Title: Territories Information Exchange Conference Series: Summary Author: Bureau of Justice Assistance Published: July 2000 Subject: Criminal Justice System, International Statistics and Issues 62 pages 138,000 bytes ---------------------------- Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from BJA at 800-688-4252. ---------------------------- Bureau of Justice Assistance Territories Information Exchange Conference Washington, D.C. July 19-22, 2000 Summary of Proceedings Prepared by Conference Reports and Internet Services NCJ 184550 ---------------------------- Table of Contents Executive Summary Wednesday, July 19, 2000 o Prevention Resources --Bob Brown, Senior Advisor for Prevention, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC o Drug Courts --Julius Dupree, Program Manager, Drug Courts Program Office, Washington, DC o Adjudication Resources --Charles "Bud" Hollis, Senior Advisor for Adjudication, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC o The Total Resource Picture --Tim Murray, Director, Program Development Division, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC o Methamphetamine: Problems and Solutions --Luke Galant, Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC Thursday, July 20, 2000 o BJA Welcome --Patrick Coleman, Deputy Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC o Presentations from the Territories: The Politics, Culture and Economics of the Territories o American Samoa --Leonard Seumanutafa, Program Specialist, Criminal Justice Planning Agency, American Samoa Government, Pago Pago, American Samoa o Guam --Lola Leon Guerrero, Byrne Grant Coordinator, Guam Bureau of Planning, Agana, Guam o The Northern Mariana Islands --Kay Inos, Criminal Justice Planner, Criminal Justice Planning Agency, Saipan, MP o Puerto Rico --Edith Vazquez Pardo, Esq., Assistant Advisor on Federal Affairs, Government of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico o Virgin Islands --Wayne Chinnery, Drug Policy Advisor to the Governor, Law Enforcement Planning Commission, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands --Meridith Nielsen, Deputy Drug Policy Advisor, Law Enforcement Planning Commission, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands o Special Needs of the Territories --The Honorable Jim Hurd, U.S. Attorney General, Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands o BJA Today --Paul Steiner, Branch Chief, Southeast Region, Bureau of Justice Assistance, State and Local Assistance Division, Washington, DC o Office of the Comptroller --Stacy Worthington, Director, Training and Policy Division, Office of the Comptroller, Washington, DC o Corrections Resources --Gene Contatore Program Manager, Corrections Program Office, Washington, DC --Kim Dolise Kelberg, Program Manager, