Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth in Sentencing Incentive Grants (16.586)

Program

16.586 Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth in Sentencing Incentive Grants

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Justice
Office: Bureau Of Justice Assistance

Authorization

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title II, Subtitle A, as amended, Public Law 103-322; 42 U.S.C. 13701 et seq.

Program Number

16.586

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide funds to individual States and States organized as regional compacts to build or expand 1) correctional facilities to increase the bed capacity for the confinement of Part 1 violent offenders; 2) temporary or permanent correctional facilities including facilities on military bases, prison barges and boot camps for the confinement of nonviolent offenders for the purpose of freeing prison space for violent offenders; 3) jails.

Types of Assistance

FORMULA GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grant funds may be used to build or expand permanent or temporary correctional facilities to increase bed space for the confinement of adult and juvenile violent offenders. Up to 15 percent of a State's formula grant may be awarded to counties and other units of local government to construct, develop, expand, modify or improve jails and other correctional facilities. Under exigent circumstances, funds may be used to increase capacity for the confinement of nonviolent juvenile offenders. Beginning with fiscal year 1999 grant funds, ten percent of the award may be used to implement drug testing policies that meet the Attorney General's Guidelines.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

States and States organized in multi-State compacts are eligible to apply. State means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. All awards are made to the State Office. Local units of government must apply directly to the States for grant funds.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State and local correctional agencies.

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. Applicants must also demonstrate compliance with statutory requirements for the three Tiers of the Violent Offender Incarceration Program and those for Truth In Sentencing to qualify for funding from each allocation. States must also demonstrate an ability to operate facilities built with these funds, recognize the rights of crime victims, and have implemented a program of drug testing and intervention for offenders under corrections supervision. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. 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 his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

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 a completed Standard Form 424 and other information outlined in the Application Kit to the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. All applications must be submitted electronically through the Office of Justice Programs, Grant Management System at https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov.

Award Procedure

A letter with copies of the grant award is 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

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Applications for Violent Offender Incarceration Tier 1 funds will be approved or denied within 30 days of receipt of a complete application. Applications for Violent Offender Incarceration Tiers 2 and 3 and Truth In Sentencing will generally be approved or denied within 90 days of receipt of a complete application.

Appeals

Formula grant applicants will be notified in writing of reasons for disapproval of their application and will be given an opportunity for reconsideration.

Renewals

Subject to appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: Percent: 10.%. The Federal share of a grant funded project may not exceed 90 percent of the total costs of the project. The 10 percent matching funds must be in the form of a cash match.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

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 four additional years. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Reimbursement.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Recipients are required to submit Individual Project Reports as subawards are made. No cash reports are required. Semiannual progress reports. Quarterly Financial Reports. Performance Measures: To assist in fulfilling the Department's responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), P.L. 103-62, applicants who receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measures the results of their work.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

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.

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0404-0-1-754.

Obligations

(Formula Grants) FY 08 $1,307,723; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $0

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Please visit web site for current information at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/voitis.html.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Program Guidance and Application Kit, Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and the OJP Financial Guide.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

James Burch Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Email: AskBJA@usdoj.gov Phone: (202) 616-6500 or 1-866-859-2687

Web Site Address

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja/grant/voitis.html.

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria for selecting proposals under the formula grant awards within the authorized purpose areas will be defined by States.