U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Assistance

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFF ICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

BJA NI J OJJDP BJS OVC

Monograph

Bureau of Justice Assistance

THE RESULTS

FY1998

Open Solicitation:
This document was prepared by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency under

grant number 99–DD–BX–0005,awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance,Office of Justice

Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily

represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

Janet Reno

Attorney General

Daniel Marcus

Acting Associate Attorney General

Laurie Robinson

Assistant Attorney General

Noël Brennan

Deputy Assistant Attorney General

Nancy E. Gist

Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs

World Wide Web Home Page

www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Bureau of Justice Assistance

World Wide Web Home Page

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA

For grant and funding information contact

U.S. Department of Justice Response Center

1–800–421–6770

The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also

includes 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.
Bureau of Justice Assistance

FY 1998 Open Solicitation:

The Results

September 1999 Monograph NCJ 178232
iii

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement continues to follow the new direction in grantmaking that began in 1997. The response to the FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement

was tremendous. More than 1,300 applications were received from a wide

array of state, local, and tribal governments. All proposals submitted for

the Open Solicitation supported the implementation of innovative programs and policies that help to reduce crime and improve the criminal justice system.

The FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement provided a unique opportunity for local practitioners from every region of the country to identify local problems and propose solutions tailored to meet their needs. The

proposals showcased the efforts of applicants to build partnerships with

schools, social service agencies, law enforcement, and virtually every type

of institution that can play a role in improving local criminal justice systems. The potential of these partnerships for addressing the nation’s most

challenging criminal justice issues is truly exciting.

This report summarizes the types of FY 1998 Open Solicitation submissions received by BJA. One of the report’s most valuable findings, for both

practitioners and policymakers, is the identification of emerging trends in

state, local, and tribal criminal justice. It is our hope that these insights into

areas of local need will assist grantmakers at all government levels, as well

as their grantees, to design more effective programs that will strengthen

the responses of local criminal justice systems to crime and victims of

crime.

Nancy E. Gist

Director

Foreword
v

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Contents

Chapter 1 Overview of FY 1998 Open Solicitation Program ............. 1

Chapter 2 Review and Analysis of FY 1998 Applications .................. 3

The BJA Review Process ........................................................... 3

Content Analysis of the Applications..................................... 3

Major Results .............................................................................. 4

Diversity in Types of Applicants ................................... 4

Prevalent Types of Applicants ....................................... 8

Diversity in Topic Areas Addressed ............................. 8

Diversity in the Proposed Strategies To Reduce

Crime or Improve the Criminal Justice System......... 12

Chapter 3 The 1998 Grantees: Innovative Ideas From Diverse

Communities ........................................................................... 15

Alaska ........................................................................................ 15

Providing Traditional Cultural Services to

At-Risk Youth .................................................................. 15

California .................................................................................. 16

Teaching Tolerance to Juvenile Offenders ................. 16

Engaging the Community To Improve

Residents’ Quality of Life .............................................. 16

Reaching Out to Victims in the

Immigrant Community.................................................. 16

Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases .................................... 17

Bringing Court Services to the Homeless ................... 17

Providing Counseling and Resources

to Victims and Witnesses of Hate Crimes .................. 18

Implementing a Community Justice Approach ........ 18

District of Columbia ................................................................ 18

Establishing a Community Justice Youth Court ....... 18

Florida ....................................................................................... 19

Developing a Juvenile Sentencing Project .................. 19

Improving Services for Persons With Mental

Health Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System ... 19

Illinois ........................................................................................ 20

Establishing a Financial Exploitation of the

Elderly Unit ..................................................................... 20
vi

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Contents (continued)

Massachusetts........................................................................... 20

Addressing Hate Crimes Through Law

Enforcement Partnerships ............................................. 20

Michigan ................................................................................... 20

Expanding the A.C.T.I.V.E. Volunteer Program ....... 20

Minnesota.................................................................................. 21

Removing Barriers to Justice for Immigrant

Populations ...................................................................... 21

Nebraska ................................................................................... 21

Establishing a Community Coordinating Council ... 21

Nevada ...................................................................................... 22

Increasing the Reach of the Kid’s Korner Program .. 22

New Jersey ................................................................................ 22

Establishing a Community Court ................................ 22

New York .................................................................................. 22

Strengthening Community Prosecution Efforts ........ 22

Puerto Rico................................................................................ 23

Improving the Justice System’s Response to

Senior Citizens ................................................................ 23

South Dakota ............................................................................ 23

Delivering Alcohol and Drug Treatment

to Women ......................................................................... 23

Tennessee .................................................................................. 23

Establishing a Community Court ................................ 23

Texas .......................................................................................... 24

Creating a Special Foster Care Court .......................... 24

Utah............................................................................................ 24

Moving Beyond a Law Enforcement Response to

Methamphetamine ......................................................... 24

Prostitution Project ......................................................... 24

Vermont..................................................................................... 25

Establishing a Community Justice Center.................. 25

Identifying and Accommodating Defendants’

Developmental Disabilities ........................................... 25
vii

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Virginia ...................................................................................... 25

Developing a Southeast Asian Outreach Program ... 25

Washington ............................................................................... 26

Establishing a Mental Health Court ............................ 26

Reducing Racial Disparity in the Justice System ...... 26

Developing an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team......... 27

Wisconsin .................................................................................. 27

Replacing Alcohol and Drug Dependence With

Traditional Cultural Values .......................................... 27

Sources for Further Information ............................................................... 29

Contents (continued)
1

Chapter 1 FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Overview of FY 1998 Open

Solicitation Program

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 1998 Open Solicitation Program

continues to follow the new direction in grantmaking that successfully began in 1997. This initiative is part of BJA’s overall effort to support innovative programs that strengthen the nation’s criminal justice system.

Through BJA’s Discretionary Grant Program, the Open Solicitation Program is designed to encourage state, local, and tribal community agencies

and governments to submit applications consistent with BJA’s overall objectives. The FY 1997 Open Solicitation resulted in BJA receiving more than

1,700 applications from every level of government and every component of

the criminal justice system. Significantly, many of these FY 1997 applicants

had not submitted applications to BJA in the past. The tremendous number

of applications submitted and the variety of agencies applying were repeated with the FY 1998 Open Solicitation.

