference
    D. Training and Technical Assistance for Victim Assistance 
Providers and Allied Professionals
    1. Multijurisdictional Model for Child Sexual Exploitation Cases
    2. Resources for Children's Advocacy Centers
    3. Violence Against Women
    a. Training and Technical Assistance
    b. Anti-Stalking Resource Group
    4. National TRIAD Trainings
    5. Training for Military Chaplains
    6. Bias Crime Training for Law Enforcement and Victim Assistance 
Professionals
    7. Victim Assistance in Public Housing
    E. Native American Programs
    1. Assistance to Victims of Federal Crime in Indian Country
    2. Training and Technical Assistance for Native American 
Children's Justice Act Grantees
    3. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Indian Country
    4. Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native 
Americans
    5. Travel/Training and Technical Assistance for Native Americans
    6. Tribal Judges Symposium
    F. Information Dissemination
    1. OVC Resource Center
    2. Crime Victim Compensation Videotape
    3. Reproduction of Federal Victim Assistance Informational 
Materials
    a. Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance
    b. Federal Resource Book
    c. Prosecution of Child Abuse
    d. Victim-Witness Briefing Packages
    e. ``Going to Court'' Activity Books
    4. Conference and Meeting Support
    G. Restorative Justice Symposium
IV. National Crime Victims Agenda: Update of the 1982 Final Report 
of the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime
V. Solicitations for FY 1996
    A. Victim Assistance Academy
    B. Victim Assistance Training for Military Victim Assistance 
Providers
    C. Concept Papers for FY 1996
VI. Eligibility Requirements
VII. Application Requirements
VIII. Procedures for Selection
IX. Submission Requirements
X. Civil Rights Compliance
XI. Audit Requirements
XII. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

I. Introduction

    Violent crime is a shattering experience. It can destroy a person's 
sense of safety and security in the world. Of paramount importance to 
victims and survivors of crime is an assurance that their government 
cares about their suffering, offers support to help them heal, and 
holds the criminal accountable for the harm caused.
    The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) was created by the Victims of 
Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) to help ensure justice and healing for our 
nation's crime victims. In carrying out this mission, OVC provides 
funding for crucial victim services, supports training for the diverse 
professionals who work with crime victims, and develops projects to 
enhance victims' rights and services. OVC administers two formula and 
many discretionary grant programs designed to benefit victims. These 
programs are funded by the Crime Victims Fund (Fund), which is derived 
from the fines, penalty assessments, and bail forfeitures of Federal 
criminal offenders--not from tax dollars. In Fiscal Year (FY) 1995, OVC 
has about $150 million to support critical services to crime victims 
and national-scope training and technical assistance.
    Approximately 90 percent of the money in the Fund each year is 
allocated to states for funding of victim assistance and compensation 
programs. These programs provide the lifeline services that help 
victims to heal. Victim assistance funds support nearly 3,000 local 
victim services agencies, such as family violence shelters, child 
advocacy centers, and sexual assault treatment programs. Compensation 
funds supplement state efforts to reimburse victims for out-of-pocket 
expenses resulting from crime, including medical costs, lost wages, and 
mental health counseling.
    Guidelines and application information for the FY 1995 state 
compensation and assistance formula grant programs were previously 
issued to eligible state agencies. OVC will award $144,223,998 from the 
Crime Victims Fund to support these two important formula grant 
programs. In addition, $10 million was made available from the Fund 
pursuant to the Children's Justice Act, with $8.5 million designated 
for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and $1.5 million 
designated for OVC to support local child abuse programs. The 
Administrative Office of U.S. Courts received $6.2 million to improve 
criminal debt collection efforts.
    This program announcement describes 30 new programs that will be 
bid competitively and 33 non-competitive and continuation programs. 
Some of these programs include a number of separate initiatives and 
conferences, such as the Children's Justice Act discretionary grant 
program, which will fund five to eight new grants within that one 
program.

Goals

    OVC has established six goals for allocating discretionary training 
and technical assistance dollars in its 1995 program plan:
     To identify and promote the use of promising practices in 
serving crime victims;
     To provide and encourage training and technical assistance 
for all service providers who interact with crime victims; 
[[Page 21904]] 
     To develop and disseminate information to victims of crime 
and the people who serve them;
     To work closely with Native American communities to help 
provide needed services for crime victims;
     To create partnerships with other Department of Justice 
entities, governmental agencies, communities, and organizations; and
     To develop a national crime victims agenda that provides a 
guide for long-term action and sets forth future training and technical 
assistance needs.
    These goals reflect the Attorney General's strong commitment to the 
rights and needs of crime victims, partnerships between all levels of 
government and communities, and the dissemination of effective 
approaches to provide services to crime victims. They also meet OVC's 
legislative mandates to provide national-scope training and technical 
assistance, ensure services to victims of Federal crimes, and work with 
Native American communities to respond to crime victims.
    Listed below are some of OVC's proposed projects that correspond to 
the goals described above:
    1. To identify and promote the use of promising practices in 
serving crime victims.
    To accomplish this goal, OVC will fund projects to identify 
innovative and promising crime victim programs in local communities 
across the country. These include projects to:
     Identify and disseminate information about promising 
strategies and practices to improve victim services provided by diverse 
criminal justice professionals, including law enforcement, prosecutors, 
judges, probation and parole personnel, and corrections officials;
     Identify and disseminate information about promising 
approaches for providing and maintaining victim services in underserved 
settings, such as in rural areas and public housing developments;
     Explore avenues for applying technology to improve and 
increase services for crime victims;
     Assist in the development and pilot testing of a model 
victim/witness program within a U.S. Attorney's Office;
     Identify and develop courses and curricula on crime victim 
issues for use at related undergraduate and graduate programs, 
including schools of law, medicine, social work, mental health, and 
criminal justice; and
     Support local partnerships and multidisciplinary programs, 
such as TRIAD and Children's Advocacy Centers.
    Part of OVC's challenge is to identify and promote the replication 
of promising programs so that victims and service providers nationwide 
can benefit from these innovations.
    2. To provide and encourage training and technical assistance for 
service providers who interact with crime victims.
    Training and technical assistance is critical to ensuring the 
highest quality of service and care to crime victims by the many 
different professionals who work with them. These professionals include 
law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, probation and parole officers, 
and corrections officials who work within state and Federal criminal 
justice systems. They also include mental health professionals, doctors 
and nurses, the clergy, and others who regularly interact with victims 
of crime. At the Federal level alone, there are more than 70 different 
law enforcement entities within the Department of Justice and other 
Executive Branch agencies that are responsible for serving crime 
victims in accordance with guidelines issued by the Attorney General.
    OVC will continue to support two flexible training and technical 
assistance resources that offer customized services to agencies at the 
state and local levels:
     A Trainers Bureau that pays for expert consultants to 
provide training and technical assistance on issues requested by local 
communities; and
     The Immediate Response to Emerging Problems (IREP) 
initiative that provides a crisis response team if requested by a 
community to assist in dealing with a catastrophic crime, such as a 
mass murder.
     Examples of other types of training and technical 
assistance that OVC will fund are:
     National and regional training conferences for state VOCA 
administrators, victim-witness coordinators, and child advocacy 
workers;
     Regional training seminars to assist communities and 
institutions to be prepared for multiple victimizations by establishing 
their own crisis response plans and teams;
     Team approaches that strengthen the response of criminal 
justice agencies to the many forms of violence against women and 
children;
     Hate and bias crimes training for law enforcement and 
victim service personnel;
     Training events at the Department of Treasury's Federal 
Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and the National Symposium for 
Child Sexual Abuse in Huntsville, Alabama to sensitize officials to 
victim/witness issues and promote ``team approaches'' in handling 
cases;
     The first national symposium to provide high-quality 
victim assistance training for victim-witness coordinators from all 
Federal law enforcement agencies;
     Victim assistance programs in Native American communities, 
including an Indian Nations' Conference in 1996;
     Assistance to military personnel and clergy who work with 
victims of crime on military installations; and
     Mentoring programs to facilitate on-site training at 
promising programs for state VOCA administrators and multidisciplinary 
teams.
    In addition, OVC will continue to monitor the development of the 
Victim Assistance Academy funded last year to provide high-quality 
intensive training to victim service providers across the country from 
Federal, state, tribal, and local communities. OVC anticipates that the 
Academy will provide a curriculum to help professionalize the field and 
develop standards for victim service providers.
    3. To develop and disseminate information to victims of crime and 
the people who serve them.
    To achieve this goal, OVC will disseminate the findings of its 
projects that identify promising practices currently being used in the 
field. In addition, OVC is supporting other initiatives that will 
directly benefit crime victims. These include:
     A videotape describing how victims can obtain compensation 
to reimburse expenses related to their victimization;
     A booklet, ``Healing Through Community Service,'' that 
will describe case studies of victims whose contributions to the 
community have helped them heal and suggest other therapeutic 
strategies;
     A videotape, ``Path Through the Criminal Justice System,'' 
that will describe what victims can expect as their case proceeds 
through the system; and
     Activity books designed for children who will be 
testifying in Federal court to increase their understanding of the 
process. These books accompany a film that was funded by OVC last year.
    These products and reports describing promising practices will be 
distributed through the OVC Resource Center, as well as at the many 
conferences OVC sponsors and supports around the country. Numerous 
products are already available through the Resource Center, which can 
be reached at 1-800-627-6872. OVC will augment its funding 
[[Page 21905]] commitment to the Resource Center to improve its 
capacity to provide crucial information directly to the public and the 
field.
    Finally, OVC will contribute all findings and publications to 
PAVNET, the Partnerships Against Violence Network. PAVNET is an 
integrated information system that pools ideas, information, and 
resources about promising programs, technical assistance, and funding 
sources. As OVC and its grantees identify promising programs and 
strategies in the field, information about these will be added to the 
on-line search and retrieval system available through the National 
Criminal Justice Reference Service and a Federal agency coalition that 
includes the Departments of Justice, Agriculture, Education, Health and 
Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Labor.
    4. To work closely with Native American communities to assist in 
the provision of needed services for crime victims.
    OVC is committed to providing extensive, culturally appropriate 
services to crime victims in Native American communities. The Native 
American programs that OVC will fund this year include:
     Comprehensive training and technical assistance for 
Children's Justice Act grantees in Indian Country to enhance victim 
service skills and facilitate a team approach in responding to child 
sexual abuse cases;
     Cross-cultural skills development and training for Federal 
criminal justice personnel to enhance their ability to serve Native 
American crime victims;
     An Indian Nations' conference that will improve the skills 
of diverse professionals in responding to the needs of Native American 
crime victims and in addressing cases of child sexual and physical 
abuse in Indian Country;
     Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs in Indian 
Country to ensure that trained advocates represent the best interests 
of Native American child victims in court; and
     A project to provide training for tribal judges, based 
upon topics identified through a needs assessment.
    5. To create partnerships with other Department of Justice (DOJ) 
entities, governmental agencies, communities, and organizations.
    Partnerships are a key element in this year's discretionary program 
plan. OVC recognizes that no program can reach its best potential in 
isolation. To that end, this program announcement itself reflects 
collaborative efforts between OVC and all other offices and bureaus 
within OJP; many DOJ components; and diverse Federal agencies.
    Joint projects with other OJP components include:
     Eleven separate projects or fund transfers jointly 
sponsored by OVC and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), including 
training on hate and bias crimes, victim services in public housing, 
community and institutional crisis response teams, and a videotape on 
cultural diversity;
     Four projects or fund transfers jointly sponsored by OVC 
and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), 
including training on a multi-jurisdictional model for handling child 
sexual exploitation cases and seminars to train trainers in the use of 
victim impact classes, including classes for juvenile offenders;
     A restorative justice symposium cosponsored by OVC and the 
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to examine how restorative justice 
concepts and practices can improve the treatment of victims and 
increase the involvement of communities in the criminal justice 
process. OVC also will work with NIJ on NIJ's victims' related research 
and to include information about promising programs and strategies in 
PAVNET; and
     Collaborative projects between OVC and the Bureau of 
Justice Statistics (BJS) to enhance the National Crime Victimization 
Survey and improve OVC's efforts to collect data and assess its grant 
programs.
    OVC also reaches outside of OJP to work with other components of 
the Department of Justice. Examples include:
     Collaboration with the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys 
(EOUSA) to provide training for Federal victim-witness coordinators and 
prosecutors and to create a model victim-witness program for U.S. 
Attorneys' Offices nationwide;
     Work with the FBI to strengthen its victim-witness 
program;
     Coordination of projects in Indian Country with DOJ's 
Office of Tribal Services;
     Collaboration with the Criminal Division's Child 
Exploitation and Obscenity Section to develop policies regarding child 
sexual abuse; and
     Cooperation with DOJ's Financial Litigation and Debt 
Collection staff to maintain the integrity of the Crime Victims Fund.
    In addition, OVC works in concert with other Federal agencies to 
carry out its mission. This includes:
     Collaboration with the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) to implement the Children's Justice Act (CJA) programs, 
with OVC administering CJA programs to tribal organizations, and HHS 
administering the program in the states;
     A collaborative effort with the Administration on Aging at 
HHS, BJA, the National Sheriffs' Association, the International 
Association of Chiefs of Police, and older American organizations to 
encourage replication of TRIAD programs, which are partnerships between 
local law enforcement and senior citizen organizations;
     Sponsorship with the Department of Defense of victim 
assistance training for military victim service providers and military 
chaplains; and
     A symposium on workplace violence issues that would 
include participation by a number of Federal agencies, including HHS, 
the Department of Labor, and the United States Postal Service.
    These examples are representative--not exhaustive--of OVC 
collaboration with other agencies and organizations and its commitment 
to continue developing partnerships throughout all levels of government 
to improve crime victim services.
    OVC is in the process of exploring new partnerships with public and 
private sector organizations, including foundations. Moreover, the 
program strategy and selection criteria for projects encourage 
applicants to collaborate whenever possible.
    6. To develop a national crime victims agenda that provides a guide 
for long-term action and sets forth future training and technical 
assistance needs.
    In 1982, President Reagan appointed a Task Force on Victims of 
Crime to study a long overlooked constituency of our criminal justice 
system--crime victims. This task force examined the way crime victims 
were treated by the criminal justice system and held public hearings 
around the country. It found that the system was severely imbalanced, 
almost entirely focusing on the criminal, while ignoring the rights and 
needs of victims. In its final report, the Task Force issued a 
comprehensive blueprint of 68 recommendations designed to improve the 
treatment of crime victims by the criminal justice system and other 
sectors of society. This document, the first Federal study of its kind, 
served to spearhead a national movement to secure specific victim 
rights and develop services that are responsive to victims' unique 
needs. Its proposals also lead to the legislation that created OVC and 
the Crime Victims Fund.
    Using FY 1995 and 1996 funding, OVC will produce a document 
updating [[Page 21906]] the 1982 report. This update will not only 
describe the progress made in victim services during the past thirteen 
years, but also will describe a plan for the future, including 
promising practices, model programs and legislation, and needed 
national-scope training and technical assistance programs. OVC hopes 
that this new report, like the landmark 1982 publication, will become a 
guide for long-term action to improve victims' rights and services into 
the next century.

DATES: This Program Announcement is effective May 3, 1995. All 
applications for new, competitive programs are due by 5 p.m. on July 3, 
1995. All applications for FY 1996 funding are due by 5 p.m. on August 
1, 1995. Postmarks are not acceptable.

Program Announcement Development

    OVC solicited input from a wide variety of sources in developing 
the proposals contained within this program announcement. A request for 
concept papers from the field was made in OVC's FY 1994 program 
announcement. OVC received 45 responses. OVC also sought input from the 
field at a number of training conferences around the country, including 
meetings with U.S. Attorneys and LECC/Victim-Witness Coordinators, 
Native American representatives, state VOCA Compensation and Assistance 
Administrators, and victim advocates at the national, state, and local 
levels. The program plan reflects much of that input. Those suggestions 
that fell outside of OVC's statutory authority were shared with other 
DOJ components for their consideration.

Competitive and Continuation Grants

    This program announcement contains new competitive, non-
competitive, and continuation grants, as well as information on 
interagency agreements.
    Discretionary grants for new programs are generally awarded through 
a competitive process. The programs are open to a broad range of public 
and private non-profit organizations. Awards will be made to 
organizations and agencies that offer the greatest potential for 
achieving the objectives outlined in the description of each program. 
Selections primarily will be made on the basis of the information 
provided in the applicants' proposals. However, the Director also may 
consider any unsatisfactory past performance of applicants on OVC or 
OJP grants.
    To supplement and assist in the consideration and review of 
applications by the program office, all competitive applications will 
be rated by a peer review panel of experts in the program areas. The 
panel will make recommendations for funding to the Director of OVC, who 
has final funding authority. The panel will rate competing applicants 
by numerical values based on the point distribution identified in the 
Selection Criteria (see Section VIII for details). Letters will be sent 
to all applicants notifying them of the final decision regarding their 
proposal. At their request, unsuccessful applicants will be notified of 
the major deficiencies identified in their application by the panel. 
OVC will negotiate specific terms of the awards with the selected 
applicants based upon the comments of panel members and OVC program 
managers. No awards will be granted until and unless selected 
applicants agree to terms specified by OVC.
    For continuation programs, the awards are limited to specific 
organizations/grantees who have previously received at least one year 
of funding for a previous year's program solicitation. Continuation 
awards will be negotiated directly with current grantees to support 
further program activities or with organizations that are uniquely 
qualified to address subsequent phases of previously funded projects.

II. New, Competitive Programs

    All grantees that are awarded funding for new programs following 
the OVC peer review and selection process are expected to work closely 
with the OVC project monitor during all phases of the award period.
    All written products resulting from these grants must be submitted 
on computer disk, as well as in hard copy. Grantees will be expected to 
submit a short monograph or summary of the project and its findings (5-
10 pages) that may be published as an OVC Bulletin.

