Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Notices 3923

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology,

e.g. permitting electronic submission of

responses.

If you have additional comments,

suggestions, or need a copy of the

proposed information collection

instrument with instructions, or need

additional information, please contact

James Stephan, Statistician, Bureau of

Justice Statistics, 810 7th Street NW,

Washington, DC 20531, or via facsimile

(202) to 202–307–1463.

Overview of This Information

Collection

(1) Type of information collection.

Revision of currently approved

collection.

(2) The title of the Form/Collection:

Prison Population Reports Midyear

Counts; and Prison Population Report

Advance Yearend Counts—National

Prisoner Statistics.

(3) The agency form number and the

applicable component of the

Department sponsoring the collection.

Form: NPS–1A; and NPS–1B.

Corrections Unit, Bureau of Justice

Statistics, Office of Justice Programs,

United States Department of Justice.

(4) Affected public who will be asked

to respond, as well as a brief abstract:

Primary: State Departments of

Corrections. Others: The Federal Bureau

of Prisons. For the NPS–1A form, 52

central reporters (one from each State,

the District of Columbia, and the

Federal Bureau of Prisons) responsible

for keeping records on inmates will be

asked to provide information for the

following categories:

(a) As of June 30 of the current year

and June 30 of the previous year, the

number of male and female inmates

under their jurisdiction with maximum

sentences of more than one year, one

year or less; and unsentenced inmates;

and

(b) As of June 30 of the current year,

and June 30 of the previous year, the

number of male and female inmates in

their custody with maximum sentences

of more than one year, one year or less;

and unsentenced inmates.

For the NPS–1B form, 52 central

reporters (one from each State, the

District of Columbia, and the Federal

Bureau of Prisons) responsible for

keeping records on inmates will be

asked to provide information for the

following categories:

(a) As of December 31 of the current

year, and December 31 of the previous

year, the number of male and female

inmates under their jurisdiction with

maximum sentences of more than one

year, one year or less; and unsentenced

inmates;

(b) The number of inmates housed in

county or other local authority

correctional facilities, or in other state

or Federal facilities on December 31 of

the current year solely to ease prison

crowding;

(c) As of the direct result of state

prison crowding during the current

year, the number of inmates released via

court order, administrative procedure or

statute, accelerated release, sentence

reduction, emergency release, or other

expedited release; and

(d) The aggregate rated, operational,

and design capacities, by sex, of each

State’s correctional facilities at yearend.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics uses

this information in published reports

and for the U.S. Congress, Executive

Office of the President, practitioner,

researchers, students, the media, and

others interested in criminal justice

statistics.

(5) An estimate of the total number of

respondents and the amount of time

needed for an average respondent to

respond: 52 respondents each taking an

average 2.5 hours to respond.

(6) An estimate of the total public

burden (in hours) associated with the

collection: 130 annual burden hours.

If additional information is required,

contact: Mr. Robert B. Briggs, Clearance

Officer, United States Department of

Justice, Information Management and

Security Staff, Justice Management

Division, Suite 850, Washington Center,

1001 G Street, NW Washington, DC

20530.

Dated: January 21, 1998.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States

Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 98–1847 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–18–M

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bureau of Justice Statistics

[OJP(BJS)–1151]

Continuation of Federal Justice

Statistics Program

AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs,

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Justice.

ACTION: Solicitation for award of

cooperative agreement.

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is

to announce a public solicitation for the

continuation of the Bureau of Justice

Statistics’ (BJS) Federal Justice Statistics

Program (FJSP). The FJSP serves as the

national resource for data describing the

processing of criminal cases in the

Federal criminal justice system. Under

this program, data generated by Federal

criminal justice agencies are collected,

maintained, analyzed, and archived.

Data are also linked across agencies to

permit more complex analyses of

Federal criminal justice issues. Regular

annual reports and special topical

reports are prepared that describe the

Federal criminal justice system, Federal

defendants and offenses, and other

special issues of interest. In addition,

special tabulations are prepared,

pursuant to BJS direction, in response to

requests from government officials. The

project to be funded under the proposed

cooperative agreement will continue the

program’s current activities.