The FY 1998 program emphasized the following three principles:

❑ Local agencies and public-private partnerships, not the Federal

Government, should identify the problems that need solving.

❑ The application process should be short and uncomplicated.

❑ As many agencies as possible should be encouraged to apply.

Consistent with these principles, FY 1998 applicants were required to submit short concept papers (six pages or less) that identified problems and

recommended solutions. In developing their concept papers, applicants

had to address one of the following 10 topic or subject areas:

 1. Community Justice.

 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes.

 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Rural Tribal Communities.

 4. Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens.

 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime.

 6. Indigent Defense.

 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice.

 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance Public

 Safety.

 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations.

10. Local Priorities.
2

Bureau of Justice Assistance

These areas were identified through a series of BJA-initiated focus groups

and criminal justice constituent group meetings. Many of the topics are

consistent with other initiatives funded by the Office of Justice Programs

(OJP). The concept paper itself had to consist of a proposal narrative that

addressed the following five questions about the applicant’s proposed

program:

 1. What is the problem?

 2. What are you proposing to do and how do you intend to do it?

 3. What other agencies/resources will work with you?

 4. How will you know if your concept works?

 5. What are the costs and cost benefits of implementing the strategy?

The concept paper also had to include a budget that could not exceed

$150,000 and would provide adequate funding for up to 18 months. With

these instructions, the FY 1998 Open Solicitation Announcement was

mailed to more than 40,000 units of state, local, and tribal governments in

April 1998 with a deadline for submission of July 2, 1998. Despite this relatively short time period for responding to the announcement, BJA received

more than 1,300 formal submissions. From this pool of applications, BJA

selected 32 to receive federal funding.

This report summarizes the applications submitted to BJA. The findings

provide information that BJA and other components of OJP can use to develop a more precise picture of the problems that local criminal justice systems face and to make recommendations on how best to address these

problems. BJA is sharing this information with its Program Development

Division, State Administrative Agencies, and other OJP bureaus. The information will also be used to guide BJA’s policymaking, technical assistance,

and discretionary programs.
3

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Review and Analysis of

FY 1998 Applications

The BJA Review Process

BJA received more than 1,300 applications, of which 1,202 met the submission

requirements. To determine which applicants would be selected for an

award, BJA conducted a comprehensive and three-part review process.

The first review was conducted by several practitioner/peer review panels

comprising individuals with expertise in the subject areas of the solicitation and who represented a diverse cross-section of state and local criminal

justice systems. Each panel member received instructions from BJA on the

criteria to be used for assessing the applications. Reviewers were encouraged to evaluate the concept papers on their suitability for implementation

in their own jurisdictions, as well as the overall quality of the application

itself. The peer review panel scored each application on a scale of 1 to 200

for each of the 5 questions addressed, for a possible total of 1,000 points.

Submissions with the highest scores were then forwarded to a team of BJA

staff with expertise in the solicitation’s general topic areas. Based on these

internal reviews, recommendations for awards were forwarded to the Director of BJA. These recommendations were based on the quality of the

proposal, the geographical location of the prospective grantee, and the

type of governmental agency (state, local, or tribal).

The use of brief concept papers, coupled with the peer review panels, dramatically increased the efficiency of the process of determining which concept papers were best suited for funding. Moreover, practitioners report

that the solicitation’s streamlined concept paper and review process was

far more user friendly than BJA’s traditional and more complex application process.

Content Analysis of the Applications

Given the large number of applications, BJA was interested in assessing

the number of submissions by topic area and geographical region and the

types of agencies applying for funds. Such an assessment provides an accounting of the 1998 program and helps BJA better understand how to

modify and structure future Open Solicitation Programs.

To assist BJA with this task, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) and the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections (ICJC)

at The George Washington University conducted a content analysis of each

application. A team of NCCD/ICJC staff was assembled to record basic

descriptive information contained on the application forms (e.g., agency

Chapter 2
4

Bureau of Justice Assistance

affiliation) and the funds requested. The NCCD/ICJC team then conducted a content analysis of answers to the five questions addressed in the

proposal narrative. This analysis was accomplished by reviewing approximately 100 applications and developing coding categories to classify each

application by a number of attributes. A precoded data sheet was created

to ensure a high degree of consistency among application reviews. When

the content analysis of each application was completed, the data were computerized and analyzed. The results of this analysis are presented in the

following section.

Major Results

Diversity in Types of Applicants

One of the most important goals of the Open Solicitation Program is to encourage agencies that rarely apply for federal funds to submit applications.

State and local agencies representing large populations are often better

positioned to respond to and submit sophisticated proposals typically required by the Federal Government. This application’s short, straightforward format clearly helped encourage agencies to prepare and submit

proposals, particularly those agencies serving rural and tribal areas that

historically have not had the resources to compete for grants with complex

technical requirements. In this respect, the effort to simplify the application process in 1997 was successfully continued in 1998.

As illustrated in exhibit 1, 80 percent of the eligible applicants were nonstate government agencies, with most of the applications submitted by municipal and county agencies. Nineteen percent of the applicants reported

that this was their first proposal to a federal agency. Another 31 percent

indicated that this was their first U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) proposal. Only 5 percent (62 applicants) had submitted their proposals under

the 1997 program, and only 2 percent (29 applicants) had submitted their

proposal to other federal agencies. A large number of these applications

submitted to BJA presented ideas for crime prevention and reduction that

had not been previously proposed to the Federal Government.
5

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Exhibit 1 Attributes of Open Solicitation Program Applicants

Applicant Attribute

Unit of government:

 City

 County

 State

 Tribal

 Rural

 Unknown

 Total Number of Applicants

First federal proposal

First DOJ proposal

Same proposal previously submitted to

BJA in 1997

Proposal submitted to other federal agency

Population <25,000

Type of strategy:

 Multiagency

 Law enforcement

 Other

 Prosecution

 Adjudication

 Unknown

Grants awarded

Number

456

443

246

 50

 2

 5

1,202

230

371

 62

 29

258

567

315

198

 66

 48

 8

 32

 Percentage

38

37

20

 4

<1

<1

100

19

31

 5

 2

21

47

26

16

 5

 4

 1

 3

Exhibit 1 also shows that the program was successful in attracting applications from rural areas, with nearly 260 applicants (21 percent) from jurisdictions with populations of less than 25,000 residents. Most applications

were submitted by multiagency partnerships attempting either to implement a new program or policy or to share information and resources in an

innovative manner.
6

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Exhibits 2 and 3 show the geographical distribution of the Open Solicitation applicants. Applications were received from all 50 states, the District

of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. While 36 states (including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories) had fewer than 25 applicants, 14

states had 25 to 49 applicants, and 3 states had 50 or more applicants. Ten

states accounted for 50 percent of the 1,202 eligible applications: California

(172), New York (69), Florida (67), Massachusetts (49), Virginia (48), Texas

(46), New Jersey (41), Washington (41), Ohio (38), and Pennsylvania (36).