A. Promising Strategies and Practices To Improve Services to Crime 
Victims

Promising Strategies and Practices for Law Enforcement Agencies 
(Cooperative Agreement)--Award Amount: $75,000
    Purpose: To identify and document innovative policies, procedures, 
practices, and programs used by law enforcement agencies to respond to 
the needs of crime victims and to develop a plan for their 
dissemination.
    Background: Law enforcement officers usually are the first criminal 
justice personnel to interact with crime victims. The way in which they 
treat victims can have a profound impact on how well and how quickly 
they recover from traumatic events.
    Experienced law enforcement professionals are keenly aware of their 
responsibility toward victims. As a result, many agencies at both the 
federal and local level have developed a variety of innovative 
approaches to assisting victims. These include: Brochures that explain 
what victims can expect to happen as their case moves through the 
criminal justice system; wallet-sized cards that list victims rights 
and local resources; innovative ways of utilizing social service 
workers and volunteers; and partnerships with others, including 
community groups, to enhance victim services.
    Goal: To increase and enhance services provided to crime victims by 
law enforcement personnel.
    Objectives:
     To identify the elements of effective or promising 
approaches law enforcement can use to assist victims;
     To find existing policies, procedures, practices, and 
programs that contain these elements;
     To prepare detailed descriptions of the promising 
strategies; and
     To prepare a plan for disseminating this information to 
law enforcement agencies.
    Program Strategy: With OVC, the grantee first will identify Federal 
and local law enforcement and victim assistance experts who can help 
develop criteria for determining what strategies can be considered 
``promising.'' The grantee then will conduct a review of programs in 
the field to identify policies, procedures, practices, and programs 
that meet the criteria. The review should include an examination of 
tribal agency practices in Indian Country, Federal approaches, and 
state and local programs.
    The project staff will collect information about promising 
strategies in sufficient detail to allow other agencies to replicate 
them. This information will be compiled into a compendium of 
``Promising Victim Assistance Strategies for Law Enforcement 
Agencies.'' A shorter version of the document will be prepared for 
publication as an OVC Bulletin.
    The products of this project include:
     Selection criteria for promising strategies;
     Assessment Plan for identifying qualifying strategies;
     Comprehensive descriptions of the essential elements of 
each promising strategy or program;
     Compendium of Promising Strategies and Practices, in 
complete and shortened Bulletin format;
     Final Report, including project assessment; and
     A dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, [[Page 21907]] applicants must demonstrate knowledge of 
victim assistance strategies in law enforcement, as well as victim 
rights and services related to the criminal justice system.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Duane Ragan, (202) 307-2021.
Promising Strategies and Practices for Evidentiary Medical 
Examinations, Including the Use of Nurse Examiners and Special 
Settings--Award Amount: $50,000
    Purpose: To describe promising practices for utilizing victim-
oriented medical settings and nurse examiner programs to conduct 
evidentiary medical examinations.
    Background: In many places, victims of sexual assault and child 
abuse who arrive at hospital emergency rooms often have to contend with 
a lack of privacy, long waits for doctors who are busy attending to 
other medical emergencies, a lack of emotional support throughout the 
forensic examination process, and an impersonal, chaotic environment. 
These conditions not only compound the trauma experienced by victims, 
but discourage many victims from coming forward to report the crime or 
to obtain necessary assistance and medical services. To address these 
issues, some jurisdictions have developed sexual assault nurse examiner 
programs, in which nurses who are specially trained to address the 
medical and emotional needs of victims perform the examinations in a 
setting especially designed for victims. The intent of these programs 
is to free doctors to attend to other medical emergencies; to use 
consistent forensic examination practices to ensure appropriate steps 
are followed in collecting, handling, and storing evidence; and, most 
importantly, to assist sexual assault victims in a compassionate and 
sensitive manner. Various communities have found that examination rooms 
designed for victims seem to increase their willingness to participate 
in the criminal justice system. They have also found that the use of 
trained nurse examiners can reduce costs, as well as enhance the 
provision of services.
    Goals:
     To increase victim participation in the criminal justice 
system by facilitating the use of nurse examiners and special settings 
for expert medical examinations; and
     To promote consistent and quality practices in providing 
expert medical examinations for victims of sexual assault and child 
sexual abuse.
     Objectives:
     To survey and assess promising policies, procedures, and 
training materials used by sexual assault nurse examiner programs 
around the country;
     To give the details regarding the training provided to 
nurse examiners and how to set up special medical settings for expert 
medical examinations;
     To issue a guidebook on the operation of sexual assault 
nurse examiner programs for the field;
     To identify competent, experienced sexual assault nurse 
examiners for training purposes;
     To assess whether nurse examiner programs are useful in 
providing evidentiary medical examinations to child sexual abuse 
victims; and
     To provide information about the use of specialized 
clinics or rooms to conduct these examinations.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for a 
grantee to develop a guidebook on how to implement and operate a nurse 
examiners program for victims of sexual assault and how to establish 
examination rooms especially designed for victims. The grantee also 
will explore whether similar programs can be established for child 
sexual abuse victims. The program will be comprised of three phases:
    I. Assessment: This phase entails the identification and assessment 
of materials currently describing or in use by sexual assault nurse 
examiner programs. As part of the assessment, the grantee will convene 
an advisory board of experienced nurse examiners and administrators of 
such programs, as well as representatives from law enforcement and 
prosecutors' offices, for their input and for the review of collected 
materials. The activities to be completed are:
     Establishment of an advisory committee;
     Development and submission of a plan and criteria for 
surveying and assessing sexual assault nurse examiner programs, similar 
programs for child sexual abuse victims, and use of medical settings 
especially designed for victims;
     Survey and review of literature, policies, procedures, and 
practices for sexual assault nurse examiner programs and use of special 
examination settings;
     Identification and description of model programs 
nationwide; and
     Preparation of an assessment report of findings.
    II. Development of Prototype: Upon completion of the first phase, 
the grantee will, in collaboration with its advisory board, develop a 
model program brief for implementing and operating a sexual assault 
nurse examiner program and for establishing special settings for expert 
medical examinations. The brief will highlight essential components of 
nurse examiner programs, as well as optional or adaptable elements from 
model programs around the nation. Attention will be given to issues 
such as training and credentialing of nurse examiners, as well as 
qualifying them to testify in court. The brief will also describe 
examples of special medical settings used for expert medical 
examinations of crime victims. The activities for this phase are:
     Development and drafting of model program elements;
     Highlighting of model programs identified by the survey; 
and
     Review and refinement of draft product.
    III. Finalization of Products: Upon completion of the second phase, 
the grantee will produce the guidebook and make it available to the 
field. The activities for this phase are:
     Development and draft of guidebook, consisting of the 
model program brief and accompanying instruction on how to set up a 
sexual assault nurse examiner program and clinic designed for victims;
     Review and refinement of draft;
     Development of a plan for product dissemination;
     Identification in list form with supporting vitae of 
training and technical assistance staff for addition to the OVC 
Trainer's Bureau;
     Preparation of a final report on the project; and
     Preparation of an OVC Bulletin summarizing the project's 
findings.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Expert knowledge of trauma related to sexual assault and 
unique needs of these victims;
     Expertise in conducting national-scope information 
searches;
     Knowledge of issues associated with the criminal justice 
system's handling of crime victims and, more specifically, service 
provision to sexual assault victims; and
     Management and financial capability to oversee a project 
of this size and scope.
     Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Melanie Smith, (202) 616-3575.
Promising Strategies and Practices for Prosecutors (Cooperative 
Agreement)--Award Amount: $50,000
    Purpose: To identify and document innovative policies, procedures, 
[[Page 21908]] practices, and programs used by prosecutors' offices to 
respond to the needs of crime victims, and to develop a plan for their 
dissemination.
    Background: The prosecutor is a pivotal figure in the criminal 
justice system for victims. Prosecutors represent the state and manage 
the case against the offender. They should inform victims of the status 
of their case from the time of charging to the final disposition. They 
also should inform the court about the victims' views on key decisions, 
such as bail, plea bargains, and sentencing, and make every effort to 
allow victims the opportunity to be heard by the court. Prosecutors 
must try to protect victims from any threats, intimidation, or 
harassment from offenders. In addition, prosecutors should ensure that 
victims have the support and assistance they need in order to 
participate fully in the criminal justice process.
    Goal: To increase and enhance services provided by prosecutors to 
crime victims.
    Objectives:
     To identify the elements of exemplary victim-related 
prosecutorial practices;
     To find existing practices and programs that contain these 
elements;
     To prepare detailed descriptions of the promising 
practices; and
     To prepare a plan for disseminating this information to 
prosecutors' offices nationwide.
    Program Strategy: This initiative will identify the most promising 
victim-related prosecutorial practices and programs, describe their 
essential elements, and make that information available to prosecutors' 
offices. The grantee will first identify prosecution experts who can 
assist in developing criteria for determining what practices can be 
considered ``promising.'' Examples of promising practices might include 
specialized units to handle certain types of cases, such as sexual 
assault or domestic violence; vertical prosecution; and community-based 
prosecutor's offices. The grantee will then conduct an overview of the 
field to identify practices and programs that meet the criteria. The 
review should include an examination of tribal agency practices in 
Indian Country and state and local programs. Under another grant to a 
U.S. Attorney's office, which is described later, promising approaches 
used by Federal prosecutors are being identified and documented.
    Once the promising practices and programs have been identified, 
project staff will collect information in sufficient detail to allow 
other agencies to replicate them. This information will be compiled 
into a compendium of ``Promising Strategies and Practices for 
Prosecutors.'' A shorter version of the document will be prepared for 
publication as an OVC Bulletin.
    The products of this project include:
     Selection criteria for promising practices;
     Assessment Plan for identifying promising practices;
     Comprehensive descriptions of the essential elements of 
each promising strategy or program;
     Compendium of Promising Practices, in complete and 
shortened Bulletin format;
     Final Report, including project assessment; and
     A dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of prosecutorial 
practices, as well as victim rights and services related to the other 
aspects of the criminal justice system.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Promising Strategies and Practices for Probation and Parole Agencies 
(Cooperative Agreement)--Award Amount: $75,000
    Purpose: To identify and disseminate innovative policies, 
procedures, and programs developed by individual probation and 
supervising parole agencies to respond to the needs of crime victims, 
and to encourage their replication.
    Background: Historically, most involvement of crime victims in the 
criminal justice process has occurred in the early phases of case 
investigation and prosecution. Once an offender is convicted, many 
victims have believed--and have been supported in this belief by 
criminal justice personnel--that they no longer need to be involved in 
the case or to expect information or services from system officials. 
Yet almost five million Americans were under some form of correctional 
control in 1993, with more than two-thirds of these being supervised in 
the community on probation or parole.
    The perceived and actual danger of an offender to his or her victim 
does not necessarily end with a conviction or with the completion of a 
prison term. Nor can a victim realistically feel fully protected merely 
knowing that his or her offender is under community supervision. 
Victims need information and services from probation and parole 
personnel.
    A number of individual agencies that supervise offenders in the 
community have created innovative victim-related practices and 
programs. Some promising practices include strategies for informing 
victims of offender status changes, soliciting their input, and using 
trained volunteers. Others have created enforcement courts that collect 
substantial amounts of unpaid restitution for victims.
    Goal: To increase and enhance services provided by probation and 
parole agencies to crime victims.
    Objectives:
     To identify the elements of exemplary victim-related 
probation and parole community supervision practices;
     To find existing practices and programs that contain these 
elements;
     To prepare detailed descriptions of the promising 
practices; and
     To disseminate this information to probation and parole 
agencies.
    Program Strategy: This initiative will identify the most promising 
victim-related community supervision practices and programs in 
probation and parole, describe their essential elements, and make that 
information available to probation and parole agencies. The grantee 
will first identify community corrections experts who can assist in 
developing criteria for determining what practices can be considered 
``promising.'' The grantee then will conduct an overview of the field 
to identify practices and programs that meet the criteria. The review 
should include an examination of tribal agency practices in Indian 
Country, Federal approaches, and state and local programs.
    Once the promising practices and programs have been identified, 
project staff will collect information in sufficient detail to allow 
other agencies to replicate them. This information will be compiled 
into a compendium of ``Promising Practices in Probation and Parole.'' A 
shorter version of the document will be prepared for publication as an 
OVC Bulletin.
    The products of this project include:
     Selection criteria for promising practices;
     Assessment Plan for identifying promising practices;
     Comprehensive descriptions of the essential elements of 
each promising strategy or program;
     Compendium of Promising Practices, in complete and 
shortened Bulletin format;
     Final Report, including project assessment; and
     A dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, [[Page 21909]] applicants must demonstrate knowledge of 
probation and parole practices, and victim rights and services within 
the criminal justice system.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Promising Strategies and Practices for Corrections Agencies/Training 
and Technical Assistance (Cooperative Agreement)-- Award Amount: 
$150,000
    Purpose: To identify and disseminate innovative policies, 
procedures, and programs developed by institutional corrections 
agencies and paroling authorities to respond to the needs of crime 
victims, to encourage their replication by prison and jail personnel 
and parole board members.
    Background: In 1988, the American Correctional Association's Task 
Force on Crime Victims issued a set of recommendations for improving 
the treatment of victims by correctional agencies. The recommendations 
fall into four major areas: (1) Training on victim issues and victim 
awareness for correctional staff; (2) direct services to victims; (3) 
victim assistance programs for correctional staff; and (4) victim 
awareness programs for offenders. Responding to the call from the 
corrections profession to become more victim oriented, OVC awarded a 
grant for a project entitled, ``Crime Victims and Corrections'' in 
1989. The grantee surveyed the needs of the field, and developed and 
pilot-tested a training curriculum with protocol and related materials 
focusing on promising and innovative victim-related programs and 
practices. In two subsequent phases of the project, the grantee 
provided training and technical assistance to a number of 
jurisdictions, working intensively in eight states, as well as with 
Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional 
personnel. A final phase of the project provided training solely to DoD 
personnel.
    During the last four years, the demand from the field for both 
basic and advanced training and technical assistance on victim topics 
has increased. Requests have come from institutional corrections, 
paroling authorities, and more recently, jail officials. This project 
will allow OVC to respond to these requests.
    Goal: To improve the correctional system's response to the needs 
and rights of crime victims by providing training and technical 
assistance on promising victim-related practices and programs.
    Objectives:
     To determine the current level of victim services provided 
by correctional agencies;
     To identify promising practices and programs used by 
correctional agencies to address victim needs;
     To produce up-to-date training materials for institutional 
corrections, paroling authorities, and jail personnel;
     To provide training and technical assistance to selected 
correctional agencies and jurisdictions;
     To disseminate information about promising practices to 
correctional personnel; and
     To evaluate the impact of the training and technical 
assistance activities on individual agencies and the field.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications from 
eligible organizations to refine and expand existing training curricula 
and materials, to provide both intensive and short-term training and 
technical assistance on promising practices to select correctional 
agencies, and to extend the training to target the specific victim-
related needs of jail personnel.
    The grantee will conduct the following activities:
     Conduct an overview of victim-related policies and 
services in jails, state institutional corrections agencies, and 
paroling agencies;
     Update OVC's ``Crime Victims and Corrections'' training 
curriculum manual with information on newly identified promising 
practices, programs, and overview results;
     Adapt the training manual and materials to address 
specific needs of jail personnel;
     Identify qualified professionals who can provide high 
quality training and technical assistance and, if necessary, conduct 
train-the-trainer workshops;
     Identify at least one jail jurisdiction for pilot 
assessment and intensive training and technical assistance;
     Identify two states for assessment and intensive training 
and technical assistance;
     Conduct an on-site assessment process in selected sites;
     Conduct customized, intensive training conferences and 
provide follow-up technical assistance; and
     Evaluate the impact of the project.
    Interim documents and final products include:
     Overview Plan and Report;
     Training Curriculum Manual, with related training 
materials;
     Modified Training Curriculum Manual for Jail Personnel;
     Outreach Package and Selection Criteria for Intensive 
Sites;
     Site Assessment Reports;
     Training Conference Agendas;
     Training and Technical Assistance Reports;
     Promising Practices Report, to be published as an OVC 
Bulletin;
     Final Report, including project assessment; and
     A dissemination plan.
    OVC intends to fund another phase of the project for a second 18 
month period, based on the findings and accomplishments of this 
project. During the second period, additional jail jurisdictions and 
state corrections agencies would be selected for intensive training and 
technical assistance, and follow-up assistance would be provided to 
sites from previous years.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of institutional 
corrections, parole, and jail policies and practices, as well as victim 
rights and services related to the criminal justice system. Eligibility 
for any continuation of this project is contingent upon satisfactory 
work performance and product development under this phase of the grant.
    Award Period: 18 months.
    Contact: Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Promising Strategies and Practices for the Judiciary
    Award Amount: $100,000.
    Purpose: To identify and document innovative policies, procedures, 
practices, and programs used by the judiciary to respond to the needs 
of crime victims and to develop a plan for their dissemination.
    Background: Judges play a central, vital role in the entire 
criminal justice process. Their decisions, actions, and attitudes 
affect the practices of all other criminal justice professionals. For 
this reason, it is crucial for judges to understand the impact of crime 
on victims and how the victimization experience creates special needs 
for victims that can only be addressed by a balanced and fair system of 
justice. Many judges are aware of the needs of the victims in the cases 
they adjudicate, and they make every effort to ensure that victims are 
informed, present, and heard at key decision points in the judicial 
process. However, judicial training regarding victim-sensitive 
policies, procedures, and practices in courtrooms is needed. This 
project would identify these approaches and recommend appropriate 
avenues for disseminating information about them to judges throughout 
the country.
    Goal: To increase judicial understanding about the unique needs of 
crime victims and how those needs [[Page 21910]] can be addressed 
within the court setting at the local, county, state, tribal, and 
Federal levels.
    Objectives:
     To identify the needs of victims that can be addressed 
within the court setting;
     To review state and federal judicial training programs for 
the information regarding victims and witnesses provided;
     To share examples of existing policies, procedures, and 
practices used by individual judges or court administrators to address 
the needs of victims;
     To identify curricula and training materials that can 
communicate court-related victim needs and victim sensitive approaches 
to other judicial jurisdictions; and
     To develop recommendations for encouraging the adoption of 
victim sensitive practices by the judiciary nationwide.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for one 
grantee to conceptualize, organize, and convene a two day transfer of 
knowledge symposium on promising judicial responses to crime victims. 
The symposium will bring together up to 40 participants, including 
judges from the local, county, state, tribal, and Federal levels, as 
well as representatives from national judicial and victim service 
organizations. Participation will be by invitation only, and the grant 
will cover attendees' travel and per diem expenses.
    The grantee will develop resource materials that will be sent to 
participants prior to the symposium. The symposium agenda will include 
an introductory session followed by plenary and small group sessions. 
Participants will share information about promising policies, 
procedures, and practices; identify effective training materials; 
identify areas for further action; and, as a final group task, produce 
a report of recommendations to improve the response of the judiciary to 
crime victims through the dissemination of these types of information. 
At the close of the event, participants will evaluate the symposium.
    Major products include:
     A list of attendees, for OVC review and approval;
     A symposium agenda, including descriptions of 
presentations;
     A participant resource package;
     An assessment plan; and
     A symposium report containing recommendations and action 
plans developed by participants.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate an understanding of the 
victimization experience, as well as an extensive knowledge of and 
experience with the judicial process at its various levels.
    Contact: Duane Ragan, (202) 307-2021.
Promising Strategies and Practices in Rural Areas (Cooperative 
Agreement)-- Award Amount: $75,000
    Purpose: To identify and document innovative policies, procedures, 
practices, and programs developed by victim service providers, criminal 
justice agencies, and others who serve crime victims in rural areas and 
to develop a plan for their dissemination.
    Background: When violent crime occurs in a rural area, its victims 
and those who would help them must contend with a variety of issues and 
concerns that are specifically related to the rural environment and 
lifestyle. One of the first issues that must often be faced is 
inaccessibility of services. The victim may live some distance away 
from the nearest town, which may not have the capacity to respond 
quickly to a crisis situation or have the particular type of support 
services that are needed. Residents in isolated areas may not have 
telephone service or access to public transportation, and neighbors may 
be too far away to help.
    Social attitudes in rural areas can also present obstacles for 
victims. A rural victim of violent crime often finds that others 
discount or deny the seriousness of the offense, or blame the victim 
for the incident. Also, in small towns even the most private matters 
can become public knowledge, often in a distorted version. This can 
make it difficult to maintain confidentiality regarding the event and 
bring further humiliation to the victim.
    Goal: To increase and enhance services provided to crime victims in 
rural areas.
    Objectives:
     To identify the elements of promising approaches to 
assisting victims in rural areas;
     To find existing practices and programs that contain these 
elements;
     To prepare detailed descriptions of the promising 
practices; and
     To prepare a plan for disseminating this information to 
relevant agencies.
    Program Strategy: This initiative will identify the most promising 
victim-related practices and programs for responding to crime victims 
who live in rural areas, describe their essential elements, and develop 
a plan to make this information available nationwide. The grantee will 
first identify victim assistance and criminal justice experts who can 
assist in developing criteria for determining what practices can be 
considered ``promising.'' The grantee will then conduct an overview of 
the field to identify practices and programs that meet the criteria. 
The review should include an examination of tribal agency practices in 
Indian Country, Federal approaches, and state and local programs.
    Once the promising practices and programs have been identified, 
