58892 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention

[OJP (OJJDP)–1298]

Program Announcement for the

National Girls Institute

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs,

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention, Justice.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation.

SUMMARY: The Office of Juvenile Justice

and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is

requesting applications to establish a

national-scope institute to raise public

awareness of the underlying factors that

place girls at risk of involvement in the

juvenile justice system and to advance

promising prevention, intervention,

treatment, education, detention, and

aftercare programs and services within

the context of an integrated continuum

of care for delinquent and at-risk girls

and their families. Multilevel and

multidisciplinary training based on

OJJDP’s girl-focused curriculums is

expected to improve the skills,

knowledge, and performance of

decisionmakers, administrators, and

direct care professionals who work with

or are concerned about girls’ issues.

Technical assistance support is

expected to facilitate improved crossagency programming and systemic

responses to girls at risk and young

female offenders in the juvenile justice

system. It is also expected that a

working group of advisors and

collaborators will be formed to plan and

convene a symposium on girls in 2001.

DATES: Applications must be received

by 5:00 p.m. ET on December 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES: All application packages

should be mailed or delivered to the

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention, c/o Juvenile

Justice Resource Center, 2277 Research

Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K, Rockville, MD

20850; 301–519–5535. Faxed or emailed applications will not be

accepted. Interested applicants can

obtain the OJJDP Application Kit from

the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at

800–638–8736. The Application Kit is

also available at OJJDP’s Web site at

www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/

about.html#kit. (See ‘‘Format’’ later in

this program announcement for

instructions on application standards.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gwendolyn Dilworth, Program Manager,

Office of Juvenile Justice and

Delinquency Prevention, 202–514–4822.

[This is not a toll-free number.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to

establish a National Girls Institute (NGI)

to advance the understanding and

application of promising prevention,

intervention, treatment, education,

detention, and aftercare programs and

services for delinquent and at-risk girls.

NGI will promote integrated and

innovative programs that employ a

comprehensive service delivery system

appropriate to the unique

developmental and culturally specific

needs of girls and their families. The

Institute will accomplish its mission

through a broad range of activities,

including program development and

enhancement, research activities,

training and technical assistance,

information dissemination,

collaboration with Federal and private

agencies, and policy development.

Background

For nearly a decade, the Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention (OJJDP) has had considerable

involvement in issues related to girls in

the juvenile justice system. The Office

recognizes the importance of increasing

understanding of the factors that

contribute to female juvenile offending

and those that protect at-risk girls from

becoming offenders.

In the 1992 reauthorization of the

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974, as

amended (42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.),

Congress added language in Section 223

(8)(B) (i–ii) that specifically requires all

States applying for Part B Formula

Grants program funds to include in their

plans: ‘‘(i) An analysis of genderspecific services for the prevention and

treatment of juvenile delinquency,

including the types of such services

available and the need for such services

for females; and (ii) a plan for providing

needed gender-specific services for the

prevention and treatment of juvenile

delinquency.’’

Congress also enacted the State

Challenge Activities program under

Title II, Part E, in the 1992 amendments.

The Challenge Activities program

provides incentives for States

participating in the Title II, Part B,

Formula Grants program to improve

their juvenile justice systems by

developing, adopting, or improving

policies and programs in 1 or more of

10 specified Challenge areas. Congress

has provided $10 million annually to

States since fiscal year (FY) 1995 to

address one or more of 10 statutorily

identified Challenge areas.

Several States have sought to meet the

treatment needs of young females

through the following State Challenge

Activities:

(A) developing and adopting policies

and programs to provide basic health,

mental health, and appropriate

education services, including special

education, for youth in the juvenile

justice system; (B) developing and

adopting policies and programs to

provide access to counsel for all

juveniles; (C) increasing communitybased alternatives to incarceration by

establishing programs (such as

expanded use of probation, mediation,

restitution, community service,

treatment, home detention, intensive

supervision, and electronic monitoring)

and developing and adopting a set of

objective criteria for the appropriate

placement of juveniles in detention and

secure confinement; * * * (E)

developing and adopting policies to

prohibit gender bias in placement and

treatment and establishing programs to

ensure female youth access to the full

range of health and mental health

services, including treatment for

physical or sexual assault or abuse, selfdefense instruction, parenting

education, general education, and

training and vocational services; * * *

(G) developing and adopting policies

and programs designed to remove status

offenders from the jurisdiction of the

juvenile court, when appropriate; (H)

developing and adopting policies and

programs designed to serve as

alternatives to suspension and

expulsion; and (I) increasing aftercare

services for juveniles in the justice

system by establishing programs and

developing and adopting policies to

provide comprehensive health, mental

health, education, family, and

vocational services to youth upon

release from the juvenile justice system.

Twenty-four States and the District of

Columbia have used Challenge Grant

funds to develop specific approaches

that address the needs of female

offenders in their juvenile justice

systems; create public awareness and

professional competence through staff

training conferences, publications, and

technical assistance; develop

curriculums on gender specific topics;

and produce program regulations,

policies, and/or procedures.

