Criminal Justice Improvement Committee
2010 funding Priorities

Mission Statement
The mission of the Criminal Justice Improvement Committee is to encourage proactive and innovative programs and methodologies that reduce and discourage drug use and associated problems, and to enhance all aspects of criminal justice processing, including the incarceration and treatment of offenders and general improvements in justice system operations.

A. Local Law Enforcement Block Grants
Local law enforcement agencies that do not qualify for direct JAG awards from the U.S. Department of Justice are eligible to apply under this priority. These applications are for BOTH equipment purchases and overtime resources, with a cap of $10,000.00 in federal funds per agency. 

Agencies must list all items on a single application. Multiple applications within this priority by a single agency will not be considered or accepted. 

Overtime resources can be used for specially designated detectives and patrol officers involved in the investigation and disruption of street drug sales, gang activities, robbery, and homicide.

Eligibility is limited to police departments and sheriff's offices in cities and/or counties with jurisdictional populations of 75,000 residents or less. 

The following are examples of items that may be purchased with these funds: non-lethal weapons, weapons replacements, audio and video recording equipment for homicide investigation interviews only, localized crime prevention program resources, specialized law enforcement training needs, hardware and software resources for lineups to comply with the new lineup identification procedures only, and other similar functions relating to the above mentioned specific law enforcement activities. To determine your eligibility status, you may check with the state point of contact at the Governor's Crime Commission or go the federal web sites at:

Certified Disparate Jurisdictions for FY10
or
Local Jurisdictions Eligible for Direct Federal Awards

• First priority in the 2010 grant cycle will be given to agencies that did not receive local law enforcement block grant funding or Recovery funding from GCC in 2009.
• This includes all agencies that received either a direct allocation from BJA under the Recovery Act and/or any agencies that received a direct JAG Formula Grant in 2009 or at any point during the fiscal year 2009 via any of these funding sources.
• No VIPER radios or related communication devices may be purchased under this priority. A separate priority is listed below in this document for all radio communication equipment.
• Vehicle purchases are prohibited under federal guidelines unless an approved individual federal exception waiver is received through the U.S. Department of Justice. In-car camera purchases are prohibited under this category as well, but may be obtained through the Governor's Highway Safety Program at (919) 733-3083.

B. Special Emphasis Law Enforcement Initiatives The CJI Committee is taking solicitations from law enforcement agencies that are interested in developing, or already have units to address, drug enforcement or property crime concerns. Agencies can apply for only one grant under this priority and must decide on which type of initiative will best serve the immediate needs of their community. 

1. Drug Enforcement Units 
Units that disrupt, investigate and prosecute mid- and major-level drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. This includes multi-agency drug task forces who operate directly in concert with federal authorities (DEA, FBI, ATF, and U.S. Attorney's Office) and with State authorities (SBI, The Attorney General's Office, and the District Attorney's Office).

All agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability program to secure funding after the end of the grant period.
All agencies receiving grants under this priority must strictly abide by the new federal BJA reporting guidelines for drug task forces for all regular GCC progress and implementation reports at: Design For A HIDTA / OCDEFT Performance Monitoring and Management System: Technical Report

2. Robbery/Burglary InitiativeThe Governor' s Crime Commission will be soliciting two types of grant proposals with regard to this initiative:

2-A. Local Initiative: The Governor's Crime Commission will be targeting those local jurisdictions that have some of the highest robbery/burglary rates in the state. This will be primarily based on UCR data as it has been reported. These jurisdictions will be requested to submit proposals outlining their jurisdiction's plan of dealing with these high crime numbers through specific training, analysis, and investigation strategies to reduce these problems.

These proposals must also encourage collaboration between law enforcement and the affected communities and local organizations to help promote both prevention and intervention efforts. These programs must include new hire positions or overtime pay for existing unit personnel as one part of the general overall strategy.

The Governor's Crime Commission does not endorse or encourage the strategy of establishing fake pawn shops. These projects must be focused entirely on investigation of robberies, burglaries, and break-ins and the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators and be able to become a self-sustaining project within the first 18 months of operation.

The Governor's Crime Commission will also be assisting smaller jurisdictions with requests for DNA Kits and Swabs. This will allow those jurisdictions to collect the evidence they need to help prosecute these types of crimes. 

All agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability program to secure funding after the end of the grant period.

2-B. Statewide Initiative: The Governor's Crime Commission will be soliciting a DNA capacity grant for non-violent offenders (robbery/burglary crimes). This proposal will help expand the current DNA lab and will help encourage the larger jurisdictions to submit their cases to the SBI Lab.

3. Accelerating Prosecution for Violent Crimes: The Governor's Crime Commission will be soliciting two pilot projects, one for a medium size prosecutorial district (100,000–300,000 in total population) and a second one in a large size prosecutorial district (over 300,000 in total population). The purpose of these projects will be to clear the backlog of serious violent crime cases and to fast track the prosecution of these serious criminal cases in state courts.