project staff will collect information in sufficient detail to allow 
other agencies to replicate them. This information will be compiled 
into a compendium of ``Promising Strategies and Practices for Assisting 
Crime Victims in Rural Areas.'' A shorter version of the document will 
be prepared for publication as an OVC Bulletin.
    The products of this project include:
     Selection criteria for promising practices;
     Assessment Plan for identifying qualifying practices;
     Comprehensive descriptions of the essential elements of 
each promising strategy or program;
     Compendium of Promising Practices, in complete and 
shortened Bulletin format; and
     Final Report, including project assessment.
     Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of victim service 
strategies in rural areas, as well as victim rights and services 
related to the criminal justice system.
     Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Jackie McCann Cleland, (202) 616-2145.
Promising Strategies and Practices in Professional Education--Award 
Amount: $100,000
    Purpose: To identify and document promising and innovative courses 
and professional curricula that address victim issues and to enhance 
education on these issues for students at undergraduate and graduate 
schools of law, medicine, nursing, divinity, criminal justice, mental 
health, and social work.
    Background: Many of the professionals who routinely work with crime 
victims--both within and outside of the criminal justice system--do not 
receive adequate training in crime and victim-related issues. For 
example, attorneys often are not trained to respond sensitively and 
effectively to clients who are crime victims. Similarly, physicians 
frequently lack the training necessary to identify and assist patients 
who exhibit symptoms related to victimization. As with law and 
[[Page 21911]] medicine, many members of other professions--including 
nursing, social work, criminal justice, and the clergy--do not receive 
adequate training on crime victim issues.
    Without an understanding of issues central to crime victimization, 
many professionals will be limited in their ability to meet their 
clients' needs. An assessment of the most promising existing 
professional curricula may encourage the integration of materials 
regarding crime victim issues into many college and university courses. 
Ultimately, this instruction should lead to better treatment for the 
crime victims served by these professionals.
    Goals:
     To foster better treatment of crime victims and survivors 
by members of key professions; and
     To improve the education on crime victim issues that is 
provided to prospective professionals in a variety of disciplines;
    Objectives:
     To identify and assess existing courses and curricula on 
crime victim issues at colleges and universities--at the undergraduate 
and graduate level--including at schools of law, medicine, nursing, 
social work, criminal justice, mental health, and divinity;
     To document and describe effective professional curricula 
on crime victim issues;
     To develop a multidisciplinary core curriculum that can 
eventually be used as the foundation for discipline-specific curricula 
on crime victim issues. OVC will make available copies of curricula 
developed under previous OVC grants to assist the grantee in meeting 
this objective; and
     To survey state laws and regulations to ascertain 
licensing and credentialing requirements for the professions listed 
above regarding crime victim issues.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for one 
grantee to survey academic and professional training institutions for 
curricula and programs that effectively address crime victim issues and 
to develop a core curriculum for professions that work with crime 
victims. The core curriculum and other products developed by the 
grantee will be the foundation for discipline-specific curricula, to be 
developed in the project's second year through competitively awarded 
funding. The first year's project activities will take place in the 
following three phases:
    I. Assessment: The first phase of the project entails a survey, 
identification, and assessment of academic curricula and best programs, 
including clinical programs and multidisciplinary courses on victim 
issues, currently in use by schools of law, divinity, medicine, 
nursing, criminal justice, and social work. Academic and professional 
associations for these professional groups shall be contacted as part 
of the survey process. The activities to be completed are:
     Establishment of an advisory committee with OVC review and 
approval;
     Development, drafting, and submission of an assessment 
plan and assessment criteria;
     Survey, identification, collection, and review of existing 
professional curricula that address crime victim issues;
     Description and detailed summary of promising curricula 
and programs, including examples of multi-disciplinary programs 
established at graduate schools; and
     Preparation of a comprehensive assessment report of 
findings.
    II. Development of Prototype: Upon completion of the first phase, 
the grantee will develop a multidisciplinary core curriculum that may 
serve as the foundation for discipline-specific curricula developed 
later. The prototype will address crime victims' mental, emotional, 
physical, and spiritual needs; crime victims in the criminal justice 
system; relevant legislation; and the role of victim service providers. 
To assist with this process, OVC will provide a copy of the curriculum 
currently under development for the Victim Assistance Academy. Elements 
to be included in discipline-specific curricula should also be 
enumerated and described. Activities to be completed are:
     Development, drafting, and submission of a 
multidisciplinary core curriculum, for OVC review and approval;
     Summary of discipline-specific curricular elements; and
     Review and refinement of the draft.
    III. Finalization of Products: Upon completion of the second phase, 
the grantee will prepare a report listing and describing effective 
curricula and professional programs at identified academic and training 
institutions; a multi-disciplinary core curriculum on crime victim 
issues with an enumeration and discussion of elements to be included in 
discipline-specific curricula; and a final report with recommendations 
for developing discipline-specific curricula in the second year of the 
project. Samples of collected curricula should be appended to the final 
products.
    Based upon the findings and recommendations of the grantee funded 
under the first year of the project, OVC anticipates funding a program 
to build on the products developed under this initiative by developing 
a few discipline-specific crime victims' curricula and a train-the-
trainer component. The first year's products would be made available to 
second year grantees for this purpose.
     The grantee also will produce an OVC Bulletin highlighting 
promising practices in teaching about crime victim issues in colleges 
and universities for dissemination through OVC to the field. In 
addition, the grantee will produce an OVC Bulletin that describes state 
requirements for education regarding crime victim issues that are 
mandated for the people who work with victims.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Expertise in conducting a national-scope information 
search;
     Knowledge of curriculum development and implementation;
     Knowledge of issues associated with the criminal justice 
system's handling of crime victims;
     Management and financial capability to oversee a project 
of this size and scope; and
     An understanding of the role of each discipline in serving 
crime victims.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Melanie Smith, (202) 616-3575.
Promising Strategies and Practices in Using Technology To Benefit Crime 
Victims (Cooperative Agreement)
    Award Amount: Up to $100,000.
    Purpose: To survey the field to ascertain innovative applications 
of technology to benefit crime victims, convene a symposium of crime 
victim advocates, service providers, and experts in technology to 
explore ways in which emerging technologies can be enhanced to assist 
crime victims, and issue a report that describes promising practices, 
recommendations for future action, and resource contacts.
    Background: The Information Age is transforming the ways in which 
public and private sector organizations disseminate information and 
render services. The labor-intensive, underfunded crime victims field 
needs to develop technological literacy and seriously consider ways in 
which computer networks and other emerging technologies can be applied. 
Through a national-scope symposium, leaders in technology and victim 
services can come together to identify problem areas in providing 
services to crime victims and discuss ways in which advancing 
technologies can fill service gaps, [[Page 21912]] simplify procedures, 
ensure the safety and confidentiality of crime victims, and otherwise 
assist crime victims, their advocates, and allied professionals.
    Goal: To use emerging technologies to assist crime victim advocates 
and victim service providers to enhance services to crime victims.
Objectives
     To survey the field to identify existing technologies that 
already serve crime victims at the Federal, state, and local levels;
     To identify promising practices that apply these 
technologies to benefit crime victims;
     To identify and convene a group of crime victim advocates, 
assistance providers, and experts in technology for a two-day transfer 
of knowledge symposium;
     To identify gaps in services to crime victims that might 
be remedied or improved through applied technology;
     To identify ways in which emerging technologies can be 
used to inform, assist, and serve crime victims, and to explore ways to 
enhance communication about victim issues within the field; and
     To develop an action plan with strategies to implement the 
ideas discussed during the symposium and to recommend future 
collaboration in this area.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for one 
grantee to identify and demonstrate promising practices regarding the 
use of technology to benefit crime victims; organize a two-day transfer 
of knowledge symposium for about 25 participants on issues related to 
technology and crime victim services; and develop an action plan with 
recommendations for future action. The grantee will identify an 
appropriate balance of participants from the fields of crime victim 
assistance and applied technology. Participation will be by invitation 
only, and attendees will be expected to cover their own travel and per 
diem expenses. Some limited stipends will be available to address cases 
of special need.
    The grantee will develop resource materials that will be sent to 
participants prior to the symposium. The grantee also will be 
responsible for identifying a symposium site and coordinating the 
symposium logistics.
    Interim documents and final products include:
     A summary of promising practices;
     A list of attendees, for OVC review and approval;
     A symposium agenda, including descriptions of 
presentations;
     A participant resource package;
     Documented symposium proceedings;
     A symposium report, on disk and hard copy, containing 
recommendations and action plans developed by participants; and
     A dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Knowledge of the organization, development, and 
implementation of training conferences;
     Knowledge of applied communications technologies;
     General knowledge of crime victim issues; and
     Management and financial capability to oversee a project 
of this size and scope.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: David Osborne, (202) 616-3580.
Promising Strategies and Practices to Improve Services for White Collar 
Crime Victims (Cooperative Agreement)--Award Amount: $100,000
    Purpose: To improve the response of Federal criminal justice 
personnel to the rights and unique needs of Federal victims of white-
collar crime, and to develop a resource package to assist service 
providers and victims.
    Background: Many in the criminal justice system and in society fail 
to recognize the serious nature and profound impact of white-collar 
crime on individuals. Nonviolent white-collar crime can be 
psychologically devastating to victims, who experience psychological 
trauma and other reactions similar to victims of violent crime. These 
emotional reactions can be profound, especially when the victim is a 
senior citizen, is on fixed income, or has limited resources. The 
criminal justice system often is unprepared to respond to the emotional 
and financial devastation experienced by victims of this crime.
    Goal: To improve the response of Federal criminal justice personnel 
to the rights and unique needs of Federal victims of white-collar 
crimes.
    Objectives:
     To create a resource package that contains information for 
Federal criminal justice personnel to inform white-collar crime victims 
of their rights, the services they can expect, and a description of the 
criminal justice system; and
     To develop a 20-minute videotape that explains the nature 
and extent of Federal white-collar crimes, as well as the devastating 
psychological and financial impact of these crimes, especially upon 
senior citizens.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for a 
grantee to develop resource packages that will enhance the ability of 
Federal Victim-Witness Coordinators and other criminal justice 
personnel to assist white-collar crime victims and witnesses. The OVC 
program specialist will work closely with the grantee throughout the 
assessment and product development phases of the project to ensure that 
feedback is provided from representatives on any ad-hoc working group.
     The grant activities and products include:
     The establishment of an ad-hoc DOJ working group to assist 
the grantee in identifying resource materials and effective strategies 
for helping victims;
     A review of existing materials that assist white-collar 
crime victims;
     The development and printing of a camera-ready victim 
pamphlet that provides information regarding the dynamics of white-
collar crime, the investigative phase, the unique needs of senior 
citizens who are victimized by scams and frauds, and victims' rights 
and services. This pamphlet should be broadly disseminated to potential 
fraud victims identified early during a fraud investigation;
     The development and printing of a camera-ready victim 
handbook for dissemination by Federal Victim-Witness Coordinators to 
victims who will be participating in the Federal prosecution. This 
booklet will give a range of information about the victim's role and 
what to expect as the case proceeds through the criminal justice 
process;
     The development of a 20-minute educational videotape that 
explains the nature and extent of Federal white-collar crimes, the 
devastating psychological and financial impact of these crimes, and 
preventive strategies. The videotape will be distributed by Federal 
Victim-Witness Coordinators to victims, community advocacy groups, 
victim assistance professionals, and Federal criminal justice and court 
personnel;
     The development of a Guidebook for Federal Victim-Witness 
Coordinators on promising practices and program strategies for 
assisting white-collar crime victims; and
     The development of the package containing products 
described above for each U.S. Attorney's Office.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Experience in developing and producing material and/or 
videos for use by criminal justice personnel; [[Page 21913]] 
     Experience in and knowledge of trauma reactions of victims 
of violent and nonviolent crimes;
     Demonstrated knowledge in assessing the emotional and 
financial needs, rights and concerns of white-collar crime victims; and
     Demonstrated knowledge in researching and applying 
appropriate strategies for effective assistance to white-collar crime 
victims as they participate in the criminal justice process.
    Selection Criteria: All applicants will be evaluated and rated 
based upon the extent to which they meet the following criteria:
    A. Utility of the project: (10 Points)
    Project's purpose, goals, and objectives are clearly stated and the 
usefulness of the project to the field is clearly defined by the 
applicant.
    B. Project Strategy/Design: (25 Points)
     Project's plan for undertaking activities is sound and specific, 
and includes how the applicant intends to achieve the purpose, goals, 
and objectives of the project.
    C. Implementation Plan: (25 Points)
    Project's implementation plan is sufficiently thorough and is 
appropriately tied to the project's strategy so that adequate time 
lines and staff resources can be identified.
    D. Qualifications of Organization/Project Staff: (25 Points)
    Applicant possesses the necessary management, staff, and financial 
capabilities to complete the project successfully.
    E. Budget: (10 Points)
    Applicant's proposed budget directly relates to the project 
strategy and implementation plan, includes reasonable and allowable 
costs, and provides narrative detail on the project's budget cost.
    F. Assessment Plan: (5 Points)
    Applicant includes a strategy for testing the effectiveness of the 
materials as the products are developed.
    Award Period: 18 months.
    Contact: Laura Federline, (202) 616-3576.
Promising Strategies and Practices for Healing Through Community 
Service (Cooperative Agreement)--Award Amount: $50,000
    Purpose: To create a document that describes how community 
involvement by individual crime victims has assisted them in 
reorganizing their lives following the trauma of victimization and sets 
forth a step-by-step therapeutic plan to assist victims to heal.
    Background: Victims of violent crime experience a variety of 
profound, long-lasting effects resulting from their victimization. In 
the wake of crime, many victims have been moved to reach out and help 
other victims and their communities. This help may take the form of 
either prevention or assistance activities. Some victims decide to get 
involved with an activity or a program designed to prevent further 
crime, such as serving on a victim impact panel or participating in a 
crime victims conference. Often victims offer assistance to other 
victims to ease their sense of dislocation and personal devastation. In 
either case, the victim who gets involved in helping others can hasten 
his or her own healing process.
    Many victims and service providers, including mental health 
professionals, are unaware that this type of involvement can benefit 
crime victims. Moreover, little is known about the most appropriate 
timing for these kinds of activities. This document will illustrate, 
through the use of case examples of community service by crime victims, 
how these victims have helped themselves by helping others.
    Goal: To support the use of promising strategies for addressing the 
needs of crime victims.
    Objectives:
     To identify activities in which victims can participate to 
aid their recovery process;
     To profile individuals who have productively engaged in 
these activities;
     To provide guidance to victims and victim advocates about 
these types of victim involvement; and
     To provide step-by-step strategies to assist crime victims 
in the healing process.
    Program Strategy: This grant will support the development, 
publication, and dissemination of a monograph on the role of victim 
activism as a victim assistance strategy. The grantee will review and 
assess the principal crime prevention and victim assistance activities 
that victims commonly participate in after they have been victimized. 
This process will explore the major issues involved in victim activism, 
such as the length of time that victims should wait before they become 
involved in these activities and what type of involvement is likely to 
be most suitable for different types of people. In examining these and 
related issues, the grantee will conduct extensive interviews with 
activists who have been crime victims, victim advocates, and mental 
health professionals who work with them.
    During the review and assessment process, the grantee will identify 
individuals who have used diverse victimization experiences to fuel 
creative and effective activities or programs to benefit others. The 
histories and accomplishments of at least ten of these outstanding 
individuals will be profiled and produced as case studies.
    The final major task of the grantee is to produce a monograph. This 
will catalogue the variety of ways victims become active in helping 
others, illustrated by profiles of exceptional individuals. It should 
include a presentation of the issues involved in this type of activism 
and how they can best be addressed, as well as detailed recommendations 
for addressing common victim reactions to crime.
    Major products include:
     Catalogue of victim involvement activities;
     Discussion paper on major issues involved in victim 
activism;
     Case studies of at least ten victims whose community 
service has benefited themselves and others. These should be based upon 
taped ``oral history'' type interviews;
     Monograph to be used as an OVC Bulletin; and
     Recommendations for expanding this grant into an oral 
history project regarding crime victims whose community service 
following their victimization has benefited both them and their 
community.
    OVC may decide to fund this project in the future through a 
continuation grant to compile additional case studies.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate an understanding of the 
victimization experience, knowledge of victim assistance practices and 
programs, and expertise in writing and producing publishable documents.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Jackie McCann Cleland, (202) 616-2145.
Guidelines for Victim/Offender Mediation and Dialogue (Cooperative 
Agreement)--Award Amount: $50,000
    Purpose: To establish criteria for effective victim/offender 
mediation programs that are victim-oriented and sensitive.
    Background: Programs bringing victims face to face with their 
offenders have sprung up across the country. While some victims 
strongly prefer not to interact with their assailants, for other 
victims, these types of personal meetings provide the opportunity to 
describe the impact of the crime and seek answers to unanswered 
questions regarding the nature of the crime directly from the attacker.
    While some of these programs may be effective, others appear to be 
offender-oriented. In these, the mediation [[Page 21914]] sessions may 
be conducted by juvenile justice or criminal justice personnel who have 
little understanding of the victimization experience or of the needs of 
victims. Without appropriate sensitivity and preparation, this form of 
intervention can be harmful to victims.
    Goal: To improve and enhance services designed to empower and 
restore crime victims.
    Objectives:
     To identify effective victim/offender mediation programs;
     To develop victim-oriented program guidelines for 
conducting victim/offender mediation;
     To create training materials for victim/offender mediation 
that are applicable to a variety of program settings; and
     To develop a plan for disseminating the guidelines and 
information about promising practices in victim/offender mediation and 
dialogue.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for a 
grantee to survey existing victim/offender mediation programs 
throughout the country, as well as some promising programs in other 
countries. This information should detail program goals and objectives; 
programmatic structure and agency affiliations; procedures and 
protocols; staffing, staff backgrounds, and training; and measures of 
effectiveness. The grantee will identify and describe particularly 
promising programmatic elements and develop a set of criteria for 
conducting effective and appropriate victim/offender mediation. Based 
on the criteria, training materials will be created to guide the 
development of effective victim/offender mediation programs in a 
variety of settings, including college campuses and the workplace.
    The grantee will develop an OVC Bulletin that highlights existing 
promising programs and presents guidelines for conducting effective 
victim/offender mediation. The Bulletin should also include specific 
examples of kinds of crimes and circumstances which may lend themselves 
to mediation.
    Major project products include:
     Assessment plan;
     Draft survey guide;
     Profiles of promising practices and programs;
     Criteria for victim sensitive victim/offender mediation 
programs;
     Training materials on program implementation;
     Guidelines for Victim/Offender Mediation, to be published 
as OVC Bulletin; and
     Dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, eligible applicants must demonstrate expert knowledge 
of victim/offender mediation principles and practices, the criminal and 
juvenile justice systems, and related victim issues.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Workplace Violence Symposium
    Award Amount: $30,000.
    Purpose: To improve the capacity and preparedness of employers and 
victim assistance providers to respond to the unique needs of victims 
of workplace violence.
    Background: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, each 
year nearly one million individuals become victims of violent crime 
(e.g., rape, robbery, assault, or homicide) while working or on duty. 
Crime costs these victims more than $55 million in lost wages annually, 
not including days covered by sick or annual leave. Six out of ten 
incidents of workplace violence occur in private companies. In these 
companies, first responders are frequently employee assistance 
personnel or security guards, who often lack basic crisis response 
techniques. Company managers may not know how to assist employees whose 
performance suffers due to the effects of personal crime victimization 
or traumatic effects resulting from a co-worker's victimization.
    Goal: To improve employer response to primary and secondary victims 
of workplace violence.
    Objectives:
     To identify issues and challenges in responding 
effectively to victims of workplace violence;
     To identify and share examples of programs and techniques 
for immediate and long-term assistance for victims of workplace 
violence; and
     To develop strategies for further action in this area.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for one 
grantee to conceptualize, organize, and convene a two-day transfer-of-
knowledge symposium for 30 participants on issues related to workplace 
violence. OVC will collaboratively plan the symposium with other 
Federal agencies that have workplace related responsibilities, such as 
HHS, the Department of Labor, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the United States Postal Service, and the Department of 
Commerce.
    The grantee will identify an appropriate balance of participants 
from the fields of victim assistance, employee assistance, and business 
management/administration. Participation will be by invitation only, 
and attendees will be expected to cover their own travel and per diem 
expenses.
    The grantee will develop resource materials that will be sent to 
participants prior to the symposium. Participants will share 
information about promising practices, identify areas for further 
action, and, as a final group task, produce a report of recommendations 
and action plans to improve the response of employers to incidents of 
workplace violence. At the close of the event, participants will be 
asked to evaluate the conference. Symposium activities and discussions 
will be recorded and published in a written report for dissemination 
nationwide.
    Interim documents and final products include:
     A list of attendees, for OVC review and approval;
     A symposium agenda, including descriptions of 
presentations;
     A participant resource package;
     An assessment plan;
     A transcript of symposium proceedings;
     A symposium report containing recommendations and action 
plans developed by participants; and
     A dissemination plan.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
    Knowledge of the organization, development, and implementation of 
training conferences;
     Knowledge of workplace violence issues;
     Knowledge of victim assistance practices related to 
workplace violence; and
     Management and financial capability to oversee a project 
of this size and scope.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Duane Ragan, (202) 307-2021.