OJJDP has initiated a unique

collaborative effort between Connecticut

and Illinois. OJJDP is using the lessons

learned from the Girls Link Juvenile

Female Offender Project in Cook

County, IL, to develop specialized

delinquency prevention and detention

programs for Connecticut girls. Needs

and risk assessment instruments

developed as part of the Girls Link

Project have been incorporated into the

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices 58893

Connecticut project. A focus of the

project involves systemic reforms at the

State level to improve the way female

juvenile offenders are treated. Creating a

hierarchy of sanctions, with specific

provisions for pregnant girls and teen

mothers, and making effective use of

Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements are

two strategies being employed.

Also, OJJDP’s Comprehensive Strategy

for Serious, Violent, and Chronic

Juvenile Offenders (Wilson and Howell,

1993) assists communities in developing

a working blueprint for measurably

reducing juvenile offending (Howell,

1995). The Comprehensive Strategy

pilot sites (Fort Myers and Jacksonville,

FL, and San Diego, CA) and local

jurisdictions in eight Comprehensive

Strategy States (Florida, Iowa,

Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island,

Texas, and Wisconsin) have completed

an extensive strategic planning process

that included identifying the service

needs of girls at risk or involved with

the juvenile justice system. In a unique

partnership, PACE (Practical, Academic,

Cultural Education Center for Girls, Inc.)

and the National Council on Crime and

Delinquency are assisting the pilot sites

in the design and development of a

comprehensive continuum of services

for girls, their families, and—where

applicable—their children.

In addition to State-level support,

OJJDP has provided guidance directly to

the field to support promising or

effective gender-specific strategies. For

example, in October 1999, OJJDP’s

Juvenile Justice journal published

‘‘Investing in Girls: A 21st Century

Strategy,’’ which examined the

troubling effects of the factors and life

circumstances that are often precursors

for girls in or on the edge of the juvenile

justice system (Acoca, 1999). Also

included in that issue of Juvenile Justice

were two articles about exemplary

efforts: ‘‘The Female Intervention

Team,’’ which discussed a genderspecific program for girls adjudicated

delinquent by the Maryland State court

system (Daniel, 1999), and ‘‘National

Girls’ Caucus,’’ which spotlighted an

advocacy group that focuses national

attention on the specific needs of girls

involved with the juvenile justice

system (Ravoira, 1999).

Similarly, OJJDP, in collaboration

with Greene, Peters, & Associates (GPA),

published Guiding Principles for

Promising Female Programming: An

Inventory of Best Practices (1998). This

inventory highlights exemplary and

effective gender-specific program

practices for use by State and local

jurisdictions. GPA has contracted with

the Northwest Regional Educational

Laboratory in Oregon to produce three

gender-focused curriculums designed to

build professional understanding and

capacity in addressing girls needs.

OJJDP also supports the Juvenile

Mentoring Program (JUMP), which

focuses on providing mentors for youth

at risk of delinquency, gang

involvement, educational failure, or

dropping out of school. JUMP sites in

California, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan,

Pennsylvania, and South Carolina

provide gender-specific programming

for girls. Despite these efforts by OJJDP

and the States, statistics demonstrate

that more needs to be done to meet the

critical needs of girls.

Juvenile Female Arrests and

Involvement in At-risk and Delinquent

Behavior Continue To Rise at an

Alarming Rate

A review of recent statistical trends

provides data on the rising number of

girls entering the juvenile justice

system. In 1998, females accounted for

27 percent or 697,000 of the 2,603,300

juvenile arrests (Snyder, 1999). The

Juvenile Violent Crime Index arrest rate

for females more than doubled between

1987 and 1994, then fell in each of the

next 3 years. Nonetheless, the growth in

juvenile violent crime arrest rates

between 1994 and 1998 was far greater

for females than for males in most

offense categories. According to the

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the

most serious increase in offenses for

young females included aggravated

assault (up 7 percent), simple assault

(up 29 percent), and drug abuse

violations (up 43 percent) (Snyder,

1999). Even with the recent decline, the

female violent crime arrest rate for 1997

was 103 percent above the 1981 rate,

while the male arrest rate was 27

percent above its 1981 level. In 1998,

females accounted for 22 percent of

juvenile arrests for aggravated assault

and running away from home.

According to an analysis of juvenile

arrest patterns and trends, female arrests

for weapons law violations nearly

tripled between 1981 and 1997, while

male rates nearly doubled (Snyder,

1999). Further, delinquency cases

involving females rose 76 percent

between 1987 and 1996, compared with

42 percent for males. The disparate

growth in cases involving females

outpaced the growth for males for all

but drug offense cases. These statistics

seem to indicate broad increases in the

proportion and seriousness of

delinquent acts committed by girls.

