[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10914-10916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4075]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--improving Community 
Responses to Women Offenders; Training and Technical Assistance to 
Three Local Jurisdictions

AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Department of Justice.

ACTION: Solicitation for a cooperative agreement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), National Institute of 
Corrections (NIC), announces the availability of funds in FY 2001 for a 
cooperative agreement to fund the Project ``Improving Community 
Responses to Women Offenders; Training and Technical Assistance to 
Three Local Jurisdictions.'' NIC will award one cooperative agreement 
to provide intensive assistance (site coordination, training and 
technical assistance) to three local jurisdictions interested in 
developing policies and practices that increase the rates of successful 
completion of community supervision for women who are pretrial 
defendants or sentenced offenders. NIC commits to providing assistance 
for two full years to each of the three jurisdictions selected in the 
current fiscal year (FY 2001). Up to $200,000 is available for the 
first twelve months of the two-year project. Based on successful 
provision of services in the first project period, a continuation award 
will be made to the successful applicant for this solicitation for the 
second year. Two hundred thousand is budgeted in FY 2002 for the second 
twelve-month phase of the project.
    This solicitation is for the organization that will work with NIC 
to deliver services to three jurisdictions. There will be a separate 
program announcement to which local jurisdictions will respond and 
apply for participation in the two-year project.
    A cooperative agreement is a form of assistance relationship 
through which the National Institute of Corrections is substantially 
involved during the performance of the award. An award is made to an 
organization that will, in concert with the Institute, meet the 
objectives of the solicitation. No funds are transferred to state or 
local governments.
    NIC Experience: For ten years the NIC Community Corrections 
Division has worked with jurisdictions to increase the success of women 
offenders supervised in the community through the Intermediate 
Sanctions for Women Offenders (ISWO) Project. The thirteen 
jurisdictions that have participated in the ISWO include counties and 
states, both urban and rural, ranging in population from under 200,000 
to over five million. The goals of these projects were to work 
collaboratively with sites to (1) develop sound information on current 
sentencing practices and the risk, needs and life circumstances of the 
women offenders; and (2) use the information and experience of policy 
team member to develop policies and concrete action steps for 
implementation of desired changes in the ranges of intermediate 
sanctions targeted for women offenders in the thirteen jurisdictions.
    NIC worked with jurisdictions to accomplish these goals through a 
systems planning process with two critical characteristics: it was 
undertaken by a team of policy officials from the criminal justice 
system, human services, and the community; and it was supported by 
analysis of information about women offenders and the criminal justice 
practices and programs, from arrest through sentencing and disposition, 
which affect them. As jurisdictions engaged the work, it became clear 
that few had any significant data on women offenders in the community, 
and most jurisdictions were making decisions about them based on 
untested assumptions and anecdotal evidence. While the sites varied in 
their ability and willingness to fully engage in policy development in 
a systems context, they all reaped benefits from their work (e.g., 
increased the number and type of intermediate sanctions for women 
offenders, improved the gender-responsiveness of existing options, 
provided extensive training on women offenders, and greatly increased 
the system's understanding of the needs of women offenders).
    In the last four years of the ISWO project, NIC focused on local 
jurisdictions with populations of over 500,000. The intent was to test 
whether NIC assistance could improve sanctioning responses for 
significant numbers of women. As a result of this last cycle, NIC also 
chose to focus more attention on early (pre-trial) decisions regarding 
women defendants and on the roles of jails, courts, pretrial services, 
probation and human/community services in providing better information 
and more effective options at the front end of the system. The last 
three jurisdictions were Cook County, IL; Hampden County, MA; and 
Hamilton County,OH. A draft report titled, Intermediate Sanctions for 
Women Offenders; Project Overview and Analysis 1991-1999, provides a 
more complete history of the project. It is available in draft form 
from the NIC Information Center, telephone: 1-800-877-1461. Request 
Accession #15530.
    Project Premises: The current solicitation is based on (1) NIC's 
experience with the ISWO and its evolution to a local system project 
focused on both early decision points and development of more 
purposeful pretrial and sentencing options; and (2) the following 
premises regarding the need for assistance to improve community 
responses to women in the criminal justice system:
     Women commit largely non-violent, property and drug 
offenses and are good candidates for managing their risk to public 
safety in the community. They are at high risk of reoffending for ``low 
stakes'' crimes. They receive little effective treatment during early 
experiences of involvement with the criminal justice system.
     It is reasonable to expect that the design of criminal 
justice system responses for women will continue to hold them 
accountable for their offenses while improving their chances of success 
under community supervision.
     Mandatory sentencing for non-violent, drug offenses has 
resulted in large numbers of women serving longer periods of time in 
correctional facilities.