B. Training and Technical Assistance for Crime Victim Practitioners and 
Allied Professionals

Regional Seminars for Establishing Community and Institutional Crisis 
Response Teams
    Award Amount: $60,000.
    Purpose: To provide high quality training on the establishment of 
community and institutional crisis response teams at the regional level 
to victim service providers, criminal justice personnel, and others who 
regularly deal with crime victims.
    Background: Like individuals, an entire community or an 
institution's entire work force may suffer trauma in the wake of a 
sudden, devastating crime. [[Page 21915]] To be most effective, crisis 
intervention with survivors should be immediate. Subsequent follow-up 
``debriefings'' of victims and others impacted by the crime are needed 
to reduce long-term trauma. Local care-givers may be among those who 
are traumatized by the event, and may themselves need to receive 
assistance to deal with the aftermath of the crime. For an adequate 
crisis response to be mobilized, the plan should be formulated before 
the critical event, and crisis team members should be designated, 
trained, and ready to respond.
    Goal: To establish community and institutional crisis response 
teams.
    Objectives: 
     To produce up-to-date, comprehensive training materials 
and a booklet regarding how to establish community and institutional 
crisis response teams for the field;
     To identify highly skilled trainers capable of presenting 
this training; and
     To provide focused training on these topics at the 
regional level.
    Program Strategy: OVC, in collaboration with BJA, invites 
applications to organize, conduct, and evaluate a series of four 
regional training seminars on establishing community and institutional 
crisis response teams. The regional training will assist participants 
in preparing a community or institutional crisis response plan that is 
flexible enough to appropriately address many possible crime-related 
crises. The plan must address both chronic crises, such as multiple 
victimizations on one college campus, and acute crises, such as the 
hostage situations.
    The training also will assist in identifying key professionals to 
serve on the crisis response team. These should include mental health 
professionals, victim service providers, police and fire officials, 
members of the clergy, and others. Institutional teams should include 
representatives from key divisions within the institution, as well as 
many of the same types of agencies and professional groups from the 
local community as noted above.
    In preparation for the seminars, the grantee will review and assess 
existing training materials and identify qualified trainers familiar 
with presenting the information. With input from the trainers, the 
grantee will produce a comprehensive and user-friendly training 
package, as well as a booklet setting forth the process for 
establishing a team for communities and institutions. A training plan 
and instruments for assessing its impact must also be developed.
    Each seminar will last two to three days and train up to 60 
participants. Since the effectiveness of the training is dependent upon 
reaching key individuals from a community or institution, the task of 
recruiting appropriate, area-specific groups is crucial. The 
recruitment process may require an intensive outreach effort. The 
training package will be disseminated to participants prior to each 
seminar. The training will be free of charge, but participants are 
expected to cover their own travel expenses.
    Participants of each seminar will develop, as a final product of 
the training event, an Action Plan for future activities related to 
establishing a crisis response team. Approximately six to eight weeks 
after the training, the grantee will contact all participants to gather 
follow-up information and input about how each jurisdiction's Action 
Plan is being implemented. As an additional product, the grantee will 
prepare a shortened introductory version of the curriculum (including 
outline and overheads), which can be made available to agencies that 
wish to present it as a two hour workshop at training conferences.
    Major project products include:
     Training package;
     Booklet on how to set up a crisis response team;
     Proposed faculty list;
     Marketing plan;
     Seminar agenda;
     Four two to three-day seminars;
     Assessment plan;
     Two-hour introductory curriculum; and
     Final Report, with assessment of project impact.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants from private and public organizations and 
agencies must demonstrate topical expertise and management capability 
to organize, market, conduct, and assess a seminar series on this 
topic.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Conference Support Training Initiative
    Award Amount: Up to $10,000 for the state grants; up to $30,000 for 
regional victim assistance training conferences; and up to $20,000 for 
victim assistance training tracks at national conferences. A total of 
$200,000 will be made available for these grants.
    Purpose: To provide Federal support for national, Federal, state, 
and regional victim assistance training conferences.
    Background: The growth of the victims movement and the increasingly 
specialized nature of professions involved in responding to victims of 
crime has led to an ongoing and profound need for both general and 
specific training in the field.
    OVC has been instrumental in supporting statewide and regional 
network training and technical assistance efforts by funding quality 
trainers and covering conference costs. OVC is expanding this program 
to include support for victim assistance training at national 
conferences for professionals who work with crime victims.
    During the past 2 years, OVC has co-sponsored about 25 state and 
regional victim assistance conferences. OVC is continuing and expanding 
its mini-grant program, formerly referred to as the State Conference 
Training Initiative. This funding is provided on a competitive basis to 
support statewide and regional victim assistance conferences, as well 
as tracks of victim assistance training at national conferences of 
allied professionals.
    Goals:
     To supplement funding for victim assistance training and 
technical assistance to professionals at the national, Federal, 
regional, state, and local levels;
     To infuse victim assistance training into national 
conferences of allied professionals by providing funding to support 
tracks of training;
     To encourage coordination among the many professions 
interacting with crime victims such as the medical community, social 
service agencies, and criminal justice system components; and
     To improve the quality of victim assistance services by 
providing intensive training to direct service providers.
    Objectives:
     To sponsor training presentations, at national, Federal, 
state, or regional victim assistance and other professional 
conferences, by high quality trainers, many of whom have been involved 
in OVC training and technical assistance projects;
     To offer OVC staff assistance in identifying training 
topics and quality trainers;
     To serve the needs of victims of Federal crimes by 
encouraging the participation of Federal victim-witness coordinators in 
planning national and state/regional training conferences, and by 
identifying and including topics that improve the response to Federal 
victims;
     To determine future training needs on a national, Federal, 
state, or regional [[Page 21916]] basis as a result of the discussions 
at the training conference; and
     To consider the types of crime, gaps in services and 
knowledge, coordination of service, and legislative mandates.

    Program Strategy:
I. National Conferences
    OVC will accept applications to support tracks of training at 
national conferences sponsored by medical, mental health, legal, and 
law enforcement communities as well as the clergy and other allied 
professions. OVC will support training tracks on general and specific 
victim-related topics such as understanding the trauma of crime 
victimization, providing services to survivors of homicide victims, 
crisis intervention, and advocacy.
II. Regional Conferences
    OVC will continue to support regional training for victim 
assistance providers, program managers and advocates, crime victims, 
law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and other professionals who 
work with crime victims. By funding regional efforts, OVC expects to 
facilitate the exchange of relevant information and training, the 
coordination of victim assistance services, and interstate agreements.
III. State Conferences
    OVC will support statewide efforts to provide training and 
technical assistance to state and local victim assistance providers and 
allied professionals. A portion of the training workshops must be 
devoted to Federal crime victim issues. These issues may include bank 
robbery, bias/hate crimes, white collar crime, and crimes occurring on 
Federal lands or in Indian Country.
    The following provisions apply to each of the conferences described 
above. Applicants may select workshop topics from a broad menu of 
training topics recommended by OVC. These topics include training 
components for service providers working with victim populations, such 
as domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, victims 
of juvenile crimes, Native American crime victims, and victims of crime 
in rural areas.
    At least 60 percent of each award must be used to finance workshop 
presentations approved by OVC and can be spent on such items as travel 
costs and consultant fees. Up to 20 percent of each award may be used 
to develop and reproduce conference materials, and up to 20 percent may 
be used to finance facility costs.
    To maximize the benefit of the statewide and regional training 
conferences, it is recommended that conference planning involve state 
Victim Assistance and Compensation Administrators, victim assistance 
service providers, representatives from private, non-profit 
organizations such as state coalitions on sexual assault, domestic 
violence and child abuse; victim assistance coordinators from U.S. 
Attorney's offices, military bases and Indian reservations, and 
national victim organizations.
    To ensure that the needs of victims of Federal crimes are served 
through these grants, all selected state and regional applicants will 
be required to involve their respective Federal victim-witness 
coordinators in the conference planning process.
    Specific deliverables and activities that should be part of the 
applicant's program strategy include: The establishment of a conference 
planning committee or victim assistance advisory committee; an 
explanation of how recommendations from past conference assessments 
will be incorporated into conference planning as appropriate; a review 
of literature, products, policies, and/or practices that will be 
addressed in workshops; identification of future training needs that 
may be utilized by the national organization, states, and regions to 
provide training and/or technical assistance on crime victim issues; 
and a strategy for assessing the training by conference participants.
    Deliverables should also include brochures announcing the 
conference or track of training to be offered in the case of national 
conferences; a tentative time/task plan for conference planning 
implementation; and identification of training personnel.
    To obtain the menu of training topics and to discuss cost-related 
details, all interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact 
OVC prior to submitting an application for funding.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, eligible applicants, including national organizations, 
state agencies, or qualified private non-profit organizations, must 
demonstrate the capability to manage a national, statewide, or regional 
conference. To be eligible for funding, the state or regional applicant 
also must include with its application a letter of support from the 
state crime victim compensation and victim assistance administrator(s). 
State victim compensation and assistance agencies, with the concurrence 
of the state victim coalitions and the U.S. Attorneys office, are also 
eligible to apply for funding.
    Selection Criteria: All applicants will be evaluated and rated 
based on the extent to which they respond to goals and objectives and 
meet the weighted criteria as follows:
A. Organizational Capability (20 points)
    Organizational capability is demonstrated at a level sufficient to 
support the project successfully. Previous experience in organizing and 
sponsoring victim assistance training events will be taken into 
account.
B. Project Strategy/Design (30 points)
    The applicant's training needs are clearly stated and identified. 
Applications should reflect a responsiveness to the specific needs at 
the state and/or region, or the constituencies served by the national 
organizations. The goals and objectives of the proposed project are 
clearly identified. The strategy should include as wide a variety of 
training components as possible, to meet the needs at the national, 
state, or regional levels.
C. Qualifications of the Project Staff (10 points)
    The qualifications of staff identified to manage and implement the 
program should be stated, with resumes included for each key staff 
person. Past experience related to training conference management 
should be included.
D. Program Implementation and Assessment Plan (20 points)
    The project design must be sound, and the management structure must 
be adequate for the successful implementation of the project. This 
criterion includes adequacy of the project management structure, the 
feasibility of the tentative time/task plan, and the plan for assessing 
the impact of the project in accomplishing its goals.
E. Budget (20 points)
    Budgeted costs are reasonable, allowable, and cost-effective for 
the activities to be undertaken.
F. Funding Preference
    Funding preference will be given to applicants that have not 
previously participated in this OVC funding initiative, and to national 
organizations that have made a commitment to address crime victim 
issues.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Diane Wells, (202) 616-1860, or Cynthia Darling, (202) 
616-3571.
National Symposium on Victims of Federal Crime (Cooperative Agreement)
    Award Amount: Up to $50,000 available for Phase I in FY 1995 and up 
to $250,000 for Phase II in FY 1996. [[Page 21917]] 
    Purpose: To improve direct services to victims of Federal crime by 
providing high quality victim assistance training to victim-witness 
coordinators from a broad range of Federal agencies.
    Background: In the last five years, Congress has focused on the 
rights and needs of Federal crime victims by codifying a Federal Crime 
Victims' Bill of Rights and identifying a range of services that must 
be made available to victims participating in the Federal criminal 
justice system. At the same time, Federal criminal statutes have been 
expanded to include crimes such as car-jacking, crossing a state line 
to injure, intimidate or harass an intimate partner, and engaging in 
telemarketing schemes to defraud the elderly. The Victims of Child 
Abuse Act of 1990 42 U.S.C. 13031 requires certain professionals 
working in Federally-operated facilities or on Federal lands to report 
suspected child abuse cases. These and other recent Federal statutes 
have increased the number of cases, as well as the Federal 
responsibility for assisting victims.
    As a result, there is an urgent need for additional training and 
technical assistance for Federal victim-witness coordinators. As many 
as 1,000 Federal agency coordinators may be interested in attending a 
symposium that will provide basic and intensive victim assistance 
training, create a forum to share information regarding promising 
programs and policies, and identify strategies for strengthening 
Federal victim assistance programs throughout the government.
    Objectives:
     To identify and assess, with the assistance of a Federal 
ad-hoc working group, existing practices and training materials used by 
Federal criminal justice personnel to respond to victims of Federal 
crime;
     To develop and implement a cost-effective strategy for 
providing training to Federal agency victim-witness coordinators 
utilizing existing victim assistance training curricula;
     To develop a training agenda for the symposium;
     To develop training and technical assistance materials in 
the areas of program development, program management, and direct 
services to victims of Federal crime by combining the expertise and 
resources of the grantee, OVC, and Federal agencies;
     To convene a national symposium to explore issues relating 
to the provision of services to victims of Federal crime and to provide 
training to Federal agency victim-witness coordinators;
     To offer an array of skills-building workshops that 
address the variety of missions of more than 70 different Federal law 
enforcement agencies; and
     To evaluate the symposium and submit to OVC a strategy for 
improving Federal agency services to Federal crime victims.
    Program Strategy: This project will be implemented in two phases, 
with supplemental funding in FY 96 for the second phase if OVC 
determines that the first phase has been completed successfully. This 
solicitation invites applications for a grantee to provide 
comprehensive victim assistance training to Federal agency victim-
witness coordinators from a broad range of Federal agencies with 
diverse missions.
    The grantee will work with OVC staff and an ad-hoc working group of 
representatives from the various Federal agencies to identify the 
unique training needs of various agencies and to plan and implement the 
first comprehensive training conference for this audience. The week-
long symposium will provide training regarding the provision of direct 
services to Federal crime victims, and address issues such as the 
unique aspects of Federal jurisdiction, and the development of victim 
assistance programs that utilize local resources. The symposium will 
also include training on program development, program management, and 
direct victim services. The conference will include: (1) Topic specific 
sessions to discuss subjects such as victims of hate/bias crimes, 
domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse; (2) discipline specific 
sessions for agencies such as law enforcement and prosecution; and (3) 
agency-specific sessions, including training for FBI agents or U.S. 
Postal Inspection Service personnel.
    Phase I, Assessment:
    The first stage of Phase I consists of the identification and 
assessment of effective procedures and practices and training materials 
currently used by Federal agencies in response to victims of Federal 
crime. The grantee should also determine unique training needs of 
specific Federal agencies. The activities and products to be completed 
during this stage are:
     Establishment of an ad-hoc working group, with OVC's 
assistance;
     Development of an assessment plan of Federal agency 
procedures, practices, and training;
     Review of practices, procedures, programs, and training 
materials;
     Identification of effective programs;
     Identification of Federal agency specific topical subject 
areas and training needs; and
     Development of an assessment report.
    Development of Training Strategy: Based upon the results of the 
assessment stage, the grantee will develop and present to OVC a cost-
effective strategy for providing training to Federal agency victim-
witness coordinators, utilizing both existing victim assistance 
training materials and Federal agency materials. The activities and 
products to be completed during this stage are:
     A training strategy; and
     A draft training agenda for a national symposium.
    Phase II, Training:
    Following OVC approval of the assessment report, training strategy, 
and draft training agenda, the grantee will develop appropriate 
training and technical assistance materials. The activities and 
products to be completed during this stage are:
     A plan for the development of appropriate training 
materials that includes the areas of program development, program 
management, and direct services to victims of Federal crime and 
combines the expertise and resources of the grantee, OVC, and Federal 
agencies;
     A draft and final training manual, including trainer and 
participant manuals and other informational materials;
     A strategy for assessing the training and draft assessment 
forms, procedures, and tools;
     A national symposium on issues relating to the provision 
of services to victims of Federal crime.
    Assessment and Recommendations: The grantee will assess the 
symposium and submit recommendations to OVC for improving Federal 
agency services to Federal crime victims. A final report and a summary 
of the project will be submitted by the grantee for use as an 
informational OVC bulletin during this stage.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Expertise in developing victim-witness assistance training 
curricula and accompanying materials;
     Experience in the management and development of large 
victim assistance training conferences;
     Knowledge of issues associated with the Federal criminal 
justice system's handling of crime victims; and
     Organizational experience and financial capability to 
administer this training initiative.
    Award Period: 6 months to complete Phase I; 12 months (FY 1996) to 
complete Phase II. [[Page 21918]] 
    Contact: Sue Shriner, (202) 616-3577.
Training of Trainers Seminars
    Award Amount: Three proposals for up to $33,000 each.
    Purpose: To expand the number of trainers qualified to provide 
training on promising practices to benefit crime victims on a variety 
of victim-related topics.
    Background: In recent years, OVC has provided innovative training 
and technical assistance to victim service providers and criminal 
justice personnel on a range of important, emerging victim issues and 
promising programmatic practices. A number of agencies have requested 
additional staff training on these topics through OVC's Trainers 
Bureau. In some cases, the demand for training is too great for the 
limited number of expert trainers to accommodate. Additional trainers 
who are capable of presenting workshops on these particular subjects 
are needed. This initiative will provide a vehicle for expanding the 
cadre of trained practitioners who can pass their knowledge and skills 
on to others.
    Goal: To expand the training resources that are available to victim 
service providers and others who deal with victims.
    Objectives:
     To create comprehensive, up-to-date training materials on 
topics of particular interest to the field.
     To provide advanced training on these topics to highly 
qualified trainers.
    Program Strategy: OVC invites applicants to organize, conduct, and 
evaluate a training of trainers seminar on a particular topic. In 
preparation for the seminar, the grantee will review and assess 
existing training materials and identify expert trainers on the 
subject. With input from the trainers, the grantee will produce a 
comprehensive and user-friendly training package. It will develop a 
plan and instruments for assessing the impact of the training.
    The grantee will identify an appropriate audience for the seminar 
and advertise the event in such a way as to reach the intended 
audience. The training package will be disseminated to the participants 
prior to the seminar.
    Each seminar will last two to four days and provide training for up 
to 40 participants who have previous training experience. The training 
will be provided free of charge, and limited stipends will be available 
to offset a portion of the participants' travel expenses.
    Topics have been selected for training of trainer seminars because 
the requests for these types of training currently exceed the number of 
qualified trainers available to respond. Consequently, OVC extends a 
specific invitation for proposals addressing the following topics:
Victim Services in Rural Areas
    Victim service providers operating in rural areas face special 
obstacles in reaching their clients. They must provide services, 
sometimes in response to immediate crises, to people living long 
distances from public agencies and support systems. Available resources 
are often scarce and rural victims sometimes must deal with difficult 
confidentiality issues.
Responding to Staff Victimization
    This training focuses on agencies, primarily criminal justice 
agencies, whose staff members regularly deal with offenders. It covers 
the victimization experience, post-traumatic stress disorder, crisis 
intervention techniques, networking with local victim service 
providers, dealing with the media, and how to mobilize crisis response 
teams.
Victim Impact Classes for Offenders
    This promising program strategy, originally developed by the 
California Youth Authority, has been adopted by a number of 
corrections, probation, and parole agencies for use with both adult and 
juvenile offenders. Victims, as one aspect of their recovery process, 
tell offenders about the actual impact of crime on their own lives, 
their families, and the communities in which they live. This seminar is 
co-sponsored by BJA and OJJDP.
    Major project products for each training of trainers seminar 
include:
     Training package;
     Proposed faculty list;
     Marketing plan;
     Seminar agenda;
     Two to four-day seminar;
     Assessment plan; and
     Final report, which highlights problem areas and promising 
practices and includes an assessment of project impact.
    Eligibility Requirements: Proposals will be solicited from both 
private non-profit and public organizations and agencies. In addition 
to the requirements of Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate 
topical expertise and management capability to organize, market, 
conduct, and assess a train the trainer seminar on one of the victim-
related topics listed above.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Jackie McCann Cleland, (202) 616-2145, regarding the 
Victim Services in Rural Areas training; Vicki Rapoport, (202) 616-
3572, regarding the Responding to Victimized Staff training; and Susan 
Laurence, (202) 616-3573, regarding the Victim Impact training.

