[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 150 (Wednesday, August 5, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 41891-41892] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-20864] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms [Notice No. 863] The Gang Resistance and Education Training Program: Availability of Financial Assistance, Criteria and Application Procedures AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice of availability of funds for financial assistance to State and local law enforcement agencies providing or desiring to provide the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program, intended funding priorities, and application procedures. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) intends to enter into cooperative agreements with State and local law enforcement agencies to assist them in providing the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. This notice also sets forth the intended funding priorities and the criteria and application procedures that ATF will use to select and award State and local law enforcement agencies Federal funds to provide the G.R.E.A.T. Program. DATES: Applications must be received on or before September 4, 1998. ADDRESSES: Send applications to G.R.E.A.T. Branch; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; P.O. Box 50418; Washington, DC 20091-0418; ATTN: Notice No. 863. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas L. Schneider or Jim Scott, G.R.E.A.T. Branch, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, PO Box 50418, Washington, DC 20091-0418 (1-800-726-7070); or by sending electronic mail (E-mail) to: G[email protected], or visit the G.R.E.A.T. website at www.atf.treas.gov/great/great.htm. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background G.R.E.A.T. is a gang prevention program designed to educate the youth about the dangers associated with joining street gangs and participating in violent crime. It functions as a cooperative program that utilizes the skills of ATF, Federal, State and local law enforcement personnel, as well as individuals from the community and civic groups. The G.R.E.A.T. Program trains police officers to provide instruction to grade and middle school aged children in gang prevention and anti-violence techniques. Training may be provided to any Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, to the extent allocated funds allow. G.R.E.A.T. consists of three major phases: Phase I School-Based Education Phase II Summer Education/Intervention Phase III Parent Involvement Although the primary focus of the G.R.E.A.T. Program is Phase I, applicants who are selected for financial assistance will be required to develop programs tailored to their respective communities for Phases II and III. Application Procedures Application for financial assistance shall be made on ATF Form 6410.1 (Gang Resistance Education and Training Funding Application) (form under review at the Office of Management and Budget). Application forms may be obtained by contacting Thomas L. Schneider or Jim Scott, G.R.E.A.T. Branch, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, PO Box 50418, Washington, DC 20091-0418 (1-800-726-7070). E-mail address: G[email protected] or visit the G.R.E.A.T. website at www.atf.treas.gov/great/great.htm. Funding Categories and Funding Distributions In order to provide funding to a range of community sizes and locations, the applicants will be divided into five categories based on population. These categories will consist of populations: (A) 1,000,000 and over; (B) 500,000-999,999; (C) 100,000-499,999; (D) 25,000-99,999; (E) 24,999 or less. Each applicant will be required to report its population figures by using the Bureau of Census State Population Report for its entire service area. The population figures may be obtained from the Census Bureau's website at: www.census.gov/ population/www/estimates or contacting the Census Bureau at 301-457- 2422. After the applications are evaluated, each applicant will be ranked against the other applicants in its [[Page 41892]] category. The funds will then be awarded in descending order until the funding available in each category is exhausted. Criteria and Points Each application will be evaluated and scored on the basis of the following criteria: (1) Juvenile crime statistics--50 points; (2) Percentage of middle school students proposed to be taught and have been taught--20 points; (3) Percentage of elementary school students proposed to be taught--5 points; (4) Agency commitment--15 points; (5) Other--10 points. Criterion 1 (Juvenile Crime Statistics). There are two application categories for Criterion 1, 1:A and 1:B. The categories distinguish between applicants who have participated in the G.R.E.A.T. Program or any other school-based prevention program (such as D.A.R.E.) and those who have not. Applicants who have not participated in the G.R.E.A.T. Program or any other school-based prevention program must apply using Criterion 1:A. Applicants who have completed a year or more of the G.R.E.A.T. Program or any other school-based prevention program, have a choice of applying under Criterion 1:A or 1:B. The maximum value for Criterion 1 will be 50 points. 