[[Page 10915]]

     Women defendants present high rates of co-occurring 
(substance abuse and mental illness) disorders; frequently the mental 
health issues go undiagnosed and unaddressed.
     Women's distinct pathways to criminality and the realities 
of their lives (particularly child care responsibilities, abuse 
histories, and economic marginality) require supervision and treatment 
approaches which are gender responsive.
     A systemic problem solving approach offers jurisdictions 
an opportunity to both (a) shape policy and practice which will impact 
success rates in the community in the short term, and (b) build 
capacity for longer-term development and monitoring of criminal justice 
policies and practices affecting women defendants/offenders.
     Criminal justice agencies must work with the community and 
human services to marshal the resources and services required for a 
comprehensive and effective response to the complexity of issues facing 
women defendants/offenders.
    Purpose: The National Institute of Corrections is seeking 
applications for a cooperative agreement that has the following 
purpose: to provide site coordination, training and technical 
assistance to three local jurisdictions for the first twelve months of 
a two year project whose primary goal is to increase the rates of 
successful completion of community supervision for women defendants and 
offenders.
    The recipient of this cooperative agreement award will have as the 
target audience for assistance a policy group or team of key criminal 
justice decision makers, human services managers, community leaders and 
public and private corrections managers.
    The primary outcomes for the two year project are:
     The development in each jurisdiction of a clear vision and 
goals for improved community responses to women defendants/offenders, 
and implementation of specific changes in policy and practice in two or 
three strategic areas and/or the development of detailed work plans for 
implementation in those areas.
     A report describing the accomplishments of each 
jurisdiction and the lessons learned from the project.
    The primary outcomes for the first twelve months are:
     Jurisdictions, operating as policy teams of high level 
officials, corrections and human service managers and community 
members, will engage the first twelve months of a collaborative, 
system-wide, problem solving process aimed at the development of 
improved policy and practice in two or three priority areas.
     Each jurisdiction will complete decision mapping of its 
criminal justice system responses to women defendants/offenders, 
including assembling readily available information on: the number and 
characteristics of women at key decision points from arrest through 
community supervision and release (aggregate and trend data).
     Jurisdictions will design and initiate data collection and 
analysis strategies focused on specific concerns, i.e., the primary 
problem areas (``change targets'') identified by the policy team. The 
strategies may include design of a profile study of a specific sub-
population of women offenders related to one of the problem areas 
chosen by the policy team.
     Policy officials will gain specific knowledge regarding 
the factors associated with women's criminal involvement, key aspects 
of gender-responsive treatment and management in corrections, and 
options for effective sanctioning and intervention (best practices).
    Specific outputs of the twelve-month project will include: 
Development of a program announcement and marketing strategy for local 
jurisdictions; site visits to selected applicant jurisdictions and site 
selection in conjunction with the NIC Project manager (NIC will make 
final site selections); a seminar opportunity for all policy team 
members from each jurisdiction; and monthly visits to jurisdictions by 
site coordinators to guide and support the policy team's work.
    Application Requirements: Applicants must prepare a proposal that 
describes their plan to address the project purpose and outcomes. The 
plan must include goals and objectives, methodology, deliverables, 
management plan, an overall project budget for the full two years, and 
a budget and budget narrative for the first ten to twelve month phase. 
Applicants must identify their key project staff and the relevant 
expertise of each, and address the manner in which they would perform 
all tasks in collaboration with the NIC Project Manager. Proposals are 
limited to twenty-five double-spaced pages in length, not including 
resumes, other addenda, and SF-424 forms. Please note that the Standard 
Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, submitted with the 
proposal must contain the cover sheet, budget, budget narrative, 
assurances and management plan for the FY 2001 funded portion only, for 
a maximum of $180,000. The proposal budget should not include the costs 
of air and train travel associated with site coordination, training and 
technical assistance; because NIC will make available an additional 
$20,000 for project travel at government rates in an account managed by 
the NIC Project Monitor and closely coordinated with the cooperative 
agreement project director. All required forms and instructions for 
their completion may be downloaded from the NIC website: http://www.nicic.org.

    Authority: Public Law 93-415.

    Funds Available: Project funds are limited to $180,000 for both 
direct and indirect costs for the first twelve months of the two year 
project, and a $20,000 supplement for air and train tickets. A 
supplemental award of $180,000 (plus additional funds for government 
rate travel) will be made in FY 2002 subject to the availability of 
funds and successful completion of Phase I. NIC is committed to funding 
the full two year project and project activity must be completed within 
24 months of the date of the award. Funds may only be used for 
activities that are linked to the desired outcomes of the project. This 
project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC Community 
Corrections Division.
    All products from this funding effort will be in public domain and 
available to interested agencies through the National Institute of 
Corrections.
    Deadline for Receipt of Applications: Applications must be received 
by 4 p.m. on Friday, March 30, 2001. They should be addressed to: 
Director, National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., 
Room 5007, Washington, DC 20534. Hand delivered applications can be 
brought to 500 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534. The security 
desk will call Bobbi Tinsley at (202) 307-3106, and press 0 for pickup.
    Addresses and Further Information: Requests for the application 
kit, which consists of copies of this announcement and the required 
forms, should be downloaded from the NIC website: http://www.nicic.org. 
(Click on ``Cooperative Agreements.'') The report, ``Intermediate 
Sanctions for Women Offenders, Project Overview and Analysis 1991-
1999'' can be ordered from the NIC Information Center at 1-800-877-
1461. Request accession #15530. If it is necessary to request a hard 
copy, please call Judy Evens at 1-800-995-6423, extension 4-4222 or 
email her at [email protected]. All technical and/or programming questions 
concerning this announcement should be directed to Phyllis Modley at 
the above address or by calling (800) 995-6423 or (202) 307-3106, 
extension 4-0099, or by email via [email protected].

[[Page 10916]]

    Eligible 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 three to five member Peer 
Review Process.
    Number of Awards: One (1).
    Executive Order 12372: Project is not subject to the provisions of 
this Executive Order.
    NIC Application Number: 01C02. This number should appear as a 
reference line in the cover letter and also in box 11 of Standard Form 
424.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is: 16.602.

    Dated: February 12, 2001.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 01-4075 Filed 2-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-M