[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3251-3252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1255]



[[Page 3251]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--Development of Training 
Curriculum and Delivery of Managing Initial Criminal Justice Decisions 
Forums

AGENCY:  National Institute of Corrections, Department of Justice.

ACTION:  Solicitation for a cooperative agreement.

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SUMMARY:  The National Institute of Corrections is seeking applications 
for a cooperative agreement to join NIC in assisting five to seven 
local jurisdiction criminal justice policy teams in developing an 
``outcome based decision process'' for the pretrial phase activities of 
their system. This initiative is being undertaken as an interagency 
activity between the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National 
Institute of Corrections.
    NIC has been involved in several projects which examine the 
relationships of component parts of the justice system to each other. 
Our experience indicates that while justice agencies within a 
jurisdiction may have a general working knowledge of what each other 
does, true collaboration is not the norm. One of the purposes of this 
project is to bring jurisdictional policy makers together to discuss 
and define what they want as an outcome for their pretrial efforts. To 
assist them in defining their desired outcome statement, NIC will 
provide them with information on best practices together with team 
building activities designed to produce collaborative planning and 
determine what degree of investment they are prepared to make from 
current and/or new resources to accomplish their desired outcome.
    The cooperative agreement is an assistance relationship in which 
the National Institute of Corrections is substantially involved in all 
aspects of the project during the award period. An award will be made 
to an organization or individual who will, in concert with the 
Institute, provide technical assistance to the selected jurisdictions. 
No funds will be transferred to state or local governments.

Project Objectives

    The goal of the project is to bring together system policy makers, 
affected by pretrial decisions, as a team to build an awareness of 
``outcome based decision making''. NIC will provide them with relevant 
information they can take back home and use in future design and 
implementation. This project will present content information about 
policy adopted and programs implemented in a number of jurisdictions to 
improve case flow, reduce officer court appearances, reduce officers 
processing time, reduce prosecutor and public defender preparation time 
and provide the court with accurate defendant information to 
effectively and efficiently produce desired outcomes. Finally, the 
project will emphasize the need to establish and maintain a policy 
level group for ongoing strategic planning.
    Each local policy team will consist of seven (7) identified 
positions and will attend two three-day forums. The policy team will 
consist of the following representatives: 1. Judge, 2. The Prosecutor, 
3. Chief Law Enforcement Officer, 4. Community Based Victim Advocate, 
5. Pretrial Program Administrator or Jail Administrator, 6. city/county 
CAO/CFO or Executive, 7. Public Defender or Defense Bar. The final team 
participants will be determined based on individual jurisdictional 
circumstances.
    The overall goal is to assist the jurisdiction to produce an 
outcome based policy statement which will be implemented for pretrial 
activities. i.e., reduce the potential for offenses by pretrial 
defendants, reduce the amount of time from arrest to trial and assure 
adequate facilities for all pretrial defendants etc. In support of this 
goal the objectives are:
    1. Discuss what is required to plan a systemic course of action for 
all pretrial activities. i.e., the investment of time to build trust, 
to share resources and to jointly share responsibility.
    2. Identify how their present system works and provide an overview 
of mapping the activities from arrest to trial in each component. 
(Actual mapping activity should occur between the first and second 
forum meeting.)
    3. Develop written policy and procedure based on a systemic plan.
    4. Identify a policy level planning to attend and participate in 
the forums.
    5. Assist the jurisdiction identifying data elements needed for 
policy decisions in future decision making.
    6. Provide exercises during the forums which require team members 
to examine their individual/agency actions against the team's desired 
outcome statement.
    7. Develop strategic planning skills which can be applied to future 
policy making activities.

Design and content of the project

    This project will provide training forums and on-site technical 
assistance to support the development and implementation of a 
collaborative planning process for the components involved in the 
pretrial phase of the criminal justice system. The project will bring 
five to seven jurisdiction teams of seven (7) members each from local 
justice systems to a central location for content presentations and 
team building exercises. It will also provide a limited amount of on-
site technical assistance.
    The project is designed to bring together policy level teams to 
collaboratively define the desired outcome of the pretrial process in 
their jurisdiction and to test out policy change scenarios they develop 
which move toward the desired outcome. Our previous experience in 
working with criminal justice components suggests that before systemic 
change can occur there must be agreement among policy makers. (Of 
course, before the policy can be successful there must be understanding 
and agreement at the implementation point.) Therefore, the 
jurisdictional teams make-up requires those at the top of their 
organizations to be the participants. Each jurisdiction must be willing 
to commit the time and effort of their policy makers to a process of 
team building, visioning and strategic planning to develop both system 
and agency policies which will lead to effective and efficient pretrial 
processes.
    Project assistance will be in the form of providing travel and per 
diem to attend two (2) forums consisting of three (3) days each at the 
National Institute of Corrections, Longmont, Colorado facility. During 
the forums the participants will be provided content information from 
practitioners after which they will produce at a desired outcome 
statement based on their values. Each participating jurisdiction will 
receive one (1) on site technical assistance visit between the first 
and second forum to complete a mapping exercise. Additionally, each 
jurisdiction will have the option of requesting additional technical 
assistance based on their identified needs and the initiatives funding 
limitations.