1:A. Criterion 1:A is designed to measure the magnitude of an applicant's youth crime problem. This criterion will utilize the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) for the United States that are published annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The total juvenile crime figures that will be used are the Part I and II offenses reported in the most recent UCR. The Part I and II offenses that are reported in the UCR are enumerated and defined in Appendix II of the UCR. In the event that an applicant does not provide annual data to the FBI for purposes of the UCR, the applicant should contact the G.R.E.A.T. Branch to determine how it can best submit information to measure its youth crime statistics. ATF will obtain the juvenile crime figures directly from the FBI. An applicant must indicate which service area (i.e., city, county, etc.) ATF should use to obtain their juvenile crime figures. An applicant will receive a score based on its total juvenile crime figures, as reported by the most recent UCR. Scores will be calculated by dividing the applicant's reported population into the total juvenile crime figures reported in the most recent UCR. 1:B. Criterion 1:B is designed to measure a change in an applicant's youth crime problem since using G.R.E.A.T. or other school- based prevention programs. This criterion will also utilize the UCR, as outlined in criterion 1:A. An applicant must indicate which service area (i.e., city, county, etc.) ATF should use to obtain their juvenile crime figures. An applicant will receive a score based on a comparison of its total juvenile crime figures, as reported by the UCR that immediately preceded the applicant's initial participation in the G.R.E.A.T. Program or other school-based prevention program to the most recent UCR. Scores will be calculated by the percentage of decrease in the juvenile crime figures revealed by the most recent UCR. Criterion 2. This criterion will measure middle school participation and consists of two sections, Section A and Section B. Section A. An applicant will receive points based on the percentage of middle school students proposed to be taught G.R.E.A.T. compared to the total population of middle school students in the jurisdiction. The maximum value for this criterion will be 10 points. Section B. An applicant will receive points based on the percentage of middle school students that were taught G.R.E.A.T. in the last school year compared to last year's total population of middle school students. The maximum value for this criterion will be 10 points. Criterion 3. This criterion will measure elementary school participation. An applicant will receive points based on the percentage of elementary school students proposed to be taught G.R.E.A.T. compared to the total population of elementary school students in the jurisdiction. The maximum value for this criterion will be 5 points (the point value is limited to 5 points because the current focus of the G.R.E.A.T. Program is for middle school-aged children). Criterion 4. This criterion will measure the applicant's commitment to the G.R.E.A.T. Program and consists of two sections, Section A and Section B. Section A. This section will compare the total officer staff-hours currently spent teaching the G.R.E.A.T. Program (to include classroom time, preparation, parent programs, and the summer component) in relation to the applicant's total full-time, officer staff. The total value for this section shall be 10 points. Section B. This section will be weighed according to the applicant's plans to create or expand its current program. An applicant will estimate the total additional staff-hours that it plans to spend on the program in the next fiscal year through training additional officers, devoting additional staff-hours using existing G.R.E.A.T. officers, or both. The total planned increase in staff-hours will be scored to a maximum of 5 points. Criterion 5. This criterion will be used to measure other relevant factors. For this criterion, a maximum of 10 points will be awarded for meeting one or more of the following: (1) The applicant has developed and demonstrated a model for a parent program, summer program, after- school program, or community partnership; (2) The applicant has demonstrated support of the National G.R.E.A.T. Program, National Training Team, seminars, or workshops; (3) The applicant has previously expressed and documented an interest in funding support; or (4) The applicant can demonstrate a geographic significance for the expansion of the G.R.E.A.T. Program in its area. Tiebreaker Because all available funds are to be distributed in descending order until exhausted, the potential exists for a value point tie for communities competing for the last remaining funds. In order to distribute funds fairly, tied agencies will be ranked according to their total scores from Criterion I. Paperwork Reduction Act The collection of information contained in this notice is under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507). An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number. Authority and Issuance This notice is issued pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-102 (Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments). Approved: July 31, 1998. John W. Magaw, Director. [FR Doc. 98-20864 Filed 8-4-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4810-31-P