Office of Justice Programs Resource Guide Third Edition In recent years, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and its bureaus - the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime - have greatly expanded efforts to share information about programs and services with as diverse a constituency as possible. Whether through focusing efforts to reach out to specific groups or reaching a broader audience by tapping into the resources of the World Wide Web, OJP continues to share more information, more quickly than ever before. But, at the same time, the volume of information available can be overwhelming, especially to newer customers. This Resource Guide, organized by topic, not alphabetically by bureau, is designed to help constituents find their way through this sometimes confusing universe of information. A wide range of categories - from curbing drug use, to preventing family violence, to encouraging innovation in corrections - identify several of the broad issues that OJP seeks to address. Each section includes information about funding resources, available training and technical assistance programs, sources for publications, online resources, and places to turn for more detailed information about specific programs. Additionally, access to programs described in this Resource Guide is available through other OJP publications that are also arranged topically. The annual OJP Program Plan includes descriptions of all funding, training and technical assistance programs available during that fiscal year. The quarterly publication, OJP At-a-Glance, provides brief descriptions of all of OJP's bureaus' and offices' funding opportunities. Both reports, along with an enhanced edition of this Resource Guide, are available online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. Furthermore, the Website features direct public access through its electronic question and answer service, askojp@usdoj.gov. OJP's information clearinghouse, the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), also provides assistance and access to all of OJP's programs and publications, as well as other general criminal and juvenile justice information. NCJRS can be accessed through its Website, www.ncjrs.org, or reached toll free at 1-800-851-3420. Recognizing that money alone is not enough to solve problems, OJP also provides training and technical assistance to local communities. OJP's unique national perspective allows it to identify best practices from effective local programs nationwide, and to help other communities replicate these promising strategies. To this end, OJP sponsors independent research and evaluation on criminal justice programs and conveys the results to state and local practitioners through publications, the World Wide Web, and conferences and symposia. Table of Contents 1: OJP's Mission and Organization 1 2: OJP Formula Grant Programs 6 3: Building Strong Communities 8 4: Preventing Violence Against Women 12 5: Preventing and Responding to Youth Violence 16 6: Encouraging Innovation in Corrections 23 7: Breaking the Cycle of Drug Use and Crime 26 8: Assisting Crime Victims 30 9: Supporting Law Enforcement and Enhancing Public Safety 34 10: Promoting Justice Research and Evaluation 38 11: Countering Terrorism & Ensuring Domestic Preparedness 40 12: Enhancing Technology's Use in Addressing Crime 43 13: Other Resources 46 1 OJP's Mission and Organization Since 1984, the Office of Justice Programs has provided federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, improve the criminal and juvenile justice systems, increase knowledge about crime and related issues, and assist crime victims. OJP is headed by an Assistant Attorney General who is responsible for overall management and oversight of OJP. The AAG sets policy, ensures that OJP policies and programs reflect the priorities of the President, the Attorney General, and the Congress, directs the work of five program offices, and coordinates the work of OJP and its bureaus. OJP BUREAUS AND OFFICES Five bureaus, established by statute, administer funding, training, and technical assistance: The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides funding, training, and technical assistance to state and local governments to combat violent and drug-related crime and help improve the criminal justice system. It administers the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants, State Criminal Alien Assistance, Public Safety Officers' Benefits, Regional Information Sharing Systems, and other grant programs. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the principal criminal justice statistical agency in the nation. BJS collects and analyzes statistical data on crime, criminal offenders, crime victims, and the operations of justice systems at all levels of government. It also provides financial and technical support to state governments in developing state capabilities in criminal justice statistics, improving criminal history records, and implementing crime identification technology systems. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the principal research and development agency in the Department of Justice. NIJ supports research and development programs, conducts demonstrations of innovative approaches to improve criminal justice, develops and tests new criminal justice technologies, evaluates the effectiveness of justice programs, and disseminates research findings to practitioners and policymakers. NIJ also provides primary support for the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a clearinghouse of criminal justice-related publications, articles, videotapes, and online information. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides federal leadership in preventing and controlling juvenile crime and improving the juvenile justice system at the state and local levels. OJJDP provides grants and contracts to states, local communities, and Indian tribes to help them improve their juvenile justice systems and sponsors innovative research, demonstration, evaluation, statistics, and technical assistance and training programs to improve the nation's understanding of and response to juvenile violence and delinquency. OJJDP also administers the Missing and Exploited Children's program, four programs funded under the Victims of Child Abuse Act, and the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) provides federal leadership in assisting victims of crime and their families. OVC administers two grant programs created by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). The Victim Assistance Program awards grants to states to support programs that provide direct assistance to crime victims. The Victim Compensation Program provides funding to state programs that compensate crime victims for medical and other unreimbursed expenses resulting from a violent crime. OVC also sponsors training for federal, state, and local criminal justice officials and other professionals to help improve their response to crime victims and their families. Three offices administer major programs authorized by the 1994 Crime Act: The Corrections Program Office (CPO) administers two major grant programs and provides technical assistance to state and local governments to help them with the implementation of the Crime Act's corrections-related programs. The Drug Courts Program Office (DCPO) administers the Crime Act's discretionary drug courts grant program. This program provides support for the development, implementation, and improvement of drug courts through grants to local and state governments, courts, and tribal governments, and through technical assistance and training. The Violence Against Women Office (VAWO) administers programs designed to help detect, prevent, and stop violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWO administers formula and discretionary grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act, part of the 1994 Crime Act. In FY 1998, these grant programs were administered by the Violence Against Women Grants Office, which merged with the Violence Against Women Office in March 1999. VAWO also coordinates the Department's initiatives relating to violence against women, including research and public education. The following offices are also located within OJP: The Office of State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS) is responsible for enhancing the capability of state and local jurisdictions to prepare for and respond to incidents of domestic terrorism involving chemical and biological agents, radiological and explosive devices, and other weapons of mass destruction. It awards grants for equipment and provides training and technical assistance for state and local first responders. The Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education (OPCLEE), which in November 1998 transferred to OJP from the Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), provides college educational assistance to students who commit to public service in law enforcement and scholarships, with no service commitment, for dependents of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. The American Indian and Alaskan Native Affairs Office (AI/AN) improves outreach to federally recognized Indian tribes. AI/AN works to enhance OJP's response to Indian tribes by coordinating funding, training, and technical assistance and providing information about available OJP resources. The Executive Office for Weed and Seed (EOWS) coordinates the Weed and Seed strategy, a community-based, multi-disciplinary approach to combating crime. EOWS works closely with United States Attorneys to implement Operation Weed and Seed in communities throughout the country. Six offices within OJP provide agency-wide support. They are the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs (OCPA), the Office of General Counsel (OGC), the Office of Administration (OA), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Office of Budget and Management Services (OBMS), and the Office of the Comptroller (OC). TYPES OF FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH OJP OJP's funding programs are divided into two main categories: formula grants and discretionary grants. Formula grants are awarded to state and local governments based on a predetermined formula that might be based upon a jurisdiction's crime rate, population, or other factors. For a complete description of OJP's formula grant programs, see page 7. States are generally required to pass a significant portion of formula awards through to local agencies and organizations in the form of subgrants. Discretionary grants are awarded on a competitive basis to public and private agencies and private non-profit organizations. In addition, certain discretionary programs, such as funding to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National Crime Prevention Council, are awarded on a noncompetitive basis, consistent with congressional earmarks. In FY 1999, OJP will implement the Grants Management System (GMS), a new paperless grant system. The new system will automate and streamline the entire grant process from application to notification. Grant offices will use a standardized grant award package and the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs will use a standardized grant notification form for notifying members of Congress and state officials. These letters and forms will be automatically generated and transmitted electronically to all appropriate individuals. OJP PUBLICATIONS OJP provides up-to-date information on funding and training and technical assistance opportunities through three standing publications. In the spring of each year, OJP publishes its Annual Report to Congress, which documents OJP priorities and highlights programs funded by OJP in the preceding fiscal year. OJP also publishes an annual Program Plan, which includes descriptions of all funding and training and technical assistance programs available through the bureaus and program offices. OJP At-a-Glance is issued quarterly. It provides brief descriptions of all of OJP's bureaus' and offices' funding opportunities, listing the amount of funding available, who can apply, and the status of program regulations, guidelines, reports, and application kits. CONTACTING OJP The Office of Congressional and Public Affairs (OCPA) is a key point of contact for all of OJP. OCPA is responsible for ensuring effective communications with Congress, the news media, and the public. OCPA can be reached at 202/307-0703. OJP also maintains a Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. In addition to general information about OJP and its bureaus, the Website includes downloadable versions of many OJP publications and application kits, as well as useful links to selected criminal justice Websites. Each bureau and office's Website includes an e-mail address where you can write with questions about the office. Another source of information about OJP and COPS funding opportunities is the Department of Justice Response Center. The Response Center can be reached at 1-800/421-6770. (In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, call 202/307-1480.) For questions on financial management, current grantees can call the Office of the Comptroller Customer Service Hotline at 1-800/458-0786. For ordering and other information about OJP publications, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 1-800/851-3420 or on the Internet at www.ncjrs.org. You may also call one of the OJP clearinghouses listed below: BJA Clearinghouse BJS Clearinghouse 1-800/688-4252 1-800/732-3277 Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse National Victims Resource Center 1-800/638-8736 1-800/627-6872 For inquiries about specific OJP programs, interested parties can contact the following OJP offices directly: Bureau of Justice Assistance 202/514-6278 Bureau of Justice Statistics 202/307-0765 National Institute of Justice 202/307-2942 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 202/307-5911 Office for Victims of Crime 202/307-5983 Violence Against Women Office 202/616-8894 Executive Office for Weed and Seed 202/616-1152 Drug Courts Program Office 202/616-5001 Corrections Program Office 202/307-3914 Office of State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support 202/305-9887 Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education 202/353-8953 Office of Congressional and Public Affairs 202/307-0703 2 OJP Formula Grant Programs Most OJP formula grant programs provide funding to state agencies, which may, in turn, subgrant funds to support relevant projects of local governments and private agencies. Improving Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance formula grant program provides funds to assist states and units of local government in controlling and preventing drug abuse, crime, and violence, and in improving the functioning of the criminal justice system. Byrne funds are awarded for projects addressing 26 purpose areas, including prosecution, adjudication, community crime prevention, and development of criminal justice information systems. The Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program provides formula-based funding to units of local government to help reduce crime and improve public safety. Each year, BJA contacts local governments that are eligible to apply for direct awards under the program. Award amounts are determined by each local government's crime rate, as reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting System. Local governments that qualify for awards over $10,000 receive direct awards from BJA. Each state receives LLEBG funds that can be distributed to jurisdictions that are not eligible for direct awards. The funding can be used to hire or pay overtime to police officers, establish task forces to fight multijurisdictional crime, purchase basic law enforcement equipment, and a number of other purpose areas. Preventing Youth Violence and Improving the Juvenile Justice System OJJDP's Formula Grants Program, Title V Incentive Grants for Local Delinquency Prevention Programs, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program, and Part E State Challenge Grants programs support state and local efforts to improve the juvenile justice system and prevent delinquency. The Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grants program supports state and local efforts to address juvenile crime by encouraging reforms that hold all offenders accountable for their crimes. Providing Funding for State and Local Correctional Facilities The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program funds programs that provide individual and group substance abuse treatment activities for offenders in residential facilities operated by state and local correctional agencies. The Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth in Sentencing grant programs help states build or expand correctional facilities for adult or juvenile offenders. The Violent Offender Incarceration grant program is administered on a three-tiered formula basis, while Truth in Sentencing awards are distributed as an incentive to states for enacting sentencing reform to ensure that violent offenders serve longer portions of their sentences. Preventing Violence Against Women The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants program supports improvements in the abilities of law enforcement to respond to violence against women, development of more effective strategies and programs to prevent violent crimes against women, and improvements in data collection and tracking systems. By law, at least a quarter of STOP funds must be dedicated to enhancing direct services for crime victims. (See also page 11.) Assisting Crime Victims The Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation grant programs are funded through the Crime Victims Fund, which is derived from fines, penalty assessments, and bail forfeitures collected from federal criminal offenders (not from taxpayers). Victim Assistance subgrants provide funding for approximately 3,300 victim assistance programs, including rape crisis centers, battered women's shelters, children's advocacy centers, and victim service units within law enforcement agencies. Together, these organizations serve more than 2 million crime victims each year. State victim compensation programs serve an additional 200,000 victims annually by providing financial assistance to victims to help defray some of the economic costs of crime. For More Information Formula grant funds are awarded to an agency in each state designated by the governor. The amount awarded to each state under each program is available in OJP At-a-Glance. For information on how this funding is allocated within the state, contact the state agency directly. For each state, OJP maintains a list of the designated agencies for each program and the state administrators who make funding decisions. These lists of state points of contact are available through OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. More detailed information about formula grant programs is available through OJP's Website, or by calling the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. 3 Building Strong Communities A central idea governing OJP programs is that, simply put, local communities are best able to solve local problems. OJP focuses its resources on supporting local innovation, sharing information and replicating promising programs, and conducting research and evaluation to help gain a clearer picture about what works in strengthening communities. Several OJP initiatives are taking creative, comprehensive approaches to encouraging various parts of communities to work together to solve common problems. Funding Opportunities Several of OJP's major formula grant programs, including BJA's Byrne and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant programs and OJJDP's Title V and other formula programs, are potential sources of funding for communities wishing to support partnerships to improve public safety. (For information on funding through these programs, contact the appropriate program administrator for your state, listed in the Online Resource Guide.) In addition, OJP supports a number of discretionary grant programs in this area. These include the following: The Weed and Seed program is the Department of Justice's premier community development initiative. This community-based initiative is an innovative and comprehensive multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. Communities work with their local U. S. Attorneys to develop a Weed and Seed strategy. Sites that are officially recognized by OJP's Executive Office for Weed and Seed are eligible for Weed and Seed funding, and may receive preference in discretionary funding from participating federal agencies and priority in federally-sponsored training and technical assistance. As of June 1999, there were approximately 200 officially recognized Weed and Seed sites. For more information, contact the Executive Office for Weed and Seed at 202/616-1152. In addition, the Weed and Seed Website includes summaries of specific activities in all Weed and Seed cities. The site can be accessed from OJP's home page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. In addition to the Weed and Seed Program, OJP is involved in several interagency and interdepartmental initiatives to help revitalize communities. One of these is the Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative, which is managed by NIJ, the Criminal Division, the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and other Department of Justice components. The local U.S. Attorney partners with federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies, the community, and a local research entity to collaborate on data collection and analysis and to use the results of these assessments to design and implement targeted interventions to prevent and reduce crime. Information on the Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative is available by calling the NIJ program manager at 202/514-1893. OJJDP works with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to administer the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Drug-Free Communities Grants fund coalitions of young people, parents, media, law enforcement, school officials, religious organizations, and other community representatives that target young people's use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The coalitions also encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts and disseminate information about effective programs. More information about the Drug-Free Communities initiative is available on the Internet at ONDCP's Website at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov or on OJJDP's Website at ojjdp.ncjrs.org. Information is also available through either office's clearinghouse. The ONDCP Clearinghouse can be reached by telephone at 1-800/666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse can be reached at 1-800/638-8736. OJJDP also works with the COPS Office and the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services on the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The initiative provides funding for comprehensive community-wide strategies for creating safe and drug-free schools and promoting healthy childhood development. To be funded, local strategies must include plans for creating a safe school environment, youth alcohol and drug prevention, violence prevention, early intervention, school and community mental health preventive and treatment programs, early childhood psychosocial and emotional development, and safe school policies. For more information, contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program at 202/260-3954. The Department of Education's Website is located at www.ed.gov. OJJDP sponsors Partnerships to Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence, which bring together community residents, law enforcement, and the juvenile justice system to reduce juveniles' illegal access to guns. The program emphasizes a comprehensive, collaborative approach of community mobilization, planning, and collaboration. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736 OJJDP funds community organizations through the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP). JUMP uses mentoring as a tool to keep young people in schools and off the streets. JUMP matches responsible adults on a one-to-one basis with youth at risk of failing in school, dropping out of school, or otherwise getting into trouble. Mentors provide youth with discipline, guidance, and personal attention. Mentoring activities include tutoring, job training, and community service. JUMP programs operate in a variety of settings - such as schools, recreation centers, businesses - but must work cooperatively with each local school authority. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Within OJP, nearly all of OJP's bureaus and offices are involved in one or more of our comprehensive community-based youth initiatives, such as Safe Start, SafeFutures and Safe Kids/Safe Streets. Information on these and other programs is published annually in the OJP Program Plan. OJP regularly invests in research and demonstration projects to support promising approaches to improving public safety. One key example is OJP's work to promote the concept of community justice, a new approach to criminal justice that applies the problem-solving ethic of community policing to the areas of prosecution, courts, and corrections. Funding for innovative projects may be available through BJA's Open Solicitation, or through other sources, which are published annually in the OJP Program Plan. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities Training and technical assistance for Weed and Seed sites is provided through the Institute for Law and Justice and the Executive Office for Weed and Seed. U.S. Attorneys and OJP coordinate to develop a technical assistance plan for each site. Available assistance includes participation in Weed and Seed e-mail forums and bulletin boards, peer consultations, specific on-site assistance, and regional workshops and conferences. For more information on Weed and Seed technical assistance, contact the Executive Office for Weed and Seed by e-mail at askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov or by phone at 202/616-1152. BJA partners with the Center for Court Innovation, the Center for Effective Public Policy, and the Justice Management Institute to provide technical assistance to community justice projects. Community justice centers consolidate a variety of community services under one roof, as well as consolidating functions of civil, family, and misdemeanor criminal courts under a single authority. For more information, visit the community court Website at www.communitycourts.org. OJJDP provides technical assistance to communities wishing to implement a comprehensive strategy to address juvenile crime. The Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Violent, and Chronic Juvenile Offenders incorporates two principal components: preventing children from becoming delinquent by focusing prevention programs on at-risk youth, and improving the response to delinquent offenders through a system of graduated sanctions. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Training and technical assistance from OJP's bureaus may be helpful in providing specific expertise on public safety issues involving juveniles or victims. OJJDP and OVC both offer extensive training and technical assistance programs. See Chapter 5 for a full description of OJJDP's efforts, and Chapter 8 for a full description of OVC's assistance program. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) publishes information to help guide communities' efforts to work together to improve public safety. For information, visit NCPC's online resource center at www.ncpc.org or call NCPC at 202/466-6272. Other Resources The National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR), the Vice President's initiative aimed at making government more responsive and efficient, manages the Federal Support to Communities Initiative, a "one-stop" online resource for communities seeking federal assistance for a variety of purposes. This initiative is accessible from the NPR home page at www.npr.gov/initiati/comunity.html. OJP works closely with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which administers the Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) programs. Information on the EZ/EC initiative is available on HUD's home page at www.hud.gov/ezeclist.html. Another comprehensive guide to federal programs is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, which is maintained by the General Services Administration. The catalog is a government-wide compendium of federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the federal government. To purchase the catalog in hard copy or in tape, diskette, or CD-Rom format, contact the Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Staff, General Services Administration, 300 7th Street, SW, Suite 101, Washington, DC 20407 or call 202/708-5126. The catalog is also available on the Web in searchable format. The Web address is www.gsa.gov/fdac/queryfdac.htm. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) serves as OJP's clearinghouse for information and publications on criminal and juvenile justice related topics, including law enforcement and public safety. By calling NCJRS toll-free at 1-800/688-4252, you can speak with an information specialist who can conduct individualized research and provide you with copies of OJP publications. NCJRS also has a homepage on the World Wide Web at www.ncjrs.org. The site contains the full text of most OJP publications in a searchable format, as well as links to other relevant sites. 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. 4 Preventing Violence Against Women OJP works to prevent violence against women by helping improve the criminal justice response to the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OJP tests new approaches to prevent violence against women, investigate cases, and prosecute offenders. OJP also supports programs to assist women crime victims and conducts research and statistical analyses to help increase our understanding of the problem of violence against women. Funding Opportunities The STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants, OJP's largest funding program in this area, is designed to develop and strengthen law enforcement and prosecutorial strategies to combat violent crimes against women and develop and enhance services for victims. OJP's Violence Against Women Office (VAWO) provides funding to state administrative agencies that, in turn, award subgrants to local programs. Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent of the funds it receives to law enforcement programs, 25 percent to prosecution programs, and 25 percent to nonprofit, nongovernmental victim service programs. For information about obtaining STOP subgrant funds, contact your state's coordinator, listed in the Online Resource Guide. The STOP Violence Against Indian Women Discretionary Grant program is designed to develop and strengthen tribal law enforcement and prosecutorial strategies to combat violent crime against Indian women and develop and enhance services for the victims of such crimes. Tribes must allocate funds in the same proportion as STOP formula funds. The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies program is a discretionary grant program to encourage states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law. Grants can support initiatives in a number of purpose areas, including implementation of mandatory or pro-arrest policies, improvements in tracking of domestic violence cases, strengthening of legal advocacy services for victims of domestic violence, and development of coordinated computer tracking systems to ensure communication among police, prosecutors, and the courts. The Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Discretionary Grant program is designed to help address the unique needs of rural communities in dealing with domestic violence and child abuse. The program encourages community involvement in developing a coordinated response to domestic violence and child abuse. Through the Civil Legal Assistance Grant Program, OJP makes funding available to law school legal clinics assisting battered women; legal advocacy programs operated out of or under the auspices of domestic violence victim advocacy organizations and shelters; programs to recruit, train, and coordinate attorneys who will provide pro bono civil legal assistance to domestic violence victims; and a broad range of other civil legal assistance activities. For more information about this program, call the Violence Against Women Office at 202/307-6026. The Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women on Campuses program provides funding to higher education institutions to enhance victims services and to strengthen security and investigation strategies. The program is designed to help colleges and universities address unique circumstances of victimization on campuses by developing response systems that include victims services, campus law enforcement, housing officials, student organizations, and disciplinary boards. For more information about this program, call the Violence Against Women Office at 202/307-6026. OJP's Office for Victims of Crime administers the State Victims Assistance formula grant program. States provide subgrant funding to local organizations that serve victims of crime, including domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers. For information about OVC subgrant funding available in your state, contact the state administrator for crime victim services, listed in the Online Resource Guide. Funding for innovative programs for women crime victims may also be available through OVC's discretionary grant program. Information about OVC programs is published in the OJP Program Plan, which is available by calling the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/42-6770. You may also visit the OVC Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc, which includes links to organizations that serve victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and rape. For more information or to request an application kit for any of the above programs, contact the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Application kits for most programs are also available through OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities The Violence Against Women Office administers a comprehensive training and technical assistance program for its grantees and subgrantees. Grantees and others can keep informed about upcoming conferences and training sessions by checking the training and technical assistance section of VAWO's Website, which is located at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/VAWO. Information is also available by calling VAWO at 202/307-6026. The STOP Violence Against Women Technical Assistance Project offers technical assistance to states and subgrantees under the STOP Formula Grant Program. The project offers technical assistance through phone consultation, training meetings, individualized on-site consultations, and written training materials. The project is administered by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, in conjunction with Battered Women's Justice Project and the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. For more information, contact the STOP T.A. Project by e-mail at stopgrants_ta_project@csgi.com or by phone at 1-800/256-5883. The Battered Women's Justice Project provides training, technical assistance and other resources on domestic violence related to civil court access and representation, criminal justice response, and battered women's self-defense. BWJP is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (For more information, call BWJP toll-free at 1-800/903-0111 or by TTY at 612/824-8768.) OVC provides training and technical assistance to strengthen victim assistance in a variety of disciplines, including violence against women. For detailed information, see Chapter 8. Other Resources OJP's Violence Against Women Office collaborates with the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse to support an on-line clearinghouse that is devoted to providing law, criminal justice, advocacy, and social service professionals with up-to-date information on interventions to stop violence against women. Topics addressed include full faith and credit, promising practices, law enforcement, prosecution and probation, advocacy, stalking, batterer programs, child custody and protection, and research issues pertaining to violence against women. The Website is located at www.vaw.umn.edu. The Department of Health and Human Services is involved in a number of initiatives relating to violence against women as a women's health issue. HHS administers grants for women's shelters and related services, such as community outreach and prevention and children's counseling. Also, HHS provides grants to states for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers or similar nongovernmental, nonprofit entities. (For more information on HHS programs, call the HHS Office of Public Affairs at 202/690-7850 or visit the HHS Website at www.dhhs.gov.) HHS also operates the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a 24-hour, toll-free service which provides crisis assistance and local shelter referrals for callers across the country. The voice number is 1-800/799-SAFE, and the TDD number for the hearing impaired is 1-800/787-3224. VAWnet, the National Electronic Network on Violence Against Women, is a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. VAWnet is an effort to enhance the work of state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions and allied national organizations through the use of electronic networking. More information on VAWnet is available from the NRCDV at 1-800/537-2238 or by TTY at 1-800/553-2508. For more information OJP has published many statistical reports, program descriptions, and research reports addressing violence against women. All OJP publications, as well as publications of many other criminal justice organizations, are available through the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. For information, call NCJRS at 1-800/851-3420. In addition, users of NCJRS' Website, the Justice Information Center, can search and print the full text of thousands of documents. The Web address is www.ncjrs.org. For more information about OJP and its bureaus, contact OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703 or visit OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. The site contains links to all of the bureaus and program offices, as well as to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. 