Missing Children's Assistance (16.543)

Program

16.543 Missing Children's Assistance

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Justice
Office: Office Of Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention

Authorization

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, Section 405, 42 U.S.C. Section 5775, The Missing Children's Assistance Act, and the Protec Our Children Act of 2008.

Program Number

16.543

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To coordinate Federal missing and exploited children activities and to support research, training, technical assistance, and demonstration programs to enhance the overall response to missing children and their families. Establish and maintain a national resource center and clearinghouse dedicated to missing and exploited children issues that: (1) provides a toll-free hotline where citizens can report investigative leads and parents and other interested individuals can receive information concerning missing children; (2) provides technical assistance to parents, law enforcement, and other professionals working on missing and exploited children cases; (3) promotes information sharing and provides technical assistance by networking with regional nonprofit organizations, State missing children clearinghouses, and law enforcement agencies; (4) develops publications that contain practical, timely information; and (5) provides information regarding programs offering free or low-cost transportation services that assist in reuniting children with their families. On a periodic basis, as funding is designated by Congress for this purpose, conduct national incidence studies to determine the type and extent of missing children in America. Support law enforcement demonstration programs (e.g., the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program) to enhance the investigative response to missing and exploited children cases. Support research to broaden understanding of a wide range of missing and exploited children issues (e.g., abduction homicide investigation solvability factors), to inform training and technical assistance efforts and to identify promising practices and programs for replication. Develop training programs for law enforcement, child protective services, medical personnel, and prosecutors to enhance coordination and effectiveness of missing and exploited children investigations and to enhance the overall system response. Identify service gaps and develop programs to meet specialized needs of parents or guardians of children who are reported missing.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

The Administrator is authorized to make grants to and enter into contracts with public agencies or private nonprofit organizations, or combinations thereof, for research, demonstration projects, or service programs designed (1) to educate parents, children, and community agencies and organizations in ways to prevent the abductions and sexual exploitation of children; (2) to provide information to assist in the locating and return of missing children; (3) to aid communities in the collection of materials which would be useful to parents in assisting others in the identification of missing children; (4) to increase knowledge of and develop effective treatment pertaining to the psychological consequences, on both parents and children, of (a) the abduction of a child, both during the period of disappearance and after the child is recovered; and (b) the sexual exploitation of a missing child; (5) to collect detailed data from selected States or localities on the actual investigative practices utilized by law enforcement agencies in missing children's cases; (6) to address the particular needs of missing children by minimizing the negative impact of judicial and law enforcement procedures on children who are victims of abuse or sexual exploitation and by promoting the active participation of children and their families in cases involving abuse or sexual exploitation of children; (7) to address the needs of missing children and their families following the recovery of such children; and (8) reduce the likelihood that individuals under 18 years of age will be removed from the control of such individuals legal custodians without such custodians' consent; (9) and to establish or operate statewide clearinghouses to assist in recovering or locating missing children.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Missing Children's funds are available under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to public and private nonprofit agencies, organizations, individuals, State and local units of government, combinations of State or local units.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State and local units of government, private nonprofit agencies, organizations, institutions or individuals.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos. A-87 for State and local governments and A-122 for nonprofit organizations. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Applicants must submit completed applications following directions from the Office of Justice Programs. Unsolicited applications are not accepted. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications.

Award Procedure

Successful applicants are notified by the Office of Justice Programs according to established procedures. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 1 to 6 months.

Appeals

See 28 CFR Part 18.

Renewals

Supplemental grants or contract modification.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Initial awards usually are made for 12 to 36 months with further funding based upon the project period and grantee performance. Drawdowns are possible under a Letter of Credit. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Contact Program Office. Contact Program Office. Contact Program Office. Contact Program Office. Contact Program Office.

Audits

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. Effective 6/30/2004 (increase from 300,000 to $500,000) All organizations that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records

Grantee must keep complete records on the disposition of funds.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008 Missing Children's Assistance funds were used to support the operation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the AMBER Alert training and technical assistance program, the Association of Missing and Exploited Children's Organizations, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program. Program accomplishments include the following: The Missing Child Hotline (1-800-THE-LOST). During FY 2007, NCMEC answered 109,004 calls on its hotline and assisted in the recovery of 11,066 children. The Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP), a mechanism to identify victims of child pornography, has been used to date to identify more than 260 children in pornographic images and videos. To date there are a total of 1,247 identified child victims in the system. NCMEC works with the private sector to distribute photos of missing children. During FY 2005, 221 children were found as a result of this program. NCMEC uses computer technology and graphic artists to age progress photos of long-term missing children. Almost 600 missing children whose photographs were computer age enhanced have been located, and 20 unidentified deceased children have been identified as a result of NCMEC's imaging specialists' work on facial reconstructions. Project Alert. NCMEC provides targeted fax distribution for missing-child posters. Utilizing the coded databases of 4 million fax numbers, NCMEC distributes more than 50,000 fax transmissions per month to law-enforcement personnel, media outlets, and the general public. Now numbering 59, the ICAC Task Forces are on the front line addressing computer facilitated child sexual exploitation through aggressive investigations, prosecutions, computer forensics and community outreach. The Task Forces have become regional centers of technical and investigative expertise offering both prevention and investigative services to youth, parents, educators, law enforcement, and others working on child sexual exploitation issues. Since the program's inception in 1998, the Task Forces have reviewed over 200,000 complaints over the last nine years, resulting in the arrest of almost 11,000 individuals across the country intent on sexually victimizing children. Once source of complaints reviewed by the ICAC Task Forces is Cybertipline referrals forwarded from the National Center for Missing Exploited Children's. The Cybertipline has received over 500,000 tips and complaints since the system was activated in 1998. The ICAC Training and Technical Assistance Program, an OJJDP supported effort, provides training to tens of thousands of law enforcement personnel and prosecutors in the United States and around the world in 17 countries. In fiscal year 2007 alone, ICAC investigations led to more than 2,400 arrests and more than10, 500 forensic examinations. To date there have been 399 successful AMBER alert child recoveries. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0401-0-1-754.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $46,774,841; FY 09 est $70,000,000; FY 10 est $60,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Not Applicable.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Lou Ann Holland Child Protection Division, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Phone: (202) 305-2742

Web Site Address

http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: In fiscal year 2008, OJJDP made awards to State and local law enforcement agencies to support regional task forces to prevent, interdict, or investigate crimes against children by sex offenders using the Internet. Additional awards supported the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children national resource center and clearinghouse functions, operation of the Cyber Tipline, and continuation of the Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Center. OJJDP supported training and technical assistance programs to provide assistance to State clearinghouses, law enforcement, prosecutors, and other individuals or community organizations working on missing and exploited children issues. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.