[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 218 (Thursday, November 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67600-67603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28763]



[[Page 67599]]

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

Part V





Department of Justice





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



Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention



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



Program Announcement for the Tribal Youth Field-Initiated Research and 
Evaluation Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 218 / Thursday, November 9, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 67600]]


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

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

[OJP (OJJDP)-1305]


Program Announcement for the Tribal Youth Field-Initiated 
Research and Evaluation Program

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

ACTION: Notice of solicitation.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 
(OJJDP) is requesting applications for the Tribal Youth Field-Initiated 
Research and Evaluation Program to conduct research and evaluation 
projects focusing on youth from federally recognized tribes in the 
areas of alcohol and substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, or 
indigenous approaches to juvenile justice. Research findings will 
inform prevention and intervention efforts with offenders, high-risk 
youth, or juvenile victims of crime.

DATES: Applications must be received by January 23, 2001.

ADDRESSES: All application packages should be mailed or delivered to 
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, c/o Juvenile 
Justice Resource Center, 2277 Research Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K, 
Rockville, MD 20850; 301-519-5535. Faxed or e-mailed applications will 
not be accepted. Interested applicants can obtain the OJJDP Application 
Kit from the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 800-638-8736. The 
Application kit is also available at OJJDP's Web site at 
www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/about.html#kit. (See ``Format'' in this 
program announcement for instructions on application standards.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phelan Wyrick, Research and Program 
Development Division, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention, 202-353-9254. [This is not a toll-free number.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose

    The purpose of this program is to generate high-quality research 
and evaluation focusing on youth from federally recognized tribes \1\ 
that will inform prevention and intervention efforts with offenders, 
high-risk youth, or juvenile victims of crime. Research and evaluation 
will be supported in the specific areas of alcohol and substance abuse, 
child abuse or neglect, and indigenous approaches to juvenile justice. 
Further, OJJDP's Tribal Youth Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation 
Program is intended to support the development of innovative and 
culturally appropriate research methods and instruments for use with 
tribal youth.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Federally recognized Indian tribes include Alaska Native 
tribal governments. Under current law (Fiscal Year 2000 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act), the term ``Indian tribes,'' ``tribal,'' or 
``tribe(s)'' means: ``any Indian tribe, band, nation or other 
organized group or community, including Alaska Native village or 
regional or village corporation as defined in or established 
pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act * * * , which is 
recognized as eligible for the special programs and services 
provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as 
Indians.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authority

    The Fiscal Year 2000 Consolidated Appropriations Act, November 17, 
1999 (Pub. L. 106-113), authorized the Tribal Youth Program (TYP), 
providing $12.5 million to OJJDP to support and enhance tribal 
comprehensive delinquency prevention and control activities and for 
tribal juvenile justice system improvement. Ten percent of the funds 
appropriated for TYP is set aside to support program-related research, 
evaluation, and statistics. Of that total, $500,000 is being made 
available for field-initiated research and evaluation.

Background

    TYP funds support a joint U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. 
Department of the Interior (DOI) Indian Country Law Enforcement 
Initiative. The purpose of the Initiative is to address the compelling 
need to improve the administration of tribal criminal and juvenile 
justice. OJJDP has been charged with sponsoring juvenile justice 
research, evaluation, and statistics in this effort.
    In general, OJJDP funds research activities that derive from 
express congressional direction or address specified statutory priority 
areas. However, it is clear that many creative and important research 
ideas deserving support originate outside the Federal Government. The 
Tribal Youth Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation Program allows 
OJJDP to provide flexible funding for innovative and rigorous research 
that supports TYP and the Indian Country Law Enforcement Initiative.
    At the beginning of the 21st century, the tribal population faces 
myriad challenges. Roughly 30 percent of all tribal members and more 
than 50 percent of those on reservations live below the poverty level 
(U.S. Census Bureau, 1993). The median age of American Indians, 
Eskimos, and Aleuts is estimated to be under 27 years, compared with 
the median age for all races, estimated at about 35 years (U.S. Census 
Bureau, 2000). Yet tribal youth have few opportunities for social, 
educational, or vocational development. Findings from the Bureau of 
Justice Statistics (BJS) 1999 report American Indians and Crime 
highlight several critical issues for tribal youth:
     Rates of violent victimization in every age group are 
higher among American Indians \2\ than among all other races.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The BJS report includes Alaska Natives and Aleuts under the 
term ``American Indian.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     In 1995, American Indians had the highest rate of abuse or 
neglect of children under age 15 of any racial or ethnic group, and 
they experienced the greatest increase in this rate between 1992 and 
1995.
     American Indians under age 18 are arrested for alcohol-
related violations at a rate twice the national average.
    These findings only begin to express the difficulties faced by 
tribal youth and communities, yet they clearly demonstrate the need for 
effective prevention and intervention approaches with offenders, high-
risk youth, and juvenile victims of crime. OJJDP encourages the pursuit 
of new avenues of inquiry and innovative approaches to the problem of 
tribal juvenile delinquency. Support for innovative programming for 
Indian tribes is a priority objective under OJJDP's Tribal Youth 
Program.