DATES: Proposals must be postmarked

on or before March 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Proposals should be mailed

to: Applications Coordinator, Bureau of

Justice Statistics, 810 7th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Scalia, Program Manager, Federal

Justice Statistics Program, Bureau of

Justice Statistics, (202) 616–3276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Bureau of Justice Statistics

Federal Justice Statistics Program (FJSP)

was initiated in 1982 to serve as a

central resource for information

describing the processing of Federal

criminal defendants and characteristics

of those defendants. The program

collects data from different components

of the Federal criminal justice system

and tracks the progress of suspects from

investigation through prosecution,

adjudication, sentencing, and

corrections. The program represents the

primary BJS effort describing the

Federal criminal justice system and

responds directly to the legislative

authorization that BJS ‘‘collect, analyze,

and disseminate comprehensive Federal

justice transaction statistics (including

statistics on issues of Federal justice

interest such as public fraud and high

technology crime)’’ as set forth in 42

U.S.C. § 3732(c)(15).

In keeping with the original program

plan which was designed to minimize

data collection costs, no original data

collection is supported under this

program. Data are obtained from

operational Federal agencies including

the Executive Office for the United

States Attorneys, the Administrative

Office of the United States Courts, the

Bureau of Prisons, and the United States

Sentencing Commission. In order to

trace the flow of cases from one stage to

another and to supplement any

individual agency’s data, computer

matching techniques have been

developed that permit the linking of
3924 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Notices

data obtained from different sources.

The linking of these data permit more

complex and detailed analysis of

particular issues.

Throughout the history of the FJSP, a

regular series of reports has been

produced. These reports include the

annual Compendium of Federal Justice

Statistics (available on the Internet at

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/

cfjs93.htm) which describes transactions

in the Federal criminal justice system

for a particular year; and a series of

Special Reports addressing specific

aspects of the Federal criminal justice

system, specific offenses, or other

special issues of interest. Recent Special

Report include: Prisoner Petitions in the

Federal Courts (available on the Internet

at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/

ppfc96.htm), Juvenile Delinquents in the

Federal Criminal Justice System

(www.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/jdfcjs.htm),

and Noncitizens in the Federal Criminal

Justice System (www.usdoj.gov/bjs/

abstract/nifcjs.htm). In addition, the

program serves as the primary source of

information for other BJS statistical

series that describe individuals in the

Federal criminal justice system;

program staff have also responded to ad

hoc BJS requests for specific data

tabulations and analyses.

In addition, the FJSP supports the

efforts of the Coordinating Committee

on Federal Criminal Case Processing

Statistics. This interagency committee—

represented by the Administrative

Office of the U.S. Courts, the Bureau of

Justice Statistics, the Executive Office

for the U.S. Attorneys, the Federal

Bureau of Prisons, and the United States

Sentencing Commission—was

established as a forum for discussing

issues related to the collection of data

describing the Federal criminal justice

system and the reporting of Federal

criminal case processing statistics. With

the support of the Coordinating

Committee, beginning in 1998 BJS will

annually publish Federal Criminal Case

Processing Statistics. This report—

which will supplement each agency’s

annual statistical report—will highlight

specific aspects of the Federal criminal

justice system as well as describe

significant trends in Federal criminal

case processing. The statistics presented

will be tabulated according to

procedures agreed upon by each

participating agency.

Objectives

The purpose of this award is to

support the continuation of the Federal

Justice Statistics Program. The recipient

of funds will serve as the Federal Justice

Statistics Resource Center whereby the

recipient will continue to collect,

maintain, and archive data from Federal

justice agencies, produce annual reports

(the Compendium of Federal Justice

Statistics and Federal Criminal Case

Processing), and topical special reports.

Any Special Reports prepared by the

recipient will be prepared under the

direction of BJS staff. In addition, BJS

staff may also initiate Special Reports.

The recipient will be expected to assist

BJS staff with Special Reports by

providing the necessary data for

analysis and, when requested, assisting

in the preparation of data tabulations

and reviewing the methodology used to

analyze the data.

Type of Assistance

Assistance will be made available

under a cooperative agreement. Awards

will be made for a period of 12 months

with an option for two additional

continuation years conditional upon the

availability of funds and the quality of

the initial performance and products.

Costs are estimated at not to exceed

$650,000 for the initial 12-month

period. Funding for subsequent years

may include reasonable increases for

cost-of-living and changes in scope of

work, where applicable.