ME

NY

VT

NH

MA

RI CT

PA

WV

NJ

DE

MD

DC VA

NC

SC

GA

FL

AL MS

TN

KY

OH IL IN

WI

MI

MN

IA

MO

AR

LA

TX OK

KS 

NE

SD

ND MT

WY

CO

NM AZ

UT

ID

WA

OR

NV CA

AK

HI

0–24 Applicants

25–49 Applicants

≥50 Applicants

PR

GU

Exhibit 2 Geographical Distribution of Applicants
7

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Exhibit 3 Distribution of Applicants by State

State

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Guam

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Number

13

13

30

3

172

15

11

7

21

67

20

4

16

7

32

10

7

5

19

15

7

28

49

36

32

8

12

Percentage

1

1

2

<1

14

 1

 1

 1

 2

 6

 2

<1

 1

 1

 3

 1

 1

<1

 2

 1

 1

 2

 4

 3

 3

 1

 1

State

Montana

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Nevada

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Number

12

9

9

41

11

69

14

24

4

38

15

28

36

6

6

9

8

18

46

6

7

48

41

3

32

3

Percentage

 1

 1

 1

 3

 1

 6

 1

 2

 <1

 3

 1

 2

 3

<1

<1

 1

 1

 1

4

<1

 1

 4

 3

<1

 3

<1
8

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Prevalent Types of Applicants

The most prevalent type of applicants were police, sheriff, and other law

enforcement agencies, which made up 35 percent of the total number of

eligible applications received (exhibit 4). The next largest category was

multiagency applications (16 percent), some of which consisted of a police

department partnering with a noncriminal justice agency, such as a local

public school, to formulate and implement a school violence reduction

program. In other situations, law enforcement and probation agencies proposed to work together to better supervise those on probation. The next

largest group was prosecutors (9 percent).

Few applications were received from state corrections agencies (4 percent),

public defenders (4 percent), probation and parole agencies (2 percent),

tribal agencies (2 percent), public schools (2 percent), or community organizations (1 percent). Although small, these numbers are significant because they represent agencies that have rarely submitted proposals to BJA

or other DOJ agencies.

Diversity in Topic Areas Addressed

No particular problem area identified by the applicants seemed to dominate the submissions. As exhibit 5 indicates, each of the first nine predefined topic areas received significant numbers of applications. The 10th

topic area (Local Priorities) represented issues that applicants wished to

address but were not prescribed by the other nine categories. In the final

analysis, Local Priorities proved to be the most popular category, with 455

applications (or 38 percent of the total). Following is a description of the

types of programs proposed for each of the 10 topic areas.

Topic Area 1: Community Justice (123 Applications). Most applicants in

this group underscored the need for communities to build problem-solving

partnerships with criminal justice agencies (typically police) and community organizations. Community policing and restorative justice programs

were often cited in these applications. Many applications emphasized the

need to respond to demographic shifts in the number and ethnic makeup

of their juvenile populations.
9

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Topic Area 2: Law Enforcement Partnerships To Address Hate Crimes

(45 Applications). Somewhat related to the Community Justice theme

were applications that focused on reducing the rising incidence of hate

crimes often directed at minority ethnic groups and homosexuals. The

most frequently reported state and local requirement was the need for police to build community partnerships. Other needs involved strategies to

raise cultural awareness among police officers and strategies to combat

and prevent hate crimes. Some applicants were responding to communities in their jurisdiction that were experiencing major demographic shifts

in Asian and Hispanic immigrant populations.

Exhibit 4 Applications Received by Agency

 Type of Agency

1. Police/sheriffs

2. Multiagency partnerships

3. Prosecutors

4. Other (e.g., mental health, human

 services agencies)

5. Courts

6. Municipal town/city/county agencies

7. Corrections (jails and prisons) agencies

8. Public defenders

9. Public schools

 10. Probation and parole

 11. Tribal agencies

 12. Youth and family service agencies

 13. Community organizations

 14. Public housing agencies

 15. Governor’s office

 Total

Number

418

189

110

98

79

79

50

48

28

27

26

23

18

7

2

 1,202

Percentage

35

16

9

8

7

7

4

4

2

2

2

2

1

1

<1

100
10

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Topic Area 3: Criminal Justice Challenges for Rural or Tribal Communities (82 Applications). Among rural and tribal community applications,

many noted the lack of communication systems that would increase the

speed at which crimes are reported to police and thus enhance the ability

of police to respond. Many applications described increases in property

crimes that caused damage to agriculturally based businesses. This category also included applications from tribal communities concerned about

rising levels of juvenile crime, alcoholism, drug abuse, and the lack of economic opportunity. These applications cited a need to link criminal justice

reforms to the restoration of the ethnic heritage of Native-Americans.

Topic Area 4: Criminal Justice System Responses to Senior Citizens (117

Applications). Among topic area 4 submissions, the most frequently reported state and local need was to create strategies to prevent the abuse,

both physical and mental, of our rapidly increasing elderly population.

Other needs included strategies for building community partnerships to

prevent and raise public awareness of elder abuse. In many communities

that have witnessed demographic shifts in senior citizen populations that

cannot speak English, elder abuse has become a concern. Many programs

Exhibit 5 Applications Received by Topic Area

 Topic Area

 1. Community Justice

 2. Law Enforcement Partnerships

 To Address Hate Crimes

 3. Criminal Justice Challenges for

 Rural or Tribal Communities

 4. Criminal Justice System Responses

 to Senior Citizens

 5. The Role of Alcohol and Crime

 6. Indigent Defense

 7. Cultural Barriers to Justice

 8. Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution

 Resources To Enhance Public Safety

 9. Public Health and Criminal Justice

 Collaborations

 10. Local Priorities

 Total

Number

123

45

82

117

85

50

96

65

84

455

1,202

Percentage

10

4

7

10

7

4

8

5

7

38

100
11

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

would provide additional school-age volunteers and increase involvement

with existing social service agencies.

Topic Area 5: The Role of Alcohol and Crime (85 Applications). In this

topic area, the most frequently reported state and local need was to address alcoholism. Special concern was directed at drunk driving, domestic

violence, and other crimes of violence that are often related to alcoholism.

Other needs involved strategies for correctional and social service agencies

to enhance counseling and treatment services for youth and families. The

proposals specified ways to develop partnerships with schools, families,

and law enforcement so that youth and families can receive the care they

require.

Topic Area 6: Indigent Defense (50 Applications). Indigent defense challenges are of particular concern to poor and urban communities experiencing the deadly nexus of gun availability, widespread crack cocaine use,

and high unemployment. Among these submissions, the most frequently

cited need was to expand existing indigent defense services and to improve interagency information sharing with prosecutors, police, probation,

and the courts. Many proposals also noted the need to provide legal assistance to lawful immigrants who have been accused of minor offenses.

Many proposed training sessions for public defenders regarding changes

in federal immigration law and policies to better serve their clients.

Topic Area 7: Cultural Barriers to Justice (96 Applications). Many of these

applicants were responding to the growing Hispanic and Asian immigrant

populations in certain neighborhoods. The local criminal justice system is

often unfamiliar with the culture and customs of these populations. Concept papers proposed to enhance cultural awareness among police officers

and social workers by providing training and hiring bilingual staff. Other

papers proposed strategies to raise public awareness of cultural diversity

in the community.

Topic Area 8: Nontraditional Uses of Prosecution Resources To Enhance

Public Safety (65 Applications). These applications, submitted by prosecutors, noted difficulties in expediting cases through the courts. They often referenced rising numbers of violent crimes by juveniles, crimes

committed by street gangs, and drug-related crime problems. Proposals

consisted of developing special prosecutorial teams that would focus on

specific crimes (ranging from truancy to violent crimes) from the time of

arraignment through sentencing, working more closely with law enforcement and victim services groups, and creating a community prosecutorial

team that would be located within a targeted high crime-rate district.

Topic 9: Public Health and Criminal Justice Collaborations (84 Applications). Among public health partnership submissions, the most frequently

proposed strategies were designed to treat alcoholism, substance abuse,

and sexually transmitted diseases. Programs that rely on well-trained volunteers to assist victims of domestic violence were also suggested. Other
12

Bureau of Justice Assistance

proposals would create public health partnerships to increase interagency

cooperation, especially in situations where victims need medical and/or

mental health services.

Topic 10: Local Priorities (455 Applications). As previously noted, Local

Priorities received more submissions than any other category. The most

frequently proposed strategies included enhancing the training of law enforcement personnel in domestic violence situations; creating alternatives

to incarceration to reduce prison and jail crowding; enhancing community

supervision for pretrial release, probation, and parole; managing incidents

involving police use of force; and improving drug treatment programs.

The desire to purchase electronic equipment (computers, cameras, modems, software) or to plan for such technology was often mentioned in

connection with these proposals.

Diversity in the Proposed Strategies To Reduce Crime

or Improve the Criminal Justice System

An analysis was conducted to determine the most frequently cited strategies proposed in the applications. Because applicants were permitted to

list multiple approaches, the responses shown in exhibit 6 exceed the total

number of applications submitted.

The most frequently cited strategy reflected the growing concern about juvenile crime and juvenile gangs in particular. Applications supported prevention programs as well as policies designed to “get tough” with

juveniles who commit violent crimes. Establishing partnerships with other

criminal justice and community-based organizations highlighted the need

to better coordinate and use existing agency resources—activities that can

be conducted with a relatively small grant. The need for improved computer technologies that would enable agencies to better track and monitor

their performance was also frequently expressed. Proposals in this category often recommended studies to determine the weaknesses of current

information systems—the results of which could then be used when purchasing equipment and software. Implementing alternatives to incarceration and improving communications with the public were also frequently

cited in the concept papers. Public education proposals ranged from printing posters for display in schools to producing television commercials directed at youth to dramatize the negative effects of drug use and crime.
13

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Exhibit 6 Most Frequently Cited Strategies for Reducing Crime or

Improving the Criminal Justice System

 Strategy

1. Respond to Juvenile Crime and/or Gangs

2. Establish Community Partnerships/

 Community Policing

3. Enhance and Coordinate Computer Information

 Systems

4. Develop Alternatives to Incarceration

5. Improve Public Awareness/Education

6. Enhance Interagency Cooperation

7. Develop Victim/Witness Services

8. Improve Court Efficiency

9. Respond to Special Offender Populations

 10. Respond to Elderly Abuse

 11. Implement Substance Abuse Treatment

 Total

Number

1,085

860

703

451

421

297

274

272

199

172

169

4,903

Percentage

22

18

14

9

9

6

6

6

4

3

3

100
15

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

The 1998 Grantees:

Innovative Ideas From

Diverse Communities

Of the more than 1,200 eligible papers submitted to BJA, 32 were selected

in October 1998 for awards of up to $150,000 and covering a period of up

to 18 months. Like the general pool of Open Solicitation applicants, many

grantees were rural and tribal agencies historically underserved by federal

grant competitions. In this chapter, brief descriptions of the 32 projects are

provided. Each grantee will receive technical assistance from and be evaluated by the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections of The George

Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Bethel, Alaska

Providing Traditional Cultural Services to At-Risk Youth

The Orutsararmuit Native Council (ONC) is located in Bethel on the

Yukon Kuskokwin River Delta. The region is geographically and culturally

removed from urban Alaska, and many services are unavailable or inaccessible to families in the area. Although the region’s remoteness has helped

to preserve tribal traditions and cultures, modern culture has also created

many social problems for the community. Modern conveniences have replaced traditional practices, leaving people with fewer activities in which

to participate. Compounding the problem is the sense of hopelessness created by the lack of jobs in the region. This combination of inactivity and

hopelessness has contributed to increases in substance abuse and criminal

activity in the tribal community, especially among juveniles.