Goals

    The goal of this field-initiated research and evaluation program is 
to foster original, rigorous, and scientific research focusing on 
tribal youth populations in one or more of the following areas: Alcohol 
and substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, or indigenous approaches 
to juvenile justice. Research under this program will have direct 
practical implications for improving juvenile justice policy and 
practice.

Objectives

     Conceptualize and investigate research questions dealing 
specifically with alcohol and substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, 
or indigenous approaches to juvenile justice for tribal youth.
     Develop data collection approaches that are both 
scientifically rigorous and culturally appropriate.
     Expand and validate hypotheses on juvenile delinquency as 
they relate to tribal youth.

[[Page 67601]]

     Develop knowledge that will inform new hypotheses, 
techniques, or approaches to improve tribal juvenile justice and 
delinquency prevention programming.

Program Strategy [L1]

    All too frequently, studies addressing tribal juvenile justice and 
delinquency prevention reflect limited knowledge of local cultures and 
indigenous justice systems. To address this gap, the Office of Justice 
Programs has sought guidance from tribal practitioners and researchers 
around the country on such issues as tribal crime and justice research, 
Alaskan tribal justice policies and practices, youth gangs, and suicide 
among tribal youth. Research recommendations that emerged from these 
consultations include the following: (1) Investigators should make 
greater efforts to involve indigenous people in the design and 
implementation of their research, (2) research findings should have 
clear practical implications for the community in which the study was 
conducted and for tribal communities in general, and (3) methods of 
inquiry should be based on and sensitive to local customs and values.
    These recommendations apply to projects funded under the Tribal 
Youth Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation Program. Thus, 
applications submitted under this program should reflect efforts to 
involve tribal members in the design and implementation of any research 
or evaluation to be conducted. Projects should use culturally 
appropriate methods of inquiry and should offer practical implications 
with relevance to both the local community and broader audiences. OJJDP 
expects to use the results of these projects to provide empirically 
based guidance regarding tribal juvenile justice and delinquency 
prevention policies and practices.

Tribal Support

    Applicants must demonstrate that they will be able to conduct the 
proposed research or evaluation with appropriate tribal approval. While 
it is not necessary to have a tribal resolution in support of this 
application, such a resolution may be necessary before the project 
begins. Applications must include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) 
or letter of support from at least one tribal leader with authority 
related to the proposed research or program evaluation (for example, a 
tribal council member or a program administrator). The MOU(s) or 
letter(s) should be included in appendix C of the application.

Special Considerations for Program Evaluations

    Funding available through this solicitation is intended to support 
research and program evaluation efforts only. Applications proposing 
program evaluations should not request funds for service delivery, 
program materials, facility costs, or any other programmatic expenses 
that are not directly related to the evaluation. Further, because of 
the time and difficulty involved in launching youth service programs, 
it is strongly recommended that evaluations address programs that are 
already in place and operational.

Products

    Proposals should contain a description of all products that will 
originate from the project. At a minimum, each grantee will be required 
to produce a final report that provides an overview of the research 
project. This overview should contain the following: (1) The theory and 
hypotheses guiding the work, (2) a description of the research or 
evaluation methods, (3) a full accounting of research and evaluation 
results, (4) practical or policy implications of the results, and (5) 
recommendations for future study. Grantees should indicate in their 
final report how their work will contribute to defining and/or 
implementing best practices in the field of juvenile justice for the 
target population. This final report should be publishable as an OJJDP 
research report. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consider 
submitting their results for publication in a refereed journal.
    Applicants must also indicate their willingness to provide at least 
one additional report suitable for publication as an OJJDP Bulletin or 
Fact Sheet. This report generally consists of excerpts or a summary of 
the final report and should be completed within 60 days of the grant's 
closing date.

