[Federal Register: May 9, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 91)] . [Notices] [Page 21237-21299] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [[Page 21237]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part III Department of Justice _______________________________________________________________________ Office of Justice Programs _______________________________________________________________________ Program Plans for Fiscal Year 1996; Notice [[Page 21238]] DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Justice Programs [OJP NO. 1079] ZRIN 1121-ZA33 Program Plans for Fiscal Year 1996 AGENCY: Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. ACTION: Notice of program plans. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DATES: See specific Program Plan. ADDRESSES: All questions concerning these Program Plans should be addressed to the appropriate Bureau or Office at 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20531. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Preface: OJP Bureaus' Fiscal Year 1996 Program Plans The Fiscal Year 1996 Program Plans for the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureaus--the National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Office for Victims of Crime-- represent a continuation of our concerted effort to work in partnership with law enforcement and criminal justice agencies across the nation to break the cycle of drugs and violence and eliminate the consequences of crime. This represents, as well, the second year that OJP will have published all its discretionary Program Plans together in the Federal Register. Because of scarce resources at every level of government today, the OJP Program Plans emphasize increasing the collaboration across Federal, State, and local agencies; leveraging resources with other Federal agencies, foundations, and the private sector; identifying specific needs, priorities, and gaps in the system; and implementing innovative strategies that demonstrate concrete results while at the same time being cost-effective. Because many of today's crime problems require solutions that extend beyond traditional criminal justice boundaries, new systemwide responses are encouraged and comprehensive community efforts are highlighted. This is particularly important in strengthening our response to escalating youth violence--especially gang activity--and juvenile victimization. Building on the development of the OJJDP Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders and the National Juvenile Justice Action Plan released by the Attorney General this Spring, the FY 1996 plan supports a balanced approach to aggressively addressing juvenile delinquency and violence through graduated sanctions, improving the juvenile justice system's ability to respond, and preventing the onset of delinquency. Initiatives to address violent, serious, and chronic juvenile offenders are highlighted. Major new program areas focus on the development of one- stop, community-based intake, assessment, referral, and program service centers; supporting the linkages between community and law enforcement responses to youth gun violence and gang activity; and improving the dependency and criminal court systems and the community's response to child abuse and neglect--factors studies show perpetuate violence in future generations. The OJP Program Plans also support community-based initiatives that recognize the lead role that communities must play in violence prevention and the strong coordinated, multidisciplinary approach required to combat crime in our neighborhoods. For example, using a planning grant approach which emphasizes the importance of first developing community mobilization strategies in key segments of the criminal justice system, BJA's Comprehensive Communities Program--which is being continued in FY 1996--encourages a jurisdiction-wide approach that includes community policing, the establishment of drug courts, expedited prosecution and diversion, gang prevention and intervention, dispute and conflict resolution, and alternatives to incarceration. Building on the achievements of past efforts and guided by extensive input from its constituent groups, the OVC programming looks to communities to establish integrated, inclusive environments where comprehensive services are provided for crime victims in a single location. The plan offers communities the information, training, tools, and technical assistance needed to create supportive, multidisciplinary facilities especially designed for victims. Underlying all the Program Plans is the importance of understanding ``what works'' and ``best practices'' so that jurisdictions can learn from one another and not have to constantly ``reinvent the wheel.'' In this regard, the NIJ plan continues its long-range emphasis on developing knowledge and Federal leadership that will assist jurisdictions in advancing six important goals: reduce violent crime, reduce drug- and alcohol-related crime, reduce the consequences of crime, improve crime prevention, improve law enforcement and justice systems, and develop new technologies. One opportunity we have to work together to make our communities safer is through the training and technical assistance available from OJP. As we endeavor to determine ``what works''--through research, evaluation, and demonstration grants--communities are encouraged to request technical assistance and training to replicate successful demonstration programs and implement ``best practices.'' We will be issuing separate solicitations for Crime Act programs in the areas of Violence Against Women, Drug Courts, Corrections Facilities Construction, Residential Substance Abuse, and the National Criminal History Improvement Program. For information about these programs--as well as about the application process for the programs described here--you can call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. I hope that the OJP Program Plans that follow are responsive to the most significant needs in the criminal justice field; they represent our best thinking on how the Federal government can make a solid contribution to the problems of crime and violence facing this country. Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs. Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan Dear Colleague: I am pleased to present the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Discretionary Program Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996. Through the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program, BJA provides leadership for the prevention and control of crime and violence and for criminal justice system improvement at the State and local levels. BJA also develops and tests new approaches in criminal justice and crime control, and encourages replication of effective programs and practices by States and local agencies. Our mission is to provide leadership and assistance in support of local criminal justice strategies to achieve strong neighborhoods and safe communities. Accordingly, this year we will intensify our focus on the tasks of helping to make communities safe, building strong crime-resistant neighborhoods, increasing citizen involvement in their communities, and improving the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. We are guided in the achievement of our mission by a very specific set of programmatic goals. BJA's programmatic goals are: To promote effective innovative crime control and prevention strategies. To demonstrate and promote replication of effective crime control programs that [[Page 21239]] support public-private partnerships, planning, and criminal justice system improvement. To leverage and efficiently administer available resources. To provide a dynamic work environment that fosters and encourages excellence, innovation, and responsiveness. The resultant FY 1996 BJA Discretionary Grant Program Plan addresses many of the most pressing challenges facing the Nation's criminal justice system. For example, the Program Plan addresses the issue of youth violence through programs that support drug education, prevention, and treatment; build skills in conflict resolution; intervene to reduce criminal use of guns and gang involvement; and provide alternative correctional sanctions for first-time nonviolent offenders. Additionally, the unique needs of the elderly are recognized through programs that promote safety and independence for the elderly, enhance resource availability through productive public and private partnerships, and provide protection against health care fraud. Byrne discretionary grant awards support demonstration projects, national-scope programs, training and technical assistance, and other innovative programs that fill the gaps in the criminal justice system to make it stronger and more comprehensive. Towards this end, substantial BJA discretionary funds will be used to continue strengthening community-based initiatives, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program and, within Native American communities, the Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program. Similarly, the BJA Comprehensive Homicide Initiative emphasizes the importance of multiagency coordination--at all levels of government--in addressing prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution. In summary, the BJA FY 1996 Discretionary Program Plan will target funds, training, and technical assistance in support of effective and innovative programs that show the greatest potential for addressing the Nation's criminal justice challenges. I welcome your comments and your partnership. Nancy E. Gist, Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Introduction The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the U.S. Department of Justice supports States and local communities in addressing problems of crime and violence. During Fiscal Year (FY) 1996, BJA is placing emphasis on implementing comprehensive approaches to crime, neighborhood-based programs with active citizen involvement, violence prevention and control initiatives, and programs that not only improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, but also focus on enhancing the system's ability to remove serious and violent offenders from our communities. This FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan provides summaries of these programs, which are funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance (Byrne) Discretionary Grant Program. In addition, it describes planned activities for the Regional Information Sharing Systems Program and the National White-Collar Crime Center, which also are administered by BJA, and joint efforts with other Federal agencies. Program Goals The FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan addresses BJA's two goals in assisting State and local units of government: (1) Reduce and prevent crime and violence; and (2) Improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. To facilitate achievement of these goals, enhanced coordination and cooperation of Federal, State, and local efforts will be emphasized. Objectives for each of the goals are outlined below, followed by BJA's programmatic priorities and framework and program summaries that describe how the goals will be achieved. Goal 1--Reduce and Prevent Crime and Violence Objectives: Encourage the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies to reduce and prevent crime and violence. Encourage the active participation of community organizations and citizens in efforts to prevent crime, drug use, and violence. Provide national-scope training and technical assistance in support of efforts to prevent crime, drug use, and violence. Provide young people with legitimate opportunities and activities that serve as alternatives to crime and involvement with gangs. Reduce the availability of illegal weapons; and develop programs to address violence in our communities, homes, schools, and workplaces. Goal 2--Improve the Functioning of the Criminal Justice System Objectives: Enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to reduce crime--especially drug trafficking, drug sales, and violence. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all aspects of the adjudication process. Assist States in freeing prison space for serious and violent offenders through the design, development, and implementation of effective correctional options for nonviolent offenders. Enhance the ability of State and local agencies, in conjunction with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to apprehend and deport criminal aliens. Evaluate the effectiveness of funded programs, disseminate program results, and enhance the ability of criminal justice agencies to use new information technologies. How Program Priorities Are Established Priorities for the FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program reflect a balance of congressional mandates, Administration priorities, and needs expressed by State and local criminal justice practitioners. The two overarching goals listed above are derived directly from the authorizing legislation for the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program. Priorities for a number of specific programs to address those goals are mandated by Congress through the earmarking of the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program appropriation. During the recent Byrne Program planning process, BJA solicited input on priorities from national organizations representing State and local governments, criminal justice agencies, and community groups. Input was also requested from the State agencies that administer the Byrne Formula Grant Program. This year, BJA has instituted a continuing practice of convening a number of focused program-planning workshops, or focus groups. These focus groups, structured around a specific criminal justice issue, are comprised of interdisciplinary policymakers and practitioners from all levels of government. They serve as a forum to discuss needs, identify emerging issues, and propose innovative programmatic solutions. Types of Programs To Be Funded BJA is authorized by Congress to award grants to public and private agencies and organizations for national-scope, demonstration, training, and technical assistance programs in support of States and local jurisdictions. National-scope programs provide a service or product of benefit throughout the country or across multiple States, or address issues of national concern. Demonstration programs develop, test, evaluate, and document new programs and practices. Training for State and local criminal justice practitioners and other professionals provides state-of-the-art information on effective programs and practices. Technical assistance is provided to sites participating in demonstration programs or, depending on available resources, is provided to help an individual [[Page 21240]] jurisdiction implement a program or practice or address a specific issue. How Discretionary Grants Will Be Made This year, the majority of the discretionary grant funding is being awarded on a noncompetitive basis. The following factors limit the number of competitive programs: Congressional Earmarks--Each year Congress directs BJA to award a portion of the appropriated Byrne Program funds to specified programs and/or organizations. In FY 1996, the Conference Report of the Appropriations Committee directed the funding for $45.6 million of the $60 million likely to be appropriated