4. Statewide Training: The Governor's Crime Commission will be soliciting proposals for specialized statewide training programs that encompass the advancement of strategic planning and staff development.
All applicants must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability program to secure funding after the end of the grant period.

No VIPER radios or related communication devices may be purchased under this priority. A separate priority is listed below in this document for all radio communication equipment.

C. Statewide Infrastructure and Technology Improvement Innovative statewide initiatives in the areas of: 

Technology Initiative

• State and Local Justice Integration Projects that link existing data bases but is not in conflict or attempt to duplicate the existing Governor's Crime Commission's 2009 Statewide Local Data Integration Initiative.
• Mobile data terminals for law enforcement agencies not presently equipped with such devices.
• To support UCR data reporting at the incident level, priority will be given to fund hardware, communications and required software license to support a web-based record management system. Priority will be given to those agencies currently not reporting UCR data. Click here view table of agencies not reporting UCR.

In order to qualify for funding under this priority, the implementing agency must submit a viable plan to sustain the program after federal funding is no longer available. Local jurisdictional technology projects will be capped at $50,000.

No VIPER radios or related communication devices may be purchased under this priority. A separate priority is listed below in this document for all radio communication equipment.

D. Recidivism Reduction Initiatives

This priority will accept applications for one of the four following program models.  These will be the only applications accepted under this priority. The four types of programs are: 

1. Pre-Trial Services Programs Local and regional collaborations for pre-trial and post-release offenders that provide the following services:

• Programs that provide pre-trial services that will help alleviate the overcrowding in local jails by identifying low risk inmates suitable for reduced or recognizance bonds, and provide substance abuse and mental health screening, and offer referral services.
• Provide court officials with accurate background information on arrestees and render release recommendations that address both safety and appearance considerations.
• Meet with defendants to review their conditions of release and the penalties for not complying with release conditions, failure to appear and re-arrest.
• Assist defendants and the Court to prevent issuance of bench warrants and assist defendants in surrendering on outstanding warrants; and
• Make recommendations for citation release.
• Agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability plan to secure funding after the end of the grant period

2. Treatment Programs: Any treatment proposal must be based on currently accepted evidence based data driven programs for both Post Release Offenders and Community Supervised Offenders which are approved by the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

3. Drug Treatment Court Programs in counties that currently do not have such programs. These programs will be subject to pre-approval by the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. With this strategy the substance abuse treatment applications must include:      

• Development of a target clientele for each new program.
• Establish a tracking system for aftercare progression and recidivism.
• Agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability program to secure funding after the end of the grant period.

Drug Court Programs must also include the following components:

• Reduction in the use of intoxicating substances.
• Improvement in the monitoring of the client's compliance with treatment.  
• Improvement of the employability factor of the client.
• Decrease in the time needed to complete any family reunification process.
• Agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability plan to secure funding after the end of the grant period.  

All Pre-trial and Drug Treatment Court programs must have a signed endorsement from the Resident Chief Superior Court Judge or the Chief District Court Judge and the District Attorney of the affected judicial district.

4. Offender Transitional Services Programs  The Criminal Justice Improvement committee will be evaluating each application based upon at least two or more of the 13 strategies, as outlined both in the document and in the PDF Link listed below, and how well they are incorporated and evaluated in any transitional services program proposal.

Putting Public Safety First: 13 Parole Supervision Strategies to Enhance Reentry Outcomes a publication of the Urban Institute)

1. Define Success as Recidivism Reduction and Measure Performance: Risk reduction and behavior change strategies that measure program performance against the standard of recidivism reduction, substance abuse, employment, victim restitution and other reintegration outcomes.
2. Tailor Conditions of Supervision: Conditions should be Realistic, Relevant, and Research-based.
3. Focus Resources on Higher Risk Offenders: Evidence-based interventions focused toward offenders with a moderate to high risk of new crimes and limiting supervision and services for low-risk offenders will provide the most benefit to public safety resulting in better outcomes for both offenders and community.
4. Frontload Supervision Resources: Concentrating resources in the first few days and weeks of supervision, including reaching into correctional institutions to begin the case-planning process for those who will be supervised after release.
5. Implement Earned Discharge: Reduction of a term of supervision can be a strong incentive for offenders to meet supervision requirements, find and retain a job, stay sober or in treatment, and participate in the programs most likely to reduce recidivism.
6. Supervise Offenders in Their Communities: Supervising offenders where they live, fostering relationships with those who know them best, and becoming familiar with local resources and high-risk areas supervisors and counselors are much better positioned to manage the caseloads.
7. Engage Partners to Expand Intervention Capacity: Coordination between supporting organizations enhances the capacity of supervision agencies to help keep offenders crime- and drug-free.
8. Assess Criminal Risk and Need Factors: Use reliable assessment instruments to identify both risk and need factors and link the results to a supervision case plan.
9. Balance Surveillance and Treatment in Case Plans: Case plans should reflect individual criminal risk factors and treatment needs in addition to surveillance requirements and obligations.
10. Involve Offenders in the Supervision Process: Supervision should evolve from a contact-driven system to a behavioral management model in which the individual being supervised is an active participant in the development of the case plan.
11. Engage Informal Social Controls: Incorporate offenders' support networks into the assessment, case planning, and supervision process, and be trained to recognize where these networks exist and how to engage them.
12. Use Incentives and Rewards: Research indicates that positive reinforcement, incentives and rewards – when applied along with sanctions for violations - are powerful tools in the offender change process.
13. Respond to Violations with Swift and Certain Sanctions: Deterrent impact of sanctions are enhanced when imposed as quickly as possible after they are detected.