Statutory Authority

The cooperative agreement to be

awarded pursuant to this solicitation

will be funded by the Bureau of Justice

Statistics consistent with its mandate as

set forth in 42 U.S.C. 3732.

Eligibility Requirements

Both for-profit and nonprofit

organizations may apply for funds.

Consistent with Office of Justice

Programs fiscal requirements, no fees

may be charged against this project by

profit-making organizations.

Scope of Work

The objective of the proposed

program is to continue basic activities

initiated under the ongoing BJS Federal

Justice Statistics Program. Specifically,

the recipient of funds will serve as the

Federal Justice Statistics Resource

Center. The Resource Center will—

1. Maintain and expand the Federal

Justice Statistics Program Database.

This will involve the collection,

processing, and maintenance of data

provided by Federal agencies

participating in the program. The

agencies currently participating in the

program are: the Executive Office for the

United States Attorneys, the

Administrative Office of the United

States Courts, the Bureau of Prisons, and

the United States Sentencing

Commission. (In addition to providing

data describing the Federal courts’

criminal docket, the Administrative

Office also provides data describing the

activities of the Federal pretrial services

agencies and the Federal Probation and

Supervision Service. The Federal

Judicial Center has provided data

describing the Federal courts’ appellate

docket.) The recipient should attempt to

expand the program to include other

Federal law enforcement agencies. The

recipient will also be responsible for

processing data to meet uniform

classification categories and for linking

data to permit analysis of data obtained

from different sources.

2. Prepare tapes and related

documentation for archiving in the

national archive maintained by BJS. The

public use data tapes of the source data

shall conform to BJS standards for

submission to the National Archive of

Criminal Justice Data at the University

of Michigan. In addition, the recipient

will prepare a set of standard analysis

data files from each agency’s source data

for each fiscal year. These standard

analysis data files will describe a

particular cohort of defendants and will

include all variables included in the

source data and all variables created for

the Compendium of Federal Justice

Statistics. These standard analysis files

will be included on a CD-ROM to be

produced by BJS. The recipient will

document each of the standard analysis

data files and all programs used to

create BJS reports. Such documentation,

to the extent possible, will be

maintained in an electronic database

from which users can query variables of

interest. This electronic data dictionary

will also be included on the CD-ROM

prepared by BJS. In addition, the

recipient will document the

methodology used to produce the

Compendium of Federal Justice

Statistics—including the production of

the standard analysis data files.

3. Prepare the Compendium of

Federal Justice Statistics and the

Federal Criminal Case Processing

Statistics report and submit both text

and tables in camera-ready format for

each Federal fiscal year.

4. Prepare BJS Special Reports, data

tabulations, analyses, data sets, and

other data manipulations in response to

BJS requests. Any Special Reports

proposed by the recipient will be

designed in coordination with BJS. BJS

will approve all Special Report topics

proposed by the recipient. The recipient

will provide tabulations, as requested,

describing Federal offenders to support

BJS’s National Correctional Reporting

Program and the National Judicial

Reporting Program.

5. Provide BJS with electronic access

to the Federal Justice Statistics Resource
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 17 /Tuesday, January 27, 1998 / Notices 3925

Center (including all source data,

standard analysis data files, and

software used to produce BJS reports)

and computing resources, as necessary.

In addition, the recipient must provide

BJS staff with daily access to the

standard analysis data files (for the most

recent reporting period available) in a

form in which variables name and

values correspond to those included in

the FJSP electronic data dictionary.

6. Provide support to the interagency

Coordinating Committee on Federal

Criminal Case Processing Statistics. The

recipient will work with BJS to support

the efforts of the Coordinating

Committee on Federal Criminal Case

Processing Statistics including the

production of reconciled case

processing statistics, matching records

across agencies’ databases, identifying

differences in data collection and

reporting methods, and other technical

assistance, as requested.

7. Provide Internet access to the

Federal Justice Statistics Resource

Center. The recipient will provide direct

access via the Internet to all FJSP data

files (including those files prepared by

prior recipients of this award) and the

electronic data dictionary. In addition,

the recipient will work with BJS to

provide a World Wide Web-accessible

query system for the Federal Justice

Statistics Resource Center. The recipient

must provide Internet users with the

capability of performing queries of the

FJSP data bases in order to extract basic

information describing individuals

processed in the Federal criminal justice

system. Users should be able to

disaggregate these data by Federal

judicial district.