ONC, through the Rural Alaska Juvenile Tribal Court Program, will work

with the state of Alaska to divert juvenile delinquency cases from state

courts to the ONC Children’s Court. Juveniles referred to the ONC

Children’s Court will receive comprehensive services designed to remove

barriers to living a healthy and productive life. ONC will offer young offenders services and counseling on mental health, anger management, and

substance abuse. Participants will also work closely with tribal elders to

learn traditional methods for dealing with problems.

Chapter 3
16

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Los Angeles, California

Teaching Tolerance to Juvenile Offenders

The Los Angeles County District Attorney will create a Juvenile Offenders

Learning Tolerance (JOLT) Program for at-risk youth who commit nonviolent hate crimes and for their parents. The JOLT Program will focus on

reaching youth at three points in the juvenile justice system: prevention,

intervention, and suppression. Activities at these three points will be provided through a cooperative multiagency program designed to strengthen

the community’s response to hate-related violence.

Marin, California

Engaging the Community To Improve Residents’

Quality of Life

While violent crime rates fell nationwide and within Marin County during

the past few years, violent crime rates in the city of Marin’s public housing

increased. Life in this Bay Area community is often characterized by visible drug trafficking and use, neighborhood noise, high unemployment,

poverty, and violence.

The county and city of Marin have joined with the Marin Housing Authority, Bay Area Community Resources, the Marin City Project, Marin Services for Women, and the Marin County Sheriff’s Department to provide

the tools, training, and support for this community to identify and solve

the daily problems residents face. The program will engage the community, establish community action teams, support community education

efforts, and connect the community with services. The program’s effectiveness will be measured by indicators of increased utilization of services and

increased community satisfaction.

Orange County, California

Reaching Out to Victims in the Immigrant Community

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office lacks sufficient resources to

reach out to the county’s immigrant populations and educate them about

the services available to victims of crime. Many immigrants distrust the legal system and are reluctant to come forward to seek help or testify in

criminal cases.

In response to these concerns, the District Attorney’s Office will create a

public outreach program called Prosecution Resource Outreach Generating

Immigrant Victim Education (PRO–GIVE). Using the latest computer technologies, PRO–GIVE will educate immigrants about the role of the District

Attorney’s Office, the progression of a case through the criminal justice
17

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

system, and the many services available through the District Attorney’s

Office for victims, witnesses, and their families. Presentations will be created in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Riverside, California

Prosecuting Elder Abuse Cases

The Coachella Valley in Riverside County is home to more than 70,000 senior residents. At least 30 percent live at or below the poverty level, and 24

percent are minorities. Nationally, it is estimated that elder abuse has increased more than 100 percent in the past decade, but only 1 in 14 cases is

reported. In Coachella Valley, Protective Services investigated more than

600 cases of elder abuse in 1997, but only 20 cases were referred for review

and criminal prosecution.

Through this project, the Riverside County District Attorney will establish

and participate in an aggressive multiagency effort to address incidents of

elder abuse. This project will serve as a national model for the role of the

district attorney in providing leadership on this issue. A key component of

the project will be the establishment of an Elder Abuse Prevention Unit in

the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office to ensure the prosecution

of elder abuse cases and provide supportive services to elderly victims.

The unit will work closely with the county’s Office on Aging, Adult Protective Services, and other relevant agencies and will produce a how-to

guide to assist other jurisdictions that face this growing problem.

San Diego, California

Bringing Court Services to the Homeless

The city of San Diego is home to an estimated 7,500 homeless individuals.

The cycle of living on the street frequently results in contact with the police

in the form of an arrest or an illegal lodging citation. In a traditional court

setting, many homeless defendants fail to appear, thereby clogging court

calendars. Nearly 10 years ago, San Diego held its first Stand Down, a 3-

day event in which Vietnam Veterans coordinated a range of services for

homeless veterans, including employment and housing consultation, legal

assistance, medical and mental health treatment services, and other social

support services. The court joined this effort, and the result was the resolution of thousands of outstanding court cases.

To build on the achievements of Stand Down, the Homeless Court Program will bring the court to shelters each month to improve access to the

court, resolve outstanding cases, build community collaborations, reduce

court and jail costs, and ultimately bring the homeless back into society.

The program’s effectiveness will be measured through a cost-benefit analysis as well as an assessment of recidivism rates and experiences of defendants.
18

Bureau of Justice Assistance

San Diego, California

Providing Counseling and Resources to Victims and

Witnesses of Hate Crimes

The San Diego Police Department will organize a comprehensive array of

services designed to address the unique issues involved with hate crimes

and their tangible and intangible effects on victims and witnesses. This

program will offer resources for less tangible injuries or losses, specifically

the emotional pain, confusion, and posttraumatic stress associated with

hate crimes.

To achieve the project’s goals, the police department will develop a

community-based response, support, and referral system adapted to the

special needs of hate crime victims; organize a volunteer corps of Hate

Crime Crisis Intervention Specialists to provide immediate, on-scene support and assistance to hate crime victims and witnesses; and provide immediate and ongoing support, resources, assistance, and referral to victims

in the crucial hours and days after the crime.

San Francisco, California

Implementing a Community Justice Approach

The Mayor’s Criminal Justice Council of San Francisco will implement a

community court pilot project. This program will address quality-of-life

crimes that degrade local neighborhoods and provide relief to San

Francisco’s overburdened criminal court system by implementing an innovative community court initiative in two diverse neighborhoods. The

council will develop a program model that can be used to launch other

community courts throughout San Francisco, as well as to help other jurisdictions develop community justice programs. In addition, the council will

develop a training curriculum to educate the community about the program and will hold neighborhood advisory meetings on the community

court process.

