May Grant News

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), are seeking applications for funding for enhancing Drug Court services, coordination, and substance abuse treatment and recovery support services. Eligible entities include states or state courts, local courts, counties, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments. Eligible entities must have a fully operations drug court established 1 year prior to submitting an application. Learn More »

Through this FY 2012 grant announcement BJA will support national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, in particular to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to jurisdictions engaged in pretrial reform efforts, High Performance Prosecution (HPP) Framework Implementation initiatives, and the use of research-based practices to inform sentencing decisions. This program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by Pub. L. No.112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 615, the Byrne Competitive Program helps communities improve the functioning and capacity of state and local criminal justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. Funds may not be used for the acquisition of land, construction projects, or security enhancements or equipment to non-governmental entities not engaged in law enforcement, law enforcement support, criminal or juvenile justice, or delinquency prevention. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a), et seq.) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program also authorizes a 3 percent set-aside for training and technical assistance. Learn More »

In the criminal justice system, indigent defense providers are often underfunded and understaffed, severely affecting the delivery of effective, efficient, and quality legal representation for indigent criminal defendants. The purpose of this initiative is to contribute to indigent defense knowledge and practice by testing approaches to providing quality indigent defense services using the Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System promulgated by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 2002 (“ABA Ten Principles”). BJA is seeking applicants who are interested in developing innovative, data-driven approaches to indigent defense delivery systems. This program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program), which in part, authorizes use of funding to assist communities improve the capacity of state and local criminal justice systems. Learn More »

BJA and SAMHSA are accepting applications for FY 2012 grants to enhance the court services, coordination, and evidence-based substance abuse treatment and recovery support services of adult drug courts. The purpose of this joint initiative is to allow applicants to submit a comprehensive strategy for enhancing drug court services and capacity, permitting applicants to compete for both criminal justice and substance abuse treatment funds with one application. In order to fulfill all of the requirements for this grant program, applicants should comply with the requirements outlined in this grant announcement as well as those incorporated by reference in the Requirements Resource Guide. These grants are authorized under 42 USC 3797u et seq. and section 509 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA. Drug courts funded through this grant solicitation may use federal funding and matched funding to serve only nonviolent offenders1 and must operate the adult drug court based on BJA’s and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ publication Defining Drug Courts: The Key Components, which addresses the statutory requirements. This opportunity provides drug court applicants the flexibility to identify the most appropriate evidence-based court (service/docket) model in which to base the drug court, in order to accommodate the needs and available resources of that jurisdiction, so long as the model conforms to the 10 key drug court components, which describe the basic elements that define drug courts. (See page 5 for a definition of “evidence-based.”) Learn More »

The goal of the “Using DNA Technology to Identify the Missing” solicitation is threefold: (1) to assist eligible entities in performing DNA analysis on unidentified human remains and/or reference samples to support the efforts of States and units of local government to identify missing persons, (2) to enter the resulting DNA profiles into the FBI’s National DNA Index System using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) version 7.0, and (3) to enter any relevant case information related to unidentified remains into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), as deemed appropriate by the submitting agency (if a case is not entered a justification will be required). Authorizing Legislation: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-55). Learn More »

This Health and Human Services program seeks to improve educational stability and permanency outcomes for middle to high-school aged children in the child welfare system. Eligibility is limited to state local and tribal welfare agencies and educational school districts. There will be 10 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $2.5 million; the average projected amount will be $250,000 per budget period (max 2 budget periods). Learn More »

The Tribal Justice System Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance Program is a comprehensive approach by BJA to deliver training and technical assistance (TTA) to build capacity and enhance functioning of tribal justice systems. TTA awards will be funded through Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Appropriations Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 616. Learn More »