Eligibility Requirements

    OJJDP invites applications from public and private agencies, 
organizations, institutions, federally recognized tribes, and 
individuals, or any combination of the above. Private, for-profit 
organizations must agree to waive any profit or fee. In the case of 
joint applications, one applicant must be clearly indicated as primary 
(for correspondence and award purposes) and the other(s) listed as 
coapplicant(s). OJJDP encourages collaborative relationships among 
researchers, practitioners, and tribal entities. Collaborative 
applications with programs currently receiving TYP funding are 
encouraged. If the research is of a collaborative nature, written 
assurances of participation from each of the collaborating entities 
should be provided. Similarly, when specific programs or agencies are 
the subject of an applicant's research or evaluation, the application 
should include letters of commitment or cooperation from the relevant 
program or agency. Applicants are encouraged to identify existing or 
potential funding partners for the proposed work and indicate whether 
the proposed project has been submitted to any other funding sources.

Selection Criteria

    Applications will be evaluated and rated by a peer review panel 
according to the criteria outlined below. In addition, the extent to 
which the project narrative makes clear and logical connections among 
the components listed below will be considered in assessing a project's 
merits.

Problem(s) To Be Addressed (20 points)

    The proposed research will be judged on its ability to contribute 
to knowledge and practice in the field of juvenile justice and 
delinquency prevention. Applicants must include in the project 
narrative a clear statement of the research questions to be addressed. 
Applicants should discuss how previous research supports and shapes 
these questions and should identify the relevance of these questions 
for the field of juvenile justice and for tribal youth.

Goals and Objectives (10 points)

    The application must include project goals and objectives that are 
clearly stated and relevant to the field of juvenile justice. Goals 
should reflect the mission of the project and they should derive 
directly from the statement of problems to be addressed. Objectives 
should consist of clearly defined, realistic, and measurable tasks and 
outcomes that will enable the applicant to achieve the goals of the 
project. Objectives should be framed to answer the proposed research 
questions.

Project Design (40 points)

    The application should include a detailed description of the 
proposed project design and research or evaluation methods. Design 
elements should follow directly from the project's goals and 
objectives. The data to be collected and/or analyzed should clearly 
support the project's goals and objectives. Any instruments or data to 
be used should be identified and discussed with regard to validity and 
cultural sensitivity to the target population.

[[Page 67602]]

    The application must include a timeline that indicates when 
specific tasks will be initiated and completed. The timeline should be 
referenced as appropriate in the narrative but should be placed in 
appendix A of the application.
    Program evaluation applications should include enough descriptive 
program information in this section to make the evaluation design 
comprehensible. However, more detailed program information may be 
necessary to assess the quality of the application. This should be 
included as necessary in appendix D.

Management and Organizational Capability (20 points)

    Applicants must demonstrate that they have experience or ability 
related to the type of research or evaluation being proposed. This 
includes knowledge of juvenile justice issues specific to tribal youth 
and evidence of the applicant's ability to work collaboratively with 
tribal juvenile justice system practitioners, service providers, or 
tribal members. This section must include the names of responsible 
individuals and key consultants, their time commitments, and their 
major tasks. In particular, applicants must ensure that the tasks 
delineated in the project timeline (see ``Project Design'' above) are 
adequately staffed. Resumes for key staff members should be included in 
appendix B.
    Applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity and the 
existence of a management structure that will support the achievement 
of the project's goals and objectives in an efficient and cost-
effective manner. Applicants should include a description of any 
similar projects undertaken previously. Memorandums of cooperation or 
appropriate letters of support from tribal leaders must be included in 
appendix C.

Budget (10 points)

    Applicants must provide a proposed budget that is complete, 
detailed, reasonable, allowable, and cost-effective in relation to the 
activities to be undertaken. All budgeted costs should be directly 
related to the achievement of project goals and objectives. A brief 
budget narrative should be included in this section. As stated above, 
the budget should not include support for service delivery or any other 
programmatic expenses that are unrelated to research or evaluation.

Format

    Applications must include a program narrative of no more than 30 
pages. The page limit does not include the budget narrative, 
appendixes, application forms, or assurances. At the end of the program 
narrative, applicants must indicate the author(s) responsible for each 
of the narrative sections. Appendix A should contain the project's 
timeline with dates for initiation and completion of critical project 
tasks. Appendix B should contain the resumes for the principal 
investigator and key staff members. Appendix C should include all 
necessary letters of cooperation or support. Appendix D should include 
any additional program descriptions necessary to assess the quality of 
proposed program evaluation projects.
    The narrative portion of the application must be submitted on 8\1/
2\-by 11-inch paper using a standard 12-point font. The application 
should be double spaced and printed on one side of the paper only. The 
narrative should be preceded by an abstract with a maximum length of 
300 words.
    These requirements are necessary to maintain a fair and uniform set 
of standards among all applicants. If the application fails to conform 
to these standards, it will not be eligible for consideration.