However, the reasons for the leap in the

number of cases involving girls are

vigorously disputed by researchers,

policymakers, and direct service

personnel (Chesney-Lind and Shelden,

1997). For example, there is concern

about ‘‘bootstrapping,’’ which refers to

relabeling a status offense (e.g., running

away, curfew violation, truancy) as a

delinquent offense. The debate over

bootstrapping centers on the belief that

it fosters the incarceration of a

disproportionate number of girls in

detention facilities far out of proportion

to the seriousness of their offenses (Girls

Inc., 1996; Chesney-Lind, 1999).

Even more disturbing, leading

academics who have examined the

various elements of life circumstances

prevalent among adult and juvenile

female offenders have unveiled a

distinct route into the justice system.

Over 70 percent of the girls who enter

the justice system report a history of

physical, sexual, or emotional

victimization and drug abuse. These

childhood victimizations are now being

correlated with lifelong health, learning,

and behavioral disorders, including

adolescent delinquency (Acoca, 1998).

Moreover, leading researchers and

academicians postulate that the abusive

histories/backgrounds typically shared

by adult and juvenile female offenders

are a significant factor in the victim-tooffender pathway of female juvenile

delinquency (Belknap and Holsinger,

1998). There is no single factor that puts

girls at risk of delinquency. However,

indicators of the underlying causes of

female juvenile delinquency point to

early victimization as a first step along

a pathway into the juvenile justice

system.

The increasing numbers of girls

involved in the juvenile justice system

and the scarcity of information about

gender and culturally specific programs

and services that meet their changing

and unique needs have prompted

juvenile justice, public health, mental

health, education, labor, corrections,

and youth service professionals to

reexamine the developmental and

societal factors that place girls at risk for

delinquent behavior.

Although female and male juvenile

offenders may experience similar

educational, familial, and economic

problems, several gender-specific factors

can exacerbate the problems girls face.

These include higher rates of sexual

abuse, physical abuse, substance abuse,

mental health needs, teen pregnancy,

adolescent motherhood, alternative

lifestyles, and problems associated with

the early onset of puberty (ChesneyLind and Freitas, 1999; Greene, Peters,

& Associates, 1998). Although any one

of these factors may contribute to girls’

increased risk of delinquency, they

seldom occur in isolation.

58894 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices

Ethnic minorities are

disproportionately represented in the

female offender population (Bergsmann,

1989; Campbell, 1995; Community

Research Associates, 1998). African

American girls make up nearly half of

all those in secure detention and Latinas

constitute 13 percent (Bergsmann,

1994). Although Caucasians constitute

65 percent of the population at risk,

they account for only 34 percent of girls

in secure detention (Greene, Peters, &

Associates, 1998). A census of private

facilities in the early 1990’s showed that

well over half (53 percent) were

Caucasian (Moone, 1997). Finally, 7 of

every 10 cases involving Caucasian girls

are dismissed, compared with 3 of every

10 cases for African American girls

(Greene, Peters, & Associates, 1998).

The emerging profile of women

offenders parallels that of female

delinquents, with similar risk factors

impacting women’s and girls’ lives.

More than 4 in 10 female adult inmates

report a history of physical or sexual

abuse. Nearly 6 in 10 grew up in a

household with at least 1 parent absent.

Women of color are similarly

disproportionately represented among

the adult female offender population.

Women prisoners are likely to be poor,

undereducated, and single parents.

About 20 percent of convicted adult

female offenders were also adjudicated

delinquent as juveniles (Snell, 1994;

Belknap, 1996).

Efforts Are Under Way To Review the

Circumstances Behind the Increases in

Female Juvenile Delinquency Activities

OJJDP and the National Institute of

Mental Health are cosponsoring the

research of Dr. Rolf Loeber at the

University of Pittsburgh on the

Development of Conduct Disorder in

Girls project. The project, a 5-year

longitudinal study, is designed to

examine the development of conduct

disorder in a sample of 2,500 inner-city

girls between the ages of 6 and 8 and

will provide information on the

etiology, comorbidity, and prognosis of

conduct disorder in girls.

In addition, OJJDP currently supports

two field-initiated research projects that

will specifically address the needs and

issues of young women at risk of

involvement or involved in the juvenile

justice system. The first is an evaluation

that is being conducted by researchers at

the University of Michigan. The project,

A Comparative Evaluation of Three

Programs for Adolescent Female

Offenders, is evaluating three Wayne

County, MI, programs for adolescent

female offenders. The second fieldinitiated research project, GIRLS

(Gaining Insight Into Relationships for

Lifelong Success), is being conducted by

researchers at the University of Georgia

Research Foundation to study ways to

address female delinquency through a

relational approach.

Awareness of the Essential Components

of Promising or Effective Integrated and

Innovative Programs for Girls Needs To

Be Heightened

Supported by training, technical

assistance, and direct funding from

OJJDP, States and local jurisdictions

have planned and implemented various

initiatives involving data analysis,

needs assessment, intervention,

treatment and education programs, and

reform efforts that have brought modest

awareness to the importance of

integrated service delivery in the

provision of gender-specific services

and programming for at-risk and

delinquent girls.