5 Preventing and Responding to Youth Violence As statistics point to a downward trend in the rate of youth violence nationwide, OJP is working to ensure that this trend continues. OJJDP and other bureaus and offices are identifying ways to reach out to young people before they become involved in violence, as well as addressing the underlying problems that lead too many young people to crime. OJJDP also works to improve the juvenile justice system, both to intervene with low-level offenders before they graduate to more serious crimes and to hold serious, chronic, violent juvenile offenders accountable for their actions. Many programs are organized at the community level, with schools, parents, and community organizations playing a key role. Through both formula and discretionary grant programs, OJP and its bureaus support a range of programs aimed at curbing youth violence and improving the juvenile justice system. OJJDP also sponsors research, evaluation, and statistical efforts that inform the nation about the extent of juvenile crime, its causes, and what works to prevent and stop it. Funding Opportunities Most OJJDP funding for local delinquency prevention and juvenile justice efforts is distributed to the states through formula grants. OJJDP's major formula grant programs are described in more detail in Chapter 2 of this publication. State agencies award subgrants to units of state and local government and nonprofit organizations to support a variety of programs in juvenile crime prevention and control. However, OJJDP also provides discretionary funding through its Special Emphasis program to support the replication of promising programs in four areas: delinquency prevention and intervention; public safety and law enforcement programs; community-based alternatives; and improvements to the juvenile justice system. OJJDP also provides funding to evaluate community-based initiatives, as well as funding for field initiated research in areas related to delinquency prevention and juvenile crime. Examples of OJJDP-funded programs include: programs that aim to direct children's energies toward activities that provide them with alternatives to violent or disruptive behavior. programs that encourage innovation in juvenile corrections, including alternative sentencing programs and mentoring programs designed to reduce the recidivism rate among juvenile offenders. anti-gang programs to help communities facilitate information-sharing among service providers and community members, and to design programs to create positive changes in youth and families. For more information or to request an application kit for any of the above programs, contact the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6771. Application kits for most programs are also available through OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. OJJDP works with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to administer the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Drug-Free Communities Grants fund coalitions of young people, parents, media, law enforcement, school officials, religious organizations, and other community representatives that target young people's use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The coalitions also encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts and disseminate information about effective programs. More information about the Drug-Free Communities initiative is available on the Internet at ONDCP's Website at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov or on OJJDP's Website at ojjdp.ncjrs.org. Information is also available through either office's clearinghouse. The ONDCP Clearinghouse can be reached by telephone at 1-800/666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse can be reached at 1-800/638-8736. OJJDP also works with the COPS Office and the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services on the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The initiative provides funding for comprehensive community-wide strategies for creating safe and drug-free schools and promoting healthy childhood development. To be funded, local strategies must include plans for creating a safe school environment, youth alcohol and drug prevention, violence prevention, early intervention, school and community mental health preventive and treatment programs, early childhood psychosocial and emotional development, and safe school policies. For more information, contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program at 202/260-3954. The Department of Education's Website is located at www.ed.gov. OJJDP sponsors Partnerships to Reduce Juvenile Gun Violence, which bring together community residents, law enforcement, and the juvenile justice system to reduce juveniles' illegal access to guns. The program emphasizes a comprehensive, collaborative approach of community mobilization, planning, and collaboration. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736 OJJDP funds community organizations through the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP). JUMP uses mentoring as a tool to keep young people in schools and off the streets. JUMP matches responsible adults on a one-to-one basis with youth at risk of failing in school, dropping out of school, or otherwise getting into trouble. Mentors provide youth with discipline, guidance, and personal attention. Mentoring activities include tutoring, job training, and community service. JUMP programs operate in a variety of settings - such as schools, recreation centers, businesses - but must work cooperatively with each local school authority. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Within OJP, nearly all of OJP's bureaus and offices are involved in one or more of our comprehensive community-based youth initiatives, such as Safe Start, SafeFutures and Safe Kids/Safe Streets. Information on these and other programs is published annually in the OJP Program Plan. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities The Missing and Exploited Children's Program coordinates programs to prevent abductions, investigate the exploitation of children, locate missing children and reunite them with their families, and address the psychological impact of abduction on the child and the family. The program integrates current research, state of the art practices and knowledge, and new technologies into training designed to improve the investigation and handling of cases. To help guide parents through the trauma of a missing child, OJJDP published "When Your Child Is Missing: A Parent's Survival Guide." Drawing on the experience of parents of missing children, the guide describes the steps that should be taken in cooperation with law enforcement to find the missing child. The publication offers a checklist of what a parent should do when a child is first missing as well as advice on working with law enforcement, the media, and volunteers. To receive a copy, call the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 1-800/851-3420. OJJDP assists law enforcement agencies investigate sex offenders who use computer technology to victimize children. The Internet Crimes Against Children program helps federal, state, and local law enforcement coordinate their efforts on evidence collection, interviewing practices, and undercover operations to meet the technical and legal demands of Internet crimes. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. OJJDP supports the National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Center, a national training and technical assistance clearinghouse that inventories and coordinates the delivery of juvenile justice training and technical assistance and maintains a database of these programs. OJJDP provides access to training and technical assistance in a range of areas, including delinquency prevention programs, youth development, juvenile justice processing, juvenile court operations, and juvenile corrections. The center can be reached at 1-800/830-4031. The National Youth Network consists of diverse youth leaders, ages 14 to 21, who are sponsored by youth-serving organizations. The mission of the network is to serve as a catalyst for youth across the country to prevent crime and victimization and make a difference in their communities by collaborating among youth-focused organizations, distributing information on successful programs and strategies, advocating youth perspectives to policymakers, promoting the need for positive youth activities in the media, and reaching out to youth, especially those in the juvenile justice system. For more information, call the OJJDP Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. The Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance program is designed to help federal, state, local, and tribal communities - including law enforcement representatives, social service workers, school staff and administrators, prosecutors, judges, corrections and probation personnel, and community and agency leaders - face the challenges presented by juvenile crime. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. OJJDP provides technical assistance to states in implementing programs or addressing needs identified in each state's three-year comprehensive juvenile justice plan. For more information, contact the juvenile justice specialist in your state. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Gang Prevention Through Targeted Outreach provides training and technical assistance to local Boys and Girls Clubs in how to prevent youth from entering gangs and how to intervene with gang members in the early stages of gang involvement by diverting them from gang activities into more constructive programs. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. The National Youth Gang Center assists states and local jurisdictions in the collection, analysis, and exchange of information on gang-related demographics, literature, research, and promising program strategies. For more information, call 904/385-0600, ext. 259. OJJDP supports training and technical assistance to promote gender-specific programming for female juvenile offenders. This program also provides a comprehensive framework to help policymakers, service providers, educators, parents, and the general public address the complex needs of female adolescents who are at risk for delinquent behavior. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. The School Safety Training and Technical Assistance Program, a project of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, helps schools and communities across the country create and maintain safe learning environments free of crime and violence. The program, funded through an OJJDP grant, offers field-based workshops and an array of technical assistance programs. For more information, call 1-800/547-6339 x 131. The Hamilton Fish National Institute on School and Community Violence tests the effectiveness of violence prevention methods and develops more effective strategies. The group of seven universities analyzes and publishes evaluations of promising violence prevention strategies, as well as consults with national, state, and local policymakers. For more information, call 703/527-4217. The National Mentoring Center at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs, including JUMP grant recipients, through a variety of services and conferences. For more information, call 1-800/547-6339, ext. 647. The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) has developed blueprints for ten exemplary violence prevention programs. As part of a national violence prevention initiative, CSPV provides training and technical assistance to community and program providers interested in implementing blueprint programs. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. The Juvenile and Family Court Training Project provides training on delinquency, child abuse and neglect, and dependency for hearing officers and juvenile and family court personnel. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. The National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association provides training for court appointed special advocates and volunteers through discussion of child abuse issues, community outreach and volunteer recruitment, and resource development. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Other Resources Several of OJP's grantees support community-based programs in the area of youth violence prevention and intervention that may have information useful to juvenile justice practitioners. Among these are the following: BJA supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to help establish clubs in at-risk communities, including public housing, Indian Country, and Alaska Native villages. Boys & Girls Clubs work to support crime control and prevention strategies in the communities they serve and emphasize the development and implementation of programs teaching substance abuse prevention, conflict resolution, and parental involvement and training. For information write to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 1230 West Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309-3447, or call 1-404-815-5751. Boys & Girls Clubs of America also maintains a Website at www.bgca.org. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), a BJA and OJJDP grantee, supports many community-based crime prevention activities. NCPC books, videos, and other materials can help communities get started on crime prevention efforts. NCPC also sponsors the National Citizens Crime Prevention Campaign (home of "McGruff the Crime Dog"), a national media campaign to teach crime prevention. NCPC also sponsors training programs to help communities and individuals plan crime prevention events, work with the media, and develop supervisory and mentoring skills. For more information, write to the National Crime Prevention Council, 1700 K Street, NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20006-3817, or call 202/466-6272. NCPC's Web address is www.weprevent.org. Through a broad array of grant programs and training and technical assistance, several other federal agencies sponsor programs that address problems relating to youth crime and delinquency. Among these are the following: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the federal grantmaking agency that Congress created to support the visual, literary, design, and performing arts, to benefit all Americans. NEA makes grants to private, non-profit organizations for projects that help promote arts education and improve access to excellence in the arts, often focusing on those whose opportunities to participate may be limited by geographic, ethnic, or economic constraints. For information about NEA grants call 202/682-5400. The NEA Website address is arts.endow.gov. Through its Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, the Department of Education funds national programs to prevent violence and the illegal use of drugs, and to promote safety and discipline at all education levels. For more information, contact the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program at 202/260-3954. The Department of Education's Website is located at www.ed.gov. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) supports a variety of initiatives for children, youth, and education through its Office of Community Planning and Development. For information call HUD's Office of Public Affairs at 202/708-0980. HUD's Website is located at www.hud.gov. The Department of Health and Human Service and its components support a broad array of grant programs. Among these is Head Start, administered by the Administration for Children and Families, which provides preschool children from low-income families with activities that help them grow mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically. For more information on Head Start and other ACF programs, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 202/401-9215. The Department's Website is located at www.dhhs.gov. For more information The Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, maintains a database of all OJP publications, as well as related publications in the field of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. The Clearinghouse can be reached by phone at 800/638-8736 or 301/251-5500. Its Web page is located at ojjdp.ncjrs.org. For more information about OJP and its bureaus, contact OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703 or visit OJP's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. The site contains links to all of the bureaus and program offices, as well as to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. 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/conf.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.csg.org/appa/csom.html. 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. 7 Breaking the Cycle of Drug Use and Crime Recognizing the strong linkage between substance abuse and criminal activity, OJP supports a number of initiatives aimed at breaking the cycle of drug use and crime. In addition to supporting research on the link between drug use and crime, such as NIJ's Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program, OJP funds both court- and prison-based intervention programs. States may also elect to use part of their funding through OJP's major formula grant programs to support drug abuse prevention and intervention programs at the state and local level. Funding Opportunities OJP's Drug Courts Program Office funds efforts by state and local courts to plan, implement, or improve drug courts. Drug courts offer eligible non-violent, drug-abusing offenders an opportunity to break free of the cycle of drugs and crime through a program of treatment, drug testing, and graduated sanctions. Clients work closely with the drug court judge, who supervises treatment progress and holds offenders personally and publicly accountable. The judge works closely with treatment providers, criminal justice agencies, and community organizations to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services to offenders and monitor their progress through regular drug testing. For information on the Drug Court grant program, contact the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. The Corrections Program Office administers the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners formula grant program, which assists states and units of local government in developing and implementing residential substance abuse treatment programs in correctional facilities in which prisoners are incarcerated for a period of time sufficient to permit substance abuse treatment. For information about obtaining RSAT subgrants in your state, contact the RSAT program administrator in your state, listed in the Online Resource Guide. States may elect to use part of their Byrne and OJJDP formula grant awards to support state and local drug abuse prevention and intervention programs. (For information on subgrants, contact the administrator of these programs in your state, listed in the Online Resource Guide.) OJJDP works with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to administer the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. Drug-Free Communities Grants fund coalitions of young people, parents, media, law enforcement, school officials, religious organizations, and other community representatives that target young people's use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The coalitions also encourage citizen participation in substance abuse reduction efforts and disseminate information about effective programs. More information about the Drug-Free Communities initiative is available on the Internet at ONDCP's Website at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov or on OJJDP's Website at ojjdp.ncjrs.org. Information is also available through either office's clearinghouse. The ONDCP Clearinghouse can be reached by telephone at 1-800/666-3332 and the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse can be reached at 1-800/638-8736. Under the Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program, OJJDP provides funds to each state and the District of Columbia to implement programs to reduce teenage alcohol consumption. These funds may be used to develop comprehensive and coordinated initiatives to enforce state laws prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors and to prevent the consumption of alcohol by minors. In addition, OJJDP provides discretionary grants to help communities develop comprehensive approaches to the problem of underage drinking, with an emphasis on increasing law enforcement activity. Funding for innovative projects addressing substance abuse issues may be available through various discretionary grant programs of OJP's bureaus and offices, including BJA's Open Solicitation and NIJ's discretionary grant program. More specific information about funding programs is available in the OJP Program Plan, which is published annually. To request a copy of the Program Plan, call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities To enhance the effectiveness of its grant program, the Drug Court Program Office (DCPO) offers extensive training and technical assistance opportunities to its grantees. DCPO funds the Drug Court Clearinghouse at American University, which provides grantees with technical assistance and other information on drug courts. In addition, through the mentor drug court program, jurisdictions establishing new courts have the opportunity to observe and learn from established drug courts, thereby avoiding potential problems. DCPO also sponsors regional training conferences for drug court grantees. The Drug Court Clearinghouse can be reached at 202/885-2875. OJJDP supports the Life Skills Training Drug Prevention Program by providing training and technical assistance to schools and/or local education agencies that implement the program. The broad goal of the program is to reduce youth drug use by encouraging the promotion of multiple approaches to educating and motivating younger adolescents to make healthy lifestyle decisions. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. OJP's bureaus and offices sponsor a number of training and technical assistance programs that deal with drug abuse issues. Among these are technical assistance programs to help law enforcement agencies address gang-organized crime and narcotics trafficking and training for narcotics task forces. Information about specific training and technical assistance programs is published each year in the OJP Program Plan, which is available from the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Other Resources Several federal agencies sponsor research on drug abuse, track drug abuse statistics, and administer a wide array of programs to address substance abuse issues. Some of those agencies are listed below. The Office of National Drug Control Policy in the White House coordinates the nation's drug control program. ONDCP is charged with producing the National Drug Control Strategy, which directs the nation's anti-drug efforts and establishes a program, budget, and guidelines for cooperation among federal, state, and local entities. For more information on ONDCP, call 202/395-6618 or visit ONDCP's Website at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov. BJS maintains a special collection of data on drugs and crime on the BJS Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs. The site includes data on drug law violations, enforcement, pretrial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional populations and facilities, drug treatment under correctional supervision, the drug control budget, drug use (by youth and the general population), and public opinion about drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health conducts research and administers several grant programs relating to the study of drug abuse. NIDA also produces support materials to teach children about the effects of drugs on the body. For information on NIDA and its research programs, visit NIDA's Website at www.nida.nih.gov, or call 301/443-6036. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. NIAAA also provides leadership in the national effort to reduce the severe and often fatal consequences of these problems. For information on NIAAA, call the Office of Communications at 301/443-3860 or visit NIAAA's Website at www.niaaa.nih.gov. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) provides national leadership in the federal effort to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug problems, which are linked to other serious national problems. CSAP connects people and resources to innovative ideas and strategies and encourages efforts to reduce and eliminate alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug problems in the United States and abroad. For more information on CSAP, call 301/443-0365 or visit CSAP's Website at www.samhsa.gov/csap/ The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education is the federal government's primary vehicle for reducing drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and violence, through education and prevention activities in our nation's schools. To learn more about the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, call 202/260-3954 or visit the program's Website at www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/. For More Information The National Criminal Justice Reference Service serves as a clearinghouse for information from OJP's bureaus, as well as the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Through NCJRS, you can obtain copies of numerous publications, including studies of drug courts, drug testing methods, and information on the ADAM Program. For more information, call NCJRS at 1-800/851-3420, or visit NCJRS' homepage 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. 8 Assisting Crime Victims OVC was established by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act to oversee diverse programs that benefit victims of crime. OVC's largest grant programs provide formula funding to state victim assistance and compensation programs. Subgrant funding through the victim assistance program supports thousands of victim service organizations and victim compensation programs across the country. Funding through the victim compensation grant program provides financial support to crime victims and their families to help defray the expenses of medical treatment, lost wages, funeral expenses, and other costs resulting from crime victimization. For information on victim assistance and compensation programs in your state, please contact the state point of contact for OVC programs in your state, listed in the Online Resource Guide. In addition to funding state victim compensation and victim assistance programs, OVC trains those who work with victims and develops projects to enhance victims' rights and services. This frequently involves responding to high-profile incidents such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the Capitol Hill shootings. In recent years, OVC has expanded its response to include international victims of crime, such as the victims of attacks on the Khobar Towers Air Force Barracks in Saudi Arabia and the simultaneous bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Funding Opportunities Through its discretionary grant program, OVC administers a broad range of initiatives to support innovation in victim services and encourage collaboration among different parts of the community that interact with victims. Examples of programs funded under OVC's discretionary grant program include the following: The Victim Services 2000 demonstration project helps communities develop integrated networks designed to respond to the interrelated medical, legal, and psychological needs of crime victims. OVC is funding several demonstration sites, which involve victim service practitioners, criminal justice and emergency response personnel, support groups, medical and mental health providers, clergy, schools, youth, and youth workers as active participants in the planning and implementation of their programs. Through the Children's Justice Act grant program, OVC helps Indian tribes improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases. This is the only federal program for tribes to focus exclusively on lessening the trauma to Indian children who participate in criminal justice proceedings. OVC also funds the Victim Assistance in Indian Country program, which aims to improve services and outreach to victims of crime in Indian Country. Information about specific projects of OVC's discretionary grant program is published each year in the OJP Program Plan. To request a copy of the most recent edition, call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities OVC's Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) provides training services to strengthen victim assistance in a variety of disciplines. TTAC connects federal, tribal, state, and local agencies with training opportunities in direct service, program development and administration, program management, and oversight. Topics might include training focused on improving services to underserved populations, working with the media, and meeting the mental health needs of victims. Although any agency can apply for training and technical assistance through TTAC, OVC gives special consideration to requests where the assistance would have statewide or regional impact, or build interagency or multidisciplinary capacity to deliver direct services. To apply for technical assistance through the TTAC, call 1-800/627-6872. Each year OVC sponsors a number of conferences and seminars to bring together professionals from the victims field, law enforcement, and other areas of the criminal justice system. These events offer attendees the opportunity to network with other victim service professionals as well as learn from experts in the victims field and in academia. To learn about upcoming conferences, contact the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770 or visit OVC's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/. Other Resources Each spring, OVC supports Crime Victims Rights Week, which draws national attention to the rights and needs of victims. OVC sponsors national programs and creates and distributes a planning guide to help local and state agencies plan their own events. OVC also coordinates the annual victim service awards ceremony on behalf of the Attorney General and the President. The Victim Service Award is the highest federal recognition of exceptional services and support of crime victims' rights. OVC solicits nominations from the field each fall. OVC works closely with national victim service organizations, including the following: The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) is a non-profit organization of victim and witness assistance providers, criminal justice professionals, researchers, and survivors committed to the recognition of victims' rights. NOVA provides national and local legislative advocacy, direct victim assistance, member support, and professional development. For more information, call 1-800/TRY-NOVA or 202/232-6682. The National Center for Victims of Crime provides training and technical assistance to victim advocates and criminal justice officials. Other programs include a library with the nation's most comprehensive collection of information addressing crime and victimization issues; a legislative database containing comprehensive annotations of state and federal victims' rights statutes; and a public policy program supporting efforts to protect victims' legal rights. For information, call 1-800/FYI-CALL or 703/276-2880. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) works to stop drunk driving and support victims of this violent crime. MADD has more than 500 active state organizations, chapters, and community action teams throughout the nation. All chapters have at least one trained victim advocate to offer support, literature, and court accompaniment. For more information, call 214/744-MADD. The National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards promotes a nationwide network for the exchange of information and ideas among state and local victim compensation agencies. The association holds national and regional conferences and publishes reports, surveys, and a quarterly newsletter. For more information, call 703/370-2996. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a non-profit organization representing more than 2,000 grassroots programs and shelters serving battered women and their children of all backgrounds in rural and urban areas throughout the United States. For more information, call 202/638-6388. The National Coalition Against Sexual Assault is committed to the prevention of sexual violence through intervention, education, advocacy, and public policy. The coalition hosts an annual national conference and Women of Color Institute and produces resources for National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. For more information, call 717/232-7460. Parents of Murdered Children provides education and support for families and friends of those who have died by homicide. The organization coordinates a petition system to help prevent the early parole or release of convicted murderers, an awareness campaign to address murder as entertainment, provides second opinions and assistance for unsolved or complicated cases, and maintains the Murder Wall, a traveling tribute to the memory of murdered loved ones. For more information, call 513/721-5683. VALOR, the Victims' Assistance Legal Organization, is a nonprofit organization that promotes the rights of crime victims in the justice system. VALOR administers the National Victim Assistance Academy, promotes public awareness and education, supports criminal and civil justice reforms that hold offenders accountable to crime victims and the community, helps crime victims recover losses and damages, and expands services for victims to aid in recovery. For more information, call 703/538-6898. For More Information The Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, is OVC's primary resource for sharing information about its programs, publications, and services, as well as general crime victims information. Highly trained information specialists provide information based on national and regional victimization statistics, a comprehensive collection of research findings, and a well-established network of victim advocates and organizations. Contact the Resource Center by telephone at 1-800/627-6872 or visit the Justice Information Center on the World Wide Web 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. 9 Supporting Law Enforcement and Enhancing Public Safety States may elect to use funding through the Byrne Formula Grant program for a number of law enforcement-related purposes. These may include task forces to integrate and coordinate the activities of federal, state, and local drug law enforcement agencies; programs to combat property crimes, white collar crime, and drug trafficking; and enhancements to the operational effectiveness of police departments. For information about Byrne subgrant funding for public safety projects, contact your state Byrne Agency representative, listed in the Online Resource Guide. In addition, subgrant funding for public safety issues relating to youth crime prevention and juvenile justice may be available through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's formula funding programs. State Juvenile Justice offices are also listed in the Online Resource Guide. Funding Opportunities OJP's grant programs support a wide array of programs and research to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of law enforcement. Among OJP's grants are the following: The Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program provides formula-based funding to units of local government to help reduce crime and improve public safety. Each year, BJA contacts local governments that are eligible to apply for direct awards under the program. Award amounts are determined by each local government's crime rate, as reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting System. Local governments that qualify for awards over $10,000 receive direct awards from BJA. Each state receives LLEBG funds that can be distributed to jurisdictions that are not eligible for direct awards. The funding can be used to hire or pay overtime to police officers, establish task forces to fight multijurisdictional crime, purchase basic law enforcement equipment, and a number of other purpose areas. OJP's Office of State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS) provides equipment and training to help state and local law enforcement, health professionals, and other agencies prepare for acts of terrorism involving chemical or biological weapons. OSLDPS awards grants to state and local jurisdictions to purchase counterterrorism equipment, and trains police, firefighters, and emergency service personnel at the Center for Domestic Preparedness at Fort McClellan, Alabama. BJA, in partnership with the Defense Department, supports the Local Law Enforcement Equipment Procurement Program. This program allows units of local government to purchase new law enforcement equipment at reduced prices through