Using these thirteen elements to help design strategies and performance measures, priority consideration will be given to applicants who can articulate how they plan to reduce recidivism and hold offenders accountable for their actions while also cutting substance abuse and unemployment, and restoring family bonds. 

Given the sheer numbers of people eligible for community support supervision and the cost to society of new crimes they commit, solid execution of these strategies by community organizations involved in released-offender support and supervision can dramatically improve public safety and free corrections dollars for other pressing public priorities. Once again, all applicant agencies must submit a viable and detailed long-term sustainability program to secure funding after the end of the grant period.

• All post release programs must have an approval or endorsement letter with the North Carolina Department of Correction. These letters will represent endorsements of the program concept and the implementing agency but will not be considered an endorsement of any specific application.
• All selected non-profit applicants must attend the Threat Assessment and Vulnerability training provided free of charge by the Governor's Crime Commission. This course must be completed prior to the start of the grant.
• All non-profit agencies receiving grants under this priority must strictly follow the established reporting guidelines for all progress and implementation reports as outlined at: http://www.ncgccd.org/planning/cji/nptreat.pdf.

E. VIPER Radios
The Governor's Crime Commission will be soliciting applications for Viper System compliant radios only (portable or stationary in-car).
Applications for VIPER radios will have a required 50% match requirement

2010 Grant Eligibility Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations

• All Pre-Applications to the Criminal Justice Improvement Committee must meet All Eligibility Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations found at the end of the Funding Priorities. Please review them carefully before submitting your pre-application.
• All organizations receiving financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice are bound by the Equal Treatment Regulations codified at 28 C.F.R. pt. 38. With limited exceptions, these regulations prohibit the inclusion of inherently religious activities (such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization) in the specific programs or services that are being funded. A religious organization that participates in the funded programs or services will retain its independence from Federal, State, and local governments and may continue to carry out its mission, including the definition, practice, and expression of its religious beliefs, though it must not use funding to support any inherently religious activity. In providing services, funded organizations shall not discriminate against a program beneficiary or prospective program beneficiary on the basis of religion or religious belief
• All State Agencies may apply for more than one project in any category, but the total cumulative federal allocation request should not exceed $250,000 per state agency. This rule will not penalize projects that are required to be reviewed by the Administrative Office of the Courts that are local projects through an individual District Attorney Office or a Clerk of Court Office.
• State Agencies must send a letter from their Chief Executive Officer asking for an exception to this allocation cap if it can be justified. 
• All State Agencies shall submit a Prioritized List of their Pre-Application projects from their Chief Executive Officer.
• All Exception Letters and Prioritized Lists are to be submitted no later than January 29, 2010 to the Chairman of the Governor's Crime Commission, Mr. Scott Thomas; the Executive Director, Ms. Gwendolyn Burrell; and the Senior Criminal Justice Planner, Mr. Craig Turner. No letters or listings will be accepted or acknowledged past that date.
• All non-profit agencies applying must verify their Non-Profit Status at the time of submitting their application. One way of verification is to have a current 501 C3 certification by the North Carolina Secretary of State Office and a valid federal tax identification number.
• All agencies are required to provide a 25 percent cash match at the time of application with the exception of VIPER Radios which will require a 50 percent cash match. The Commission may consider a modification of the cash match due to extreme hardship or extenuating circumstances. In order to be considered for such a modification, the following requirements must be met:

1. Agencies must submit a detailed written justification for consideration.
2. Agencies seeking modification of the match requirements should be prepared to be subjected to a much higher level of scrutiny during the review process. In any case, only a limited amount of modifications may be recommended through the Governor's Crime Commission.

ALL GRANTEES MUST ALSO MEET THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS. THE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DUNS NUMBERS AND CCR'S SHOULD BE MET PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR A GRANT THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S CRIME COMMISSION!!

DUNS Number: Every single grantee MUST have a DUNS Number, prior to any funds being released! DUNS Numbers may be obtained from either of the following web links: www.dnb.com or http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Non-profit Grant Recipients:

1. Grantee web URL
2. Brief grantee description – NO MORE than 500 characters (does include spaces)
3. Separate grant awards for each county will be needed for single grantees providing services in multiple counties.

Sustainability: All applicants must submit viable and detailed long term sustainability plans to secure funding and program continuation after the end of the grant period.

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