Understanding the Distinctions Between

Gender-Specific Programming and

Gender-Specific Services Is Key to

Ensuring Effective Cross-Agency

Programs for Girls

Gender-specific programs for girls

employ comprehensive and integrated

methods that address and support the

psychological development process of

female adolescents while fostering

connections within relationships in the

context of a safe and nurturing

environment (Lindgren, 1996).

Conversely, the term ‘‘gender-specific

services’’ refers to the provision of

assistance (e.g., pregnancy testing,

prenatal care, counseling, day care) that

is not provided within the framework of

a comprehensive service delivery

system. Therefore, for the purpose of

this initiative, gender-specific programs

for girls are those designed to meet the

unique needs of females, that value the

female perspective, celebrate and honor

the female experience, respect and take

into account female development, and

empower young women to reach their

full potential (Girls Inc., 1996).

In spite of accomplishments in girls’

programming, eliminating gender bias

and ensuring that young females have

access to a full range of services remain

a challenge. OJJDP will address this

challenge by expanding knowledge of

effective prevention and treatment

approaches and assisting States and

local communities to develop the

necessary policies, practices, and

services that ensure a comprehensive,

responsive, and seamless continuum of

care for girls involved in the juvenile

justice system.

To accomplish this mission, OJJDP is

funding two related programs: the

National Girls Institute and the Girls

Study Group project. The latter will be

a 2-year effort that will review the

research literature on the epidemiology

and etiology of female juvenile

offending and its consequences, using a

female-focused conceptual framework;

synthesize information from diverse

sources; and produce reports and

publications that communicate the

results. It is anticipated that there will

be close collaboration between the two

projects in providing critical

information to the field and with other

Federal agencies and private

corporations with an interest in this

project.

Goals

The goals of the National Girls

Institute initiative are to raise national

awareness of the underlying factors that

place girls at risk of involvement in the

juvenile justice system, advance

effective gender-specific programming

for girls, promote policies and practices

that protect girls from delinquent and

abusive behavior, improve staff job

performance through training and

technical assistance, and promote an

integrated continuum of care for at-risk

and delinquent girls and their families.

Objectives

• Systematically examine and report

on effective assessment and

reassessment tools used in detention

and residential facilities to assess girls’

programming needs and standards of

practice that ensure continuity in

programming between institutions and

communities.

• Provide multilevel training and

technical assistance based on OJJDP’s

girl-focused training curriculums and

the findings of appropriate diagnostic

assessment instruments to improve the

job performance of staff who work with

girls, service delivery systems of

detention or residential facilities, and

other organizations that serve girls.

• Identify information, resources,

current practices, or regulations that do

not adequately support the needs of

delinquent or at-risk girls and prepare

recommendations to address these gaps.

• Collaborate with OJJDP’s Girls

Study Group on related research

activities.

• Facilitate communication and

collaboration with other Federal, State,

national, and community-based

organizations that serve or are

concerned about girls.

• Plan and convene a national

symposium on girls in 2001.

Program Strategy

OJJDP will competitively award a

single cooperative agreement of up to

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices 58895

$1,200,000 for a 12-month budget

period within a 5-year project period to

administer centralized, national-scope

educational activities and to develop

products that will improve services and

support the formulation of practical and

just policies pertaining to at-risk and

delinquent girls. Tasks will be achieved

through a combination of needs

assessments, training and technical

assistance, research activities, and

policy formulation.

NGI is expected to become fully

staffed in its first year. The applicant

should describe how this will be

accomplished and attach key staff

re

 ́

sume ́s and/or job descriptions. In

general, the implementation plan

should foster innovation and clearly

identify the work to be accomplished in

both phases of the project. Requisites for

the NGI grantee are a demonstrated

ability to develop and direct a nationalscope training and technical assistance,

research, and advocacy effort with

multiple dimensions within a short

timeframe.

The successful applicant will have

substantial experience in producing,

modifying, and/or updating a wide

range of practical resource materials and

curriculums. Experience in assessing

personnel or organizational training

needs and providing onsite assistance to

address issues described in this

solicitation will also be a requisite.

The expertise and skills of consultants

who will provide training and technical

assistance and the plan for recruiting,

selecting, orienting, and managing them

must be discussed in the application.

The applicant must demonstrate its

ability to bring together individuals who

can display proven expertise and

excellence in areas including, but not

limited to, developmental psychology,

juvenile corrections and detention,

education, medicine, mental health,

culture and ethnicity, vocational and

life skills, mediation and negotiation,

and policy and organizational

development. Consultant abilities must

illustrate a range of skills and expertise

with issues of female development and

staff challenges in working effectively

with difficult and troubled girls and

girls already in the juvenile justice

system.

It is also expected that the grantee

will establish a 9-member advisory

group to support the development and

implementation of NGI activities and

collaborate with a broad base of Federal

and private organizations to ensure

long-term financial support for NGI.

Representatives from NGI will serve as

ex-officio members of OJJDP’s Girls

Study Group to ensure coordination of

research activities and related products.

Scope of Work

The following delineates the two

phases of work to be conducted under

the cooperative agreement for purposes

of planning and managing the NGI. The

grantee is responsible for developing a

plan, based on the elements below, that

specifies how the NGI will become

operational.

Phase I—Establish NGI and Build

Organizational Capacity (Months 1

Through 4)

Tasks

• Develop a managerial structure for

NGI with the staff competencies and

organizational capabilities required for

successful implementation of the

initiative. At a minimum include the

following key elements in the operation

of NGI:

1. Clearly stated operational goals and

objectives that are based on the overall

mission of NGI.

2. A program strategy for performing

the major activities of the initiative, i.e.,

the overall approach for managing this

multifaceted initiative.

3. A plan detailing when activities

will be started and completed, e.g.,

tasks, timelines, and milestones; hiring

schedule; re`sume`s of key staff; staff

duties; and a budget itemizing the

expenditures required to achieve or

exceed objectives. (Modifications to the

budget may be proposed regarding the

deliverables as assessments reveal a new

or different area of skill deficiencies or

if any deliverables are determined not to

meet the objectives, previously outlined,

as effectively and efficiently as an

alternative approach would. Sufficient

explanation must be provided to

determine the merits of the proposed

change. The project budget must

realistically reflect costs associated with

operating NGI.

4. A general guide for setting policy

or decisionmaking within the

organization.

• Maintain and expand online access

to reference and referral resources.

Install and maintain toll-free telephone

access to NGI.

• Form, support, and meet biannually

with a nine-member advisory group

composed of representatives of State

and local juvenile justice, detention,

health and mental health, education,

advocacy, research, community

agencies, institutions, and organizations

that serve at-risk and delinquent girls.

Facilitate the work of subcommittees to

advise NGI’s plans and activities.

Deliverables

• A comprehensive strategic plan that

details the following:

1. Implementation plan for addressing

the NGI goals.

2. Operational management manual

that at a minimum addresses the key

elements described in the ‘‘Tasks’’

section.

• Interactive information and

technical assistance Web site to

facilitate communication, information

dissemination, and announcement of

scheduled events and updates.

• Review of advisory

recommendations in areas including the

changing needs of girls, updated

research findings, program strategies,

and policy development.

Phase II—Survey Existing Practices,

Document Trends and Resource Gaps,

and Implement Program Elements

(Months 5 Through 12)

Tasks

• Conduct a periodic survey and

review of specific program efforts, with

emphasis on operational costs and

service delivery components, to track

the participation and performance levels

of girls in detention as shown in largescale assessments.

• Collaborate with OJJDP’s Federal

Working Group on Gender Issues and

other related efforts to update research

and evaluation information on changes

in girls’ social, medical, and

psychological needs; delinquency

trends; educational models; risk and

resiliency factors; and community-based

prevention, intervention, and treatment

strategies to identify and promote

promising, comprehensive, multimodal

approaches that focus on the

multifaceted concerns of girls.

• Collect and review State and local

policies and practices to assess the

factors affecting how girls are treated by

the juvenile justice system and to

determine the best approaches for

promoting a comprehensive continuum

of care for girls.

• Prepare and disseminate detailed

reports/bulletins on survey findings to

inform OJJDP and formulate policy and

resource allocation recommendations in

services and programming for girls.

• Develop and implement a plan to

conduct and manage multifaceted

training and technical assistance

support for agencies and organizations

seeking to initiate services for girls at

risk of delinquency or to improve the

provision of services to incarcerated

girls.

• Prepare and submit a strategic

marketing plan that positions NGI to

reach and provide services to those who

would best benefit from them. Specify

proposed marketing methods and

timelines for implementing the

marketing plan.

58896 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices

• Conduct training needs assessments

to determine the specific skills,

knowledge, information, and

experiential levels of potential training

and technical assistance recipients.

Analysis of assessment data will inform

the training content and the elements of

skill that are essential to satisfactory

performance improvement.

• Develop a process for collecting and

cataloging literature and research-based

information such as assessment and

reassessment tools, curriculums,

reference materials and manuals,

planning and problem-solving

instruments, and technology-based

resources.

• Outline the approach for recruiting

and maintaining a pool of experienced

trainers and subject matter experts (See

‘‘Program Strategy’’ section above).

• Provide trainings, using Beyond

Gender Barriers: Programming

Specifically for Girls (Greene, Peters, &

Associates and Northwest Regional

Educational Laboratory, forthcoming), a

set of two curriculums (currently being

revised under an OJJDP cooperative

agreement) for decisionmakers and

newly assigned direct care

professionals, and adapt the

curriculums, as appropriate, to ensure

the accuracy and timeliness of the

instructional material. (A third

curriculum, a training of trainers, is

being developed under the same grant to

provide instruction for those with

training responsibilities in this area.)