for general discretionary programs, such as the Weed and Seed Program, the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Program, and the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force. Continuation and Implementation Grants--Many of BJA's programs require several years of implementation to accomplish their goals. Demonstration sites, which are generally identified through a competitive selection process, may require 2 to 3 years of funding to fully develop, implement, and evaluate a program. In addition, BJA has funded several initial planning efforts, with implementation funding provided in subsequent years. Limited Competition--When specific program criteria or objectives are applicable only to a narrowly defined group of potential applicants, a limited competition may be held. Program criteria and objectives typically are defined by specific jurisdictional demographic variables or by a specific crime problem. Sole Source Selection--In some cases, only one organization or agency has the capability, expertise, or constituents to adequately administer a program that BJA deems essential to implement. For example, an association representing a constituency that BJA wants to reach through technical assistance or training also may be the best organization to implement that program. In other cases, BJA may make an award on a noncompetitive basis to an agency that has developed an innovative program and has the expertise to implement it. Framework for Programming Guiding Principles Three principles underpin the design of BJA's FY 1996 Discretionary Grant Program Plan--comprehensiveness, addressing unmet needs, and leveraging resources. These principles are embodied in each of the four programmatic themes, and reflect our intent to make the most effective and efficient use of limited Federal criminal justice program resources. Comprehensiveness Crime prevention and control initiatives are most effective when they relate directly to a comprehensive strategy. Such a strategy provides the context or anchor for addressing locally determined priorities; describes in detail how programs implemented by government agencies, other service providers, and residents mutually support one another in focusing on these priorities; and serves as the means for developing future partnerships among a wide variety of public and private resources. For these reasons, we have looked at ways of developing and, in some cases, reconfiguring programs to ensure that they are comprehensive in nature and promote partnerships that support local strategic planning and implementation. Explicit in any successful State or local crime prevention and control strategy is the engagement of the ultimate beneficiaries--the community residents. Therefore, community-based strategies, and resulting initiatives, must focus on neighborhood problems by involving community leaders and residents in the planning and delivery of services. Among the programs we are supporting, the Comprehensive Communities Program, the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, and the Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program all support partnerships with Federal, State, and local governments, private organizations, and foundations that develop and achieve solutions addressing a multitude of problems concerning crime and quality of life. Some comprehensive program approaches are problem specific. For example, the Comprehensive Gang Initiative demonstrates a model approach to gang issues that carefully balances consideration of prevention, intervention, and suppression strategies. The model is designed to bring together cooperative and coordinated efforts by the police, other criminal justice agencies, human services providers, community agencies, and residents. Other programs, such as the Community-Based Prosecution Initiative, are not problem specific, but bring together the community, the prosecutor's office, and the local courts in problem solving, speedier access to justice, and facilitation of offender reintegration back into neighborhoods. Addressing Unmet Needs In carrying out its mission, BJA recognizes that the dollars available for Byrne Program discretionary funding represent a very small fraction of the overall resources available for criminal justice programming (less than one percent). To ensure that taxpayers receive the greatest return possible on the investment of these limited funds, we have focused on programs that complement previous or ongoing efforts, and we have made every attempt to avoid duplicating the efforts of other Federal agencies. BJA provides balance in its approach, and emphasizes the involvement of key stakeholders in the development of new initiatives. In FY 1996, an important priority will be to address unmet needs by demonstrating or supporting programs designed to correct current deficiencies in the delivery of criminal justice services--deficiencies that threaten to compromise the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. Examples of these initiatives include: The Community Prosecution and Community Probation Program, which will explore a range of innovations to improve access to criminal justice services at the community level. The Training in Anti-Drug Activities and Cultural Differences Involving Illegal Aliens Initiative and the Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program, which provide training and technical support to State and local criminal justice agencies dealing with issues of criminal and illegal aliens. The Comprehensive Homicide Initiative, which focuses on a holistic approach to homicide that integrates prevention, intervention, and enforcement measures through public agencies, private organizations, and the community. The DNA Resource Unit, which will provide technical assistance to prosecutors in the understanding and use of DNA typing technology in the prosecution of cases. The Assessment and Enhancement of Indigent Defense Initiative, which will explore methods for improving the overall effectiveness of the adjudication process. The Correctional Options Program, which has provided a broad range of programming for provision of treatment services and alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders. BJA's emphasis in FY 1996 will be to support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative that will inform key decisionmakers at the State and local levels of the lessons that BJA [[Page 21241]] has learned about the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of successful Correctional Options projects. Leveraging Resources BJA has a responsibility to ensure that programs are cost effective; that, where appropriate, costs are shared among entities receiving benefits from BJA-supported programs; and that there is a strong likelihood effective programs will be maintained beyond the point where Federal funds are no longer provided. Thus, BJA strongly encourages prospective applicants to consider all potential resources when developing program proposals and applying for Byrne Program grant funds. Although Discretionary Grant Program funds may be used to pay up to 100 percent of total project costs under an initial grant award, BJA has instituted a policy of giving favorable consideration to proposals in which an applicant agency or jurisdiction has also committed its own resources in furtherance of program objectives. The applicant's resources could consist of funding derived from local appropriations or from other sources, public or private. Contributed resources may also be ``in kind,'' including dedicated personnel, facilities, supplies, or equipment. Volunteer efforts are also taken into consideration. Successful leveraging of resources is illustrated in the following two examples. In BJA's Organized Crime Narcotics task force program, the participating agencies support all regular personnel costs and most infrastructure costs, and Byrne Discretionary Grant funds support limited overtime costs, investigative support costs, and some confidential expenditures. Alternatively, BJA has provided a grant to the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE) to produce a film addressing the issue of date and spousal violence. BJA agreed to provide funding support on the condition that FASE match the grant amount with funds from other sources. Faced with this challenge, FASE was able to more than match the grant with funds from public and private sources. To further facilitate a strong partnership with its grantees, and to increase the number of new initiatives, BJA has instituted a policy of providing a declining share of total costs for many projects where continuation funding is considered. In addition to making BJA funding resources more widely available for additional program opportunities, this policy requires a demonstration of commitment from applicants, enhancing the likelihood of program institutionalization. Thus, in FY 1996 and beyond, second-year awards will be made for a maximum of 75 percent of total project costs, and third-year awards will be made for up to 50 percent of total project costs. Programmatic Themes Program themes frame our guiding principles and provide the operational context through which BJA implements its national-scope, demonstration, training, and technical assistance programs. The themes result from priorities articulated by the Attorney General; our program experiences and lessons learned from demonstration and evaluation of crime prevention and control efforts; and the information provided by States in their Byrne Formula Grant Program strategies. Public--Private Partnerships in Support of Local Strategies Developing and sustaining partnerships is essential, especially when addressing crime issues through comprehensive strategies. Competing demands on resources, development of new skills and approaches to problem solving, emergence of private foundations focusing on public safety issues, and the direct participation of the community itself are influencing the way in which government operates. Partnerships among public agencies and between those agencies and private organizations are becoming a vital theme in delivering comprehensive services that address the quality of life in our communities. Effective partnerships begin with all participants engaged in strategy development, and carry through to the end goal of service delivery and evaluation. BJA continues to stress the importance of public-private partnerships at the Federal, State, and local levels in its program development efforts. State and local officials are encouraged to collaborate to ensure that local, comprehensive crime prevention and control strategies are integrated into State planning efforts. This relationship helps to ensure that Byrne Formula Grant funds, other Federal resources, and State-appropriated monies are channeled in a coordinated manner in support of local comprehensive initiatives. Evidence of these partnerships, through memoranda of understanding, commitment of resources, and shared responsibility for developing and implementing strategies to make our communities safe, will be a determining factor in BJA's commitment of resources. Many of the programs to be implemented in FY 1996 will build upon partnerships developed in previous years. As some of these efforts reach the final stages of demonstration, and as Federal financial support is phased out, the strength of local partnership arrangements will be even more critical to ensure institutionalization. For example, BJA soon will be completing the Children-At-Risk Program, which is supported by BJA and a national public-private partnership consisting of the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) and six private foundations that focus on youth intervention. This effort, equally supported by the U.S. Department of Justice and the private sector, reflects the commitment of over $7.5 million since FY 1992. Other programs, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) and Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) have experienced enormous success in building partnerships. In Denver, the Alliance for the Prevention of Violence, a collaborative of charitable organizations that serves Colorado, has integrated the PACT/CCP effort into its philanthropic considerations. The East Bay Corridor CCP initiative, a program that unites 18 cities in two counties in anticrime initiatives, joins the public agencies from those jurisdictions with the East Bay Community Foundation, a local funding collaborative, to focus on youth crime in the Corridor. Enhancement of Public Confidence in the Criminal Justice System In recent years there has been a perception of growing erosion of public confidence in the criminal justice system and the services it provides. Many factors have contributed to this concern--including public outrage resulting from isolated criminal incidents, such as crimes that have been committed by ex-offenders on parole; use of excessive force by law enforcement; urban disorders; and an emphasis in newspaper and television news reports on sensationalizing incidents of violent crime. BJA supports programs that promote balance and fairness in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. By supporting programs that feature community participation as a cornerstone, BJA seeks to educate and actively engage citizens, thereby improving public confidence in the criminal justice system. Through its law enforcement programs, BJA provides a solid foundation for enabling jurisdictions to ensure public safety and further [[Page 21242]] promote public confidence. Such programs expand coordination with antiviolence task forces, provide assistance to State and local criminal justice agencies, and support communities in the control and prevention of street crime. A National Sentencing Symposium will be co-sponsored by BJA, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the State Justice Institute (SJI). This collaborative initiative will address the public's lack of confidence in the system, examine the strengths and shortcomings of current sentencing policies and address the importance of accountability and the need to alleviate sentencing disparities. Through the Community Prosecution Program, BJA will demonstrate community engagement with prosecutors' offices and the local courts in problem solving, providing speedier access to justice, and facilitating the reintegration of offenders back into neighborhoods. This program will promote a positive image of the criminal justice system, allay public fear, and improve neighborhood and community involvement with criminal justice professionals. Alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders is another important programmatic area. Often, nonviolent offenders who could be punished more effectively through a less expensive alternative are sentenced to incarceration. A recent analysis of the annual needs assessments that are conducted through the Byrne Formula Grant Program indicated that the two areas of greatest need at the State and local levels are alternatives to incarceration and offender treatment services. In FY 1996, BJA will support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative to inform key decisionmakers at the State and local levels about the lessons learned in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of successful, cost-effective, Correctional Options projects for nonviolent offenders. These programs maintain public safety and, at the same time, hold offenders accountable. Criminal Justice System Response to Violence--Particularly Youth Violence Although 1994 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show that violent crime dropped 4 percent and property crime dropped 3 percent, citizens across the country believe otherwise. Whereas violent crime rates for older adults have remained steady or declined, the public believes that violence is on the increase. This belief is reflected in the 1993 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) National Crime Victimization Survey, which marked a significant increase of 25 percent in the violent victimizations of black males aged 12 to 24. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported in its Selected Findings: Violent Crime that young people aged 16 to 24 consistently have the highest violent crime rates. When gang affiliation is considered, these youth-based crime statistics increase at crisis proportions. Other national-scope surveys indicate the following: Elected officials in almost 400 cities believe that youth crime and violence has escalated. Throughout the year, 4 million women are physically abused by their husbands or boyfriends. The annual number of child abuse cases is growing. Drug use, especially marijuana, is on the increase among students. A child dies from gunfire every 98 minutes. To deter this violence, BJA is working with representatives of Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and community leaders to enhance their current criminal justice planning processes to better implement comprehensive, systemwide strategic interventions at the neighborhood level. When properly applied, this holistic approach, which is supported with FY 1996 crime prevention funding, is cost effective, provides focus for the delivery of services (e.g., law enforcement, social, and education services), involves citizens as partners, and assists youth in making responsible decisions to develop healthier and safer lifestyles. Evaluation and Assessment Efforts Critical to gauging the success of the investment of taxpayer dollars is the support of evaluation efforts that measure what works and what doesn't work in crime control and prevention and in criminal justice system improvement. This information can be disseminated to the State and local levels, where decisions about replication of program successes are made. Because we believe that it also is critical to reinforce with the States the role that evaluation must play in any grant program, and to help States build the capacity to measure the impact of programs that they fund, we are continuing our State and local capacity-building initiative with the assistance of NIJ. If the States are to serve as laboratories for evaluation and assessment, they must institutionalize performance measurement, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms. BJA's evaluation capacity-building initiative supports these efforts. In partnership with NIJ, we are designing a challenge program whereby States will be invited to partner with a local research/ evaluation institution such as a university, select a promising program for rigorous evaluation that otherwise might not be evaluated, and propose a research design. The principles and programmatic themes are cross-cutting, and together form the framework for the BJA program. This framework has evolved from our programmatic experience and will help chart our direction for future programming efforts. While the individual program summaries are presented by ``discipline,'' each program also represents one or more principle and theme. Program Summaries Comprehensive Programs Comprehensive Communities Program Grantee: 16 sites nationwide The Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) is demonstrating an innovative, comprehensive, and integrated multiagency approach to comprehensive violent crime control and community mobilization in 16 jurisdictions across the country. There is perhaps no more urgent domestic problem facing our country than violence. The only way to make progress against this epidemic is to marshal the coordinated efforts of communities; the private sector; and Federal, State, and local governments. CCP seeks to catalyze the development of such partnerships. Two key principles underlie this initiative. First, communities must play the lead role in fostering violence prevention partnerships. Second, State and local jurisdictions must establish strong coordinated and multidisciplinary approaches. Under the Comprehensive Communities Program, communities faced with high rates of drug abuse and violent crime develop a comprehensive strategy for crime and drug control that requires police and other city agencies to work in partnership with the community to address crime- and violence-related problems and the environment that fosters them. CCP goals are: To suppress violence and restore the sense of community wellness necessary to effectively recapture the security of our neighborhoods. To focus on community problems and concerns by initiating comprehensive planning and improved [[Page 21243]] intergovernmental and community relationships. CCP objectives are: To develop a comprehensive, multiagency strategy within each community to identify the causes and origins of violence and to control and prevent violent crime and drug-related crime. To include in each strategy a jurisdictionwide commitment to community policing and other efforts that encourage citizens to take an active role in problem solving. To coordinate existing Federal, State, local, and private agency resources and concentrate these resources to maximize their impact on reducing violent crime and drug-related crime in the program communities. The Comprehensive Communities Program has been administered in two phases. During Phase I, between April and September 1994, planning grants enabled the 16 jurisdictions to develop their crime control and community mobilization strategies. Phase II, from October 1, 1994, to September 30, 1996, provided initial funds to the 16 jurisdictions to begin implementing these strategies. The strategies require criminal justice agencies, other governmental organizations, and the private sector to work in partnership with the community. Each strategy includes a jurisdictionwide commitment to community policing, coordination among public and private agencies (e.g., social services and public health agencies), and efforts that encourage citizens to take an active role in problem solving. In addition to the community policing and community mobilization components, most of the strategies include application of drug courts, expedited prosecution and diversion, gang prevention and intervention, dispute and conflict resolution, and alternatives to incarceration. Each of the sites is encouraged to coordinate with and complement other comprehensive Federal, State, and local efforts. For example, the CCP strategies for Atlanta, Denver, Omaha, and Washington, D.C., are tailored specifically to support the Pulling America's Communities Together (PACT) Initiative in those jurisdictions. Also, many of the sites are participating in the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Initiative; the CCP strategy can represent a viable crime-control component for that initiative. In addition, several of the sites have included in their local strategies enhancements to or expansion of Weed and Seed efforts in selected target neighborhoods. Due to the broad nature of CCP and the decision to draw from multiple and independent initiatives, technical assistance and training in support of CCP is being provided through several sources, as follows: Criminal Justice Associates (CJA) coordinates overall technical assistance and training delivery under the program and prepares program documents (i.e., the implementation manual, fact sheets, and program status reports). At the project level, CJA focuses on site needs relating to project management and alternatives to incarceration. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) provides program-level assistance in preparing documents (i.e., coordination in developing the implementation manual and distributing newsletters). NCPC focuses on site needs relating to community mobilization and engagement, dispute and conflict resolution, and resource development. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) focuses on comprehensive gang initiatives in 11 of the 16 CCP sites. The American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) focuses on site needs as they relate to community prosecution and prosecution and diversion. In FY 1996, funds will be made available to a number of the demonstration sites to continue operations into FY 1997. Technical assistance will be provided through existing and continuation grants among the cadre of current providers. Crime Prevention National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign Grantee: National Crime Prevention Council; Washington, DC The National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign focuses on helping individuals, community and civic organizations, and Federal, State, and local government agencies build better, safer, and more caring communities. FY 1996 activities will enable the Campaign to continue its work on crime and violence prevention and drug demand reduction. Work elements will address the production and dissemination of air and print ads using McGruff the Crime Dog and nephew Scruff public service announcements (in English and Spanish) that target both youth and their caretakers; the development and reproduction of an array of crime and drug abuse prevention support materials; and the provision of national, State, and local technical assistance and training workshops in topical areas ranging from planning and managing crime prevention to comprehensive planning development. Boys & Girls Clubs of America Grantee: Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Atlanta, GA BJA will continue to provide Federal resources to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the establishment and enhancement of Boys & Girls Clubs in public housing and other community settings where there is a concentration of poverty, crime, and violence. FY 1996 activities will emphasize the partnering of BJA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America staff to identify local recipient sites in up to 30 communities across the country; the continued support of jurisdictions participating in the BJA-sponsored Comprehensive Communities Program; the incorporation of conflict resolution, mentoring, and parental outreach and training into the local programming of clubs receiving Federal enhancement awards; and the establishment of a national Native American advisory board that will meet regularly to assess and provide program recommendations for clubs established on Indian reservations. Drug Abuse Resistance Education Grantee: D.A.R.E. America; Inglewood, CA In FY 1996, BJA will continue its work with D.A.R.E. America to support the provision of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) technical assistance and training to local and State law enforcement officers and the accreditation of State D.A.R.E. Training Centers. These initiatives will be accomplished through provision of resources for the five D.A.R.E. Regional Training Centers (RTCs) administered by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the City of Los Angeles Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, and the Virginia State Police. Specifically, D.A.R.E. America and the RTCs will provide D.A.R.E. Officer Training for new D.A.R.E. officers; D.A.R.E. In-service Training for experienced D.A.R.E. officers; Mentor Officer Training; D.A.R.E. Parent Program Training for instructors who use the D.A.R.E. curriculum to work with and train parents; D.A.R.E. junior and senior high school student training; program development; assessments of State D.A.R.E. Training Centers; accreditation of law enforcement agencies as D.A.R.E. Training Centers; and technical assistance for local agencies replicating the D.A.R.E. Program. [[Page 21244]] National Night Out Grantee: National Association of Town Watch; Wynnewood, PA This year-long program involves the continuing participation of more than 28 million people, including law enforcement personnel; individuals from other units of government, business, education, and community organizations; citizens; and youth in over 8,800 communities in all 50 States, U.S. territories, and U.S. military bases around the world. Administered by the National Association of Town Watch, Inc. (NATW), FY 1996 support will enable NATW to continue providing information, educational materials, and technical assistance for the development of cost-effective police--community partnership efforts that work toward reducing crime, violence, and substance abuse at the national, State, local, and neighborhood levels. Tribal Strategies Against Violence Program Grantees: Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes; Poplar, MT and Rosebud Sioux Tribe; Rosebud, SD Tribal Strategies Against Violence is a Federal--tribal partnership initiative designed to empower Native American communities through the development and implementation of reservationwide strategies to reduce crime, violence, and drug abuse. Primary program focus is on the formation of a centralized planning team comprised of service providers, whose goal it is to develop short-term and long-term strategies that encompass community policing and prosecution, domestic abuse, juvenile delinquency, and prevention education. FY 1996 program activities will extend the program beyond the initial project sites on the Fort Peck, Montana, and Rosebud, South Dakota, Reservations. BJA, through a limited competitive process, will work with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) American Indian and Alaskan Native Desk and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), U.S. Department of Interior, to identify up to four regional sites across the country. Reservations selected for program participation will be representative of the Northwest, South-Southwest, Midwest-Great Lakes, and East regions. Law Enforcement Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force Grantee: Arlington County Police Department; Arlington, VA The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Drug Enforcement Task Force will continue to (1) provide a visible law enforcement presence; (2) disrupt major links between drug suppliers, distributors, and users; (3) initiate enforcement action against property owners who knowingly allow their property to be used in the distribution of illicit drugs; (4) develop comprehensive intelligence systems; and (5) coordinate with appropriate agencies regarding illegal firearms used by drug organizations. Gang Organized Crime Narcotics Violence Enforcement Program Grantees: Bernalillo County Prosecutor's Office; Bernalillo County, NM and Multnomah County Prosecutor's Office; Multnomah County, OR This program will continue to assist local law enforcement and prosecution agencies in addressing the growing problem of gang-related violence, with a special focus on drugs and firearms. Two sites will be funded to continue gathering intelligence and to develop investigative and prosecutorial strategies designed to weaken the structure and activities of violent gangs. Prison Gang Intelligence Program Grantee: Midstates Organized Crime Information