In 2008, the SMART Office and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funded an evaluation of a sex offender risk prediction as authorized by Section 637 of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. This project examined the predictive ability of the Static-99R in combination with the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS), a dynamic risk scale for adult sex offenders developed in 2001 by the State of Vermont. Results showed the combined use of these tools improved risk prediction accuracy more than either tool used alone. In partnership with NIJ, the SMART Office seeks applications from jurisdictions interested in implementing SOTIPS in an effort to replicate previous study findings and to further evaluate the effectiveness of this model of risk assessment. Costs associated with replicating this study will be supported by the SMART Office and the project will be jointly managed with NIJ. This study is intended to inform and improve sex offender management practices through promoting the use of evidence-based tools in predicting risk of re-offense. Learn More »

OJJDP’s Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation (FIRE) Program will support methodologically rigorous research and evaluation studies that inform policy and practice consistent with the Department of Justice’s mission. OJJDP will fund field-initiated studies to understand the factors that influence the prevention of underage drinking, the enforcement of underage drinking laws, and individuals’ and communities’ attitudes and behaviors about underage drinking. The FY 2012 EUDL FIRE Program will be authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 617. Learn More »

Healthy, vibrant communities1 are places that provide the opportunities, resources, and an environment that children, youth, and adults need to maximize their life outcomes, including high-quality schools and cradle-to-career educational programs; high-quality and affordable housing; thriving commercial establishments; access to quality health care and health services; art and cultural amenities; parks and other recreational spaces; and the safety to take advantage of these opportunities. Unfortunately, millions of Americans live in distressed neighborhoods2 where a combination of crime, poverty, unemployment, poor health, struggling schools, inadequate housing, and disinvestment keep many residents from reaching their full potential. The complexity of these issues has led to the emergence of comprehensive place-based and community-oriented initiatives that involve service providers from multiple sectors and disciplines, as well as community representatives from all types of organizations, to work together to reduce and prevent crime and to revitalize communities. Learn More »

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is designed to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in crime associated with gang and gun violence. The program’s effectiveness is based on the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney (USA) in each district. The USA is responsible for establishing a collaborative PSN task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement and other community members to implement gang and gun crime enforcement, intervention and prevention initiatives within the district. Through the PSN task force, the USA will implement the five design features of PSN—partnerships, strategic planning, training, outreach, and accountability—to address specific gun and gang crime problems in that district. Details on the five design features (also referred to as core elements) can be found later in this grant announcement and online at www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/205263/. The Department of Justice has transitioned the PSN program from a formula-based allocation of funding to a competitive-based program. In a competitive environment, “need” and use of more effective, intelligence- and data-driven strategies will be key factors for funding selections, in addition to performance results and other factors. Therefore, grant awards for FY 2012 will be made through a competitive process to encourage and focus funding in high-performing and evidence-based programs where the need is greatest. This initiative is authorized by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012. Learn More »

The purpose of the Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program (42 U.S.C. 3797u et seq.) is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop and implement drug courts that effectively integrate evidenced-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in a judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over substance-abusing offenders. Learn More »

This program addresses meeting community needs and developing community partnerships to assist law enforcement in locating and working with missing persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Learn More »

Applications are sought for a national TTA partner to work with BJA on the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation program, which supports comprehensive place-based and community-oriented initiatives that involve service providers from multiple sectors and disciplines, as well as community representatives from all types of organizations, to work together to reduce and prevent crime and revitalize communities. Learn More »

This project supports existing Forum sites through several vehicles, including onsite technical assistance; offsite technical assistance (e.g., telephone, e-mail, Internet, distance learning); peer-to-peer information exchange and mentoring (individual, group, or jurisdiction-wide); publication development and dissemination; information sharing; conferences, workshops, and training events, including agenda development, speaker identification, and logistical support; and curriculum development. Learn More »

The BVP Program provides funds to help jurisdictions provide bullet- and stab-resistant body armor for sworn law enforcement and corrections officers. Learn More »

The purpose of this program is to leverage state, local, or tribal subject-matter expertise, by hosting up to five Fellows, to assess areas of need and to develop strategies, tools, and policies in collaboration with BJA staff for the benefit of the criminal justice field. Learn More »