Additionally, design and pilot topical

workshops that meet the specific needs

of experienced professionals who work

with girls. Work in this area will use

uniform protocols for needs assessment,

delivery of training and technical

assistance, evaluation tracking, and

followup. Curriculum development

must be based on adult learning theory

and provided in the context of an

interactive learning environment. The

successful applicant will be responsible

for providing 6 training workshops for

up to 80 participants in each session.

This will include responsibility for

arranging workshop locations, facilities,

training aids, marketing, and

evaluations to assess the relevancy and

learning transferability of the lessons

provided.

• Provide up to 10 onsite technical

assistance interventions, preferably as a

followup to training conducted by NGI.

Develop technical assistance assessment

and evaluation protocols and submit

reports describing the purpose and

outcomes of onsite technical assistance.

Provide program administrators with

tools to identify future professional

development needs of direct care

professionals.

• Produce participant manuals,

guides, and other written and visual

products to facilitate information

exchange on gender programming and

systems-improvement strategies.

• Collaborate with researchers and

evaluators in the girls gender field.

Serve as ex-officio member of OJJDP’s

Girls Study Group, which plans to

review and synthesize empirical

research on female juvenile delinquency

and report on risk and protective factors

through varying stages of female

adolescent development as it relates to

peer, family, school, community, and

individual domains.

• Form and maintain regular

communication through ongoing

committee assignments and biannual

meetings with an advisory group to

review and advise on NGI’s activities

and plans. The advisory group should

be composed of representatives of State

and local agencies, juvenile justice,

education, advocacy groups, research

organizations, and health, labor, faithbased, and other organizations that

serve girls. The advisory group

membership should reflect ethnic and

cultural diversity in addition to the

subject matter expertise described in the

‘‘Program Strategy’’ section.

• Participate in appropriate meetings

and national conferences convened by

OJJDP, other Federal and State agencies,

educational institutions, and national

organizations to promote a wide

exchange of information and other

collaborative efforts to ensure that girls

have equal access to a full range of

services.

• Work closely with advisors,

collaborators, and OJJDP to form a

working group to plan and convene a

national symposium on girls. In 1996,

OJJDP funded Girls Inc. to assemble a

national conference on girls. As an

outcome of the conference, Girls Inc.

produced a report, Prevention and

Parity: Girls in Juvenile Justice (1996).

The report identified several key points

for further investigation. Since that

time, many States have changed the way

they view girls at risk and female

offenders. Consequently, OJJDP believes

that a need exists for professionals to

come together to scrutinize and

deliberate on various responses to those

changes and other challenges facing

those who work with girls. Therefore,

the NGI grantee will convene a national

symposium as the forum for conducting

this exchange and for learning about

effective programming for girls.

Deliverables

• Reports, Bulletins, and Fact Sheets

on survey findings and promising,

multimodal approaches that include the

social, educational, vocational,

developmental, cultural, and treatment

issues of girls in programming and

service delivery.

• Policy recommendations to support

resource allocation in services and

programming for girls, improve the

treatment of girls adjudicated

delinquent, and foster their successful

reintegration to the community.

• Monograph on program and policy

advances in public correctional

institutions.

• A report suitable for national

distribution that details the findings and

recommendations from the National

Symposium on Girls.

• Modifications, as appropriate, to

OJJDP’s gender-specific curriculums

specifically designed for three distinct

audiences: (1) decisionmakers and

administrators, (2) newly hired direct

care personnel assigned to work with

girls, and (3) experienced trainers

selected to deliver gender-specific

training for girls. Curriculums will be

reviewed prior to delivery by the OJJDP

program manager to ensure that the

instructional materials are accurate,

relevant, and up to date.

• A written plan detailing the

marketing approach for NGI.

• Protocol(s) for assessing the

information, resource, and professional

development needs of decisionmakers

who determine policy and staff who

work directly with girls or are interested

in working with girls.

• Database of consultants and subject

matter experts such as those described

in the ‘‘Program Strategy’’ section.

• Training and technical assistance

delivery schedule that includes the

location, description of the audience or

attendees, the training/technical

assistance need being addressed, dates,

and the number of days required onsite.

• Procedures and forms for arranging

consultant travel, payment of services,

and timely reimbursement of expenses.

Task Guidelines

The NGI grantee is expected to

facilitate the efficient and professional

operation of NGI and to perform tasks as

specified in the ‘‘Program Strategy’’

section. Additionally, the grantee is

expected to use uniform protocols for

needs assessment, delivery of training

and technical assistance, evaluation

tracking, and followup. Curriculum

development and/or modifications will

be based on adult learning theory and

will be delivered within an interactive

learning context. Close interaction is

required among NGI, OJJDP, the NGI

advisory group, the Girls Study Group,

and other Federal agency

representatives, as OJJDP deems

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices 58897

appropriate. The NGI grantee must

understand and apply the following

principles to ensure effective

implementation of the project and

advance programming that meets the

diverse needs of at-risk and delinquent

girls:

• Effective programming for girls

requires skilled and knowledgeable

administrators, direct care personnel,

and others who are concerned about

girls. OJJDP’s strategic training and

technical assistance will advance the

understanding and application of

promising and innovative practices to

prevent and reduce delinquency and

violence by girls.