Center; Springfield, MO The Prison Gang Intelligence Program will be continued in FY 1996 to implement a nationwide capability of collecting, analyzing, and sharing information on prison gangs, gang members, and prison gang activities. The program also will provide liaison and coordination activities to corrections agencies and law enforcement agencies in data collection and dissemination efforts. The purpose of the Prison Gang Intelligence Program is to provide for the establishment of a system to gather, store, and disseminate intelligence information on prison gang members and prison gang activities on a nationwide basis. This system will provide valuable support and assistance in the investigation and prosecution of gang- related criminal activity. It will create a central repository of prison gang information, formalize data collection methods, and standardize gang validation criteria. It will create a mechanism whereby State and local corrections and law enforcement agencies can share information and be provided analytical products that document prison gang developments and trends. A prison gang technical assistance capability will also be established. The program goal is to facilitate, through BJA's Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) projects, the collection, exchange, and analysis of information related to prison gangs, gang members, and prison gang activities; and to provide liaison and training activities to law enforcement, prosecution, and corrections agencies nationwide. Center for Task Force Training Grantee: Institute for Intergovernmental Research; Tallahassee, FL The Center for Task Force Training project will continue to help State and local agencies address criminal justice management issues and to provide dedicated training and technical assistance in support of the two Gang Organized Crime Narcotics Violence Enforcement Program sites, State and locally funded multiagency task forces, and other task forces supported by Byrne Formula Grant Program funds. The project will be expanded in FY 1996 to include a specialized training program that addresses multiagency antiterrorism preparedness. The Domestic Terrorism Training Program, which currently is under development with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), will develop, test, and evaluate the law enforcement antiterrorism training curriculum; identify and document the technical assistance needs of law enforcement agencies in the area of antiterrorism planning and prevention, and plan the methods of delivery; and focus on the multiagency/ multijurisdictional aspects of the law enforcement response to acts of domestic terrorism. Firearms Trafficking Program Grantee: Multiple sites nationwide The Firearms Trafficking Program will continue to help State and local governments reduce incidents of violence by reducing the availability of and illegal trafficking in firearms. This program contains several component programs that BJA has found to be effective or promising: The Firearms Licensee Compliance Program. This component enhances the ability of State and local law enforcement agencies to conduct more complete and comprehensive background investigations on applicants for new or renewed Federal Firearms Licenses. The Firearms Investigative Task Force Program. This component is designed to identify, target, investigate, and prosecute individuals and dismantle organizations involved in the unlawful use, sale, or acquisition of firearms in violation of Federal and/or State firearms laws. The Innovative Firearms Program. This component assists State and local [[Page 21245]] jurisdictions in developing and implementing innovative or enhanced projects designed to control illicit firearms trafficking. Technical Assistance and Training to Rural Areas Grantee: Rural Justice Center, University of Arkansas; Little Rock, AR In FY 1996, BJA will continue to provide technical assistance and training to rural areas through the Rural Justice Center of the Criminal Justice Institute of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. This program assists rural areas in the development of approaches and strategies that address the rising rates of crime, drug abuse, and violence, through the provision of technical assistance and training related to such issues as prevention, intervention, law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, and treatment. Training in Anti-Drug Activities and Cultural Differences Involving Illegal Aliens Grantee: International Association of Chiefs of Police; Alexandria, VA This program will be continued. Through a collaborative effort between the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the project will continue to present to local law enforcement officers a series of training seminars that will enable them to more effectively investigate crimes involving illegal aliens. Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program Grantees: Institute for Intergovernmental Research; Tallahassee, FL and National Criminal Justice Association; Washington, DC In FY 1996, BJA will continue to fund technical assistance and support services to five demonstration sites funded in prior years. The Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program is designed to enable the earliest possible identification, through the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC), of aliens arrested for felony offenses. Five States that have documented the largest alien populations in their correctional systems are continuing demonstration efforts in FY 1996 with projects funded in prior years. The Criminal Alien Identification and Intervention Program also is designed to encourage States to modify statutes and policies and implement innovative techniques that intervene in the criminal justice process to expeditiously and fairly adjudicate illegal aliens arrested or convicted of felonies; and facilitate appropriate detainment and deportation of these aliens. Supporting the demonstration sites and the program are two technical assistance efforts. The Institute for Intergovernmental Research provides onsite assistance to the States in preparing operational assessments, identifying promising approaches, and facilitating the testing of LESC. The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) provides research and technical assistance for the States, for enhancement of statutes and policies within the States. In FY 1994 and FY 1995, participating States implemented Phases I through III of the program by establishing statewide criminal alien working groups represented by key State and local officials; conducting an intensive assessment of the current processes by which the State identifies and handles illegal aliens entering the criminal justice system; and documenting promising approaches to enhance the identification and intervention of these illegal aliens. Work will continue in the demonstration States, using prior year grant awards to implement and demonstrate promising approaches. Comprehensive Homicide Initiative Grantee: City of Richmond; Richmond, VA and City of Richmond; Richmond, CA The Comprehensive Homicide Initiative is designed to effectively combat homicide and increase homicide clearance rates through the development and demonstration of a multifaceted approach that can be fully documented and ultimately replicated in other jurisdictions. This initiative addresses the underlying causes of homicide, including gang violence, domestic violence, violence associated with drug activity, and gun availability. The goals of the program are to reduce homicide rates and improve homicide clearance rates, including ``cold case'' homicides; develop innovative strategies and processes that have a high probability for improving the prevention, intervention, enforcement, and prosecution of homicide cases that are replicable in other jurisdictions; and document local efforts to enhance replicability of successful components of the program to other jurisdictions. The Cities of Richmond, Virginia, and Richmond, California, each have received funding to implement the recommendations of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Murder Summit Report. These cities were selected due to their high or increasing homicide rates, geographical diversity, and participation in other comprehensive criminal justice initiatives that will provide a good base from which to move forward. This comprehensive program requires coordination at the Federal, State, and local levels. Each city's plan must demonstrate coordination and cooperation among public agencies; private organizations; and municipal, county, State, and Federal agencies. The plan must demonstrate that this initiative will be integrated with other U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)-funded programs in the local jurisdiction, such as the Comprehensive Communities Program; Weed and Seed; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Program; and programs funded by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. In addition, the program must involve coordination with the relevant U.S. Attorney's Office. Coordination with Housing and Urban Development and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should also be included if relevant to the jurisdiction's program efforts. BJA has been working with each of the jurisdictions since November 1995. In each city, BJA held an onsite meeting that served as an initial opportunity to convene the representatives of the State and local agencies and representatives from Federal agencies with ongoing programs. Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program Grantee: Circle Solutions, Inc.; Vienna, VA In FY 1996, BJA will continue support to the Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program. The program is based on the collective experiences and best practices of the BJA Model Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Program demonstration sites and the BJA/Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Clandestine Laboratory Clean-Up Program. The program represents a significant investment and effort on the part of BJA to develop an effective method for combating clandestine drug laboratories in the United States. The training delivery system and followup technical support activities provided will ensure that the training reaches the audience for which it is intended in an efficient and cost effective manner. The Clandestine Laboratory Strategy Training Program assists State and local policymakers and practitioners responsible for law enforcement resource allocation decisions in [[Page 21246]] developing policies, procedures, and programs related to the hazardous chemical problems associated with clandestine laboratories. The program provides a foundation from which a comprehensive, multiagency response can be developed at the State and regional levels. Beginning in FY 1994, Circle Solutions, Inc., building upon a successful developmental and piloting effort, implemented a program to provide training and followup technical assistance to State and local criminal justice agencies and other public safety agencies nationwide. Assistance to Local Law Enforcement Agencies Significantly Impacted by the 1996 Olympic Games Grantee: Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Office of the Governor; Atlanta, GA The purpose of this program is to assist local jurisdictions significantly impacted by the public safety demands of the 1996 Olympic Games in Georgia. The program was funded to satisfy a congressional earmark. Current projections indicate that involved local jurisdictions may incur in excess of 400,000 hours of unfunded overtime costs as a result of the public safety requirements for Olympic venues throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area and in sites outside Atlanta. This grant will help defray the costs of approximately 155,000 hours of anticipated overtime requirements of involved jurisdictions. Regional Information Sharing System Grantee: 6 sites nationwide The Regional Information Sharing System (RISS) Program supports Federal, State, and local law enforcement efforts to combat criminal activity that extends across jurisdictional boundaries. Six regional RISS projects provide a broad range of intelligence exchange and related investigative support services to member criminal investigative agencies nationwide. The projects focus primarily on narcotics trafficking, violent crime, criminal gang activity, and organized crime. In FY 1996, the RISS Program will complete electronic connectivity among all projects, as well as other systems, to better facilitate the collection, dissemination and analysis of criminal intelligence. Also in FY 1996, the RISS projects will work with the National Major Gang Task Force to encourage the sharing and dissemination of gang intelligence information between the law enforcement and corrections communities. National White-Collar Crime Center Grantee: West Virginia Office of the State Auditor; Charleston, WV The National White-Collar Crime Center provides a national support system for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of multijurisdictional economic crimes. These white-collar crimes include investment fraud, telemarketing fraud, boiler room operations, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and advanced-fee loan schemes. The Center's mission includes providing investigative support services to assist in the fight against economic crime, operating a national training and research institute focusing on economic crime issues, and developing the Center as a national resource in combating economic crime. Adjudication National Symposium on Sentencing A national symposium on sentencing to be presented by BJA, the State Justice Institute, and the National Institute of Justice, will enable judges, legislators, prosecutors, defense counsel, corrections officials, police, and community representatives to discuss and share experiences and perspectives on current sentencing policy. Trial Court Performance Standards and Measurement System: Coordination Efforts Grantee: National Center for State Courts; Williamsburg, VA After 8 years of development and testing, the Trial Court Performance Standards and Measurement System (TCPSM) has been completed and is in the process of being adopted by numerous jurisdictions. For example, the Judicial Council of California has adopted TCPSM as part of a new Standard of Judicial Administration. One of the most significant events in judicial administration in the last 10 years, TCPSM comprises a set of 22 standards and 68 individual measures for assessing trial court performance. States urgently need technical assistance to enable them to implement the system. The National Center for State Courts will provide that assistance to State and local courts. BJA also will be working with State agencies to explore the possibility of using block grants to assist State trial courts in fully reviewing, adapting where appropriate, and implementing TCPSM throughout the State. Community Prosecution and Community Probation Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute; Alexandria, VA The Community Prosecution and Community Probation program consists of the following four components: Technical Assistance and Training In FY 1993 and FY 1994, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) convened two focus groups of experienced prosecutors who defined community prosecution and identified its key components. This