6: Encouraging Innovation in Corrections
According to a BJS study, 5.5 million people were on probation, in jail or prison,
or on parole at yearend 1996, representing 2.8 percent of all U.S. adult residents.
Recognizing the tremendous costs associated with incarcerating and monitoring these
individuals, OJP is dedicated to helping state and local authorities manage their
correctional populations. Through formula grants, OJP provides funding to states to
construct juvenile detention or correctional facilities, increase bed space for violent
offenders, and treat prisoners with substance abuse addictions while they are incarcerated.
OJP also supports research to identify promising innovations in corrections and
disseminates information on what works to state and local corrections authorities.
Funding Resources
OJP's largest corrections grants are awarded to the states through formula awards.
For information on the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth in Sentencing and Residential
Substance Abuse Treatment programs, please refer to the formula grants section of this
publication. Information about subgrants is available from the state point of contact for
these formula grant programs, listed in the Online Resource Guide. In addition, states can
elect to use funding through OJJDP's Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant
program to increase programming in juvenile detention and correctional facilities and to
train personnel. Information on this grant program is also listed in the formula grants
chapter, and the point of contact for your state is listed in the Online Resource Guide.
Some specialized discretionary funding may be available through OJP from the
following programs:
- BJA supports innovation in corrections through a number of funding streams.
States can elect to use Byrne formula funding for several corrections-related
purposes, including prison industry, alternatives to detention, and prosecuting
career criminals. In addition, BJA discretionary funding through the Open
Solicitation may be available to support corrections-related projects. Information
on specific funding sources is available through the OJP Program Plan, which is
published annually and is available through the Department of Justice Response
Center by calling 1-800/421-6770.
- OJJDP discretionary funding may be available to test new approaches in juvenile
corrections, such as alternatives to incarceration, corrections-based substance
abuse treatment programs, and transitional programs for juvenile offenders. For
more information, contact OJJDP's Special Emphasis Division at 202/616-3652 or
consult the OJP Program Plan, which is available through OJP's Website or the
DOJ Response Center.
- DOJ, in conjunction with the Departments of Labor and Health and Human
Services, is developing an Offender Reentry Initiative to assist state and local
agencies and communities in developing innovative reentry programs. These
programs will respond to public safety issues by addressing critical elements of
reentry-offender supervision, employment and substance abuse treatment-in a
coordinated fashion. The program's goal is to help states and communities work
together to improve offender supervision and accountability, as well as essential
support services, to minimize threats posed by high risk or special needs offenders
returning to the community from state prisons and juvenile correctional facilities
(or local facilities housing state prisoners). Information about this initiative is
available on the OJP Website at www.usdoj.ojp.gov.
Training and Technical Assistance Resources
- OJP's Corrections Program Office has a comprehensive technical assistance
program that includes conferences, workshops, training programs, and on-site
technical assistance tailored to the needs of the requesting jurisdiction. These
activities are designed to assist states with the effective implementation of the
corrections-related programs of the 1994 Crime Act and to help state policymakers
and correctional administrators address policy and operational issues related to
sentencing, corrections, and substance abuse treatment. A detailed listing of
current CPO training initiatives and conferences is available on the Web at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo/conferences.htm. Information is also available by calling CPO
toll-free at 1-800/848-6325.
- OJP partners with the National Institute of Corrections and the State Justice
Institute to support the Center for Sex Offender Management. The center works
to enhance public safety by preventing further victimization through improving the
management of adult and juvenile sex offenders who are in the community.
CSOM's technical assistance programs assist individual criminal justice agencies,
courts, policymakers, and jurisdictional teams engaged in the development and
implementation of innovative approaches to the management of sex offenders. For
more information, write to the Center for Sex Offender Management at 8403
Colesville Road, Suite 720, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910 or visit CSOM's
Website at www.csom.org.
Other Resources
- The National Institute of Corrections, a component of the Justice Department's
Bureau of Prisons, provides assistance to federal, state, and local corrections
agencies working with adult offenders. The NIC Information Center, located in
Longmont, Colorado, is a national clearinghouse for the collection and
dissemination of information on all aspects of adult corrections. Most of the
Information Center's collection of more than 14,000 titles are oriented to the
corrections practitioner, and many of the titles are unpublished materials developed
by state and local corrections agencies. The Information Center can be reached by
telephone at 1-800/877-1461 or by e-mail at asknicic@nicic.org. The center's
Website is located at www.nicic.org.
For More Information
The National Criminal Justice Reference Service maintains one of the world's
largest collections of criminal justice information resources and serves as a publication
clearinghouse for OJP, its bureaus, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
NCJRS has information on correctional statistics, innovative corrections-related programs,
and organizations and agencies in the corrections field. For information, call NCJRS at 1-800/851-3420, or visit the NCJRS Website at www.ncjrs.org.
For more information, call OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at
202/307-0703 or the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/421-6770.
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