• Jurisdictions are requesting training

and technical assistance to improve the

effectiveness of staff who work with

girls. To measure the progress in

meeting the learning needs of

participants, workshops and forums will

proceed with a preassessment survey

and end with feedback. Feedback will

include a measurement of the

posttraining behavior change of

participating agencies, organizations,

and jurisdictions.

• NGI staff and consultants must

reflect the diversity of cultures and

ethnic groups represented among the

population of at-risk and delinquent

girls. OJJDP intends to encourage

representation along the full ethnic,

cultural, and racial spectrum of the

United States and an awareness of the

socioeconomic conditions often

associated with at-risk or delinquent

girls.

Eligibility Requirements

OJJDP invites applications from

public and private agencies,

organizations, or institutions. Private,

for-profit organizations must agree to

waive any profit or fee. Applicants must

have strong, demonstrated experience in

planning, managing, and administering

a national-scope organization with

multiple components. In particular,

applicants must have strong experience

in designing and overseeing training

and technical assistance support in

gender-specific programming and

services that are grounded in fostering

the positive developmental needs of

girls.

Selection Criteria

The applications will be rated by a

peer review panel according to the

criteria outlined below. A site visit may

be conducted to confirm information

provided in the application.

Conceptualization of Need (10 points)

The application must convey a clear

understanding of the purpose, work

requirements, specific gender issues

relevant to girls, and related concerns

addressed in this program

announcement. The applicant should

discuss the issues and problems related

to at-risk and delinquent girls in

juvenile justice practice in recent years.

Moreover, the applicant should

demonstrate knowledge of the

developmental, social, cultural, and

noncriminal risk factors that impeded

girl-centered responses to the needs of

girls at risk and those involved with the

juvenile justice system. Further, the

applicant must demonstrate knowledge

of gender programming for girls, best

practices, and promising strategies.

Finally, the applicant must convey an

understanding of the expected results of

this effort, possible obstacles to be

overcome in order to meet or exceed

program objectives, and ways in which

collaboration will enhance the

achievement of the performance

objectives. Concerns and obstacles

associated with delivery of training and

technical assistance to decisionmakers,

administrators, and direct care

personnel should also be addressed in

the application.

Goals and Objectives (10 points)

Applicants must outline a vision for

designing and operating NGI in relation

to the stated goals and objectives of the

initiative. Applicants should also

provide justification for the

development and delivery of training

and onsite technical assistance support

and explain the proposed effort. Key

issues and potential obstacles related to

achieving the goals and objectives of

this initiative should be outlined and

prioritized.

Project Design (30 points)

Applicants must provide an

implementation plan that is specific and

constitutes an effective approach to

meet the goals and objectives of the

project. The plan must include specific

tasks, procedures, timelines, milestones,

and products. The plan should also

include a chart that specifies each

milestone, related tasks, lead staff

responsible, incremental benchmarks,

and dates for task completion. At a

minimum, the plan must provide

protocols for assessment of technical

assistance and training needs and

protocols that will be used in the actual

delivery of technical assistance. The

plan must also describe the process and

structure that will be used for

curriculum development and

modification and discuss how adult

learning theory will be employed in its

design and delivery. Other tasks, such

as designing evaluative and feedback

tools and methods for monitoring and

refining the plan as the initiative

progresses, should be described. The

program design should correspond with

the project’s goals and objectives, the

conceptualization of need, and product

development identified in this program

announcement. Project design elements

should directly link to the achievement

of specific objectives. Obstacles for

achieving expected results should be

identified, and alternative plans for

overcoming obstacles and rationales for

their use should be included.

OJJDP will consider recommendations

for modification and enhancement of

the products to be delivered to

accommodate cost considerations.

Where such recommendations are made,

justification and alternatives should be

proposed. The competitiveness of

applications will be enhanced when

such modifications and/or

enhancements reflect the concept in a

compelling and innovative form.

Management (25 points)

Applicants must describe an

organizational framework, managerial

structure, and staffing approach with

the capacity to effectively execute the

NGI initiative. Applicants should

discuss their history of involvement in

gender-specific efforts to support girls,

including related policy development,

research and evaluation activities, and

organizational and/or systems reform.

Additionally, applicants must describe

their experience in planning and

managing national-scope trainings and

technical assistance support for

decisionmakers, administrators, staff

supervisors, and direct care personnel.

