To enhance the ability of the state and local criminal
justice agencies to identify, target, and remove criminal conspiracies and
activities that span jurisdictional boundaries. The first objective of the
Regional Information Sharing Systems Program (RISS) is to encourage and
facilitate the rapid exchange and sharing of information among federal, state,
and local law enforcement agencies pertaining to known or suspected criminals
or criminal activity. The second objective is to enhance coordination and
communication among agencies that are in pursuit of criminal conspiracies
determined to be interjurisdictional in nature. In addition, the RISS Program
may provide technical and financial resources to member agencies, such as
specialized equipment, training, and investigative funds, to augment existing
multijurisdictional enforcement resources and operations.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Up to 100 percent of total project grant costs are
funded through Federal assistance. Cost-sharing is governed by Appropriation
Act requirements. However, projects are encouraged to obtain and utilize
additional funds through voluntary contributions, membership fees or dues,
fees for service, or other sources from member agencies or governmental units
benefiting from project services. Such funds will be considered program income
and must be used to augment project operations or to reduce the Federal share
of project costs.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Six
RISS projects are authorized as eligible to receive funding to provide
services to law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. The projects are:
The Middle Atlantic Great-Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Center (MAGLOCLEN),
the Mid- States Organized Crime Information Center (MOCIC), the New England
State Police Information Network (NESPIN), the Regional Organized Crime
Information Center (ROCIC), the Rocky Mountain Information Network (RMIN), and
the Western States Information Network (WSIN).
Beneficiary Eligibility:
State and local criminal justice agencies; Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies and personnel benefit from this program.
Credentials/Documentation:
The six RISS projects are required to submit a Federal application for
assistance, as well as a detailed program and budget narrative.
Pre-application Coordination:
This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372 "Intergovernmental
Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or
official designated as the single point of contact in their respective states
for more information on the process the state requires to be followed in
applying for assistance. The standard application forms (SF-424) as furnished
by the federal agency in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common Rule), must
be used for this program.
Application Procedure: The
standard application forms furnished by the Federal agency and required by the
Common Rule, must be used for this program.
Award Procedure: BJA
reviews applications for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with all
program requirements.
Deadlines: Contact the
Bureau of Justice Assistance for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
About 90 days prior to the expiration of the project's current active grant.
Appeals: None.
Renewals: A project must
submit a written request justifying the need for the extension and how the
extension would be consistent with the objectives of the grant 60 days prior
to the expiration of the current grant.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
Projects are awarded 100 percent of the project costs and no match is
required.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Awards are made for a period of 12 months.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Reporting
requirements for grants/projects awarded under the RISS Program are
articulated in the OJP Financial Guide, as well as the Funding and
Administration Guidelines of the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS)
Program Guide.
Audits: Payments and
transactions are subject to audits by the General Accounting Office, the
Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General, State or local
government auditors, and auditors from independent public accounting firms.
Jurisdictions must follow their local policies and procedures, including
maintenance of reliable and accurate accounting systems, record keeping, and
systems of internal control. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular
No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments,
and Non- Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial
assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-federal entities that
expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal
audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records: Recipients of
Federal funds are expected to retain documentation supporting all program
transactions for at least 3 years after the closure of audit reports related
to such funding. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action
involving records has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period,
the records must be retained until completion of the action and resolution of
all related issues, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever
is later.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
15-0401-0-1-754.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01
$24,910,000; FY 02 est $28,404,479; and FY 03 est $24,945,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: $25 million
to be divided among the six RISS projects.
The RISS Centers provide state-of-the-art investigative
support and training, analytical services, specialized equipment, and secure
information-sharing technology to approximately 6,000 municipal, county,
state, and federal law enforcement agencies nationwide. In 2001, this
assistance has helped law enforcement agencies make more than 3,000 arrests
and seize or recover illegal controlled substances, property, and currency
valued at approximately $100 million. RISS Centers logged more than 630,000
inquiries from member agencies for information on criminal intelligence. More
than 158,000 Intelligence Center publications were distributed to law
enforcement personnel, and there were 125,000 suspect match hits (information
found) to assist officers. RISS implemented a new RISS Intel database. The
conversion-implementation process and the structure of the new database
resulted in significant down time, which impacted the usage/query statistics.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Financial Guide, Office of Justice Programs, Office of
the Comptroller; BJA's Funding and Administration Guidelines of the Regional
Information Sharing Systems Program, and The Criminal Intelligence Systems
Operating Policies (28 CFR, Part 23).
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office:
None.
Headquarters Office: State
and Local Assistance Division, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Fourth Floor, 810
Seventh Street, NW Washington, DC 20531. Telephone: (202) 305-2088 or the
Justice Response Center, 1-800-421-6770.