federal procurement channels. The Department of Defense (DOD) administers a program, commonly known as the 1033 program, that transfers surplus DOD property to government agencies for law enforcement use. For more information about this program, contact the DOD's Law Enforcement Support Office at 1-800/532-9946. Through the Law Enforcement Family Support Program, NIJ funds demonstration and training projects to research the effects of stress on law enforcement personnel and their families. Through its Open Solicitation, BJA promotes innovative initiatives, particularly in areas that are not addressed by other federal grant programs. Practitioners have the opportunity to submit concept papers for funding of new ideas that address specific issues. BJA will fund those concepts that appear promising and support the demonstration, evaluation, and replication of these innovations through training and technical assistance. OJJDP's Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant Program (JAIBG) provides states with funds to promote greater accountability in the juvenile justice system. The funds must be expended in accordance with 12 legislatively mandated purpose areas, including hiring judges, probation officers, prosecutors and public defenders and establishing court-based programs that target young firearms offenders. Funding through OJJDP's discretionary grant program supports such initiatives as programs to address the problem of serious, violent, and chronic juvenile offenders and community-based programs to combat gang violence. OJP's community prosecution effort aims to ensure public safety at the local level. Funds allocated to this program support hiring local prosecutors, who will focus on gun violence prosecutions within their jurisdictions, as well as the continuation of OJP's community prosecution program. The program helps to build stronger relationships between local prosecutors and the U.S. Attorneys. More information on the Community Prosecution initiative is available on the BJA Website at www.usdoj.gov/bja. Detailed information about discretionary funding opportunities is published annually in the OJP Program Plan. Copies are available by calling the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Many programs also publish notices of funding available in the Federal Register, and OJJDP is required by statute to publish its proposed program plan. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities OJP and its bureaus offer a broad program of training and technical assistance in a number of specialized areas. Examples of OJP's training activities include the following: BJA administers a number of training and technical assistance programs to assist law enforcement in dealing with such issues as line-of-duty deaths, responding to low-income and minority families, commanding narcotics task forces, and investigating and dismantling clandestine drug-manufacturing laboratories. Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, with support from OJJDP, equips law enforcement to better prevent and respond to serious juvenile crime. Training is provided on a regional basis and is tailored to meet specific local technical assistance requests. Another OJJDP-funded program, Training in Cultural Differences for Law Enforcement and Juvenile Justice Officers, is intended to improve the effectiveness of police and other juvenile justice agency personnel who work with minority group suspects and offenders. The Jimmy Ryce Memorial Law Enforcement Training Center at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers week-long training sessions to law enforcement officers to learn about techniques for recovering missing and abducted children. OJJDP funding supports the Center directly, as well as sponsoring officers who attend training programs. Detailed information about OJP training initiatives is published each year in the OJP Program Plan. To obtain a copy of the program plan, call the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Additional training and technical assistance programs are added throughout the year. To learn more about upcoming programs, you may wish to contact the appropriate grant program's point of contact in your state, which is listed in the Online Resource Guide. Training and technical assistance information is also updated regularly on each bureau and office's homepage. All homepages are accessible through the OJP homepage at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. Information Sources The National White Collar Crime Center, with funding through BJA, provides a national support system for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of multijurisdictional economic crimes. The center provides investigative support services to assist in the fight against economic crime and operates a national training and research institute focusing on economic crime issues. For more information, call the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) helps people of all ages learn to protect themselves, their homes, and families from crime; produces crime prevention materials for children and adults; and offers materials, training and technical assistance to a variety of community-wide initiatives. BJA supports NCPC's National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign. This national program reaches out to children, their families, public and private service providers, and elected officials in a comprehensive effort to control and prevent crime, violence, and substance abuse. For information on NCPC's products and services, call 202/466-6272 or visit the NCPC Website at www.weprevent.org. For More Information The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) serves as OJP's clearinghouse for information and publications on criminal and juvenile justice related topics, including law enforcement and public safety. By calling NCJRS toll-free at 1-800/688-4252, you can speak with an information specialist who can conduct individualized research and provide you with copies of OJP publications. NCJRS also has a homepage on the World Wide Web at www.ncjrs.org. The site contains the full text of most OJP publications in a searchable format, as well as links to other relevant sites. 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. 10 Promoting Justice Research and Evaluation Supporting research and evaluation and disseminating those findings is central to OJP's mission. Most of our major programs have built-in evaluations to help us determine what works and ways we can build on our successes. Our diverse research programs have helped in the development of critical law enforcement equipment, such as bullet-resistant vests, provided insight into arrestee drug abuse patterns in major U.S. cities, and produced a wealth of statistical information to enhance our understanding of crime victimization, trends in law enforcement, and prisoner populations. OJP also sponsors research on juvenile justice issues, including research on the causes and correlates of delinquency and compilation of statistics on juvenile crime and courts. Funding Opportunities Limited discretionary funding for research and evaluation activities is available through the National Institute of Justice. NIJ offers two types of solicitations for its research and evaluation programs: open solicitations and directed solicitations. Twice a year NIJ reviews research proposals for investigator-initiated projects. To be placed on the mailing list to receive solicitations when they are available, call the DOJ Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Information on funding for research programs is also available by calling NIJ at 202/307-2942. OJJDP provides funding for evaluation of an array of juvenile justice initiatives and demonstration programs, statistical activities related to juvenile crime and courts, and research into issues surrounding delinquency prevention, intervention, and treatment. For more information, call the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 1-800/638-8736. Another potential funding source for innovative program ideas is BJA's Open Solicitation. While not directly a research program, the open solicitation provides funding for promising programs in topics that have not been fully explored in the past. In the solicitation, BJA identifies priority areas, as well as an opportunity for applicants to propose projects in areas they choose. Projects that show promising results may provide guidance for future OJP funding and evaluation programs. For an application for the Open Solicitation, contact the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800/421-6770. Additional Information A critical part of OJP's research mission is to share information on programs, strategies, and products that we've tested and found to be effective---or in some cases, ineffective--in reducing crime and improving the justice process. OJP's reports and technical assistance can help local agencies make sound choices in allocating limited resources. Among the information sources supported by OJP and its bureaus are the following: Through its National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center in Rockville, Maryland, NIJ supports JUSTNET, a "one-stop" on-line resource for law enforcement and corrections technology information. JUSTNET users have access to interactive bulletin boards on a variety of topics, a comprehensive database of law enforcement products and technologies, and NLECTC publications. The Web Address is www.nlectc.org. NLECTC also provides telephone assistance to callers in obtaining detailed equipment standards, test reports, user guides, and bulletins on topics such as body armor, patrol vehicles, handcuffs, pepper spray, and DNA profiling. Professional staff are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. The toll-free telephone number is 1-800/248-2742. Partnerships Against Violence Network (PAVNET) Online is a searchable "virtual library" of information about promising programs, funding sources, and technical information sources related to violence-prevention and youth-at-risk, supported by a partnership of seven different federal agencies, including the Justice Department. The Web address is www.pavnet.org. For More Information The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) supports the information dissemination efforts of all of OJP's bureaus and program offices, as well as the Office of National Drug Control Policy. NCJRS maintains a comprehensive database of criminal justice-related publications, reports and abstracts. NCJRS can be reached by telephone at 1-800/851-3420 or on the World Wide Web 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. 11 Countering Terrorism & Ensuring Domestic Preparedness The availability of weapons of mass destruction - biological, chemical, and radiological - has increased the potential for terrorist incidents in the United States. By delegation of authority from the Attorney General, OJP is helping communities prepare for mass casualty incidents. OJP's Office of State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS), established in June 1998, provides equipment and training to state and local governments for first responders to terrorist incidents. OSLDPS works closely with the National Domestic Preparedness Office led by the FBI, and with other federal and state agencies, to assess the needs of communities and assist them in preparing to respond to attacks. Other OJP components also play a role in domestic preparedness. BJA sponsors training for state and local law enforcement officers and prosecutors, NIJ supports the development of counterterrorism technology and equipment, and OVC provides resources for U.S. citizens who are victims of terrorism, at home and abroad. Funding Opportunities The State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Program funds equipment to help fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response units, and other emergency response agencies in all 50 states prepare to respond to in incidents of domestic terrorism. Funding for this program is awarded to a state agency designated by the Governor, which will, in turn, subgrant funds to local first responders. Funds are allocated in accordance with a required statewide needs assessment. The contact person in each state is available through OJP's Website. Funds from BJA's Byrne Formula Grant Program and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) Program can be used to support counterterrorism initiatives, to procure law enforcement equipment, and support multijurisdictional task forces. See Chapter 2 for more information on the Byrne program and Chapter 9 for more information on the LLEBG program. Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities The Center for Domestic Preparedness at Fort McClellan, Alabama (CDP) offers training courses to first responders from across the United States in responding to incidents of domestic terrorism, especially those involving chemical agents and other toxic substances. Also at Fort McClellan, the Public Health Service's Nobel Hospital Training Center offers training to the medical community on responding to terrorism. For more information on training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps/training_cdp.htm. The National Domestic Preparedness Consortium provides expertise and training to state and local emergency management officials. The members of the Consortium are the National Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the National Center for Bio-Medical Research and Training at Louisiana State University, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center at Texas A&M, and the National Exercise, Test, and Training Center, Nevada Test Site. The Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts Course is available for on-site delivery to interested fire service and emergency medical services agencies. A limited number of slots may also be available for law enforcement personnel. This program is composed of a train-the-trainer course and a self-study terrorism awareness course for first responders. Training under this program is available through Community Research Associates, Nashville, Tennessee at 615/399-9908. Training for firefighters is also available through the National Fire Academy, in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration and FEMA. OSLDPS provides jurisdictions technical training in handling equipment purchased under the OSLDPS equipment grant programs. This training is available upon request either through on-site visits, long distance learning, or by hosting responders at training facilities around the country, including the Equipment Training Center at the Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas. For more information about equipment training, see the OSLDPS Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps/training_pba.htm. OSLDPS staff and contractors are available to provide technical assistance to help state and local officials assess risks, develop incident response and consequence management plans, train local personnel, and apply for funding. For more information, visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/osldps/ta/htm. BJA sponsors anti-terrorism training for state and local law enforcement officials and prosecutors. The training is designed to build a better understanding of domestic terrorism and the organizations and individuals who commit such acts. For more information, call the BJA Clearinghouse at 1-800/688-4252. Other Resources The Department of Justice has established a National Domestic Preparedness Office (NDPO) to coordinate counterterrorism and domestic preparedness efforts across all federal agencies. Participating agencies include the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy. Through a special fund provided for in the 1996 Antiterrorism Act, OVC provides funding, assistance, and compensation to victims of terrorism and mass violence, including Americans victims of terrorism abroad. OVC assists in identifying and coordinating available resources, supports crisis response services in the aftermath of mass violence events, provides updates and briefings to victims and victims' families, and provides emergency funding for funeral costs, travel, mental health counseling, and medical bills. For more information, call the OVC Response Center at 1-800/627-6872. Additional Information The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) serves as OJP's clearinghouse for information and publications on criminal and juvenile justice related topics, including law enforcement and public safety. By calling NCJRS toll-free at 1-800/688-4252, you can speak with an information specialist who can conduct individualized research and provide you with copies of OJP publications. NCJRS also has a homepage on the World Wide Web at www.ncjrs.org. The site contains the full text of most OJP publications in a searchable format, as well as links to other relevant sites. 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. 12 Enhancing Technology's Use in Addressing Crime OJP funds development of new technology to help ensure public safety, as well as helping state and local communities better use existing technology. Technology helps improve public safety in several ways: enhanced criminal records and identification systems keep dangerous offenders from obtaining weapons or positions of trust, closed-circuit television allows young victims or witnesses of crime to testify in a less-intimidating setting, bulletproof vests and less-than-lethal weapons mitigate risk to law enforcement officers, and crime mapping allows law enforcement to target crime "hot spots." OJP has also launched an initiative to develop information-sharing capacity across all parts of the criminal justice system. The OJP Information Technology Executive Council coordinates funding and technical assistance to ensure that technology is deployed in a manner that allows information-sharing across agencies. Funding Opportunities The primary vehicle through which OJP funds technology development is the Crime Identification Technology Act (CITA). CITA provides assistance for virtually every technology-based, criminal justice information, identification, and communications need. CITA funds also may be used to support state and local-level participation in national databases managed by the FBI, such as the National Instant Check System (NICS), Combined DNA Information System (CODIS), and the Interstate Identification Index (III) system. States, in conjunction with local governments, may use funds awarded under CITA to improve or expand criminal justice technology efforts in 17 specified areas. For more information on CITA funding, visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cita. As part of CITA, BJS' National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) ensures that accurate records are available for use in law enforcement and that criminal justice records are shared across jurisdictions. NCHIP funding also supports the Firearms Inquiry Statistics (FIST) and the National Sex Offender Registry Assistance Program (NSOR-AP). For more information, contact the BJS Clearinghouse at 1-800/688-4252 or visit the BJS Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJS. BJS provides funding to states to participate in the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the FBI's new approach to uniform crime reporting. NIBRS moves beyond aggregate statistics and raw counts of crimes and arrests that comprise the summary Uniform Crime Reports program to individual records for each reported crime incident and its associated arrest. NIBRS looks at detailed offense, offender, victim, property, and arrest data. More information on NIBRS is available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/nibrs.htm. NIJ's DNA Identification/Crime Laboratory Improvement Program provides funding to improve the analytic and technological resources of forensic labs servicing all 50 states. Funding under this initiative increases forensic laboratory access to specialized forensic services; strengthens the network of cross-jurisdictional learning among local, state, and regional labs; and establishes priorities for the intelligent allocation of scarce, yet high priority, forensic capabilities to critical investigations through a national conference with forensic experts. NIJ also administers funding to reduce the backlog of unprocessed DNA samples from convicted offenders. NIJ's Safe Schools Technology Initiative encourages technology developers to work with schools, school administrators, and the law enforcement agencies that serve schools to propose new or improved safety technologies that have promise for wide implementation. Examples of technologies supported under this initiative include crisis simulation and training tools, communication and information technologies, officer protection and crime prevention, less-than-lethal technologies, concealed weapons technologies, graphical information systems, and crime mapping. Training and Technical Assistance The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center provides information on technology and technical assistance to criminal justice professionals. The NLECTC system includes a national center in Rockville, Maryland and four regional centers, as well as four special offices on standards, technology commercialization, borders, and forensic science. More information on NLECTC is available at www.nlectc.org or by calling 1-800/248-2742. Information on crime mapping and geographic information systems is available through the Crime Mapping Research Center (CMRC) located within the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). CMRC supports the research, development, and evaluation of crime mapping technologies for criminal justice research and practice. CMRC also supports free training in crime mapping for law enforcement personnel. Technical assistance for state and local law enforcement and corrections agencies is available through the Crime Mapping and Analysis Program, which can be reached at 1-800/416-8086. More information on crime mapping is available through CMRC's Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc, or by calling 202/514-3431. Through its grantee SEARCH, BJA funds assistance and training to help state and local agencies develop systems that permit sharing of relevant information among police, courts, prosecutors, and corrections. Information on SEARCH's information systems resources is available at www.search.org. NIJ sponsors the Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement (AGILE) program to address a broad range of interoperability issues across jurisdictional and regional boundaries. The AGILE program includes communications technology development, evaluation, development of open architecture standards, and an education campaign. Additional Information The National Criminal Justice Reference Service serves as OJP's clearinghouse for information and publications on criminal and juvenile justice related topics, including law enforcement and public safety. By calling NCJRS toll-free at 1-800/688-4252, you can speak with an information specialist who can conduct individualized research and provide you with copies of OJP publications. NCJRS also has a homepage on the World Wide Web at www.ncjrs.org. The site contains the full text of most OJP publications in a searchable format, as well as links to other relevant sites. 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. 13 Other Resources The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), funded in part by BJA and OJJDP, is a private, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose mission is to prevent crime and build safer, more caring communities. NCPC's major initiatives include the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign (NCCPC), an alliance of national, state, and federal organizations that works with businesses, civic groups, individuals, and law enforcement to generate crime prevention awareness and action throughout the country through a variety of mechanisms. The campaign includes a series of public service advertisements, publications, training, technical assistance, and program development. The National Crime Prevention Council's Website includes a calendar of upcoming training events. The Web address is www.ncpc.org/4train.htm. Information is also available by mail from the National Crime Prevention Council, 1700 K Street, NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20006-3817. The fax number is 202/296-1356, and the telephone number is 202/466-6272. Several federal agencies administer grant programs and other resources that address issues related to criminal and juvenile justice and related issues. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive information available on federal funding and other programs. The catalog, which is maintained by the General Services Administration, is a government-wide compendium of federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the federal government. To purchase the catalog in hard copy or in tape, diskette, or CD-ROM format, contact the Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog Staff, General Services Administration, 300 7th Street, SW, Suite 101, Washington, DC 20407 or call 202/708-5126. The catalog is also available on the Web in searchable format. The Web address is www.gsa.gov/fdac/queryfdac.htm