Award Procedures

Proposals should describe, in

appropriate detail, the procedures to be

undertaken in furtherance of each of the

activities described under the Scope of

Work. Information provided should

focus on activities to be conducted

during the initial 12-month period but

should also include a more general

discussion of three-year objectives for

the program. Information on staffing

levels and qualifications should be

included for each task and descriptions

of experience relevant to the project

should be included. Resumes of the

proposed project director and key staff

should be included in the proposal.

Applications will be competitively

reviewed by BJS. Final authority to

enter into a cooperative agreement is

reserved for the Director, BJS, or his

designee, who may, in his discretion,

determine that none of the applications

shall be funded.

Applications will be evaluated on the

overall extent to which they respond to

criminal justice priorities, conform to

the goals of the Federal Justice Statistics

Program, and appear to be fiscally

feasible and efficient. Applicants will be

evaluated on the basis of—

1. Knowledge of, and experience in,

working with different components of

the criminal justice system with

particular emphasis on knowledge of

operational, management, and statistical

data collected and maintained by

various Federal criminal justice

components;

2. Statistical expertise in the area of

data analysis, data linkage, and

research;

3. Experience in the application of

statistical data to the analysis of

criminal justice issues;

4. Demonstrated ability to prepare

high quality statistical reports;

5. Availability of qualified

professional and support staff and of

suitable equipment for data processing

and data manipulation;

6. Demonstrated fiscal, management,

and organizational capability suitable

for providing sound program direction

for this multifaced effort;

7. Demonstrated ability to design and

maintain interactive sites on the World

Wide Web; and

8. Reasonableness of estimated costs

for the total project and for individual

cost categories.

Application and Award Process

An original and two (2) copies of the

full proposal must be submitted on SF

424 (Rev. 1988), Application for Federal

Assistance. Proposals must be

accompanied by a Budget Detail

Worksheet (replaced the SF 424A,

Budget Information); OJP Form 4000/3

(Rev.1–93), Program Narrative and

Assurances’ OJP Form 4061/6,

Certification Regarding Lobbying;

Disbarment, Suspension, and Other

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free

Workplace requirements; and OJP Form

7120/1 (Rev. 1–93), Accounting System

and Financial Capability Questionnaire

(to be submitted by applicants who have

not previously received Federal funds

from the Office of Justice Programs and

are not state of local units of

government). If appropriate, applicants

must also complete the certificate

regarding lobbying activities. All

applicants must sign Certified

Assurances that they are in compliance

with the Federal laws and regulations

which prohibit discrimination in

program or activity that receives Federal

funds. To obtain appropriate forms,

contact Getha Hilario, BJS Management

Assistant, at (202) 616–3500.

Proposals must include both narrative

descriptions and a detailed budget. The

program narrative shall describe

activities as described in the previous

section. The detailed budget and the

budget narrative must provide estimated

costs including salaries of staff involved

in the project and the percentage of time

devoted to the project, fringe benefit rate

itemization and costs, travel costs,

proposed equipment, supplied, and

other expenses. Contractual services or

equipment must be procured following

Office of Justice Programs grant

procurement procedures.

Dated: January 21, 1998.

Jan M. Chaiken,

Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics.

[FR Doc. 98–1864 Filed 1–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–18–P

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Justice

[OJP(NIJ)–1153]

National Institute of Justice

Solicitation for Drug Court Evaluation

II

AGENCY: National Institute of Justice

(NIJ), Office of Justice Programs.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation.

SUMMARY: Announcement of the

availability of the National Institute of

Justice ‘‘Solicitation for Drug Court

Evaluation II.’’

DATES: The deadline for applications is

close of business March 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: National Institute of Justice,

810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington,

DC 20531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information about application

procedures for solicitations, please call

the U.S. Department of Justice Response

Center 1–800–421–6771.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

following supplementary information is

provided:

Authority

This action is authorized under the

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets

Act of 1968, §§ 201–03, as amended, 42

U.S.C. 3721–23 (1994).

Background

NIJ is soliciting proposals to evaluate

16 drug court sites, which are

administered by the Office of Justice

Programs, Drug Court Program Office

(DCPO). The evaluation will take place

in two separate phases. A single initial

grant of up to $500,000 will be awarded

for a 12–24 month period. A second