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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

16.544:  Gang-Free Schools and Communities: Community-Based Gang Intervention

Popular Name: 

Objectives:  To prevent and to reduce the participation of juveniles in the activities of gangs that commit crimes. Such programs and activities may include: 1) individual, peer, family, and group counseling, including provision of life skills training and preparation for living independently, which shall include cooperation with social services, welfare, and health care programs; 2) education and social services designed to address the social and developmental needs of juveniles; 3) crisis intervention and counseling to juveniles, who are particularly at risk of gang involvement, and their families; 4) the organization of the neighborhood and community groups to work closely with parents, schools, law enforcement, and other public and private agencies in the community; and 5) training and assistance to adults who have significant relationships with juveniles who are or may become members of gangs, to assist such adults in providing constructive alternatives to participating in the activities of gangs. To develop within the juvenile adjudicatory and correctional systems new and innovative means to address the problems of juveniles convicted of serious drug-related and gang-related offenses. To provide treatment to juveniles who are members of such gangs, including members who are accused of committing a serious crime and members who have been adjudicated as being delinquent. To promote the involvement of juveniles in lawful activities in geographical areas in which gangs commit crimes. To promote and support, with the cooperation of community-based organizations experienced in providing services to juveniles engaged in gang-related activities and cooperation of local law enforcement agencies, the development of policies and activities in public elementary and secondary schools which will assist such schools in maintaining a safe environment conducive to learning. To assist juveniles who are or may become members of gangs to obtain appropriate educational instruction, in or outside a regular school program, including the provision of counseling and other services to promote and support the continued participation of such juveniles in such instructional programs. To expand the availability of prevention and treatment services relating to the illegal use of controlled substances and controlled substances analogues (as defined in paragraphs (6) and (32) of section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) by juveniles, provided through State and local health and social services agencies. To provide services to prevent juveniles from coming into contact with the juvenile justice system again as a result of gang-related activity. To provide services at a special location in a school or housing project. To facilitate coordination and cooperation among: 1) local education, juvenile justice, employment, and social service agencies; and 2) community-based programs with a proven record of effectively providing intervention services to juvenile gang members for the purpose of reducing the participation of juveniles in illegal gang activities.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

16.544 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Part D funds are available under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations or individuals.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Public or private nonprofit agencies, organizations or individuals.

Credentials/Documentation:  Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos. A-87 for State and local governments, A-21 for educational institutions, and A-122 for nonprofit organizations.

16.544 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  In some program initiatives, applicants are invited to submit preliminary applications or concept papers in response to program announcements issued by OJJDP. The original and one copy are sent to the OJJDP in Washington, DC, and where applicable one copy is sent to the Criminal Justice Council; or the original and two copies are sent to the OJJDP if the proposed program extends beyond State boundaries. Preliminary applications are judged on program requirements according to pre-defined selection criteria. Those applicants judged to meet selection criteria at the highest level are invited to develop full applications. Each program announcement provides the dates for preliminary application submission if applicable. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency, in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common Rule) or OMB Circular No. A-110 must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs", and applies except for grants which are national in scope. Program announcements will provide instructions regarding the necessity of submission to single State agencies. 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:  Applicant submits proposal on Standard Form 424. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110 and the Common Rule. Proposals must be prepared and submitted in accordance with program announcements published by OJJDP in the Federal Register.

Award Procedure:  Award package is sent to grantee.

Deadlines:  Published in program announcements or requests for proposals.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  From 1 to 3 months.

Appeals:  See 28 CFR Part 18.

Renewals:  Supplemental grants or contract modification.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Applications are assessed according to their consistency with the policies and program priorities established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Specific criteria are applied that are related to the particular program areas under which projects are funded. The criteria are published in the Federal Register as part of each program announcement. Applications may undergo a competitive peer review process as outlined in the OJJDP Competition and Peer Review Policy 28 CFR Part 34.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Projects funded during fiscal year 1999 include continuation programs designed to prevent youth from entering gangs and to intervene with gang members and to divert them away from gangs and toward more constructive programs by providing education/recreation and counseling services; a drug awareness, education and prevention campaign designed to help young people understand the dangers of drugs and live a non-impaired lifestyle; gangs; programs to prevent high school students from dropping out of school and joining gangs; to reduce teen victimization; and to provide training and technical assistance to key policy makers, and to foster improved public and private agency gang and drug prevention, intervention and suppression strategies. In addition, a comprehensive gang program that integrates the various components of the juvenile justice system with schools and supports the mobilization of the community to address the prevention of gang involvement and intervention with gangs to reduce violence. This program model also is being implemented as part of a larger effort to develop a "continuum of care" for youth in five additional communities.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not available.

16.544 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 16.540 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Allocation to States;
• 16.541 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Special Emphasis;
• 16.542 National Institute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

16.544 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

16.544 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements or Contracts).

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $10,878,529; FY 00 est $16,945,118; and FY 01 est $12,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  15-0405-0-1-754.

Authorization:  Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Sections 281 and 282, Public Law 93-415, as amended.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Financial and Administrative Guide for Grants, M.7100.1.

16.544 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  None.

Headquarters Office:  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20531.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

16.544 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  No match required.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Initial awards usually are made for a period of 12 to 18 months with further funding based upon the project period and grantee performance and availability of funds. Drawdowns are possible under a Letter of Credit.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  To be eligible for an award or contract, an applicant must: (1) respond to legislative requirements contained in Section 281A and 282A of the JJDP Act, as amended as well as specific program guidelines issued by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); (2) be consistent with the objectives and priorities of OJJDP; (3) provide for adequate program administration, evaluation and fiscal reporting; (4) demonstrate, in the overall quality of the proposal, that the program is technically sound and will achieve the required program objectives at the highest possible level; and (5) respond to clear and documentable needs.

16.544 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Semiannual and final financial and progress reports are required.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organization," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $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:  Grantee must keep complete records on the disposition of funds, and records related to the grant must be retained for 3 years after the date of the final report.