information provided BJA and APRI with the framework to provide both intensive and general technical assistance and to produce several publications on the subject. In FY 1994 and FY 1995, APRI conducted two extremely well-received technical assistance conferences attended by over 75 prosecutors' offices. In FY 1996, APRI will continue its technical assistance by matching prosecutors with community prosecution expertise with jurisdictions now planning or implementing community prosecution strategies. To further inform prosecutors on issues involving the planning, implementation, and operation of a community prosecution program, APRI will convene a series of regional planning workshops, an invitational symposium, and a national conference. In addition, APRI will provide intensive technical assistance and conduct studies of three demonstration sites, at least one of which will implement a community prosecution program in a jurisdiction where a community policing program already exists. APRI will compare, contrast, and analyze each demonstration site and disseminate a report on the results. APRI will assist in the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) evaluation of BJA's Community Prosecution demonstration projects. Demonstration Projects BJA will provide limited funds to up to three prosecutors' offices to implement the current strategies discussed in the APRI Community Prosecution Implementation Manual and supporting documents. These offices will be invited by BJA to submit an application for funding. Preference will be given to offices capable of committing an equal amount of resources to the project. Community Probation A significant segment of the Community Prosecution and Community Probation Program will be devoted to community probation. BJA will choose up to three demonstration sites where APRI, or a consultant working with APRI, will develop model community probation programs. These models will build upon recent BJA [[Page 21247]] accomplishments in its Community Policing and Community-Focused Courts programs and involve partnerships with the police, the judiciary, probation officials, public defenders, and the community. Preference will be given to applicants who commit local resources to the project. Community-Focused Courts The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) in Williamsburg, Virginia, will provide technical assistance to courts interested in implementing recommendations from both the community-focused court's agenda currently under development by NCSC and a consortium of court and community organizations. This followup program will explore innovative technologies, such as the Internet and videoconferencing, in offering assistance; and it will provide onsite assistance as needed. NCSC will develop an evaluation instrument for use by local universities to evaluate the efforts of the community courts. The program will complement ongoing BJA efforts in the community prosecution area and support existing local and State partnership programs. Models of Court-Based Services to Children and Their Families Grantee: National Center for State Courts; Williamsburg, VA As an outcome to the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) task force on Childhood Victimization, BJA and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) will expand their current program ``Models of Court-Based Services to Children and Their Families.'' Funded by BJA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the program's purposes are to identify, document, evaluate, and further develop effective court-based service delivery to children and their families. The major goal is to improve collaboration among State trial, juvenile, and family courts and public health, mental health, and social services. NCSC will study and help two to three additional sites in the identification and coordination of cases involving child abuse and neglect and domestic violence. As part of the new effort, NCSC is looking at current sites supported by private funding organizations (i.e., the Kellogg Foundation, the Casey Foundation, and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation) to determine if the projects can be augmented with a stronger court focus. Assessment and Enhancement of Indigent Defense Services Grantee: National Legal Aid and Defender Association; Washington, DC In FY 1994, BJA awarded the National Legal Aid and Defender Association a grant to reestablish a national scope program to improve the defense component of the criminal justice system by providing State and local organizations that represent indigent defenders with quality training and technical assistance services. This program expands on training events to enhance the quality of indigent defense providers' representation of drug and violent crime defendants both to obtain the best results for their clients and to reduce recidivism. This program will also support the expansion of the National Clearinghouse for Defense Services. The Clearinghouse is designed to respond to inquiries from defenders, State officials, the judiciary, and the general public about the delivery of defense services and substantive criminal defense issues. The Clearinghouse compiles, assesses, and disseminates information on proven programs and on trends and innovative strategies employed by indigent defense services throughout the country. A Clearinghouse Directory will be available that includes a listing of the files maintained and a summary of the services available through the Clearinghouse. Statewide training programs that focus on defense issues, the development and use of diversion programs, and sentencing alternatives to incarceration will be expanded. In addition to covering traditional legal defense of a drug case, a training manual presents a distinctive approach to the defense of drug cases by integrating and emphasizing concrete strategies for treatment, intervention, and prevention; the manual will integrate guidelines for effective representation. This program will document the training practices used in drug and violent crime cases. Prosecutor's Pre-Charging Diversion Program Grantee: Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Sixth Judicial District Pulaski County; Little Rock, AK This program expands a citywide pilot project designed to reduce the recidivism rate for youthful offenders. An alternative to formal adjudication in juvenile court, this program serves as an opportunity for youthful offenders to receive constructive restitution and interact with community members. Youth violence is addressed through an interagency partnership that suspends traditional barriers in the community and creates a less threatening environment. By offering programs, opportunities, and services to at-risk youth, this now countywide strategy will document how neighborhood organizations and community groups are working to halt the rising rate of juvenile crime. Health Care Fraud Investigation and Prosecution Training and Technical Assistance Grantee: National Association of Attorneys General; Washington, DC The continuation of this project will enable the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) to continue providing national scope training and technical assistance services to State attorneys general and to other State and local agencies involved in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting intrastate health care fraud. NAAG will work with the three BJA-funded demonstration sites to develop prototype strategies for State attorneys general conducting health care fraud prosecutions--including health care consumer fraud, Medicaid fraud, and fraud against traditional insurance companies and health maintenance organizations (HMO's). NAAG will continue working closely with State attorneys general and district attorneys to provide cost-effective training programs for prosecutors and investigators and to develop innovative prosecution strategies. Special emphasis will be given to assisting the demonstration site units in the Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin Attorneys' General offices. In conjunction with an advisory group comprised of Federal, State, and local prosecutors, the project will identify demonstrably successful initiatives, and disseminate this information via a bimonthly newsletter. The project also will develop and publish a health care fraud practice manual for State prosecutors and develop a clearinghouse of materials relating to the prevention, detection, and prosecution of health care fraud. DNA Legal Assistance Unit Grantee: American Prosecutors Research Institute; Alexandria, VA Beginning in FY 1995 with substantial support from BJA, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) DNA Legal Assistance Unit has been providing direct support to America's prosecutors in the understanding and use of DNA typing technology to [[Page 21248]] investigate and prosecute serious cases such as capital murder, homicide, sexual assault, and child abuse. APRI has accomplished this task by providing technical assistance, publications, and training. Technical assistance activities include formulation of a comprehensive guide for direct and cross examination in DNA cases; development of a curriculum for training DNA analysts and examiners on the proper presentation of DNA evidence, emphasizing testimony and etiquette; and publication on a semiannual basis of The Silent Witness, a newsletter that bridges the gap between prosecutors and DNA laboratories. Technical assistance activities will be provided on a limited basis and will include responding to telephone requests, providing general and specific case information packets, and updating the Unit's extensive files of legal and scientific information. Adjudication Focus Group In March 1996, BJA conducted an adjudication focus group whose primary purpose was to identify and deliberate issues and problems within the adjudicative process of State and local criminal justice systems. This focus group did generate and discuss innovative programs and new approaches related to improving the adjudicative process. Criminal justice researchers and writers, Byrne Formula Grant Program State administrators, representatives from State and local prosecutor and public defender offices, justices and judges, parole and probation officers, and the funding community all contributed to increasing the quality and quantity of future BJA adjudication training, technical assistance, and demonstration programs. Later this year, BJA expects to issue one or more Requests for Proposal soliciting proposals from State and local adjudication components and/or private nonprofit organizations to implement one or more program ideas promulgated by this focus group. Corrections Correctional Options--National Dissemination The 1990 Amendments to the Crime Control Act provided BJA with the statutory authority to establish a comprehensive assistance program to develop ``correctional options'' at the State and local levels. In exercising this authority, BJA awards demonstration grants, provides technical assistance, and evaluates the results of intervention projects for youthful offenders likely to become career criminals. BJA's correctional options projects assist offenders in pursuing a lawful and productive transition to the community following release by providing security, discipline, and comprehensive services, including diagnosis, counseling, substance abuse treatment, education, job training, and placement assistance while under correctional supervision; and linkage to similar services in the community. These projects also provide work opportunities to promote the development of industrial and service skills. The expected results of the correctional options projects include reduced criminal recidivism of offenders who receive alternative punishments and, in the longer term, reduced costs in correctional services and facilities. For the purposes of this program, the term ``correctional options'' includes community-based incarceration, weekend incarceration, correctional boot camps, transitional programs, aftercare services, day reporting, structured fines, electronic monitoring, intensive probation, and other innovative sanctions designed to have maximum impact on offenders capable of being managed in an environment other than a traditional correctional facility. During a 4-year period, from FY 1992 through FY 1995, BJA awarded more than $40 million in Correctional Options Discretionary Program grants to public agencies and private nonprofit organizations. These grants were awarded to support the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of demonstration projects to test a broad range of alternatives to traditional modes of incarceration. All BJA correctional options demonstration projects have four basic goals: reduced incarceration costs, relief of prison and jail crowding, reduced recidivism rates for youthful offenders, and advancement in correctional practices. BJA has worked closely with State and local criminal justice professionals in project planning, design, and operation; coordination of technical assistance and evaluation services; monitoring of operations and outcomes; and facilitation of project refinement and improvements. A critical factor in measuring the outcomes of these projects has been the degree to which demonstration sites have been successful in selecting offenders who would have been incarcerated had the correctional options projects not existed. Preliminary findings from the evaluation of these projects indicate that offenders admitted to these programs pose considerable challenges to treatment efforts because of their young age, lack of education, poor job skills, low rates of employment, lack of social stability, history of drug abuse, and extensive record of prior arrests and convictions. However, these projects are successful in delivering badly needed services to a high-risk offender population, offering far more services and supervision than normally are provided for similarly situated offenders who are in prison or who are assigned to probation or parole. States like Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Vermont have succeeded in reaching their goal of cost effectiveness by targeting offenders who otherwise would have spent a considerable amount of time in custody. Model Correctional Options Projects The following projects have been selected as BJA correctional options models and will serve as resource sites for a National Correctional Options Dissemination, Training, and Technical Assistance Program: Washington State Reintegration of Youthful Offenders Maricopa County (AZ) Youthful Offenders Project Bradenton (FL) Correctional Treatment Facility Drug Punishment Program Maryland Community Supervision and Transitional Services New Hampshire Intensive Correctional Services Vermont Restorative Justice Services Connecticut Female Addictive Services--Fresh Start California Youth Authority Project LEAD Riverside County (CA) Twin Pines Academy Focus Group: Linking Byrne Formula and Discretionary Grant Programs A recent analysis of the annual needs assessments conducted through the Byrne Formula Grant Program indicated that the two areas of greatest need at the State and local levels are alternatives to incarceration and offender treatment services. In December 1995, BJA convened a focus group meeting with representatives from a number of successful State and local correctional options projects and from the State