District of Columbia

Establishing a Community Justice Youth Court

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia will convert its existing

youth court from an isolated demonstration program to the cornerstone of

a community justice system. To build on the success of the demonstration

project, the superior court will reshape and secure long-term support for

the youth court. The D.C. superior court will secure long-term support for

and expand the scale of the youth court by increasing the size of the jury

pool, the number of hearings, and the number and range of community

placements. In addition, the superior court will transfer current oversight
19

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

of the youth court to a community governance structure and develop

a governance system with shared ownership and responsibility for

implementation.

Miami, Florida

Developing a Juvenile Sentencing Project

In 1997, 1,298 juveniles were transferred to the adult criminal court in

Miami-Dade County, up from 643 in 1992. Public defenders represented

nearly 900 of these cases. Although Florida law mandates that felony court

judges consider juvenile sanctions in lieu of adult punishment for transferred juveniles, assistant public defenders have been unable to advocate

effectively for the imposition of juvenile, rather that adult, sanctions. Only

50 of the 900 juveniles represented received juvenile sanctions. This overreliance on adult sanctions is due, in large part, to heavy caseloads and lack

of experience of public defenders, prosecutors, and judges regarding children and sentencing options.

Through this grant, public defenders will improve sentencing options for

juveniles who are being considered for or who have already been transferred to criminal court. This project will develop a national model for

defense-based sentencing planning for this growing population of youth,

including a comprehensive client-specific assessment of youth being tried

as adults as well as specialized training for attorneys and other court

personnel.

Polk County, Florida

Improving Services for Persons With Mental Health

Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System

Individuals with a mental health disability pose high-risk, challenging

situations for the Polk County Jail. Arrest and detention frequently exacerbate the mental health problems of the arrestee, and this disability presents

a unique challenge during the sentencing process because mental health

treatment should be a factor in the disposition of the case. Additionally,

the arrestee may present a public safety threat if continuum-of-care services are not established prior to release from jail. As of June 1998, approximately 7 percent of the inmates in Polk County Jail were receiving

antipsychotic medication.

The goals of this program are to increase services to persons with mental

health disabilities who are arrested in Polk County, to ensure the establishment of a continuum of care between the criminal justice and mental

health systems, and to reduce the involvement of mental health inmates in

the criminal justice system.
20

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Springfield, Illinois

Establishing a Financial Exploitation of the Elderly Unit

This project supports the development of a Financial Exploitation of the

Elderly Unit within the Illinois State Police to respond to requests for assistance and training in the investigation and prosecution of statewide financial exploitation cases against the elderly. The project will fund two

investigators who will serve as advocates to help facilitate the reporting,

investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators of financial crimes against

the elderly and to educate the elderly on financial abuse. They will also use

deterrence to reduce the instances of financial exploitation committed

against elderly citizens.

Boston, Massachusetts

Addressing Hate Crimes Through Law Enforcement

Partnerships

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety, Governor’s Task

Force on Hate Crimes, will address the problem of underreporting hate

crimes. The program will research and develop innovative and wide-ranging

countermeasures against hate crimes, based on a clear understanding of

the challenges posed by underreporting. The task force will assess and

quantify the extent of underreporting of hate crimes and perform intensive

outreach and assistance to organizations potentially available to help victims report hate crimes. In addition, the task force will conduct diversity

training seminars for both youth and convicted hate crime perpetrators.

Forsyth Township, Michigan

Expanding the A.C.T.I.V.E. Volunteer Program

Forsyth Township, a rural community on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is

the state’s largest township, covering 181 square miles. The Forsyth Township Police Department, which consists of seven sworn police officers, patrols this large geographical area. Generally, each shift is covered by one

officer. Because the township is so large, many outlying homes receive limited patrol coverage from the police department. Officers spend much of

their time responding to priority calls and often do not have the opportunity to respond immediately to nonemergency incidents, such as vandalism, theft, and other less important complaints.

To address this problem, the Forsyth Township Police Department has created a volunteer program called Adults Committed Toward Implementing

Volunteer Efforts (A.C.T.I.V.E.). A.C.T.I.V.E. members patrol outlying areas, take accident reports, assist with traffic control, collect evidence,
21

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

participate in public relations activities, and perform other administrative

duties while sworn officers are responding to more serious and more urgent situations. Five volunteers have been selected for the A.C.T.I.V.E. program and will receive training at the local police academy. Through this

grant, the Forsyth Township Police Department will purchase a specially

equipped vehicle for the program, as well as uniforms and related supplies.

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Removing Barriers to Justice for Immigrant Populations

During the past decade, many immigrants and refugees have moved to

Hennepin County and settled in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. The

rapid growth of the area’s immigrant population has placed new strains on

the court system. Increasingly, Hennepin County courts are facing difficulties in providing qualified interpreters for court proceedings involving defendants and witnesses who do not speak English. Compounding the

problems caused by the language barrier, many immigrants, especially

from the area’s growing East African community, are unfamiliar with local

laws and the criminal justice system.

Hennepin County has developed a two-pronged strategy to address these

issues. The first strategy seeks to evaluate, assess, and improve the quality

of interpretive services provided to non-English speakers at the Hennepin

County District Court. The county will work with the Minnesota State

Court System to create a model interpreter program that can be used in

other jurisdictions. The second strategy will focus exclusively on improving the relationship between the Hennepin County District Court and the

county’s East African community. Hennepin County will contract with

Jambo, Inc., a nonprofit East African advocacy organization, to provide

liaison services to this population.

Omaha, Nebraska

Establishing a Community Coordinating Council

This award will support the partnership between the Omaha Human Relations Department and the city’s Community Coordinating Council Against

Hate Crimes, which will coordinate the development of a detailed strategy

to address hate crimes. The purpose of the project is to support metropolitan Omaha’s efforts to reduce the incidence of hate crimes through increased public awareness and reporting and to improve prosecution and

law enforcement through enhanced investigation and training on hate violence. The project will develop a variety of public relations initiatives and

conduct training seminars for law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public.
22

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Reno, Nevada

Increasing the Reach of the Kid’s Korner Program

Many low-income families in the Reno area live in motels that are old,

poorly maintained, and frequently in violation of building, safety, and

health codes. In June 1996, two Reno police officers investigated several

incidents involving small children and their parents who were living in

the motels. The police officers found that the children were often unsupervised, hungry, and living in extreme filth and poverty.