Resources for State Compensation and Assistance Administrators

National Technical Assistance Conference for State VOCA Assistance 
Administrators (Cooperative Agreement)
    Award Amount: $50,000 in FY 95, with the possibility of a 
continuation grant for the same amount in FY 96.
    Purpose: To provide state VOCA assistance administrators with 
training and information on VOCA grant implementation and on services 
to crime victims.
    Background: In the past, OVC has planned and held national training 
conferences for state administrators of the VOCA victim assistance 
grant program. Since 1989, conferences have been held approximately 
every two years. OVC believes that the state administrator's role is 
``necessary and essential'' for ensuring that crime victims receive 
direct services and assistance intended by VOCA.
    Goal: To hold a conference that will address the technical 
assistance and information needs of VOCA victim assistance state 
administrators. This conference will focus on VOCA grant implementation 
issues and efforts to expand and enhance the delivery of quality 
services to crime victims throughout the states.
    Objectives:
     To establish an ad hoc advisory committee of state VOCA 
administrators that identifies technical assistance and information 
needs and develop a conference agenda;
     To survey each state VOCA administrator to ascertain 
technical assistance and information needs, as well as workshop topics 
and presenters; and
     To develop, implement, and evaluate a national conference 
for state VOCA administrators.
    Program Strategy: OVC invites applications from nonprofit 
organizations, national victim organizations, and consortiums of state 
administrators to organize, conduct, and evaluate a conference that 
provides training to VOCA victim assistance state administrators. The 
conference will be held during calendar year 1996. The grantee should 
accomplish the following tasks:
     Develop a plan for delivering three days of technical 
assistance based on the survey results;
     Develop a resource manual with an agenda, workshops, and 
training materials and resources;
     Identify and retain trainers for all programmatic and 
financial sessions; [[Page 21919]] 
     Hold the conference;
     Develop an assessment instrument, assess the conference, 
and make recommendations for subsequent technical assistance 
conferences; and
     Prepare a conference report that contains the assessment 
results and recommendations for future training conferences;
    Project funds can be used to pay trainer and consultant fees and 
all other costs associated with the planning, delivery, and assessment 
of the conference.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate knowledge and experience in 
providing services to crime victims, knowledge of VOCA grant 
administration issues, experience in managing and developing training 
conferences, and organizational capability to manage the conference.
    Selection Criteria: Each application will be evaluated based upon 
how well the proposal addresses the following criteria:
A. Understanding of goals and objectives: 10 points
    The applicant's response to the stated project purpose, goals, and 
objectives is clearly understood and defined.
B. Project Strategy/Design: 25 points
    The applicant's response is sound and constitutes an effective 
approach to meeting the stated goals and objectives of the project.
C. Implementation Plan: 25 points
    The applicant's response is realistic and includes a detailed time/
task line.
D. Organizational Capability: 20 points
    A description of the applicant's management structure and previous 
experience with related efforts, the financial capability of the 
organization to carry out the project, and the documentation of the 
professional staff member's qualifications to perform the assigned 
tasks.
E. Budget: 20 points
    The applicant's costs are reasonable, allowable, and cost effective 
for the proposed activities.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Jeffrey Kerr, (202) 616-3581.
Regional Technical Assistance Meetings for State VOCA Administrators
    Award Amount: $5,000 to $10,000 will be available per conference, 
not to exceed a total of $25,000 for FY 95 and $25,000 for FY 96.
    Purpose: To encourage and support regional training and technical 
assistance meetings for state VOCA compensation and assistance 
administrators.
    Background: Many factors affect the delivery of quality services to 
crime victims. Often these factors reflect regional influences. OVC is 
committed to supporting states that wish to hold regional conferences 
to address mutual state concerns and needs. OVC will support regional 
meetings of state compensation and assistance administrators by 
accepting proposals from state administrators who will plan, 
coordinate, and implement a regional conference to further the 
implementation of the VOCA formula grant programs and services to crime 
victims.
    Goal: To support a number of regional state VOCA administrators' 
conferences, which will address the training and information needs.
    Objectives:
     To survey compensation and/or assistance state VOCA 
administrators within the region to identify technical assistance 
needs;
     To develop a plan for delivering a one or two day training 
and technical assistance based on the results of the survey;
     To develop a curriculum with an agenda, lesson plans, and 
training materials and resources; and
     To convene the conference, which may focus exclusively on 
victim assistance, victim compensation, or a combination of the two.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications from state 
administrators of VOCA compensation and assistance grants only to hold 
regional technical assistance conferences. The conferences will be held 
during the 1995 and 1996 calendar years.
    Federal funds will be used to support coordination, materials, 
meeting space, consultants, and other costs associated with the 
planning, delivering, and assessing each conference. Specific tasks 
include:
     To identify and retain trainers and technical experts for 
all programmatic and financial sessions;
     To develop an assessment instrument and assess the 
conference; and
     To prepare a conference report that contains the 
assessment findings and recommendations for future conferences.
    Eligibility Requirements: Applications will be accepted from state 
VOCA administrators. In addition to the requirements of Sections VI-XI, 
applicants must demonstrate experience in managing and developing 
training conferences and the organizational capability to manage the 
conference.
    Selection Criteria: Each application will be evaluated based on how 
well the proposal addresses the following criteria:
A. Understanding of goals and objectives: 10 points
    The applicant's response to the stated project purpose, goals, and 
objectives is clearly understood and defined.
B. Project Strategy/Design: 25 points
    The applicant's response is sound and constitutes an effective 
approach to meeting the stated goals and objectives of the project.
C. Implementation Plan: 25 points
    The applicant's response is realistic and includes a detailed time/
task line.
D. Organizational Capability: 20 points
    A description of the applicant's management structure and previous 
experience with related efforts, the overall capability of the 
applicant to carry out the project, and the documentation of the 
professional staff member's qualifications to perform the assigned 
tasks.
E. Budget: 20 points
    The applicant's costs are reasonable, allowable, and cost effective 
for the proposed activities.
    Award Period: 18 months.
    Contact: Contact the OVC program specialist assigned to monitor the 
state's VOCA formula grant.
    Mentor Program for VOCA Victim Compensation and Assistance State 
Administrators
    Award Amount: Funds will not be directly awarded to successful 
state applicants. OVC will pay mentors up to $220 per day and reimburse 
travel expenses in accordance with Federal guidelines. $25,000 has been 
set aside for this initiative.
    Purpose: To provide short-term technical assistance to VOCA victim 
compensation and assistance state administrators.
    Background: The role of state VOCA administrators is constantly 
changing and expanding. As a result, OVC has decided to fund a 
mentoring program for state VOCA administrators that would facilitate 
an administrator from one state offering technical assistance and peer 
consultation to an administrator in another state. Technical assistance 
and peer consultation may be offered in many different areas including 
use of administrative dollars to implement the VOCA grant program, 
planning [[Page 21920]] statewide training, establishing program 
standards for both compensation and local victim assistance programs, 
and assessing needs and service delivery strategies, such as more 
efficient processing of compensation claims. In addition, the mentoring 
program will facilitate one-on-one technical assistance and peer 
consultation for new state administrators.
    Goal: To provide effective short-term, individualized technical 
assistance and peer consultation to state agencies responsible for 
administering the VOCA victim compensation and assistance grant 
programs.
    Objectives:
     To identify state compensation and assistance 
administrators who are available to provide short-term technical 
assistance to colleagues in other states;
     To identify and develop materials that may be used to 
offer technical assistance to state administrators to include 
assessment tools, protocols, policies, and procedures; and
     To offer technical assistance and peer consultation that 
is individually tailored to meet the needs of states' efforts to 
deliver victim services.
    Program Strategy: OVC will support on-site technical assistance and 
peer consultation to VOCA state administrators in areas such as program 
development, administration, assessment, financial management, and 
grant administration. OVC will coordinate the provision of technical 
assistance and peer consultation in response to requests from VOCA 
compensation and assistance state administrators. OVC will identify and 
handle the logistical and financial arrangements for such requests.
    VOCA state grant administrators interested in receiving technical 
assistance should submit the following information:
     A description of the technical assistance needed or a 
problem statement;
     An estimate of the number of hours/days of technical 
assistance needed;
     A description of the number of individuals to be trained 
and their job responsibilities; and
     A description of any state resources available to build 
upon the technical assistance.
    VOCA state grant administrators interested in serving as mentors 
should submit the following information:
     A description of their background, experience, and area of 
expertise in administering statewide compensation and/or assistance 
services to crime victims;
     A letter from their agency head supporting their 
participation as a trainer in this program; and
     A copy of any assessment tools, protocols, policies, or 
procedures that they have used to administer and oversee the provision 
of statewide services to crime victims.
    Applications will be reviewed within 30 days of their receipt. Once 
an application has been approved by the Director of the State 
Compensation and Assistance Division, the request will be matched with 
an appropriate state administrator. OVC will work with the mentor to 
design a technical assistance plan that responds directly to the 
identified needs of the state applicant. All parties--OVC, the state 
applicant and the mentor consultant--must agree to the plan. Approved 
on-site assistance will be short-term, generally between one and three 
days.
    Within 30 days after the technical assistance has been provided, 
the state applicant must submit an assessment to OVC of the technical 
assistance received. The assessment will examine the extent to which 
the planned assistance was executed, as well as the effectiveness of 
the mentor or consultant. Likewise, the mentor or consultant must 
submit a description of his/her findings, assistance that may be 
beneficial to other state administrators, and any recommendations for 
improving the delivery of technical assistance through this mechanism 
in the future.
    Eligibility Requirements: This program is open only to state 
agencies designated by the Governor to administer the VOCA victim 
compensation and assistance grant programs. Applications will be 
reviewed and selected based upon following criteria:
     Clarity of the request, including the description of the 
problem;
     Potential impact of the assistance; and
     Commitment of resources from other sources to support the 
implementation of technical assistance.
    Award Period: Funds will be available to address requests during FY 
1995 and 1996.
    Due Date: Applications will be accepted for consideration 
throughout the award period.
    Contact: For further information, as either a State Administrator 
wishing to apply for assistance or to serve as a mentor, contact the 
OVC program specialist assigned to monitor the state's VOCA formula 
grant.

C. Information Dissemination

Topic-Specific Videotapes
    Award Amount: $50,000 to produce each videotape.
    Purpose: To provide educational information on crime victim issues 
to victim service providers, allied professionals, and the general 
public.
    Background: The tremendous growth of victims' programs and training 
for service providers has necessitated the sharing of relevant 
information on practices and related issues in an adaptable and easily 
accessible way. Videotapes are suitable to a variety of audiences and 
settings, can convey substantive information in a succinct and 
memorable way, and provide the field with an inexpensive and rapid 
means of highlighting model practices and explaining the rights and 
needs of crime victims.
    Goal: To educate the field and the general public about crime 
victim issues and effective responses.
    Objective: To develop and produce training videotapes on important 
topics in the victims field.
    Program strategy: This initiative, in cooperation with BJA, will 
fund one to three grantees for the production of three professional 
quality, 20 to 30 minute training videotapes on the following topics:
     Path through the criminal justice system (an explanation 
of the criminal justice system for crime victims);
     Training on victim issues for parole boards; and
     Multicultural issues in victim services.
    Each videotape will identify a specific victim-related issue, and 
provide basic ``how-to'' information for crime victims and service 
providers. The videotapes should appeal to a broad audience, but can 
also be used to educate specific audiences. It is important that all 
products be culturally sensitive. Each videotape will be accompanied by 
a brief guidebook with suggestions for effective usage. The production 
of the videotapes will take place in two phases:
I. Development of Products
    During the initial phase of the grant, the grantee will:
     Identify key issue points to be addressed in the videotape 
and accompanying guide;
     Articulate the approach (e.g., documentary or 
dramatization; color versus black and white) to be used in the 
videotape;
     Develop and draft the videotape script or narrative for 
OVC review and approval; [[Page 21921]] 
     Finalize the script or narrative;
     Secure the subjects and film location; and
     Secure technical staff to videotape and produce the sound 
track.
II. Videotape Production
    During this phase, the grantee will:
     Film the videotapes and produce the sound track;
     Edit and produce a draft videotape;
     Submit the draft for OVC review and approval;
     Draft and submit the user's guide for OVC review and 
approval;
     Edit and refine the user's guide;
     Draft, submit and finalize a brochure publicizing the 
videotape and giving information on how to obtain it;
     Finalize all products; and
     Produce a final report on the project. Upon completion of 
the project, the grantee will furnish OVC with a master copy of the 
videotape, and camera-ready copy and floppy disk of the guidebook for 
reproduction and dissemination.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Expertise in professional quality videotape production;
     Knowledge of issues associated with the criminal justice 
system's handling of crime victims;
     Specific knowledge of one or more of the topic areas 
articulated in this announcement; and
     Management and financial capability to oversee a project 
of this size and scope.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Vicki Rapoport, (202) 616-3572, regarding the Cultural 
Diversity and Path Through the Criminal Justice System videotapes, and 
Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573, regarding the Victim Issues for Parole 
Boards videotape.
Resources for National Crime Victims Rights Week, 1996 (Cooperative 
Agreement)
    Award Amount: $25,000
    Purpose: To draw national attention to National Crime Victims 
Rights Week, 1996 through the development of public relations 
strategies and the dissemination of materials in the form of a kit.
    Background: Each year since 1982, National Crime Victims Rights 
Week (NCVRW) has been formally designated and commemorated at the 
Federal level during the month of April. The observance of this event 
serves as a reminder that, not so long ago, crime victims were treated 
only as witnesses for the prosecution--often denied the dignity, 
respect, and assistance to which they are entitled. NCVRW affords the 
nation the opportunity to acknowledge the plight of crime victims and 
to recognize the numerous reforms that have been instituted to advance 
their rights and respond to their unique needs.
    Goal: To heighten public awareness of victim issues nationwide.
    Objective: To develop and disseminate a Crime Victims Rights Week 
kit with strategies for commemorating the week-long, national event.
    Program Strategy: This solicitation invites applications for one 
grantee to conceptualize, develop, and produce a NCVRW kit for use by 
victim service providers, advocates, elected leaders, and the general 
public in commemorating the national event. Project applications may 
include suggestions for observance of NCVRW at the state, local and 
Federal levels, including sample poster art, public service 
announcements, fact sheets, and commemorative activities. Applications 
shall also include a specific plan for disseminating the kit as broadly 
as possible.
     The selected applicant will be expected to work closely with the 
OVC project monitor and to ensure that all project deliverables are 
produced and disseminated well in advance of NCVRW events to ensure 
their timely use by the field.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate general knowledge of victim 
issues and previous public relations experience.
    Award Period: 12 months.
    Contact: Celestine Williams, (202) 616-3565.

D. New Native American Programs

Training and Technical Assistance for Victims of Federal Crime in 
Indian Country Discretionary Grant Subgrantees (Cooperative Agreement)
    Award Amount: $160,000.
    Purpose: To provide program materials and training and technical 
assistance that are uniquely tailored to the needs of Native American 
communities that have received funds under the Assistance to Victims of 
Federal Crime in Indian Country (VAIC) Discretionary Grant Program.
    Background: The VAIC Program established victim assistance programs 
in remote areas of Indian Country where there were limited or no 
existing services for victims of crime. Since 1989, OVC has awarded 
$5.4 million to nineteen states. As a result, more than 50 Native 
American victim assistance programs have been established in the States 
of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, 
Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
    As each program is unique to the Native American community it 
serves, an individual approach to meeting the training and technical 
assistance needs of these programs is required. The program will 
provide training and technical assistance and materials specifically 
tailored to each program.
    Goals:
     To enhance, expand, and improve services provided by 
Native American and tribal subgrantees that have been funded under 
OVC's VAIC grant program through short-term, on-site training, 
technical assistance or consultation;
     To develop a video for tribal leaders that illustrates how 
the VAIC program should work; and
     To develop a manual that assists Indian tribes in 
establishing and expanding victim assistance programs in Native 
American communities.
    Objectives:
     To survey 19 state victim assistance grantees regarding 
the need their subgrantees have for training, technical assistance, or 
consultation;
     To develop and maintain a register of experienced 
consultants who are qualified to provide technical assistance, or peer 
consultation that is culturally relevant to Native American communities 
in the area of victim assistance, including child abuse, domestic 
violence and sexual assault;
     To develop a script or film treatment that illustrates the 
benefits of a victim assistance program and depicts how a successful 
victim assistance program is integrated into tribal law enforcement and 
social service systems;
     To develop, print, and disseminate a program manual to all 
VAIC subrecipients; and
     To evaluate and summarize the effectiveness of each 
training, as well as the project as a whole, and recommend future 
training and technical assistance strategies.
    Program Strategy: To accomplish the goals and objectives of this 
project, the grantee will:
     Develop and complete a survey of 19 state grantees to 
assess the range and type of training and technical assistance needed 
by subgrantees;
     Acquire a copy of each state agency's application kit and 
guidelines to assist subgrantees in developing an application for 
continued funding; [[Page 21922]] 
     Develop a format or application procedure for subgrantees 
to request training and technical assistance. This format should detail 
the range of training and/or technical assistance possible and capture 
information from the subgrantee to include the purpose of the training, 
desired goals, and a list of staff to be trained. The format will 
require final approval by the grantor agency;
     Develop a method for evaluating requests submitted by the 
subgrantees;
     Agree on the desired training and technical assistance 
activity that could include: assistance in improving overall 
management, developing competitive subgrant applications, implementing 
a specific part of the victim assistance program such as a training 
program for volunteers in crisis intervention, setting up a case record 
system, training law enforcement officers on improving their response 
to crime victims, establishing support groups for survivors of 
homicide, or developing an advocacy program for child victims who 
participate in tribal court. Special emphasis will be placed on 
providing needed training and technical assistance to the four newly 
funded tribal organizations within Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi, and 
Oklahoma, as well as meeting the urgent training and technical needs of 
previously funded programs;
     Work with OVC staff to select a project advisory board 
composed of Native American VAIC subgrantees, VOCA Victim Assistance 
Administrators, experts on Native American culture and a Federal 
Victim-Witness Coordinator to develop an outline defining the range of 
materials to be included in the program manual and to assist grantee 
staff to develop the manual, and to assist with providing ideas for and 
reviewing the script for the video;
     Develop a plan for making the video;
     Evaluate effectiveness of the training provided and the 
project as a whole; and
     Recommend future training and technical assistance 
strategies.
    Eligibility Requirements: Applications will be accepted from public 
agencies, private agencies, or non-profit organizations. As this 
program will focus primarily on short-term training and technical 
assistance to Native Americans, Indian Tribes, or Native American 
organizations, and in addition to the requirements of Sections VI-XI, 
applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible 
for consideration:
     Experience in the development of training and technical 
assistance;
     Information or access to information on local experts in 
the area of victim assistance to include child abuse, spouse abuse, and 
other services that assist victims of violent crimes;
     Knowledge of the problems and issues inherent in 
maintaining victim-related, culturally-sensitive programs in Indian 
Country;
     Knowledge in the development of instructional and training 
video's for Native American communities, tribal councils, and leaders; 
and
     Demonstrated management and financial capability to 
operate a program of this size and scope.
    Award Period: 24 months.
    Contact: Toni Thomas, (202) 616-3579.
Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program For Native Americans
    Award Amount: Up to $513,500 will support five to eight grants in 
FY 1995. Full accomplishment of this project is anticipated to require 
three to five years of funding. The first year award amount will be 
limited to $60,000 per grantee, to allow for the lead-time that may be 
required to obtain Tribal Council approval for the grant and hire 
staff. Awards for the remaining years will range from $60,000 to 
$100,000.
    Purpose: To assist Native American communities in improving the 
investigation, prosecution, and handling of cases of child sexual and 
physical abuse in a manner that increases support for and reduces 
trauma to child victims.
    Background: During the mid-1980's, reports of sexual abuse and 
disclosures of multiple-victim child molestation cases on Indian 
reservations sharply increased. As the cases surfaced, it became 
apparent that services were seriously lacking for Native American 
children, and that handling abuse in Indian Country was more difficult 
due to geographic isolation and the scarcity of law enforcement, social 
and medical services. Procedures for sensitive and thorough pediatric 
forensic examinations, as well as follow-through with mental health 
counseling, which is critical to a child's recovery, were frequently 
nonexistent.
    In response to the acute increases in reports and disclosures of 
child molestation on Indian reservations, the Children's Justice Act 
Grant Program for Native Americans (CJA) was established to assist 
Indian tribes develop, establish, and operate programs that improve the 
overall response to child sexual abuse cases. The program focuses on 
handling the case from the initial report and the first stages of 
intervention and investigation through to the resolution of the case.
    Since 1988, OVC has provided CJA funding to 28 tribes. The funded 
projects have supported: Establishment, expansion and training for 
multidisciplinary teams; revision of tribal codes to address child 
sexual abuse; child advocacy services for children involved in court 
proceedings; development of protocols and procedures for reporting, 
investigating, and prosecuting child sexual abuse cases; development of 
working relationships that minimizes the number of child interviews; 
enhanced case management and treatment services; specialized training 
for prosecutors, judges, investigators and other professionals who 
handle child sexual abuse cases; specially designed child interview 
rooms; and special prosecution units.
    Goal: To strengthen existing CJA programs, create new ones that 
deal effectively with cases of child sexual and physical abuse during 
the investigation, prosecution, and treatment phases, and establish 
systemic improvement in a community's overall response to child sexual 
abuse.
    Objectives:
     To assess the current tribal system for responding to 
child sexual abuse and identify changes needed to implement more 
effective programs;
     To hire staff and develop an organizational structure to 
execute the planned program;
     To develop or revise policies, procedures, and tribal 
codes that directly address child abuse and neglect;
     To form liaisons and working relationships with Federal, 
state and local agencies that result in improved communication and a 
better use of resources for child victims and their families;
     To provide specialized and multidisciplinary training to 
key personnel that focuses on developing or improving the skills needed 
to effectively handle the problem of child abuse and specifically child 
sexual abuse;
     To establish specialized law enforcement, prosecution or 
child advocacy units within existing tribal agencies that are uniquely 
trained and qualified to handle child victim cases; and
     To develop written program implementation materials that 
can be replicated and used to assist other tribal agencies that wish to 
establish similar programs.
[[Page 21923]]