Administrative Agency for the Byrne Formula Grant Program in these same jurisdictions. The purpose was to obtain ideas and insights regarding the development of a Correctional Options Dissemination Program for the FY 1996 Byrne Discretionary Program Plan; as well as potential funding through the Byrne Formula Grant Program and other [[Page 21249]] public and private funding sources to support State and local correctional options. The FY 1996 National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Initiative for Correctional Options will build on the input from the planning meeting and will encourage States to support new correctional options projects with Byrne formula grants and to use these Byrne formula funds to leverage additional funding sources. FY 1996 Awards Technical Assistance, Dissemination, and Training To Promote Correctional Options Grantee: Criminal Justice Associates; Philadelphia, PA This continuation of the current award will support the technical assistance needs of the ongoing correctional options projects: the 9 demonstration projects that were awarded on September 30, 1995; the 10 projects that BJA considers models; and the FY 1994 awards to Wilmington, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. The continuation award will also support a national dissemination and technical assistance initiative that builds upon the lessons learned through the BJA Correctional Options Program regarding project planning, development, implementation, and evaluation. The initiative will support efforts to use Byrne Formula Grant Program funds and other public and private funding sources to support the implementation of Correctional Options projects at the State and local levels. The grantee will work closely with the program evaluator and will assist in the dissemination of information to key decisionmakers who can influence the development and funding of correctional options at the State and local levels. The award also will support the involvement of a consortium of service providers. Impact Evaluation of 10 Demonstration Sites Grantee: The National Council on Crime and Delinquency; Washington, DC This is a 15-month continuation award focusing on outcome measures and publications regarding the cost effectiveness of selected correctional options projects, as compared with traditional incarceration. The evaluation will be interactive with both the demonstration sites and the technical assistance providers, it will include feasibility assessment activities to determine the evaluability of project design and, as appropriate, technical advice on project adjustments to improve operations and outcomes. In addition to the dissemination of correctional options, BJA will continue to expand its support for programs that demonstrate productive work and employment preparedness services for prison and jail inmates, offenders participating in community-based correctional options programs, and ex-offenders. Prison Industry Enhancement Technical Assistance Grantee: Correctional Industries Association; Philadelphia, PA This continuation award will enable BJA to maintain the current level of effort regarding Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) technical assistance, training, and annual program audits. In addition, the award will support the development of revised PIE regulations and guidelines, extension of single PIE certification authority to encompass all State prisons and local jails, two annual meetings, and the development of marketing plans to promote expansion in the number of active PIE projects. Jail Work and Industries Grantee: Community Resource Services; Gaithersburg, MD This continuation award will enable BJA to continue providing technical assistance and program planning support to reduce inmate idleness through the development of productive work opportunities in local jails, including Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE)-certified private sector employment. Project Return Grantee: Tulane University; New Orleans, LA With strong support from the New Orleans Business Council, Project Return provides employment readiness training and support services to ex-offenders. Drug and alcohol counseling, remedial education, life skills training, vocational training, job placement services, and family counseling are provided to 200 participants per year. Opportunity To Succeed Program: Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse Grantee: Columbia University; New York, NY The Opportunity to Succeed (OPTS) program provides intensive services for addicted ex-offenders who received drug treatment while incarcerated and are returning on probation or parole to their communities in Kansas City, St. Louis, Tampa, Oakland, and New York City. The program goal is to sustain treatment gains and achieve a positive reintegration into the community by providing substance abuse treatment, case management, employment, and training, housing, family intervention, health services, and mental health services. Services are structured, coordinated, and monitored by case managers working for community based organizations. Evaluation, Systems Improvement, and Information Dissemination The Denial of Federal Benefits Program Contractor: Network Systems Integration; Washington, DC The Denial of Federal Benefits Program was established to implement Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (Subpart G of Public Law 100-690). This law offers an option to judges in both Federal and State courts to deny Federal benefits to persons convicted of trafficking in or possession of drugs. It also provides for the mandatory denial of Federal benefits to individuals with three or more convictions for trafficking offenses. In February 1993, additional duties were assigned to the Denial of Federal Benefits Program in connection with the implementation of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1993. This law provides for a point of contact-- i.e., a clearinghouse--from which defense contractors may learn whether an individual has been disqualified from defense contract participation as a result of a procurement fraud conviction. The goals of the program are to provide a sentencing option for Federal and State judges to deny a Federal benefit to a drug offender, a mechanism to report such a denial of Federal benefits, and a method to inform Federal agencies of individuals sentenced to a denial of Federal benefits. The program objectives are to enhance the use of denial of Federal benefits as a sanction in sentencing offenders convicted of a drug offense and to enhance BJA's capabilities to more accurately and efficiently collect offender data and improve processing of this data from Federal and State sources. The Denial of Federal Benefits Program's current operations include an information dissemination component, a systems management component, and a program management and coordination component. Testing of Nebraska's Victim Services Needs Assessment Instrument Grantee: Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Lincoln, NE [[Page 21250]] The purpose of the Victim Services Needs Assessment instrument is to assist the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice in assessing whether crime victim assistance funds are being utilized in the best way possible to address the needs of crime victims. The goals in testing the instrument are to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of existing services and to identify and formally document services not currently available but needed by victims of crime in Nebraska. The instrument consists of three sections. Section 1, the Nebraska Victimization Survey, is a statewide victimization instrument designed to determine geographical service gaps and awareness of crime victim services and evaluate attitudes toward crime and the criminal justice system. The second section, the Inventory of Victim Assistance Programs In Nebraska, is completed by victim assistance agencies and identifies how the agency is funded, who represents its client base, what services are provided, and what services are needed. Section 3, the Victim Assistance Client Survey, is given to the crime victim and identifies the types of services provided by the agency; the level of satisfaction with services provided; the types of services the victim felt were needed but were not provided; and if the victims used other agencies for services. The instrument is service specific; it is designated to be used by States and local agencies. Once the instrument is tested and finalized, it will be made available to other States for their use. The Office of Victims of Crime will oversee instrument refinement. An Initiative To Develop Model Internet Applications for State and Local Criminal Justice Agencies Grantee: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority; Chicago, IL This initiative is being developed by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The purpose is to develop model Internet applications that will allow State and local criminal justice agency users to access information about programs and resources that are available to combat crime and violence. The goals of the initiative are to develop model Internet applications in the State and local criminal justice community for the electronic sharing and publishing of criminal justice data and information. The initiative involves information technology, data and statistics, program development, and research and evaluation. ICJIA enlisted BJA, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to review and collaborate on the proposal and determine its utility to State and local criminal justice agencies. To ensure that the ICJIA's work is responsive to the needs of State and local agencies across the country, SEARCH Group, Inc., the National Criminal Justice Association, Justice Research Statistics Association, BJA, NIJ, and BJS all will consult on this initiative. U.S. Department of Justice Response Center and BJA Clearinghouse Contractor: Aspen Systems, Inc. The BJA Clearinghouse continues to serve as an information and dissemination source for the criminal justice field. BJA also supports the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Response Center, which provides timely and accurate information on DOJ initiatives. Report Publication and Dissemination This initiative enables BJA to produce and disseminate information to the criminal justice field about state-of-the-art programs and activities, and to improve the criminal justice system through development of publications and other media materials. State and Local Training and Technical Assistance Program Contractor: Community Research Associates; Nashville, TN The purpose of the BJA State and Local Training and Technical Assistance Program is to provide training and technical assistance to States, units of local government, and recognized Native American Indian Tribes in the development and implementation of comprehensive systemwide strategies for preventing and combating drug-related and violent crime, and in the improvement of the function of State and local criminal justice systems. Although developed primarily to support BJA's Formula Grant Program, training and technical assistance can also be extended to BJA discretionary grantees and, in certain instances, to other facets of the U.S. Department of Justice (e.g., in response to requests from U.S. Attorneys). Evaluation Program The goal of BJA's Evaluation component is to identify criminal justice programs of proven effectiveness and to disseminate information about these programs, so that other jurisdictions throughout the country can replicate them. Results of BJA program evaluations guide the formulation of policy and programs within Federal, State, and local criminal justice agencies. BJA coordinates the development of evaluation guidelines with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). In addition, NIJ conducts comprehensive evaluations of selected programs receiving discretionary and formula grant funds from BJA. Each applicant for State Byrne Formula Grant Program funds is required to include in its project plan an evaluation component that meets the BJA/NIJ evaluation guidelines. Each State is required to provide BJA with an annual report that includes a summary of its grant activities and an assessment of the impact of these programs on the needs identified in its statewide drug and violent crime control strategy. Applicants for Byrne Discretionary Grant Program funding are required to include an evaluation component in their applications and agree to conduct required evaluations according to procedures and terms established by BJA. SEARCH National Training and Technical Assistance Program Grantee: SEARCH Group, Inc. (National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics); Sacramento, CA The SEARCH National Training and Technical Assistance Program, created in 1986, offers assistance to criminal justice agencies across the country in the development, improvement, acquisition, and/or integration of their computer systems (e.g., records and case management, computer-aided dispatch, and criminal history records systems). SEARCH provides onsite, no-cost training and technical assistance to justice agencies. It also offers services at the National Criminal Justice Computer Laboratory and Training Center located in Sacramento, California. Public Safety Support Services: National Training and Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement Line of Duty Deaths Grantee: Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc.; Camdenton, MO The Public Safety Officers' Benefits Act (42 U.S.C. 3796 et seq.) authorizes the Director of BJA to support national programs that assist families of public safety officers killed in the line of duty. Since 1984, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS) has implemented programs to provide psychological support and practical guidance to law enforcement agencies and families that have lost an officer in the line of duty. BJA has identified the need to: update research on law enforcement agencies' readiness to handle line-of-duty deaths; provide training and technical [[Page 21251]] assistance to better prepare law enforcement agencies to intervene effectively with families and coworkers of officers killed in the line of duty; and increase dissemination of information about the services and benefits available to the families of fallen officers and about the resources available to assist agencies. BJA will survey law enforcement agencies regarding their written policies and procedures on responding to line-of-duty deaths. In addition, input and reaction will be sought from surviving family members concerning the treatment accorded them by the deceased family member's agency. The survey will provide some measure of the impact BJA and other organizations have had over the past 11 years in improving agency response to line-of-duty deaths. National Institute of Justice Research Plan 1995-1996 For substantive questions regarding specific Goals, please contact the appropriate Program Manager. Names and telephone numbers of all Program Managers are listed at the end of each Goal. For general NIJ information, contact Carrie Smith, at (202) 616-3233. For information about the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Crime Law), contact the Department of Justice Response Center, at (202) 307-1743 or (800) 421-6770. To inquire about NIJ receipt of applications, contact Louise