Further, applicants should discuss their

conference planning capabilities and

ability to work with a diverse group of

agencies and community stakeholders

as they relate to achieving the goals and

objectives of this initiative. The

processes for conducting training and

technical assistance needs assessments,

monitoring multiple project tasks, and

managing a consultant pool of

experienced trainers and subject matter

experts should also be described. Peer

reviewers will carefully examine the

applicant’s description of

organizational, management, and

training capabilities to support the

cooperative agreement.

In addition to expertise in the subject

area of girls’ development, treatment

needs, and resiliency factors, key project

staff must also demonstrate substantive

experience in program administration,

training and technical assistance

delivery and management, curriculum

development, and knowledge of the

cultural, ethnic, and social conditions

58898 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 191 / Monday, October 2, 2000 / Notices

that characterize those State, local, and

tribal communities where

disproportionately high levels of girls of

color are adjudicated delinquent.

Re ́sume ́s of known staff and

consultants must be included in the

appendix. For proposed staff, applicants

must include re ́sume ́s and letters of

commitment in the appendix. For

positions that are not designated for

identified staff, job descriptions and

staff qualifications must be included.

Organizational Capability (15 points)

The ability to administer the initiative

effectively should be clearly

demonstrated in the application. The

documentation should include

organizational experience in managing

programs in the subject areas listed

under ‘‘Program Strategy’’ and with

projects of the type and scope described.

Additionally, applicants must have

experience in managing Federal funds

and present a financial management

structure that supports the deployment

and payment of consultants in a timely

manner.

Applicants must also describe and

demonstrate an organizational

infrastructure that would support the

technological and resource requirements

of this initiative. Applicants may find it

more cost effective to establish

contractual relationships for technical

or specialized functions required under

the cooperative agreement.

Budget (10 points)

Applicants must provide a proposed

budget and budget narrative that are

complete, detailed, reasonable,

allowable, and cost effective in relation

to the activities to be undertaken. For

budget purposes, applicants should

allocate up to $250,000 for the national

symposium on girls, travel and per diem

for the advisory group meetings, up to

10 training workshops and 12 onsite

technical assistance interventions, and

presentations at national and State

events over a 12-month period.

Format

The narrative must not exceed 50

pages in length (excluding forms,

assurances, and appendixes) and must

be submitted on 81⁄2-by 11-inch paper,

double spaced on one side of the paper

in a standard 12-point font. This is

necessary to maintain fair and uniform

standards among all applicants. If the

narrative does not conform to these

standards, OJJDP will deem the

application ineligible for consideration.

Award Period

This project will be funded for 5 years

in five 12-month budget periods.

Funding after the first budget period

depends on grantee performance,

availability of funds, and other criteria

established at the time of award.

Award Amount

Up to $1,200,000 is available for the

initial 12-month budget period.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA) Number

For this program, the CFDA number,

which is required on Standard Form

424, Application for Federal Assistance,

is 16.542. This form is included in the

OJJDP Application Kit, which can be

obtained by calling the Juvenile Justice

Clearinghouse at 800–638–8736 or

sending an e-mail inquiry to

puborder@ncjrs.org. The Application Kit

is also available online at

www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/

about.html#kit.

Coordination of Federal Efforts

To encourage better coordination

among Federal agencies in addressing

State and local needs, the U.S.

Department of Justice (DOJ) is

requesting applicants to provide

information on the following: (1) Active

Federal grant award(s) supporting this

or related efforts, including awards from

DOJ; (2) any pending application(s) for

Federal funds for this or related efforts;

and (3) plans for coordinating any funds

described in items (1) or (2) with the

funding sought by this application. For

each Federal award, applicants must

include the program or project title, the

Federal grantor agency, the amount of

the award, and a brief description of its

purpose.

The term ‘‘related efforts’’ is defined

for these purposes as one of the

following:

1. Efforts for the same purpose (i.e.,

the proposed award would supplement,

expand, complement, or continue

activities funded with other Federal

grants).

2. Another phase or component of the

same program or project (e.g., to

implement a planning effort funded by

other Federal funds or to provide a

substance treatment or education

component within a criminal justice

project).

3. Services of some kind (e.g.,

technical assistance, research, or

evaluation) to the program or project

described in the application.

Delivery Instructions

All application packages must be

mailed or delivered to the Office of

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention, c/o Juvenile Justice

Resource Center, 2277 Research

Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K, Rockville, MD

20950; 301–519–5535. Faxed or emailed applications will not be

accepted. Note: In the lower left-hand

corner of the envelope, you must clearly

write ‘‘National Girls Institute.’’

Due Date

Applicants are responsible for

ensuring that the original and five

copies of the application package are

received by 5 p.m. ET on December 1,

2000.

Contact

For further information, contact

Gwendolyn Dilworth, Program Manager,

Training and Technical Assistance

Division, at 202–514–4822, or send an email inquiry to dilwortg@ojp.usdoj.gov.

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Dated: September 27, 2000.

John J. Wilson,

Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile

Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

[FR Doc. 00–25240 Filed 9–29–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–18–P