Scope of Work

    Applicants for this cooperative agreement should propose a training 
and technical assistance plan which identifies how the following tasks 
will be accomplished together with the associated costs:
    1. Identify a group of practitioners for lesson plan development 
and content presentations at forums. The final selection of presenters 
will be a joint NIC/Awardee decision.
    2. Prepare curricula for presentation at two (2) forums. The 
National Institute of Corrections paper entitled ``Designing

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Training for the National Institute of Corrections; Instructional 
Theory into Practice'' will be used in preparing curricula.
    Understanding decision points and their impact. These include but 
are not limited too:
    a. physical vs citation arrest;
    b. information for initial appearance;
    c. diversion programs;
    d. case processing;
    e. community supervision options;
    f. victim perspectives; and
    g. an overview of a strategic planning process which includes a 
description of mapping and visioning.
    A content notebook should be prepared for each participant. The 
notebooks should include current and relevant information on the 
following subjects: citation vs physical arrest, case processing, 
release options, supervision options, jail vs community release, 
economic impact of decisions together with strategic planning and 
visioning information.
    3. Assist in the development and dissemination of program 
application materials.
    4. Assist in the review and rating of applications.
    5. Conduct/contract a pre-forum meeting with each participating 
jurisdiction at their home location to discuss objectives/expectations 
with all participants.
    6. Contract for and pay presenters for two (2) forums of three days 
each in Colorado.
    7. Contract for and pay a facilitator to travel to each 
jurisdiction and assist in a mapping process of all pretrial 
activities. This activity will occur between the first and second forum 
meeting.
    8. Coach faculty for the forum events.
    9. Prepare a program description for dissemination to participants.
    10. Host the forum events.
    11. Prepare and disseminate an evaluation form to participants 
concerning the total initiative including training and technical 
assistance.
    12. Provide documentation of services performed to include number 
of events and participants served.
    Authority: Public Law 93-415.
    Funds Available: The award will be limited to $210,000 (direct and 
indirect costs and project activity must be completed within 12 months 
of the date of award. Funds may not be used for construction, or to 
acquire or build real property. This project will be a collaborative 
venture with the NIC Community Corrections Division.
    Deadline for Receipt of Applications: Applications must be received 
by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2000, 4:00 p.m. Eastern daylight 
time. They should be addressed to: National Institute of Corrections, 
320 First Street, NW, Room 5007, Washington, DC 20534. Hand delivered 
applications should be brought to 500 First Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20534. The front desk will call Bobbi Tinsley at (202) 307-3106, 
extension 0 for pickup.
    Addresses and Further Information: Requests for the applicant kit, 
which includes further details on the project's objectives, etc., 
should be directed to Judy Evens, Cooperative Agreement Control Office, 
National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, N.W., Room 5007, 
Washington, DC 20534 or by calling 800-995-6423, ext. 159, 202-307-
3106, ext. 159, or email: [email protected]. A copy of this announcement, 
application forms, and additional information may also be obtained 
through the NIC web site: http.//www.nicic.org (click on ``What's New'' 
and ``Cooperative Agreements''). All technical and/or programmatic 
questions concerning this announcement should be directed to Al Hall at 
the above address or by calling 800-995-6423 or 2020-307-1300, ext. 
162, or by E-mail via [email protected].
    Eligibility Applicants: An eligible applicant is any state or 
general unit of local government, public or private agency, educational 
institution, organization, team, or individual with the requisite 
skills to successfully meet the outcome objectives of the project.
    Review Considerations: Applications received under this 
announcement will be subjected to an NIC 3 to 5 member Peer Review 
Process.
    Number of Awards: One (1).
    NIC Application Number: 00C01 This number should appear as a 
reference line in your cover letter and also in box 11 of Standard Form 
424.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.601.

    Dated: January 13, 2000.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 00-1255 Filed 1-19-00; 8:45 am]
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