Loften, at (202) 307-2965. For document publication information, contact Mary Graham, at (202) 514-6207. For general information about NIJ programs and funding opportunities, and application procedures; for requests for reprints, literature, final reports, funded grants on related topics, etc.; for names of researchers or practitioners working on related topics, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), at (800) 851-3420. The NIJ 1995-96 Research Plan is also available electronically via the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Bulletin Board System. For Internet access information, e-mail lively@justice.usdoj.gov. National Institute of Justice Staff Jeremy Travis, Director Office of the Director Margaret Battle Chriss Wetherington Christy Visher Planning and Management Division Carol Petrie, Director Sheila Parker-Darby Denise Gadson Carrie Smith Office of Research and Evaluation Sally T. Hillsman, Director Louise Lofton Evelyn Washington Criminal Behavior Edwin W. Zedlewski, Acting Director Bernie Auchter Laurie Bright Thomas Feucht Helen Girma Voncile Gowdy Ginger Kyle Pamela Lattimore Jordan Leiter Angela Moore Jack Riley James Trudeau Crime Control and Prevention Winnie Reed, Acting Director Julianna Banks Stephanie Bourque Steven Edwards Stephen Holmes Eric Jefferis Robert Kaminski Robert Langworthy Nancy Lavigne Richard Lewis Phyllis McDonald Lois Mock Rosemary Murphy Jeffrey Ross Richard Titus Office of Science and Technology David G. Boyd, Director Raymond L. Downs Kevin Jackson Richard M. Rau Robert Tolle Office of Communication and Research Utilization Virginia Baldau, Acting Director Tamara Ross Reference and Dissemination Division John Schwarz, Director Mary Graham Eugene Hebert G. Martin Lively Daniel Tompkins Research Applications and Training Division John Spevacek, Acting Director Cheryl Crawford Marilyn Moses Carolyn Peake Samuel McQuade John Thomas Table of Contents From the Director Contacts National Institute of Justice Staff Introduction Goal I: Reduce Violent Crime Goal II: Reduce Drug- and Alcohol-Related Crime Goal III: Reduce the Consequences of Crime Goal IV: Improve the Effectiveness of Crime Prevention Programs Goal V: Improve Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Goal VI: Develop New Technology for Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System Administrative Guidelines Application Information Recommendations to Grant Writers NIJ Policy Regarding Unsolicited Proposals Requirements for Award Recipients Application Forms Introduction The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Created in 1968 by Congress pursuant to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, the Institute is authorized to: Sponsor research and development to improve and strengthen the Nation's system of justice with a balanced program of basic and applied research. Evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice and law enforcement programs and identify those that merit application elsewhere. Support technological advances applicable to criminal justice. Test and demonstrate new and improved approaches to strengthen the justice system. Disseminate information from research, development, demonstrations, and evaluations. This Plan signals the new administrative direction that NIJ will follow to achieve its research and evaluation goals. Conceptually, the Plan is the basis of NIJ's pyramid of research. It will be supplemented over the coming months by a series of solicitations on topics that speak to current or persistent policy concerns that warrant research investments. By their nature, those solicitations will represent a somewhat more focused part of this pyramid. Intramural studies are at the apex of the research pyramid. Questions with strong policy orientation or immediate concern may best be addressed by NIJ staff who can interact directly with the policymakers asking the questions. [[Page 21252]] Readers of prior NIJ Plans will find that this Plan has been substantially shortened. Much of the traditional background text has been discarded; suggested research topics have been reduced from paragraphs to phrases. This change in style, however, implies no change in the kinds of research being sought. NIJ believes that this abbreviated format is more consistent with the spirit and intent of the Plan as a vehicle to encourage the field to submit original ideas on a wide range of research issues. Focused solicitations will appear intermittently over the next year. These will address more specific topics for which special funding is available. Certain activities funded under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Crime Law) will be focal points-- specifically, community policing, violence against women, boot camps, and drug courts--as will evaluations of selected Bureau of Justice Assistance programs. NIJ will also initiate solicitations in collaborative arrangements with other Federal agencies, as well as for topics that NIJ believes merit special attention for the development of knowledge. These solicitations will be announced through the Federal Register and other NIJ communications channels including the Internet (the Department of Justice and NCJRS Online) and special mailings. Interested applicants should telephone the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) at 800-851-3420 or e-mail askncjrs@ncjrs.aspensys.com for pending releases and dates of announcement. Partnerships are another new priority for the Institute. NIJ believes that many of today's crime problems require solutions that extend beyond criminal justice boundaries. The Institute has been active in discussions with other Federal agencies and private foundations and has established a variety of collaborative relationships. Some of these will manifest themselves in the form of special solicitations on specific topics or programs. Others will simply encourage collaborative or interdisciplinary research and offer the prospect of joint funding. Still others will result in the development of shared research agendas. NIJ encourages researchers from all disciplines to explore the opportunities for collaborative efforts presented in this Plan and subsequent announcements, and to propose arrangements that they are able to construct beyond those mentioned. NIJ particularly encourages coordination of research applications with submissions in other OJP agency Plans. An organizational change has also occurred. The factors that distinguish ``research'' from ``evaluation'' are subtle and secondary to the substance of the issues. Therefore, the Institute has merged these functions into a single Office of Research and Evaluation that will review submissions for both areas. The Plan invites proposals for a range of funding amounts. It includes a category of small grants (less than $50,000) across all goals and subjects. Readers should consult the administrative sections of the Research Plan for additional information on the differences in application requirements. Six Strategic Long-Range Goals In FY 1993, the Institute set forth six long-range goals as the focus of NIJ research, evaluation, and development in the coming years. The creation of this long-range agenda was well received; a large number of research and evaluation proposals were submitted, providing an interdisciplinary framework for 1994. In this 1995-96 Research Plan, the Institute specifies the research, evaluation, and technology projects that NIJ anticipates supporting under each goal. The numeric order of the goals does not indicate levels of priority for the Institute. Many of the special grant programs for individuals--such as the Data Resources Program, various Fellowship programs, the NIJ Internship Program--are now described in a separate publication, which will be announced in the Federal Register. NIJ solicits research and evaluations to develop knowledge that will further these long-range goals: I. Reduce violent crime. II. Reduce drug- and alcohol-related crime. III. Reduce the consequences of crime. IV. Improve the effectiveness of crime prevention programs. V. Improve law enforcement and the criminal justice system. VI. Develop new technology for law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Studies that involve the use of randomized experimental designs are encouraged, as are multiple strategies for data collection, and well- controlled, quasi-experimental designs and equivalent comparison group designs. Qualitative studies, including ethnographic data collection, are also encouraged. Research Collaborations NIJ encourages joint research and evaluation projects with other Federal agencies and private foundations interested in crime and criminal justice issues. Applicants may wish to consider whether their proposed project might lend itself to joint funding with another agency or foundation. Applicants interested in exploring possible partnerships should contact the potential partner agency directly, or the relevant NIJ program manager, to discuss specific topics for possible collaborative projects. NIJ has entered into memorandums of agreement or is in other ways collaborating with the Departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Treasury. Agencies and foundations that have indicated a desire to collaborate with NIJ on projects of mutual interest, or are currently involved in joint research efforts with NIJ, include: Agencies Advanced Research Projects Agency (DOD) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau of Justice Assistance Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Mental Health Services Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Corrections Program Office (OJP) Drug Courts Program Office (OJP) National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Institute of Mental Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute of Corrections National Institute on Drug Abuse National Science Foundation Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (HUD) Office of National Drug Control Policy Office for Victims of Crime State Justice Institute Violence Against Women Program Office (OJP) Foundations The Annie E. Casey Foundation The Carnegie Corporation of New York The Ford Foundation The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation The J.C. Kellogg Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Pew Charitable Trusts The Prudential Foundation The Ronald McDonald Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation The Institute cannot guarantee that joint funding for research and [[Page 21253]] evaluation projects will be forthcoming from these sources. Applicants should consider whether their proposals are in accord with the goals of these agencies and private foundations. Specific information about applying for Institute grants is contained in the section ``Administrative Guidelines.'' Goal I: Reduce Violent Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation projects spanning six broad areas: family violence, violence against women, homicide, firearms and violence, gangs, and juvenile violence. Through this solicitation the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) expects to support research that will improve the criminal justice knowledge base on crimes and criminal behavior that increasingly concern the public. Background Violent crime is a leading concern among the American public today. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), in 1992 there were 6.6 million violent victimizations in the United States-- including 141,000 rapes, 1.2 million robberies, and 5.3 million assaults. The violent crime rate is steadily increasing, especially among juveniles, and in 1992 was the highest ever recorded for blacks; homicide is now the leading cause of death for young black males. Handguns are a major factor in the increasing violence, especially in the commission of homicide. Of the 23,760 murders reported to the FBI in 1992, handguns were used in 55 percent. One of the most critical issues in any consideration of ways to reduce violence and its consequences is the role firearms play in contributing to violent crime, serious injury, and death. The NCVS estimates the rate of nonfatal handgun victimizations in 1992 at 4.5 crimes per 1,000 persons aged 12 or older--the highest such figure on record. Findings from an NIJ and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) study of incarcerated juveniles and inner-city high school students showed that 83 percent of inmates and 22 percent of students had possessed guns, with 55 percent and 12 percent respectively having carried guns all or most of the time. Between 1988 and 1992, arrests of juveniles for violent crimes increased by 47 percent--more than double the increase for persons 18 years of age or older. Over the same period, juvenile arrests for homicide increased by 51 percent and statistics on weapons law violations indicate that juvenile use of guns has increased dramatically. Spousal abuse commonly comes to mind when violence against women is discussed, but violence against women is much broader. According to the NCVS, more than 2.5 million women experience violence each year; nearly two in three female victims of violence were related to or knew their attacker; about a third were injured as a result of the crime; nearly half the victims of rape believed the offender to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the attack. The issue has emerged as a topic of national interest and led to the inclusion of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the 1994 Crime Law. The Crime Law contains many other provisions directed toward the prevention, control, and reduction of violent crimes--enhancements for law enforcement, correctional facilities, and drug treatment options; restrictions on firearms; provisions to deal with juvenile crime and gangs; and increases in the programs and research about family violence as well as violence against women. Through this general solicitation NIJ encourages studies that will address these areas of broad general concern and that examine the specific priorities identified in the 1994 Crime Law, particularly with regard to violence among juveniles and the illegal possession and use of firearms. The Institute is especially interested in filling critical gaps in current knowledge and identifying and evaluating existing programs of crime prevention and control. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas that could advance criminal justice knowledge and practice under Goal I of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Studies of Offenders and Offenses. Criminal careers of offenders who engage in violent crime, including risk and protective factors, and offenses and offenders, including robbery, sexual assault, child sexual assault, stalking, and homicide. Offender perceptions of criminal justice response to violent offenders. Juvenile violence, including escalation patterns, racial conflicts, and influence of peers and gangs. Family violence involving intimate partners, spouses, children, and elders. Violent Situations. Role of gangs and group offending in criminal violence. Studies of patterns in violent events, including triggering events, situational elements, and predisposing influences. Protective factors in neighborhoods and communities at high risk of violence. Violence in specific situations and locations including schools, families, recreational settings, and the workplace. Firearms Violence. Adult and juvenile patterns of gun availability, sources of guns, and use in violent crime. Role of illegal markets in weapons on patterns of firearms violence, especially among juveniles. Impact of firearms laws on gun crimes, substitution of other weapons, and offense patterns. Feasibility studies of innovative firearms regulations. Responses to Violent Offenders. Differentiating system responses to violence from responses to other crimes. Violence prevention. Evaluation of innovative programs and practices. Evidentiary concerns, including uncooperative witnesses. Management of violent offenders on probation and parole including risk assessment, treatment programs, and community supervision. Family Violence. Improving the criminal justice (police, prosecution, courts) response to family violence. Interdisciplinary research on the origins of spouse assault. Child homicide and fatality review teams. Links between partner abuse and child abuse. Evaluation of innovative programs and practices for responding to elder abuse. Effectiveness of stalking legislation. In addition to family violence research, NIJ also will issue a special solicitation in 1996 requesting evaluations and research of selected topics covered under the Violence Against Women Act. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Bernard Auchter, (202) 307-0154, for family violence and violence against women. Lois Mock, (202) 307-0693, for firearms violence. Winifred Reed, (202) 307-2952, for gangs. James Trudeau, (202) 307- 1355, for studies of offenders and offenses, violent situations, and responses to violent offenders. Goal II: Reduce Drug- and Alcohol-Related Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation [[Page 21254]] projects that will improve the criminal justice knowledge base about crimes and criminal behavior involving the use of drugs and alcohol. Through this solicitation NIJ seeks to clarify further the relationship between substance abuse and crime and to reduce drug- and alcohol- related crime. Background Substance abuse and drug-related crimes continue to affect the lives of countless Americans residing in both urban and rural neighborhoods across the Nation. NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) data show an increase in marijuana use and relatively stable but high levels of major addictive substance use among booked arrestees in the 23 urban areas monitored by DUF. Recent data from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) indicate that the use of heroin and cocaine is on the rise. Efforts to prevent and reduce drug-related crime, and thereby improve the quality of life in these areas, continue to occupy the criminal justice community. Alcohol is used by both offenders and victims in a significant proportion of violent events, with documented connections between both situational and chronic drinking and aggressive or violent behavior. The National Academy of Sciences Panel on the Understanding and Control of Violent Behavior has called for more research into the role of alcohol in promoting violent events, particularly since little is known about how alcohol and violence may reinforce one another or how the alcohol-violence relationship may vary depending on type of violence. The criminal justice system is the largest single source of external pressure influencing abusers who otherwise would not enter substance abuse treatment programs. Half or more of the admissions to community-based residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment programs are offenders on probation or parole. Criminal justice referral to treatment relieves courts and prisons of overcrowding and reduces the high cost of continued incarceration, while providing an added degree of supervision beyond what probation or parole offices may be able to afford. When successful, treatment further reduces criminal justice costs by breaking the pattern of recidivism that brings typical substance abusers back into the criminal justice system again and again. Research on criminal justice-involved populations suggests that substance abuse treatment can be effective in reducing substance abuse and criminal activity while the client is in treatment and for some time thereafter. As substance abuse programs are implemented, it is important to provide critical feedback on how they are working and for whom they are most effective. It is also important to determine how best to provide treatment--through public criminal justice agencies or through private treatment agencies under contract. Substance abuse prevention programs continue to proliferate in response to public concerns. Comprehensive substance abuse programs for youths can promote anti-drug social norms and thereby reduce or prevent the use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. NIJ seeks to evaluate comprehensive community-based substance abuse programs that develop partnerships among criminal justice and schools, health centers, families, peers, and media. NIJ's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) program gathers offense and drug use information from samples of adult and juvenile arrestees at 23 sites nationwide, providing access to a national sample of arrestees within hours of arrest. Along with a brief, voluntary interview, urine specimens are obtained to test for evidence of recent use of drugs. For 7 years, data from NIJ's DUF program have traced the trends in drug use among persons arrested for a wide range of offenses. In 1995, NIJ began soliciting proposals that capitalized and expanded upon the research potential provided through the DUF program's quarterly collection of interviews and urine specimens from samples of adult and juvenile arrestees brought to jails in 23 cities nationwide. Researchers are encouraged to develop proposals that present innovative ways of utilizing the DUF program as a research ``platform'' for pursuing a wide range of hypotheses related to drug use and criminal activity. For instance, in collaboration with existing DUF sites, the basic data collection protocol could be supplemented with additional interview assessments or bio-assays. NIJ is also interested in proposals that examine specific research questions by applying the DUF protocol to targeted samples of arrestees such as those in suburban or rural jails, or those arrested for specific offenses. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research areas that could advance criminal justice knowledge and practices under Goal II of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Substance Abuse and Criminal Behavior. Relationships between drugs, alcohol, and violence, including the individual and environmental circumstances. Relationship between substance abuse and related criminal behavior of all types, including family violence. Understanding substance abuse careers and how they track with criminal careers over time. Inventory of the validity, scope, and gaps in current substance abuse data sets. Substance Abusing Offenders and the Criminal Justice System. Impact of pretrial services, adjudication, sentencing, and corrections (including community corrections) programs. Effect of strategies implemented in one segment of the system on the rest of the system. Offender attitudes, perceptions, and experiences as they move through particular components/programs. Effective use of a series of graduated sanctions for noncompliance behaviors. Substance Abuse Prevention. Cost benefit analyses. Impact of criminal justice-based strategies on later substance abuse and other related criminal behavior. Development and identification of demand- reduction strategies and programs for high-risk populations. Treatment and Aftercare Evaluations. Assessment of treatment drop- outs. Determination of the optimal mix of various treatment and after- care components for various criminal justice populations. Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) Research Platform Initiatives. Expansion of adult and juvenile research protocols to address additional research questions such as drug market analysis, drug treatment history of arrestees, the onset of drug use among arrestees, the relationship between drug acquisition and other criminal activities, and the role of alcohol and drug consumption in the commission of crimes. Drug Enforcement. Research on the effectiveness of interdiction efforts and control strategies such as increased penalties for drug trafficking in prisons and drug dealing in drug-free school zones. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before submitting proposals. To obtain specific information on the programs described under this goal, potential applicants may contact: Laurie Bright, (202) 616-3624, for substance abuse research and evaluations related to the criminal justice system. Thomas E. Feucht, (202) 307- 2949, for substance abuse research related to DUF research [[Page 21255]] platform initiatives. James Trudeau, (202) 307-1355, for substance abuse research related to criminal behavior. Goal III: Reduce The Consequences of Crime Purpose The purpose of this solicitation is to encourage research and evaluation projects that explore the causes of victimizations, their consequences in injury, fear, property damage, and other forms of cost; and the institutional responses of criminal justice agencies to victims. In addition to individual victims, the Institute is interested in the ways that households, organizations, and communities become victims, and how victimizations harm and otherwise alter daily functioning. NIJ is also interested in how victim service institutions can best serve victims to reduce the harm done. The goals of the research solicited are to understand how natural circumstances can lead to victimizations, as well as the nature and extent of harm caused by crime, and to use these findings to reduce both victimization risk and severity. Background The extent of criminal victimization within the United States is disturbing: In 1992, approximately 1 in every 4 households was victimized by 1 or more crimes, and 1 in 20 had at least one member age 12 or older who was the victim of a violent crime. Violent crime victimization rates, after declining through most of the 1980's, have again begun to increase, most notably among blacks and persons ages 12- 24. National public opinion surveys consistently indicate that crime has displaced other issues as the Nation's most serious concern. In a 1994 New York Times/CBS News nationwide telephone poll, 23 percent of respondents listed crime as ``the most important problem facing this country today,'' and 40 percent said they live within a mile of an area where they would be afraid to walk alone at night. The harm of victimization includes injury, dollar loss, and a pervasive sense of insecurity that disrupts and truncates the victim's daily activities and satisfactions. This harm also touches those close to or acquainted with the victim. The victim's needs are imperfectly understood by researchers and practitioners and are inadequately responded to by available programs of assistance. The victim's dealings with the criminal justice system often compound the damage rather than serving to restore the victim and create a sense of justice. We are limited in our understanding of the antecedents and causes of victimization. ``Routine activities'' research--that includes the victim along with the offender, environment, and ``guardians'' has the potential to improve the validity and effectiveness of crime prevention programs. Such research might examine specific types of victims, specific activity domains, or specific locations. A special emphasis might be topics suggested by the Violence Against Women Act, which is discussed in Goal I. The effects of crime reach far beyond their impact on individuals and households, extending into businesses, public housing areas, neighborhoods, and ultimately into entire communities. Within the community, violent crime, gangs and the threat they pose, vandalism, drugs, and disorder may cause businesses to close or relocate, reduce employment and shopping opportunities, and decrease property values. Where this grim process is not interrupted, urban neighborhoods and communities decay, investments dwindle or disappear, and law-abiding residents and their organizations move out. Crimes against business range from the armed robbery of a neighborhood grocery to the electronic swindle of an international corporation and include such offenses as the theft of cash or property (by customers, employees, and suppliers), burglary, vandalism, billing scams, embezzlement, extortion, computer hacking, hijacking of shipments, kidnaping, arson, and theft of intellectual property. The cost of crime to business is, of course, ultimately borne by consumers, employees, and residents of areas that experience a decline because of crime's effect on local business. Through this general solicitation NIJ encourages studies that will address these critical areas of citizen concern. The Institute is particularly interested in research that advances our knowledge of the extent and consequences of criminal victimization in the following areas: assessing the harm caused by victimization, improving the delivery of services to victims and their treatment by the criminal justice system, increasing our understanding of the causes and means of prevention of victimization, improving data about the victimization of businesses, and the effects of crime and victimization on the delivery of services in affected areas. Research Areas of Interest Listed below are examples of research topics that will advance criminal justice knowledge of the extent, causes, and consequences of criminal victimization under Goal III of the NIJ Research Plan. Individuals are encouraged to suggest their own topics of interest. Research is encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: Assessing Victim Needs. Diagnostic instruments for use by victim services providers that would assist staff intake assessment of victim harm and required services. Victim-based evaluations of services. Program Evaluations. Evaluations of victim services programs in such areas as restorative justice, use of computers by victim services, incorporation of victim services in community policing, programs tailored to victims with special needs, including child victims, and local program compliance with victim services mandated by State legislation. Criminal Justice System Response to Victims. How treatment of victims and witnesses by the criminal justice system affects the public's willingness to cooperate with the system at all stages of its processes. Victimization Patterns. How routine activities, behavior, perceptions, and knowledge interact with situational variables and offender behavior to increase or lower the risk of victimization. Knowledge that can contribute to reducing the level of victimization. Impact of Crime on Business. The quality of data on the costs of victimization of business, its customers, suppliers, and employees, and the community. Priorities for new data collection and the utility of the data for combating crimes against business. Impact of Crime on Service Delivery. Effects of fear of crime and victimization on the ability of communities, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide services and meet the needs of residents of affected neighborhoods. Contact Applicants are encouraged to contact NIJ Program Managers to discuss topic viability, data availability, or proposal content before