    Program Strategy: This program will be implemented in three stages. 
As grantees will be required to reapply for the grant each year, the 
grantee must show significant progress in meeting project objectives in 
order to continue receiving grant funds. CJA programs will be eligible 
for three to five years of funding depending on the availability of 
Federal funds and success in program implementation.
    Each project must be designed to improve the investigation and 
prosecution of child sexual abuse cases, and to improve the overall 
handling of these cases in a manner that reduces trauma to the child. 
OVC recognizes that jurisdictional authority over child sexual abuse 
cases varies greatly among tribes. Therefore, we seek innovative 
projects based on the unique jurisdictional characteristics of the 
tribal criminal justice and service delivery systems. OVC expects 
tribes that receive these grants to be actively involved in determining 
the manner by which these cases are administratively and judicially 
processed at the tribal, state, and Federal levels.
    In addition, OVC recommends the use of multi-disciplinary teams 
(known in many areas of Indian Country as Child Protection Teams) to 
respond to cases of child sexual abuse. This could also include 
specialized prosecutorial units for the investigation, referral, and 
prosecution of child abuse cases. Multi-disciplinary teams which are 
developed or expanded as a result of this grant must include 
representatives from the tribal, state, and Federal agencies that 
provide services to the tribe.
Stage I--Assessment and Project Development
    The grantee is expected to develop a new program or continue an 
existing program that handles child physical and sexual abuse cases in 
an effective and timely manner. The organizational structure and 
staffing pattern described in the grant application should be 
implemented as soon as possible after award of grant funds.
    The grantee should make an assessment of its current tribal system 
and resources for developing a CJA program and determine the additional 
resources and system changes needed to implement a program. The grantee 
must hire and use either tribal staff or outside consultants to train 
key staff for investigating and prosecuting child physical and sexual 
abuse cases in tribal court. Additional training for multidisciplinary 
teams, prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, judges, advocates or 
medical, mental health, and social service professionals may be 
required. Improved procedures for interviewing child victims, providing 
court advocacy, handling child victim cases, and providing treatment 
services could be established at this stage.
    The products of this stage include:
     Job descriptions and resumes for key staff hired or 
contracted under the grant;
     Assessment report of findings and recommendations for 
additional changes and resources needed to implement an efficient 
project. The report should be developed by tribal working groups, 
multidisciplinary teams or with the assistance of a consultant;
     Activity reports that summarize major activities and 
accomplishments of the grant to be submitted to OVC four times during 
this stage of program activities; and
     Agendas for the training of personnel involved in the 
handling of child sexual abuse and serious child physical abuse cases, 
if appropriate at this stage.
Stage II--Implementation of Project and Development of Training and 
Resource Materials
    The grantee must develop and/or finalize materials that demonstrate 
how the program operates. Policies and procedures, interagency 
protocols, or memoranda of understanding identifying different agency 
roles and responsibilities, reporting procedures, forms for recording 
case information, working agreements with Federal and/or state agencies 
or a tribal code that addresses child sexual abuse (including 
definitions and maximum penalties for offenders) are examples of 
materials that must be developed. The materials will be used by the 
grantee in implementing its own program and will also be disseminated 
to other tribes to demonstrate how to develop similar programs.
    The grantee may find it useful to gather all available resources 
that will aid the tribe in responding to child physical and sexual 
abuse. These resources could include any materials available from other 
tribes, national clearinghouses, agencies, organizations and state CJA 
programs that would be useful in improving the response to child 
physical and sexual abuse cases. Using these materials, the grantee 
must seek to improve its current system for addressing child abuse and, 
upon successfully applying these materials to its own system, should 
develop the capability to provide training and technical assistance to 
other tribes on handling child abuse cases.
    The products of this stage would include:
     A compilation of materials gathered by the grantee from 
within the tribe and from other sources;
     Materials developed for improving the handling of child 
physical and sexual abuse cases (e.g., protocols, revised tribal codes, 
and procedures);
     Training curricula for law enforcement officers, 
prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, multidisciplinary teams and 
medical, mental health, and social service personnel;
     A brochure or resource directory to be distributed which 
advertises the availability of the tribe's resources, services, and 
training opportunities if appropriate, for addressing child abuse 
cases; and
     Activity reports that summarize major activities and 
accomplishments of the grant to be submitted to OVC during this stage 
of program activities.
Stage III--Delivery of Services
    The project should serve as the tribe's primary program for 
illustrating effective approaches to handling serious child sexual 
abuse cases; working with various tribal, state and Federal agencies; 
meeting the needs of Native American child sexual abuse victims and 
their families; and communicating with tribal councils and other bodies 
in responding effectively to child abuse.
    After completing Stages I and II, project staff should be in a 
position to make the program's resources and implementation materials 
available to other tribes. Project staff should be available to present 
diagrams and descriptions of program models that illustrate 
coordination among tribal, state and Federal law enforcement agencies, 
criminal justice professionals, victim assistance providers and human 
service, health and mental health personnel. Project staff should have 
developed its capacity to provide training and technical assistance to 
tribes and tribal organizations upon their request and within program 
staffing resources, being careful to schedule such training and 
technical assistance so as not to disrupt on-going program services. In 
addition, project staff will be asked to participate in OVC sponsored 
conferences and training sessions to demonstrate model practices, 
provide program materials and handouts or serve as trainers or on 
discussion groups and panels.
    The products of this stage are:
     Individualized consultation, training and dissemination of 
illustrative program implementation materials; [[Page 21924]] 
     Reports describing the training provided to tribes;
     Recommendations for and descriptions of training workshops 
to be included in OVC sponsored conferences for assisting child victims 
in Indian Country; and
     Activity reports that summarize major activities and 
accomplishments of the grant to be submitted to OVC four times during 
this stage of program activities.
    Eligibility Requirements: Eligible applicants are Federally 
recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Grant awards will be 
limited to tribal organizations as defined in the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act, Pub. L. 93-638, 25 U.S.C. 
450b. Applications must be signed by the leader or chief executive of 
the tribe. In those cases where the Tribal Council serves as the 
governing body, the application must be signed by the Chairman of the 
Council or other recognized leader of that group. Applicants also must 
adhere to the requirements of Sections VI-XI of this Announcement.
    Selection Criteria: In determining which applications to fund, OVC 
will use a grant review panel to evaluate and rank the application on 
the following criteria:
    A. The problem to be addressed (15 points)
    The need for such a program, including the problems experienced and 
issues related to child physical and sexual abuse in the community is 
clearly stated. A description of the agencies involved (tribal, local, 
state and Federal) is provided and, where possible, statistics on the 
number of cases reported, investigated and substantiated; referred for 
services; and prosecuted are included.
    B. Goals and objectives (20 points)
    The goals and objectives are clearly defined and relate directly to 
the program purpose, the problem to be addressed and the implementation 
of this project. The objectives are stated in measurable terms.
    C. The appropriateness and soundness of program design (25 points)
    The program design and methodology clearly address the identified 
problem and provide a clear description of how the project will achieve 
the stated goals and objectives. The method for implementing project 
components must be consistent with the goals and objectives. In 
addition, the program strategy contains an implementation plan that 
includes a timeline schedule and milestones for the accomplishment of 
objectives and submission of products.
    D. Budget (15 points)
    The budgeted costs are reasonable, cost-effective and accurately 
reflect how grant funds will be used to promote the development of the 
project.
    E. Organizational capability (20 points)
    The organizational capability demonstrates a capacity for 
developing and packaging a comprehensive program that addresses the 
investigation, prosecution, case handling and treatment of child 
physical and sexual abuse. This criterion includes: (1) Adequacy of the 
tribe's management structure and financial capability (10 points), and 
(2) the qualifications of key staff identified to manage and implement 
the project (10 points). Where the applicant has previously received 
CJA funds, the progress made under the previous grant is discussed.
    F. Assessment Plan (5 points)
    The plan for assessing the impact of the project in improving the 
investigation, prosecution, and overall handling of child sexual abuse 
cases is clearly defined.
    Award Period: 3 to 5 years, depending on the availability of 
funding and success of the grantee in achieving the goals and 
objectives of the project.
    Contact: Cathy Sanders, (202) 616-3578 for further information and 
to obtain a copy of the Application Kit.
Cross-Cultural Skills Development and Training for Federal Criminal 
Justice Personnel in Indian Country (Cooperative Agreement)--Award 
Amount: $150,000 (in Cooperation With BJA)
    Purpose: To encourage culturally-sensitive responses from Federal 
criminal justice personnel and Federal Victim-Witness Coordinators to 
the rights and diverse needs of Native American victims of crime. This 
project will support the development of a monograph and companion 
trainer's guide/training curriculum and a video that offers basic 
skills and effective program strategies for culturally-sensitive 
service delivery to Native American victims of crime by criminal 
justice personnel.
    Background: There are more than 535 Federally-recognized Indian 
tribes in the United States, each having extremely diverse cultures 
that include clan systems, customs, language base, and traditional as 
well as non-traditional religious beliefs. Governed by a complex array 
of Federal, state, and tribal law, certain crimes committed by non-
Indians against Indians can fall within Federal criminal jurisdiction 
for purposes of investigation and prosecution (The Indian Country 
Crimes Act, 18 U.S.C. section 1152, and The Major Crimes Act, 18 U.S.C. 
section 1153). Federal criminal justice personnel are also responsible 
for providing victims' rights and victim assistance services to Indian 
victims of Federal crime.
    Non-Indian personnel often run the risk of unknowingly alienating 
Native American victims of crime by their actions. Special care needs 
to be taken by non-Indian criminal justice personnel to ensure that 
cultural stereotyping does not become a barrier to providing effective 
criminal justice and victim assistance services. One of the ways to 
counteract potential stereotyping and to encourage culturally-sensitive 
service delivery is to understand the abundant diversity within Indian 
culture.
    Goals:
     To enhance the provision of culturally-sensitive services 
by non-Indian Federal criminal justice personnel to Native American 
victims of crime;
     To create a package of material that includes a monograph, 
a companion trainer's guide/training curriculum, and a video designed 
to promote a better understanding of the diversity among Native 
American people and to improve the quality of the response of Federal 
criminal justice personnel and victim assistance providers to Native 
American victims of crime; and
     To disseminate information about effective strategies for 
responding to Native American crime victims through the monograph, 
training curriculum, and video to Federal criminal justice personnel 
having jurisdiction in Indian Country.
    Objectives:
     To identify and assess effective practices and related 
training material used by law enforcement and victim assistance 
agencies to respond in culturally-sensitive ways to victims of crime 
who are Native American;
     To develop and print a monograph that promotes awareness 
of the diverse needs of Native American victims of crime, as well as a 
companion trainer's guide/training curriculum, incorporating skills-
building exercises and effective strategies for providing culturally-
sensitive services to Native American victims of crime;
     To develop a broadcast quality video tape that promotes 
awareness of the diverse needs of Native American victims of crime and 
state of the art strategies for providing culturally sensitive services 
to Native American victims of crime; [[Page 21925]] 
     To provide a train-the-trainers segment during an 
appropriate OVC-sponsored training event; and
     To disseminate up to 200 final copies of the products to 
appropriate Federal criminal justice and victim assistance personnel in 
the field.
    Program Strategy: The project will consist of four phases:
Phase 1
     Develop a plan describing how the identification, review, 
and assessment of existing material and effective practices will be 
completed (including the use or guidance of an advisory committee as 
appropriate);
     Identify, review, and assess the existing training 
curricula, relevant literature, and effective practices regarding the 
treatment of and services to Native American victims of crime; and
     Develop a report for OVC detailing the results of the 
assessment.
Phase 2
     Upon successful completion of phase 1, develop a plan for 
designing the monograph, and trainer's guide/training curriculum; and
     Develop a draft monograph that explores the general 
principles, practical approaches, and key issues defining culturally-
sensitive treatment of Native American victims of crime, including the 
need for cross-cultural practice in the delivery of effective criminal 
justice and victim assistance services by non-Indians; the impact of 
one's own values and beliefs on the delivery of effective services; 
cross-cultural assessment of victims' emotional, physical, and 
financial needs; culturally-sensitive interviewing techniques of a 
Native American victim; and the elements of effective service delivery.
Phase 3
     Upon successful completion of phase 2, develop a plan for 
incorporating the finished products into an appropriate OVC-sponsored 
training event, such as the provision of a train-the-trainers segment; 
and
     Develop a trainer's guide/curriculum and video that serves 
as a companion to the monograph. The training guide should be part of 
the training curriculum and should include example transparencies, 
hypothetical case examples, or other training tools that would convey 
the information. The core training curriculum should incorporate basic 
skills in cross-cultural practice, including elements of effective 
service delivery and the impact of an individual's own values on 
culturally-sensitive interviewing of the Indian client. The training 
curriculum and video also should be developed in a modular format, 
allowing for maximum flexibility of the trainers and participants given 
the jurisdiction or region of the country where the training will 
occur. The training curriculum will be showcased during an OVC-approved 
training conference.
Phase 4
     Upon successful completion of phase 3, develop a plan to 
inform the field of the products and make them available to Federal 
criminal justice personnel and victim service agencies through an OVC-
sponsored training event and other means;
     Print and disseminate 200 copies of the packaged material 
to the field (dissemination can partially be achieved through an 
appropriate OVC-sponsored training event that would feature a train-
the-trainer block of instruction); and
     Develop a final report that includes an assessment of the 
effort.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Experience in developing training curricula for use by 
victim assistance and criminal justice personnel;
     Experience in providing culturally-sensitive training and 
technical assistance;
     Demonstrated knowledge of the issues associated with the 
criminal justice system's handling of Native American crime victims;
     Demonstrated knowledge in assessing the emotional needs, 
rights, and concerns of Native American victims of crime; and
     Experience in reviewing, analyzing, and preparing 
educational materials, including videos that are culturally-sensitive 
to the needs of crime victims.
    Selection Criteria: All applicants will be evaluated and rated 
based upon the extent to which they address the following criteria:
    A. Utility of the project: (10 Points)
    Project's purpose, goals, and objectives are clearly stated and the 
usefulness of the project to the field is clearly defined by the 
applicant;
    B. Project Strategy/Design: (25 Points)
    Project's plan for undertaking activities is sound, specific, and 
includes how the applicant intends to achieve the purpose, goals, and 
objectives of the project;
    C. Implementation Plan: (25 Points)
    Project's implementation plan is thorough and is appropriately tied 
to the project strategy such that adequate time lines and staff 
resources can be identified;
    D. Qualifications of Organization/Project Staff: (25 Points)
    Applicant possesses the necessary management, staff, and financial 
capabilities to successfully undertake the project;
    E. Budget: (10 Points)
    Applicant's proposed budget directly relates to the project 
strategy and implementation plan, includes reasonable and allowable 
costs, and provides narrative detailed on the project's proposed cost; 
and
    F. Assessment Plan: (5 Points)
    Applicant includes a strategy for testing the effectiveness of the 
materials through use of training assessment forms or provides other 
means for the field to review and comment on drafts as the products are 
developed.
    Award Period: 18 months.
    Contact: Bill Brantley, (202) 616-3574.
Indian Nations Conference (Cooperative Agreement)-- Award Amount: 
$200,000, to be awarded in FY 1996
    Purpose: To improve the skills of diverse professionals in 
responding to the needs of Native American crime victims and in 
handling cases of family violence, child sexual and physical abuse.
    Background: Through the Victims Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) 
program, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has supported victim 
service programs in over 50 tribal organizations in 19 states. Further, 
under the Children's Justice Act (CJA) Discretionary Grant Program for 
Native Americans, OVC has provided direct funding to 28 tribes to 
improve the investigation, prosecution, and handling of child abuse 
cases.
    Since 1988, OVC has sponsored five national conferences to bring 
together tribal, state, and Federal professionals who work on behalf of 
crime victims in Indian Country. Those conferences have provided 
training by Native Americans and others on promising practices and 
approaches for investigating, prosecuting and handling cases and for 
establishing effective victim assistance services. In addition, they 
have presented models for combining the resources at the tribal, 
Federal, and state levels to improve the response to crime victims in 
Indian Country and have provided an opportunity to experience the rich 
diversity of tribal customs. In 1994, nearly 600 participants 
representing approximately 100 tribes attended the fifth Indian Nations 
Conference.
    Goal: To sponsor a national conference to train victim service 
personnel and professionals involved in [[Page 21926]] providing 
services and securing rights for crime victims in Indian Country.
    Objectives:
     To review current information on victim assistance and how 
crime victim cases are handled in Indian Country;
     To plan an agenda for the national conference using a 
planning committee with tribal, Federal, and state representatives;
     To fund the travel of tribal representatives to the 
conference;
     To present a three-day national conference; and
     To complete an assessment of the training provided and 
identify strategies for future training.
    Program Strategy:
I. Assessment
     Compilation of information on victim assistance and child 
abuse programs in Indian Country and previous Indian Nations 
Conferences; and
     Establishment of a planning committee composed of tribal, 
Federal, and state representatives with OVC's recommendations and 
approval.
II. Planning
     Convening of the planning committee to decide upon 
conference site, dates, theme, agenda, presenters, and speakers;
     Development of the conference agenda with OVC review and 
approval;
     Arrangement of conference facilities;
     Publication of conference brochure with scholarship 
application;
     Notification of tribal, Federal, and state personnel of 
conference and solicitation of scholarship applications;
     Compilation of victim assistance materials in a conference 
notebook; and
     Selection of scholarship recipients with OVC approval.
    Scholarships to pay for travel, lodging, per diem and registration 
will be awarded to individuals in the following order of priority: (1) 
VAIC subgrantees and CJA grantees; (2) tribal representatives attending 
as part of a multidisciplinary team (see next paragraph); and (3) 
others involved in victim assistance and/or child abuse case handling 
services.
    In an effort to enhance tribal-Federal-state partnerships, a 
portion of the scholarship funds should be set aside for tribal 
representatives attending as part of a multidisciplinary team. The 
scholarship application should set forth this priority. Examples of 
individuals on a multidisciplinary team would include: A tribal 
prosecutor; a tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement 
officer; a tribal child protective services worker; a tribal victim 
assistance coordinator; an Assistant U.S. Attorney; a Federal Victim-
Witness Coordinator; and a Federal investigator.
III. Training
     Host three-day national training conference.
    The purpose of the conference will be to: Enhance the skills of 
victim service providers in Indian Country; train professionals 
involved in the investigation, prosecution, and management of child 
abuse cases; promote an interdisciplinary strategy to respond to Native 
American crime victimization and child abuse; and present established 
and new models, including traditional approaches, of assisting Native 
American crime victims and handling child abuse cases.
    The conference will also serve as a forum for promoting 
communication among tribal, Federal, and state officials, exchanging 
information on promising practices unique to Indian Country, 
``showcasing'' promising programs, and identifying and solving 
problems.
IV. Assessment
    The grantee must review conference assessments and prepare a 
conference report that includes conference evaluations and 
recommendations for future strategies.
    Eligibility Requirements: In addition to the requirements of 
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:
     Knowledge of and experience with victim assistance and 
child abuse case handling in Indian Country; and
     Management capability to organize and host a national 
conference.
    Award Period: 12 months. The award will be made in early FY 1996.
    Contact: Carolyn Hightower, (202) 616-3586.

III. Non-Competitive Programs

    The statement of purpose, goals, objectives, and strategy are not 
outlined in this Program Announcement for continuation and non-
competitive funding. This information will appear in the application 
kits, grant award documents, and reimbursable agreements for the 
programs that follow.
    All grantees awarded new programs following the OVC peer review and 
selection process are expected to work closely with the OVC project 
monitor during all phases of the award period. All written products 
resulting from these grants must be submitted on computer disk and in 
hard copy.

A. OVC Training and Technical Assistance Resources

Trainers Bureau--$170,000
     Through the Trainers Bureau, OVC responds to requests for training 
and technical assistance by providing expert consultants in the field 
of victim services. Skilled trainers capable of conducting high quality 
workshops are available to offer training and technical assistance at a 
wide range of victim-related conferences, seminars, and other types of 
training events. The Trainers Bureau also includes professionals 
capable of providing appropriate, effective on-site technical 
assistance to address significant operational problems or needs 
commonly experienced by agencies.
    For further information, either as an agency wishing to apply for 
assistance or a party interested in serving as a consultant, contact 
Vicki Rapoport, (202) 616-3572. Applications will be accepted for 
consideration throughout the award period.
Immediate Response to Emerging Problems (IREP)--$50,000 in Early FY 
1996
    IREP allows OVC the flexibility to respond to requests for training 
or technical assistance from communities and Federal, state, and local 
agencies that must respond to a major crisis involving multiple 
victims. This jointly funded OVC/BJA program provides rapid response 
victim assistance for communities in crisis. Through this program, OVC 
can sponsor a team of diverse professionals, including mental health 
providers, law enforcement, victim advocates, and medical personnel, to 
assist these communities.
    Approved on-site assistance will be short-term, generally between 
one and three days. No funds will be awarded directly to successful 
applicants. OVC and BJA will absorb all costs in accordance with 
Federal guidelines. Requests for assistance must not exceed $10,000.
    Applications will be accepted throughout FY 1995 and 1996. For 
further information, contact David Osborne, (202) 616-3580, or Sue 
Shriner (Federal cases), (202) 616-3577.
Assistance for Victims of Federal Crime (Reimbursable Agreement)--
$75,000
    Since 1988, OVC has provided funds to support essential emergency 
victim services, such as emergency shelter and transportation to 
scheduled judicial proceedings, for Federal crime victims when these 
services are unavailable from any other source. OVC will continue this 
program so that funds can [[Page 21927]] be made available for victim-
witness coordinators in United States Attorneys' offices to obtain 
services needed by Federal crime victims.

B. Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Law Enforcement

Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Law Enforcement 
(Continuation)--$460,000
    OVC is responsible for training law enforcement personnel from over 
70 Federal agencies in the delivery of services to victims of Federal 
crime. OVC will enter into Reimbursable and Interagency Agreements to: 
(1) Transfer $75,000 to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to 
support its Victim-Witness Program by assisting with the salary of one 
staff member and sending FBI Victim-Witness Coordinators/agents to a 
yearly in-service training; (2) make $100,000 available to the 
Department of Treasury's Federal Law Enforcement Training Center 
(FLETC) to support basic and advanced training for Federal law 
enforcement officers, a training conference for Federal criminal 
justice personnel on bias crime, a train-the-trainer session for 
Federal Victim-Witness Coordinators, Federal agency specific training 
sessions, and production of two training videos; and (3) set aside 
$100,000 to assist other Federal agencies with their mandated victim-
witness program training needs. Federal agencies may submit requests to 
OVC for financial assistance. These requests must be accompanied by 
specific training plans and detailed budgets. Selections will be based 
on cost effectiveness and the capacity of the project to improve victim 
assistance services.
    OVC will provide $185,000 to sponsor the attendance of Federal law 
enforcement personnel at OVC sponsored or other approved training 
sessions. In FY 95, OVC will send participants and trainers to the 
following training sessions: (1) OVC's military ``Crime Victims and 
Corrections;'' (2) OVC's ``Military Communities Assisting Crime 
Victims;'' (3) OVC's Dual Track Conference with EOUSA; (4) OVC's 
``Multi-jurisdictional Child Exploitation'' project; (5) the National 
Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse; (6) trainings provided by the National 
Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse; and (7) other training sessions 
as approved by the OVC Director. These activities will be supported 
through financial mechanisms such as Interagency Agreements and travel 
reimbursements.

C. Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Victim-Witness 
Coordinators and Prosecutors in U.S. Attorneys' Offices (Continuation)

Training and Technical Assistance for Federal Victim-Witness 
Coordinators and Prosecutors in U.S. Attorneys' Offices--$350,000
    To improve the response of the Federal criminal justice system to 
the needs and rights of crime victims, OVC will enter into a 
Reimbursable Agreement with the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. 
This initiative will support training and technical assistance programs 
for Federal victim-witness coordinators and prosecutors, including:
     $150,000 to fund a model Victim-Witness Assistance Program 
within a U.S. Attorney's office to address the unique needs of Federal 
crime victims, such as victims of white collar crime and bank robbery. 
The program, funded in cooperation with BJA, will produce model 
policies and program materials to benefit all U.S. Attorneys' Offices 
and provide comprehensive victim assistance services.
     $75,000 to reimburse expenses at OVC approved or sponsored 
training sessions and conferences on victim and witness assistance, 
including a joint OVC/EOUSA training session in September, 1995;
     $75,000 to reimburse Federal Districts for providing 
District-Specific Training involving victims' rights legislation and 
compliance with the 1991 Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and 
Witness Assistance; and,
     $50,000 to reimburse expenses for Federal victim-witness 
coordinators and Federal prosecutors to attend the 11th Annual National 
Symposium for Child Sexual Abuse in Huntsville, Alabama.

D. Training and Technical Assistance for Crime Victim Practitioners and 
Allied Professionals

Multi-jurisdictional Model for Handling Child Sexual Exploitation Cases 
(Continuation)--$100,000
    This continuation grant to the Education Development Center, Inc. 
(EDC) will expand the scope of a current joint OVC/OJJDP project. Using 
$50,000 from OVC and $50,000 from OJJDP, the grant will allow EDC to 
provide training using the protocol developed during the first phase of 
the grant. The protocol, Blueprint for Action, offers a coordinated 
approach for handling these cases. EDC will promote the widespread 
adoption of the model by showcasing the protocol at the National 
Symposium on Child Sexual Abuse and by providing training on the model 
in three cities.
Expanding Resources for Children's Advocacy Centers (Non-competitive)--
$100,000
    OVC seeks to combine efforts with OJJDP and private non-profit 
organizations to identify and fill current needs of children's advocacy 
centers (CACs) and other service providers. OVC will collaborate with 
these organizations to fund programs that expand resources for 
multidisciplinary teams and extend the concept of teamwork used by CACs 
to other kinds of crimes, such as family violence.

Violence Against Women

Training and Technical Assistance to Combat Violence Against Women 
(Non-Competitive)--$200,000
    The recently enacted Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 18 U.S.C. 2265, 
makes formula grants available to states for developing and 
strengthening effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies and 
victims services in cases involving crimes against women. OVC will 
provide funding for and work with the Department of Justice's VAWA 
Office to develop appropriate programs.
    No applications are being solicited at this time. OVC resources 
will be dedicated in part to the following areas of need:
    1. The Full Faith and Credit provision of VAWA mandates that 
protection from abuse orders issued in one jurisdiction receive ``full 
faith and credit'' in another locale. The provision seeks to ensure 
that valid protection orders will be enforced by non-issuing states 
when a victim travels across state lines. Protection orders issued in 
Native American lands also must be given ``full faith and credit'' by 
state courts and non-issuing other tribal courts.
    OVC funding will be allocated for the development of model policies 
and procedures on implementation and enforcement of the Full Faith and 
Credit provisions, and to train state and local criminal justice 
components and advocates. Efforts will be made to ensure that the 
project builds on work previously undertaken to address related issues, 
such as the development of model legislation and research on needed 
reforms.
    2. OVC funding also will be allocated to the development of 
customized, multidisciplinary training and technical assistance for 
local, county, and state jurisdictions responding to violence 
[[Page 21928]] against women. Under this program, teams from one 
community can visit a ``promising program'' in another community to 
learn about multidisciplinary approaches in handling family violence 
cases. This funding will augment limited training and technical 
assistance dollars provided by the Violence Against Women (VAWA) Office 
for states receiving formula grants and will be used for the same 
purposes.
    OVC will reserve up to $200,000 available for this non-competitive 
initiative.
Meeting of the Anti-Stalking Resource Group (Non-competitive)--$9,906
    BJA awarded the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) a 
grant in September 1993 to conduct a series of regional seminars in the 
states on implementing anti-stalking codes. NCJA is invited to convene 
a resource group meeting to conclude its previous work and to issue a 
final report that could be included in OVC's national agenda project 
with a compilation of a historical perspective, promising practices, 
new legislation, and a model statute (see Section IV). $9,906 is 
available to provide support during a 12 month period.
National TRIAD Trainings To Reduce Elder Victimization (Interagency 
Transfer)--$50,000
    In 1988, representatives of the National Sheriffs' Association 
(NSA), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and 
the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) created the TRIAD 
program. TRIAD focuses on how crime, fear of crime, and crime 
victimization adversely impact older Americans and how the 
collaborating agencies can develop effective strategies to improve the 
quality of life for this population. Since then, communities across the 
nation have established more than 150 local TRIADs, and 21 states have 
signed agreements indicating the support of their state police chiefs 
and sheriffs' associations and AARP for this program.
    To complement local efforts, OVC, BJA, and the Administration on 
Aging (AoA) at the Department of Health and Human Services have entered 
into an Interagency Agreement (IA) to fund up to five regional training 
conferences/seminars to support programming directed at elder abuse, 
victimization, provision of community services, and other related 
issues. These conferences will seek to further spread TRIAD programs 
throughout the country, identify model practices used to assist older 
Americans and identify resources, such as local Area Agencies on Aging, 
that can be included within any local strategy addressing crimes 
against older Americans. OVC will make $50,000 available to assist this 
effort. These funds will be transferred to BJA, which will award 
combined OVC, AoA, and BJA funds to NSA to plan and implement these 
conferences.
Training for Military Chaplains (Continuation/Cooperative Agreement)--
$60,000
    This training and technical assistance project will be implemented 
by the current OVC grant recipient, the Spiritual Dimension in Victim 
Services. Traumatized victims of crime on military installations often 
seek assistance from chaplains rather than from other service or law 
enforcement professionals. This project seeks to modify the current 
training manual for military chaplains and to provide up to three 
regional training programs on victim assistance for military chaplains 
from all four military services and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Regional Training Seminar Series: Bias Crime Training for Law 
Enforcement and Victim Assistance Professionals (Continuation)--$55,000
    As discussed Section II, OVC is sponsoring regional training 
seminar series on two topics during Fiscal Year 1995. The basic 
description of this initiative, its purpose, background, goals, and 
objectives are described in that section, as is the program strategy 
for the series on establishing community and institutional crisis 
response teams. The specifics regarding the second series, bias crime 
training for law enforcement and victim assistance professionals, are 
described here, as this grant is a continuation of a previous OVC 
grant.
    This grant, in cooperation with BJA, will expand the scope of an 
OVC grant previously competitively awarded to the Education Development 
Center, Inc. to develop a bias crimes training curriculum that would 
help strengthen the knowledge and skills of law enforcement and victim 
service providers. The training curriculum was developed, and a pilot 
training session was held successfully. The grantee will modify the 
curriculum to include current information about Federal statutes, and 
then offer training at four sites to be selected with the assistance of 
an Advisory Board. Participants of each seminar will develop, as a 
final product of the training event, an action plan for incorporating 
skills learned into their approach to serving the victims of bias 
crimes.
Victim Assistance in Public Housing (Non-competitive)--$25,000
    This project, in cooperation with BJA, will provide resources to 
the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) to gather 
information about current victim assistance efforts in public housing, 
identify potential resources, and develop model strategies for 
furthering victim assistance programs within public housing 
developments.
    This program seeks to: (1) Identify existing victim assistance 
programs operating within public housing developments; (2) assess the 
strengths and weaknesses of these programs and identify major barriers 
to successful delivery of victim services; and (3) solicit these 
programs to work with OVC, the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, other related Federal agencies, and NOVA to identify and 
develop model strategies that support the development and sustainment 
of victim assistance programs within public housing developments.
    NOVA will collect program materials that can be used by public 
housing authorities to establish victim assistance programs and will 
convene meetings with representatives of the above mentioned agencies 
and other experts in order to facilitate discussions and generate 
recommendations. When completed, NOVA will submit a report that 
includes a design for a model public housing victim assistance program 
and recommendations for program implementation.

E. Native American Programs

Assistance to Victims of Federal Crime in Indian Country 
(Continuation)--$765,245
    OVC initiated the Victim Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) 
Program in 1987 to establish a network of ``on-reservation'' victim 
assistance programs in areas of Indian Country so that services 
normally available in towns and cities across the country would also be 
available to crime victims in remote sections of Indian Country. Grants 
were awarded to state agencies to make subgrants to Indian tribes or 
Native American organizations on land areas of Federal jurisdiction. 
Services provided through the tribal programs include crisis 
intervention and counseling to provide emotional support to victims 
following a violent crime; emergency, short-term child care or 
temporary shelter for family violence victims; help in participating in 
Federal criminal justice proceedings; and payment for forensic medical 
examinations for [[Page 21929]] sexual assault victims. Funds may also 
be used for salaries for victim service providers. No applications are 
solicited.
    Due to the progress in this area, OVC will fund continuation grants 
for 19 states to make subgrant awards to support 36 tribal victim 
assistance programs funded in cycles since FY 1989. The program will 
provide continued support to Native American communities in remote 
sections of Indian Country where victim assistance services have 
previously been unavailable or scarce.
    OVC will continue funding for all participating states in FY 1995 
and for the four new states through FY 1997. OVC also is exploring 
alternative strategies for supporting the program and will seek 
information from VAIC programs and others.
Training and Technical Assistance for Native American Children's 
Justice Act Grantees (Continuation/Cooperative Agreement)--$305,000
    This program will continue support for a grant awarded to the 
National Indian Justice Center (NIJC) in 1994 to provide comprehensive, 
skills-building training and technical assistance to Indian tribes and 
organizations that were awarded grants as part of the Children's 
Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native Americans (CJA). The 
purpose of the CJA program is to assist tribes to improve the handling 
of serious child abuse cases, especially child sexual abuse cases. This 
grant also will support the development and production of a ten minute 
video for tribal leaders that explains the importance of a coordinated 
effort among tribal agencies in implementing the CJA program.
    The training provided has been individually tailored to each 
tribe's special circumstances and needs. As a result, tribes have 
established, expanded, and trained multi-disciplinary teams; revised 
tribal codes; developed protocols and procedures for handling child 
sexual abuse cases; and developed procedures for managing child-
centered interview rooms. OVC seeks to ensure that all tribal programs 
receiving CJA grants are provided the training and technical assistance 
necessary to successfully implement their programs. No additional 
applications are being solicited in FY 1995. For further information, 
please contact Cathy Sanders, (202) 616-3578.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Indian Country 
(Continuation)--$53,635
    While currently there are 549 certified CASA programs in 50 states 
with 33,000 volunteers, only two such programs operate in the 170 court 
systems of Federally recognized tribal governments. This program will 
support the development of CASA programs in Indian Country so that 
tribal courts funded through this program will be able to assign 
advocates to represent the best interests of children. This program is 
especially important in Indian Country since a tribal court may serve 
as a Native American child's only recourse to protection and justice.
    OVC will transfer funds to OJJDP to be awarded to the National CASA 
Association for the purpose of supporting child advocacy programs in 
Indian Country. Of the total amount, $23,635 will go toward the 
organization of a tribal CASA symposium in conjunction with the 
National CASA Conference. The symposium will develop a plan to swiftly, 
effectively, and sensitively adapt the CASA concept to the needs of 
tribal courts. The remaining $30,000 will be used to support the 
establishment of two tribal CASA programs.
Children's Justice Act Discretionary Grant Program for Native Americans 
(Continuation)--$525,000
    In 1988, the Victims of Crime Act was amended to make funding 
available annually to Indian tribes and organizations to improve the 
handling of child abuse cases. Since 1989, OVC has granted annual 
awards to Indian tribes to improve the systemic response to serious 
cases of child abuse in a way that increases support for and lessens 
trauma to child victims.
    Since 1989, OVC has provided funding to 28 tribes for a range of 
activities including: Development of protocols and procedures for 
reporting, investigating, and prosecuting child sexual abuse cases; 
collaboration among professionals that minimizes the number of child 
interviews; establishment, expansion, and training of multidisciplinary 
teams; revision of tribal codes to address child sexual abuse; child 
advocacy services for children involved in court proceedings; enhanced 
case management and treatment services; specialized training for 
prosecutors, judges, criminal investigators, and other professionals 
who handle child sexual abuse cases; development of procedures for 
establishing and managing child interview rooms; and special 
prosecution units.
    This program will extend the progress made during the award year 
and ensure that systemic improvements are fully developed, defined, 
effectively implemented, and operating so as to result in improved 
investigation, prosecution, and overall handling of serious child abuse 
and neglect and child sexual abuse cases. The projects (Ramah Navajo 
School Board, Inc., Salt River Indian Community, Fort Peck Assiniboine 
and Sioux Tribes, Chugachmuit, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Omaha Tribe of 
Nebraska, South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency, and Shoshone Tribal 
Business Council) will be funded early in FY 1996.
Travel/Training and Technical Assistance for Native Americans (Non-
competitive)--$53,665
    This program will provide assistance to Indian tribes seeking a 
range of specialized training for tribal professionals. This program is 
designed to meet the training needs of individual tribal personnel who 
handle complex child abuse cases and who manage other child victim 
programs. Specifically, the program will: (1) Support trainers at 
various OVC sponsored training sessions that focus on assisting child 
victims in Indian Country, and send Native American participants to 
these events; (2) provide an array of assistance, training, and travel 
to the CJA grantees and other tribal organizations that may request 
assistance; and (3) develop a model CJA application that tribes can use 
in developing their own applications.
Tribal Judges Project (Non-competitive)--$80,000
    OVC will work with other DOJ components as well as the 
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to identify a range of 
training and technical assistance strategies or projects that will 
assist tribes to improve the handling of child abuse and family 
violence. The funds will be used to support training and technical 
assistance for Federally-recognized tribes participating in DOJ 
projects or grant programs directed to improving tribal systems of 
justice and the handling of child and spouse abuse cases. Planning will 
continue throughout the year with DOJ entities such as BJA, the Office 
of Tribal Justice, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the 
Violence Against Women Office, and other offices that are funding 
projects in Indian Country. Example of activities that could be funded 
include:
     Support for tribal judges and clerks of court to attend 
multidisciplinary trainings scheduled to occur in Federal Districts 
throughout 1995;
     Assistance in developing tribal codes or protocols within 
and among tribal governments, and memoranda of understanding to 
coordinate the [[Page 21930]] response of the tribal, state, and 
federal systems of justice in handling family violence cases;
     Attendance for tribal judges at specialized training 
courses, seminars, or conferences;
     Training or support for a planning meeting or focus group 
initiated by a tribe to develop specific procedures for coordinating 
the civil and criminal aspects of tribal, state, and federal justice 
systems.

F. Dissemination of Information

Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (Continuation)--$261,084
    The OVC Resource Center serves as a national clearinghouse of 
information concerning victim and witness assistance programs, victim 
compensation programs, and organizations from the private sector that 
assist victims and witnesses. In addition, it establishes liaisons with 
national, state, local, and private sector organizations whose 
activities are directed toward improving services for victims and 
witnesses and maintains directories of state, local, and private sector 
programs, resources, and experts.
    Since 1986, OVC has supported the Resource Center as part of the 
National Criminal Justice Reference Service contract. In order to 
maintain and enhance Resource Center activities during FY 1995, OVC, in 
cooperation with BJA, will make $261,084 available to Aspen Systems 
Inc.
Crime Victim Compensation Videotape (Non-Competitive)--$30,000
    This non-competitive grant to the National Association of Crime 
Victim Compensation Boards (NACVCB) will continue an existing grant and 
build upon a previous grant that produced a highly successful video 
about compensation benefits for Native Americans. NACVCB will produce a 
video that explains how the compensation program works so that victims 
will understand the basics of the program. NACVCB will use the ``core 
script'' that was written for the previous video. The video will be 
distributed to all military bases, National Parks, and other areas of 
Federal jurisdiction and made available nationally to organizations and 
programs assisting crime victims. In addition, OVC will use the 
``masters'' of the video to make copies available on a fee-for-service 
basis through the OVC Resource Center.
Reproduction of Federal Victim Assistance Informational Materials 
(Continuation)--$120,000
    OVC has responsibility for the preparation, publication, and 
distribution of informational materials that describe Federal crime 
victims' rights and available services. In FY 95, OVC will support:
     The publication of revised Attorney General Guidelines for 
Victim and Witness Assistance ($20,000);
     The development, printing and distribution of a Federal 
Resource Book for Federal agencies ($40,000);
     The printing and distribution to all U.S. Attorneys' 
offices of a Federal supplement to the manual ``Prosecution of Child 
Abuse'' ($10,000);
     The development and distribution of briefing packages to 
assist Federal Victim-Witness Coordinators ($10,000); and
     The printing and distribution of ``Going to Court'' 
activity books and parent's handbooks for child victims required to 
testify in court ($40,000).
    These materials will be reproduced within DOJ or as the result of 
Interagency Agreements.
Conference and Meeting Support Grant (Non-Competitive)--$75,000
    OVC will retain up to $75,000 to handle the logistical planning and 
implementation tasks for OVC-sponsored conferences and events. These 
events are likely to include:
     A focus group of ten to 15 ministers, rabbis, and priests 
from a variety of religious traditions will be convened to provide 
input to OVC on developing and presenting appropriate training for 
members of the clergy;
     A focus group of approximately ten to 12 members will meet 
to make recommendations regarding continuing support for the Victim 
Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) program, and to identify strategies 
for strengthening the program and assisting subgrantees; and
     Support for unanticipated conferences and events that OVC 
may wish to conduct in the course of the year.