Award Period

    This program will be funded for a single budget and project period 
not to exceed 2 years.

Award Amount

    Up to $500,000 is available for this program of field-initiated 
research and evaluation. Individual grant amounts, which will be 
subject to negotiation, may range from $100,000 to $200,000 per 
project.

Confidentiality and Human Subjects

    U.S. Department of Justice regulations require that projects 
involving research or statistics must maintain the confidentiality of 
information identifiable to a private person and that human research 
subjects must be protected from unreasonable risks and properly 
informed of the potential harms and benefits from their participation 
in research. Applicants must comply with the confidentiality 
requirements of 42 U.S.C. 3789g and 28 CFR part 22 by submitting a 
Privacy Certificate in accordance with 28 CFR 22.23 as part of the 
application package. (See appendix B, ``Privacy Certificate Guidelines 
and Statement,'' in the OJJDP Application Kit.)
    If the project involves research using human subjects, the 
applicant must comply with Department of Justice regulations at 28 CFR 
part 46. This part generally requires that an Institutional Review 
Board (IRB) review and approve such projects unless the project is 
determined to be exempt from the regulatory requirements. IRB review is 
not required prior to submission of the application. However, if an 
award is made and the project involves research using human subjects, 
OJJDP will place a special condition on the award requiring that the 
project be approved by an appropriate IRB before Federal funds can be 
expended on activities involving human research subjects. Applicants 
should include plans for IRB review, where applicable, in the project 
timeline submitted with the proposal.
    As sovereign nations, Indian tribes may have specific requirements 
for confidentiality and approval of research and evaluation projects. 
Tribal policies and procedures for reviewing and approving research 
apply to this program and must be met before Federal funds can be 
expended on activities involving human research subjects. Tribal review 
and approval should also be considered in the project timeline 
submitted with the proposal.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

    The CFDA number, required on Standard Form 424, ``Application for 
Federal Assistance,'' is 16.731. Standard Form 424 is included in the 
OJJDP Application Kit, which can be obtained by contacting the Juvenile 
Justice Clearinghouse at 800-638-8736 or sending an e-mail request to 
[email protected]. The Application Kit is also available online at 
www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/about.html#kit.

Coordination of Federal Efforts

    To encourage better coordination among Federal agencies in 
addressing State and local needs, the U.S. Department of Justice is 
requesting applicants to provide information on the following: (1) 
Active Federal grant awards supporting this project or related efforts, 
including other awards from the Department of Justice; (2) any pending 
applications for Federal funds for this or related efforts; and (3) 
plans for coordinating any funds described in items (1) and (2) with 
the funding requested in this application. For each Federal award, 
applicants must include the program or project title, the Federal 
granting agency, the amount of the award, and a brief description of 
its purpose.
    The term ``related efforts'' is defined for these purposes as one 
of the following:
     Efforts for the same purpose (i.e., the proposed project 
would supplement,

[[Page 67603]]

expand, complement, or continue activities funded with other Federal 
grants).
     Another phase or component of the same program or project 
(e.g., to implement a planning effort funded by other Federal monies or 
to provide a substance abuse treatment or educational component within 
an existing juvenile justice project).
     Services of some kind (e.g., technical assistance, 
research, or evaluation) to the program or project described in the 
application.

Delivery Instructions

    All application packages should be mailed or delivered to the 
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, c/o Juvenile 
Justice Resource Center, 2277 Research Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K, 
Rockville, MD 20850; 301-519-5535.

    Note: In the lower left-hand corner of the envelope, the 
applicant must clearly write ``Tribal Youth Field-Initiated Research 
and Evaluation Program.''

Due Date

    Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the original and five 
copies of the application package are received by 5 p.m. ET on January 
23, 2001.

Contact

    For further information, contact Phelan Wyrick, Program Manager, 
Research and Program Development Division, Office of Juvenile Justice 
and Delinquency Prevention, at 202-353-9254. Alternatively, e-mail 
inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

References

    Bureau of Justice Statistics. 1999. American Indians and Crime. 
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 
Bureau of Justice Statistics.

    Dated: October 31, 2000.
John J. Wilson,
Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 00-28763 Filed 11-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P