In response, the Reno Police Department created the Kid’s Korner program. Kid’s Korner, a partnership of five local agencies, is a “knock and

talk” program in which police officers visit local motels to check on the

welfare of the children living there and provide families with access to

community resources. A community health nurse accompanies each police

officer to offer on-the-spot health and social assessments of the families,

“well-baby” checkups, immunizations, and immediate medical care. The

nurse also provides education on hygiene, nutrition, child development,

parenting skills, and the effects of drugs and alcohol. Funding from this

grant will add a full-time police officer and a community health nurse to

Kid’s Korner, enabling the program to significantly increase the number of

children and families it serves.

Belleville, New Jersey

Establishing a Community Court

This project supports the establishment of a community court in the Valley

section of Belleville Township, which will become an integral part of the

Community Policing Partnership Program. The project will fund several

positions to create a community court that will make justice visible to, accessible to, and proactive for Valley residents who will become stakeholders in the process. The goals of the project are to reduce the number of

complaints in the Valley and restore a sense of community, well-being, and

pride by creating a partnership between the community and the local judicial system.

Mineola, New York

Strengthening Community Prosecution Efforts

The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office will work with BJA to reduce the incidences of crime in Hempstead Village. This project will build

upon the community problem-solving initiative instituted by the District

Attorney’s Office in 1997, expanding the effort’s education, sports, and

mentoring programs. This project will work to strengthen community
23

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

prosecution by hiring an additional assistant district attorney to work in

the community. The District Attorney’s Office will work closely with law

enforcement, the courts, the schools, social service agencies, youth-serving

organizations, religious leaders, and athletic organizations.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Improving the Justice System’s Response to Senior

Citizens

This project supports the expansion of the city of San Juan’s Domestic Violence Program to address the physical and emotional abuse of elderly

women. The purpose of this project is to secure a mobile unit to regularly

visit elderly women living in rural and marginal areas of San Juan and

provide counseling, crisis intervention, and legal assistance.

Eagle Butte, South Dakota

Delivering Alcohol and Drug Treatment to Women

The high crime rate on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation has a direct

correlation to alcohol abuse. Nearly 87 percent of all criminal offenses on

the reservation are alcohol related. The Four Bands Healing Center is responsible for alcohol and drug treatment on the reservation. The center has

a comprehensive treatment program for men that provides a nonalcoholic

environment during treatment. For women, however, there is no comparable nonalcoholic environment. This situation, coupled with child care issues, substantially impedes successful treatment for women.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Winyan Okiciyapi Oti (the home where

women help each other) project is dedicated to changing the way treatment is delivered to women by providing an alcohol- and drug-free environment, secure child care during treatment, mental health services, and

comprehensive aftercare. The program’s effectiveness will be measured by

the number of treatment and aftercare completions.

Memphis, Tennessee

Establishing a Community Court

This project will establish a community court in the Frayser community of

Memphis to address quality-of-life crimes and serve as the focal point of

crime prevention efforts in the area. The court will be supported by a collaboration of criminal justice agencies and neighborhood groups working

together to reduce and prevent crime in the Frayser neighborhood. The

court will be located in a neighborhood building and will be available for

the public and for school classes to observe its operations.
24

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Creating a Special Foster Care Court

This project will support the development of the Special Foster Care Court

for the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This court will assist the juvenile justice

system, thereby providing immediate intervention and services for juvenile crime and preventing juvenile risk factors normally associated with

criminality. The goals of the court will be to reduce the backlog of child

protective service cases, reduce the amount of time children spend under

temporary supervision, improve judicial proceedings involving foster care

cases, and address the problematic issues of child abuse and crime.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Moving Beyond a Law Enforcement Response to

Methamphetamine

The Salt Lake City Corporation seeks to address the exposure of citizens in

Salt Lake City to deadly chemicals found in methamphetamine labs. This

project will increase the capacity of the local health department, child protective services, and police department through a two-pronged system.

First, the strategy will enhance current methods of dealing with methamphetamine production, distribution, and use and integrate these methods

into those of other agencies. Second, the agencies will work together to create a best-practices training curriculum to be shared with other jurisdictions.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Prostitution Project

The number of young women, including juveniles, in Salt Lake City who

have become involved in prostitution has steadily increased in recent

years. In addition to street prostitution, many women are also engaged in

prostitution through the city’s escort businesses, which are more difficult

for police to investigate.

In response, Salt Lake City initiated a collaborative community effort in

1995 to develop interventions for young women involved in prostitution.

Expanding on this initiative, the city will continue the police department’s

emphasis on arresting pimps and owners of illegal sexually oriented businesses. The project will also emphasize the coordination of community resources available to women who want to leave prostitution. A victim

advocate and public health nurse/social worker will be hired to provide

educational and social services to women and juveniles involved in prostitution. These individuals will work closely with the Salt Lake City Mayor’s

Office as part of an interagency team responsible for the coordination of

community resources and programs.
25

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Burlington, Vermont

Establishing a Community Justice Center

Burlington, located in the northwest corner of Vermont on the shores of

Lake Champlain, has a population of 40,000 year-round residents. It is also

home to 15,000 college students during the school year. Although not the

sole source of community disturbances, college students make their presence felt in some areas of the city in ways that do not ingratiate them to the

city’s permanent residents. In the past 3 years, neighborhood disturbances

have accounted for 25 percent of calls to the police department, and noise

complaints have constituted 40 percent of all disturbance calls. People feel

less safe, and these fears are driven largely by a decline in neighborhood

civility and quality of life.

The goals of this project are to establish a place for citizens to learn about

conflict resolution and restorative justice, enhance the city’s Reparative

Probation Program, develop community boards to deal with low-level

crime, better coordinate existing services, and provide citizens with the

tools for resolving neighborhood conflict.