G. Restorative Justice Symposium

Restorative Justice Symposium (Interagency Transfer)--$30,000
    In attempting to ensure that justice is administered fairly and 
impartially, our system of criminal justice makes crime a violation 
against the state. A consequence of this approach is that crime 
victims--those who personally suffer the impact of crime--are often 
excluded from their own cases. The focus usually is placed on the 
offender's crime, rights, and needs, and the sanction that represents 
society's just retribution. The current system often fails to hold the 
offender accountable to either the victim or the community, both of 
which are harmed by crime.
    Restorative justice is a philosophical framework that allows the 
victim and the community to participate actively in the criminal 
justice process. Both must be restored, insofar as possible, from the 
harm done by the offender. The community has an additional role: To 
assist offenders in re-building their ties to the community as 
responsible citizens. This role is crucial for the community to be 
interactively engaged in the administration of justice.
    This activity will be conducted under a current NIJ contract. The 
NIJ contractor will plan, organize, and conduct a transfer of knowledge 
symposium on restorative justice. The symposium will bring together 
policy and decision makers from a number of environments, including the 
political arena, victim services, criminal justice, academia, and 
research. Participation in the symposium will be by invitation only, 
with no more than 80 in attendance.
    For further information, contact Susan Laurence, OVC, (202) 616-
3573 or Cheryl Crawford, NIJ, (202) 514-6210.

IV. National Crime Victims Agenda

Update of the 1982 Final Report of the President's Task Force on 
Victims of Crime (Non-Competitive)--$125,000

    In 1982, the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime issued its 
final report--a comprehensive blueprint of 68 recommendations designed 
to improve the treatment of the nation's crime victims by the criminal 
justice system and other sectors of society. The report was the first 
Federal study of its kind and spearheaded a national momentum toward 
securing specific victim rights and developing services responsive to 
the unique needs of crime victims.
    In the decade that followed, state governments and the Federal 
government adopted many of the recommendations in the 1982 report. At 
the Federal level, the Office for Victims of Crime was established to 
serve as the national advocate for crime victims and to administer the 
Crime Victims Fund. The Fund, derived from fines, penalty assessments, 
and bond forfeitures leveled against Federal criminal offenders, was an 
innovative idea for helping to fund state compensation and assistance 
programs at the local level, supporting victims of Federal crimes, and 
providing national scope training and technical assistance. Since the 
publication of the report, victim services have expanded throughout the 
country and many service providers have received specialized training 
regarding crime victim issues. Victim advocacy groups have developed 
nationwide [[Page 21931]] memberships and have gained prominence. Both 
the states and the Federal government also have enacted numerous laws 
designed to establish and protect the rights of crime victims.
    This announcement is provided for informational purposes only. No 
applications are being solicited. OVC is sponsoring a new report that 
will assess crime victims-related reforms achieved during the past 
thirteen years and set forth recommendations for the future. 
Approximately thirty national experts will assist in preparing the 
report by participating in a two-day round-table discussion of crime 
victim issues and drafting background papers on specific crime victim 
related topics.
    OVC will make up to $125,000 available for this project in FY 1995. 
The project is being jointly funded by OVC and BJA. For further 
information, contact Sharon English, (202) 616-3588, or Melanie Smith, 
(202) 616-3575.

V. Solicitations for FY 1996

Victim Assistance Academy (Continuation)

    In 1994, OVC solicited applications for a grant to establish a 
Victim Assistance Academy for the purpose of making high quality 
intensive training available to victim service providers across the 
country from Federal, state, tribal and local settings. OVC anticipated 
that the project would be an initial step toward establishing an annual 
training event and creating a professional school and training program 
for victim service providers. In early 1995, the grant was awarded to a 
consortium of national victim assistance organizations that included 
the Victims' Assistance Legal Organization, the National Crime Victims 
Research and Treatment Center of the Medical University of South 
Carolina, and California State University-Fresno. The grantee was 
funded to design an interdisciplinary training curriculum, develop a 
bibliography of training curricula, and produce a video of training 
highlights with an accompanying viewer's guide and participant training 
manual. OVC will work with the grantee during the year to evaluate the 
products developed and determine if the project will be continued and 
expanded in Fiscal Year 1996. Accordingly, OVC will reserve $100,000 
that could be awarded to continue this effort in early 1996.
Victim Assistance Training for Military Victim Assistance Providers 
(Continuation)--$40,000
    Continued funding will be provided to the National Organization for 
Victim Assistance (NOVA) to improve direct services to victims of crime 
on military installations by providing training in program development, 
program management, and direct victim services for military justice 
personnel. This grant will supplement an existing grant that provides 
for three regional victim assistance training conferences for criminal 
justice professionals from military installations. The current grant 
combines the expertise and resources of NOVA, OVC, and the Department 
of Defense (DoD) to provide comprehensive skills training on crime 
victims' issues. Two additional training sessions will be held, one in 
Germany and one in the Far East, to accommodate the overseas military 
installations that were unable to attend FY 95 training sessions 
because of cost and space limitations. All grant activities will be 
coordinated with DoD's Victim Assistance Advisory Council. OVC is 
announcing this continuation grant in FY 95; however, the grant award 
will be made October 1, 1995 with FY 96 funding.
Regional Coordination Initiative
    This project seeks to create a network of trainers and technical 
assistance providers who will enhance existing victim services by 
planning, managing, and conducting innovative training events at the 
regional level. This new initiative will identify Regional Field 
Coordinators (RFC) who, with support from OVC, will develop and 
implement regional training and technical assistance projects on victim 
issues. OVC will divide the nation into four regions, as the National 
Institute of Corrections has done for its Regionalization Program, 
which serves as the prototype for this initiative. Four individuals per 
region will be selected to serve as RFCs.
    Immediately after their selection, the RFCs will begin an 
assessment of the major training and technical needs in their local 
areas. Late in the first project quarter, all 16 RFCs will meet for a 
three day orientation and planning meeting in Washington, DC. OVC will 
cover all travel-related expenses for the meeting. During this meeting, 
the four RFCs for each region will plan and organize one training or 
technical assistance activity that their group will sponsor during the 
year. They will base their plans on input they have gathered from 
victim service providers and trainers in the assessment process.
    Through the Trainers Bureau, OVC will provide up to $3,500 to each 
region toward the support of the annual training or technical 
assistance project. The RFCs will be responsible for marketing the 
project throughout the region, processing applications from 
participants who wish to attend, and organizing the event. It is 
expected that training participants or their agencies will cover the 
travel-related costs of attending the training.
    Since the RFC is an unpaid volunteer position, those serving in 
this capacity will do so with the support of their own agencies and 
organizations. The chief executive officer of the employer of each 
prospective RFC must agree in writing to allow the employee to 
participate in RFC activities as a part of their regular job. They must 
also agree to permit the RFC to spend a portion of time on RFC tasks 
and to use limited amounts of the agency's telephone, mail, and 
duplication resources in carrying out these tasks. RFC responsibilities 
last for one year, and may be renewable on a yearly basis for up to 
three years.
    Experienced victim service providers with training and technical 
assistance expertise, working either in public or private agencies, are 
encouraged to apply as volunteer regional field coordinators. 
Applications must include written permission from the applicants' 
employers, as stipulated above.
    Individuals will be selected to fill these positions based on their 
skills and experience in the victims field, their expertise in 
providing training and technical assistance, and their capability to 
work collaboratively with other service providers in their area. The 
four coordinators selected from each region should have diverse 
expertise (e.g., family violence, sexual assault, general victim 
services) and represent different types of agencies (e.g., law 
enforcement, prosecutor, private service providers). Geographic 
diversity within each region is also a selection factor.
    Application forms may be requested by writing to: Regional 
Coordination Initiative, Office for Victims of Crime, 633 Indiana 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. 20531. Applications will be accepted 
through September 30, 1995 for the FY 1996 program. For further 
information, contact Susan Laurence, (202) 616-3573.
Concept Papers for FY 1996
    OVC is soliciting short concept papers for innovative demonstration 
and training and technical assistance programs for funding 
consideration in FY 1996. The purpose of this effort is to identify 
innovative ideas falling within OVC's statutory authority to improve 
the response to the nation's crime victims through the provision of 
training and technical assistance. OVC is seeking input from the victim 
assistance field for new ways of meeting [[Page 21932]] the needs of 
crime victims that may be widely applied.
    Concept papers may focus on the needs of a specific group of crime 
victims, such as victims of workplace violence, improving the quality 
of services, or on a new concept or design for providing services. 
These concept papers will permit OVC to identify program areas of 
primary interest to the field, to determine program funding priorities, 
to identify emerging issues, and to explore innovative ideas that 
address crime victim needs by OVC and within the Federal government.
    Concept papers will be reviewed as part of OVC's FY 1996 program 
planning process. The papers should support the development of training 
materials and the delivery of training on specific topics relating to 
crime victims. Topics discussed in the concept papers also should 
address the needs of victim service providers, law enforcement, mental 
health practitioners, the clergy, or others who play a critical role in 
responding to victims of crime.
    A brief program narrative should be included within the concept 
paper to describe the need for the project, the process by which the 
project would be undertaken, the method of determining the effects and 
quality of the project, and the possible products arising from the 
project.
    The submission of a concept paper does not in any way constitute a 
commitment by OVC to award a grant to support any program proposed in 
the concept paper or provide funding to a specific organization.
    Concept papers should be submitted to David Osborne, Special 
Assistant to the Director, OVC, (202) 616-3580 for consideration. The 
concept papers will be reviewed in conjunction with Administration 
priorities, OVC legislative mandates, and staff input during the 
development of OVC's FY 1996 discretionary program planning priorities. 
Invitations to submit applications for funding on a competitive basis 
will be announced in OVC's FY 1996 program plan. A specific invitation 
by OVC to submit a grant application as a result of the concept paper 
review process will not in any way constitute a commitment by OVC to 
award a grant to support that proposed project.

VI. Eligibility Requirements

    In addition to special eligibility requirements listed within the 
individual program descriptions above, the following will apply. 
Applications are invited from public and private non-profit agencies 
and organizations. Applicants must demonstrate that they have ample 
expertise and/or prior experience in the design and conduct of projects 
of a nature similar to that for which they are applying.
    Applicants must also demonstrate that they have the management 
capability, fiscal integrity, and financial responsibility, including, 
but not limited to, an acceptable accounting system and internal 
controls, and compliance with grant fiscal requirements. Applicants who 
fail to demonstrate that they have the capability to manage the program 
will be ineligible for funding consideration.

VII. Application Requirements

    All applicants must submit a completed Application for Federal 
Assistance (Standard Form 424 and OJP Form 4000/3 (1/93) Attachment to 
SF-424), including a program narrative. All applications must include 
the information outlined in this section of the solicitation (Section 
VI, Application Requirements) in Part IV, Program Narrative of the 
application (SF-424). The program narrative of the application must not 
exceed 35 double-spaced pages in length. Applicants that fail to adhere 
to this program requirement will be automatically disqualified from 
competition.
    In accordance with Executive Order No. 12549, 28 CFR 67.510, 
applications must also provide Certifications Regarding Lobbying, 
Debarment, Suspension, and other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free 
Workplace Requirements (OJP Form 4061/6), which will be supplied with 
the application package, and must be submitted with the application.
    Applications that include non-competitive contracts for the 
provision of specific services must include a sole source justification 
for any procurement in excess of $100,000. Financial questionnaires 
must be completed by new non-governmental (except public colleges, 
universities, and hospitals) applicants. This includes a review of the 
accounting system and a determination that periodic audits are 
performed to ensure fiscal integrity. New or supplemental awards may 
not be made to applicants with delinquent financial or progress 
reports, delinquent or unresolved audit reports, delinquent Federal 
debts, other unresolved issues of fiscal integrity, or to applicants 
who have been debarred or suspended from Federal financial and non-
financial assistance and benefits under Federal programs and 
activities.
    Where indicated, cooperative agreements are awarded to states, 
units of local government, or public or private non-profit 
organizations at the discretion of OVC. Cooperative agreements are used 
when substantial involvement is anticipated between OVC and the 
recipient during performance of the contemplated activity. Interagency 
agreements between OVC and other governmental units or agencies are 
negotiated by the entities involved.
    The following information must be included in the application (SF-
424) Part IV Program Narrative:
    A. Organizational Capability. Applicants must demonstrate that they 
are eligible to compete for a grant on the basis of the eligibility 
criteria established in Section VI of this solicitation. Applicants 
must concisely describe their organizational experience with respect to 
the eligibility criteria specified in each program description listed 
above. Applicants must demonstrate how their organizational experience 
and capabilities will enable them to achieve the goals and objectives 
of the initiative for which they are applying. Applicants are invited 
to append examples of prior work products of a similar nature to their 
application.
    Applicants must demonstrate that their organization has or can 
establish fiscal controls and accounting procedures that assure that 
Federal funds available under this agreement are disbursed and 
accounted for properly. Non-profit applicants who have not previously 
received Federal funds will be asked to submit a copy of the Office of 
Justice Programs Accounting System and Financial Capability 
Questionnaire (OJP Form 7120/1). Copies of the form will be provided in 
the application kit and must be prepared and submitted along with the 
application. The CPA certification (Section H) is required only of 
those non-profit applicants who have not previously received Federal 
funding.
    B. Program Goals and Objectives. A brief statement of the 
applicant's understanding of the goals and objectives of the program 
should be included. The application should also include a problem 
statement and a discussion of the potential contribution of this 
program to the field.
    C. Program Strategy. Applicants should describe the proposed 
approach for achieving the goals and objectives of each program. A 
detailed description of how the activities and projects of each program 
would be accomplished should be included.
    D. Program Implementation Plan. Applicants should prepare a plan 
that outlines the major activities involved in implementing the 
program, describe how they will allocate available 
[[Page 21933]] resources to implement the project, and also describe 
how the program will be managed.
    The plan must also include an organizational chart depicting the 
roles and describing the responsibilities of key organizational and 
functional components and a list of key personnel responsible for 
managing and implementing the major stages of the project. Applicants 
must present detailed position descriptions, qualifications, and 
selection criteria for each position. This documentation and individual 
resumes may be submitted as appendices to the application.
    E. Time-Task Plan. Applicants must develop a time-task plan for the 
duration of the project periods, clearly identifying major milestones 
and products. This must include designation of organizational 
responsibility and a schedule for the completion of the activities and 
products. Applicants should also indicate the anticipated cost schedule 
per month for the entire project period.
    F. Products. Applicants must describe concisely the interim and 
final products of each stage of the program.
    G. Program Budget. Budgets must be accompanied by a detailed 
justification for all costs, including the basis for computation of 
these costs. Applications containing contract(s) must include detailed 
budgets for each organization's expenses.
    H. Assessment. Each grant recipient will be required to submit 
formal findings from an assessment, within 60 days of the completion of 
each year's activities and within 90 days of project completion. Each 
application must provide a plan for assessing the project.

VIII. Procedures for Selection

    All applications will be evaluated and rated based on the extent to 
which they meet the established weighted criteria. In general, all 
applications received will be reviewed in terms of their responsiveness 
to the minimum program application requirements set forth in Section 
VII. Applications will be evaluated by a peer review panel according to 
the OVC Competition and Peer Review Guidance.
    Applications submitted in response to the competitive announcements 
will be evaluated by a peer review panel. The results of the peer 
review will be a relative aggregate ranking of applications in the form 
of ``Summary of Ratings.'' These ordinarily will be based on numerical 
values assigned by individual peer reviewers. Peer review 
recommendations, in conjunction with the results of internal review and 
any necessary supplementary reviews, will assist OVC in considering 
competing applications and in selection of the application for funding. 
The final award decision will be made by the OVC Director.
    Applications for each program description, except where other point 
values or categories have been specifically identified, will be 
evaluated and rated by the peer review panels based on the extent to 
which they meet the following criteria:
    A. Utility of the project (10 points): This refers to the 
applicant's response to the stated project purpose, goals, and 
objectives, and the applicant's explanation of the usefulness of the 
project to the field.
    B. Project Strategy/Design (30 points): This provides a description 
of project components and activities; a specific plan for how the grant 
applicant intends to achieve the purpose, goals and objectives of the 
funded program. The strategy or design must include clear descriptions 
of interim deliverables and final products.
    C. Implementation Plan (10 points): This plan will be judged on the 
realistic identification of tasks according to increments in the 
project period, and the assignment of specific staff to tasks on the 
time-task line.
    D. Organizational Capability (30 points): Points will be awarded 
based on the applicant's statement of the organization's capability to 
successfully undertake this Federally funded project. This will consist 
of two parts: (1) A specific description of the applicant's management 
structure, previous experience with similar or related efforts, and 
financial capability (15 points); and (2) a project management plan and 
documentation of the professional staff members unique qualifications 
to perform their assigned tasks (15 points).
    E. Budget (15 points): Points will be awarded based on the 
enumeration and accompanying narrative of grant costs, to be evaluated 
for clarity, reasonableness, allowability, and cost effectiveness.
    F. A Plan to Assess the Project's Accomplishments (5 points): This 
assigns points based on the grant applicant's plan for assessing the 
impact of the project in accomplishing its goal(s).

IX. Submission Requirements

    All applicants responding to this solicitation are subjected to the 
following requirements:
    1. Upon request to OVC, the necessary forms for application will be 
provided, along with Department of Justice certification information.
    2. Applicants must submit the original signed application (Standard 
Form 424) and two copies to OVC. Applications should not be bound. 
Applicants should also include Certifications Regarding Lobbying; 
Debarment; Suspension and other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free 
Workplace Requirements (Form 4061/6), in order to meet the requirements 
of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690, Title V, 
Subtitle D) and the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form (SF LLL) in 
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 1352.
    3. All applications must be received by mail or hand delivered to 
OVC by 5 p.m. E.S.T. by the established deadline (60 days from date of 
publication of this Program Announcement). Those applications sent by 
mail should be addressed to: Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. 
Department of Justice, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW, Washington DC., 20531, 
ATTN: Administrative Officer. Hand-delivered applications must be taken 
to OVC, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW, Room 1386, Washington, DC. between the 
hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. except weekends or Federal holidays. 
Applications must be received at OVC by 5 p.m. E.S.T. by the 
established deadline date. Postmarks WILL NOT be accepted.
    OVC will notify applicants in writing of the receipt of their 
application. Applicants also will be notified by letters as to the 
decision made regarding whether or not their submission will be 
recommended for funding. Applications will be reviewed as Peer Review 
Panels can be convened. Every effort will be made to review 
applications in a timely manner.

X. Civil Rights Compliance

    A. All recipients of Crime Victims Fund assistance, including 
contractors, must provide Certified Assurances that they are in 
compliance with the non-discrimination requirements of the Victims of 
Crime Act of 1984, as amended, which states: No person shall on the 
ground of race, color, religion, national origin, [disability], or sex 
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be 
subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in connection 
with any undertaking funded in whole or in part with sums made 
available under this chapter. Section 1407(e), 42 U.S.C. 10604.
    Recipients also must assure compliance with the following 
additional statutes and regulations: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 
of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d; section 504 of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973, as [[Page 21934]] amended, 29 U.S.C. 794; Subtitle A, 
Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 
12101, et seq.; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as 
amended, 20 U.S.C. 1681-1683; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as 
amended, 42 U.S.C. 6101, et seq.; and Department of Justice Non-
Discrimination Regulations, 28 CFR part 42, subparts C, D, E, and G.
    B. In the event a Federal or state court or Federal or state 
administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination after a due 
process hearing on the grounds of race, color, religion, national 
origin, sex, or disability against a recipient of funds, the recipient 
will forward a copy of the finding to the Office for Civil Rights, 
Office of Justice Programs.

XI. Audit Requirements

    An audit is required for agencies receiving Federal funds, with 
some exceptions. The purpose of an audit is to determine whether 
Federal funds are being used properly and effectively. Each funded 
agency must provide the name of the Federal cognizant agency where 
their audit report is submitted. In most cases, the agency that 
receives an applicant's audit is the agency that provides the most 
direct funds to applicant during the current fiscal year. If you do not 
know the name of the cognizant agency, please check with your budget 
office. More detailed information on audit requirements are listed in 
the Office of Justice Programs Guideline Manual, Financial and 
Administrative Guide for Grants, May 15, 1990.

XII. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

16.582  Crime victim assistance/discretionary grants
16.583  Children's Justice Act for Native American Indian Tribes
Aileen Adams,
Director, Office for Victims of Crime.
[FR Doc. 95-10333 Filed 5-2-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P