FEDERAL AGENCY:

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, CORRECTIONS PROGRAM OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

AUTHORIZATION:

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994; Public Law 102-322, Sec. 40152, codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec. 13941.

To encourage State and local jurisdictions to focus on the effective management of juvenile and adult sex offenders by engaging key stakeholders in a process that will build a base of knowledge regarding the practices currently employed by the jurisdiction, and develop and implement management strategies for these offenders that span the sanctioning continuum and specifically to ensure that jurisdictions include, as a critical part of their comprehensive approach, a well defined re-entry component for sex offenders being released from incarceration.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

The Sex Offender Management Discretionary Grant funds may be used to assist jurisdictions in implementing comprehensive approaches to the effective management of sex offenders in the community, or to enhance existing programs. Although this grant program focuses on the continuum of activities and services for sex offenders, grant funds must be targeted to the community reintegration and community management of these offenders, and not to institutional services.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, America Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, local, and tribal communities who are interested in addressing the management of juvenile, adult, or a mixed population of sex offenders across the sanctioning continuum, are eligible to apply for this grant program. Applicants in varying stages of developing sex offender management strategies are eligible to apply. Applicants must coordinate their proposal with others in their jurisdiction to ensure a collaborative response to this solicitation as well as to ensure that agencies within a single jurisdiction are not competing against one another in the grant process. The applicant must be a State, local, or tribal unit of government who agrees to serve as the grantee and single point of contact for grant administration and coordination.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  State, local and tribal correctional agencies will implement programs to provide treatment to incarcerated offenders.

Credentials/Documentation:  The applicant must submit a completed Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), including signed assurances that it will comply with statutory and administrative requirements. The applicant is also required to submit a description that includes the goals of the program, the implementation process, timetable for implementation, how the State will coordinate substance abuse treatment activities at the State and local levels, and the State's law or policy requiring substance abuse testing of individuals in correctional residential substance abuse treatment programs.

Pre-application Coordination:  This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Applicants should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in their State to find out if the State has selected this program for review and for information on the process the State requires when applying for Federal assistance.

Application Procedure:   Applicants must submit a completed Standard Form 424 and other information outlined in the Application Kit to the Office of Justice Programs, Corrections Program Office. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow the Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications.

Award Procedure:   A letter with copies of the grant award are sent to the applicant agency upon approval by the Office of Justice Programs. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.

Deadlines:   Consult the Application Kit or contact the Corrections Program Office in the Office of Justice Programs for application deadlines by calling the Corrections Technical Assistance Line: (800) 848-6325. Copies of current Application Kits can be found on the Internet at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cpo.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Applications will generally be approved or denied within 60 days of receipt of a completed application.

Appeals:   Discretionary grant applicants will be notified in writing of reasons for disapproval of their application.

Renewals:   Grants can be extended by submitting a written justification for an extension to the Corrections Program Office for review. Extensions are subject to approval by the Corrections Program Office.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Grants are discretionary and are awarded based on the merits of the application submitted to the Corrections Program Office. A 25 percent match is required for this grant program, and the funding for this project may not exceed 75 percent. Contributions may be cash, in-kind services, or a combination of both.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Funds for each fiscal year will be awarded for a period that includes the fiscal year of the appropriation plus one additional year.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports: Recipients are required to submit semi-annual Progress Reports and quarterly Financial Reports.

Audits: All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records: In accordance with the requirement set forth in 28 CFR, Parts 66 and 70, grantees must maintain all financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the award for at least 3 years following the close of the most recent audit.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Program Guidance and Application Kit, and the OJP Financial Guide.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Not applicable.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

A review panel convened by the Corrections Program Office will evaluate all applications on the basis of the following criteria: 1) The application clearly exhibits a commitment to collaboration, including meaningful collaboration across public sector agencies and with nonprofit, non-governmental victim services organizations; 2) the application identifies a problem that is consistent with the purposes of this initiative; 3) The application describes a project that effectively addresses the problem statement; 4) The application demonstrates convincingly that the members of the collaborative team will participate actively in the project, including the regular conduct of team meetings, participation in technical assistance, training and workshop events; 5) The implementation strategy, time line, and capability of the organization and staff are sound; 6) The application articulates clearly the jurisdiction's goals, outcomes, and objectives and describes the accountability system and performance measures to determine progress towards achieving them; 7) The project demonstrates meaningful attention to the safety of victims of sex offenses and holds offenders accountable for their criminal behavior; 8) The application identifies specific individuals, or a process to identify individuals, to serve as the Grant Manager, Grant Coordinator, and Research Coordinator for the effort, and demonstrates the skills, roles, and involvement of these individuals; and 9) The budget is reasonable as it relates to project activities.