Montpelier, Vermont

Identifying and Accommodating Defendants’

Developmental Disabilities

The Vermont Office of the Defender General will work to improve the representation of and participation by persons with developmental disabilities

in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. This program will improve the

Vermont criminal justice system’s awareness and handling of developmentally disabled clients. The program is expected to reduce recidivism and

decrease litigation by reducing the number of probation violation complaints, postconviction challenges, plea confusions, motions to withdraw,

and appeals. These goals will be achieved through a program designed to

recognize the special needs of developmentally disabled clients when they

first enter the judicial system.

Roanoke, Virginia

Developing a Southeast Asian Outreach Program

Over the past few years, Roanoke has experienced significant growth in its

Vietnamese population. At 2 percent of the population, these refugees represent the largest ethnic culture in the city. Recent incidents requiring the

involvement of law enforcement have revealed that the Vietnamese community generally distrusts the police and other government agencies and

does not adequately understand the local judicial system. These problems

are compounded by the police department’s lack of understanding of Vietnamese culture and language.
26

Bureau of Justice Assistance

The goals of this program are to develop a better understanding of cultural

differences, provide insight into the American judicial system, foster

greater trust between the Vietnamese residents and law enforcement officials, and demonstrate the police department’s commitment to the Vietnamese community. The police department will create two temporary

civilian community resource specialist positions. These specialists will

serve as liaisons to the Vietnamese community for 1 year. Through daily

interaction with officers, they are expected to gain the experience necessary to become police officers. The Roanoke Police Department will also

offer educational and cultural afterschool programs for Vietnamese youth,

develop adult educational programs on police and court services, provide

police officers with cultural diversity training that emphasizes Vietnamese

culture, and offer special programs to encourage Vietnamese family interaction with the greater community.

Seattle, Washington

Establishing a Mental Health Court

The traditional criminal justice system often fails to address the unique

circumstances of mentally ill offenders. Currently, King County District

Court in Seattle relies on a case processing strategy that requires misdemeanant defendants to appear before several different judges for the same

case. Although this model provides an adequate level of service for most

defendants, the approach creates barriers that prevent the court from identifying and addressing the needs of individuals who are mentally ill. Mentally ill offenders often cycle through the criminal justice system, spending

unnecessary time in jail and lacking access to mental health treatment services.

To address this problem, King County District Court will implement a

Mental Health Court that will provide a single point of contact for mentally ill defendants who are charged with misdemeanor offenses. A team

of specialists with knowledge in mental health issues, including a judge,

prosecutor, defender, mental health court monitor, treatment provider,

and probation officer, will work with defendants to develop a courtordered treatment plan as a diversion from prosecution or as a sentencing

alternative to jail. This strategy will use the authority and oversight capabilities of the court to link mentally ill defendants with mental health treatment providers.

Seattle, Washington

Reducing Racial Disparity in the Justice System

The King County Office of Public Defense in Seattle will work to reduce

racial disparities in bail and sentencing decisions, thereby improving the

adjudication process by increasing public respect and enhancing fairness.
27

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

The project will focus on three major areas: client representation, education

of defenders, and education and discussion in the broader justice system

concerning racial disproportion, its causes, and its effects.

Spokane, Washington

Developing an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team

The project supports the development of an Elder Abuse Prosecution Team

(EAPT) to aggressively prosecute perpetrators of physical abuse and neglect against elders. EAPT will facilitate enhanced victim advocacy services to the elderly and organize a Coordinated Community Response

Coalition to develop a campaign to prevent violence and abuse against elders. The goals of the project are to vigorously prosecute those who commit elder abuse, educate the community to recognize signs and symptoms

of abuse, employ knowledgeable investigators to increase and improve responses to reported crimes against the elderly, and work in partnership

with community organizations to develop prevention strategies.

Bayfield, Wisconsin

Replacing Alcohol and Drug Dependence With

Traditional Cultural Values

The reservation of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe

and Anishinabe), located in the northernmost part of Wisconsin in the

Township of Russell, is the only reservation in Bayfield County. Although

Native-Americans constitute only 13 percent of the county’s population,

they represent more than 30 percent of those involved in the county’s

criminal justice system. Many tribal members have been arrested for and

convicted of crimes committed while under the influence of alcohol and

drugs.

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa will develop an intervention program for tribal members who have committed a criminal offense

while under the influence of alcohol. Through this program, the Red Cliff

Band will seek to improve the quality of life for residents of the reservation

and increase opportunities for individuals to become contributing members of the tribe. The program is based on the premise that a NativeAmerican becomes a stronger person through the practice of his or her

own culture and beliefs. This strength enables the individual to replace the

need for alcohol and drugs with responsibility for oneself, one’s family,

and one’s community.
29

FY 1998 Open Solicitation: The Results

Sources for Further

Information

For further information about the Open Solicitation Program or other BJA

programs, contact BJA or the BJA Clearinghouse.

Bureau of Justice Assistance

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

202–514–6278

World Wide Web: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA

Bureau of Justice Assistance Clearinghouse

P.O. Box 6000

Rockville, MD 20849–6000

1–800–688–4252

World Wide Web: www.ncjrs.org

U.S. Department of Justice Response Center

1–800–421–6770 or 202–307–1480
Bureau of Justice Assistance

Information

General Information

Callers may contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center for general information or specific needs,

such as assistance in submitting grants applications and information on training. To contact the Response Center,

call 1–800–421–6770 or write to 1100 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Indepth Information

For more indepth information about BJA, its programs, and its funding opportunities, requesters can call the

BJA Clearinghouse. The BJA Clearinghouse, a component of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service

(NCJRS), shares BJA program information with state and local agencies and community groups across the

country. Information specialists are available to provide reference and referral services, publication distribution, participation and support for conferences, and other networking and outreach activities. The Clearinghouse can be reached by:

❒ Mail

P.O. Box 6000

Rockville, MD 20849–6000

❒ Visit

2277 Research Boulevard

Rockville, MD 20850

❒ Telephone

1–800–688–4252

Monday through Friday

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

eastern time

❒ Fax

301–519–5212

❒ Fax on Demand

1–800–688–4252

❒ BJA Home Page

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA

❒ NCJRS World Wide Web

www.ncjrs.org

❒ E-mail

askncjrs@ncjrs.org

❒ JUSTINFO Newsletter

E-mail to listproc@ncjrs.org

Leave the subject line blank

In the body of the message,

type:

subscribe justinfo

[your name]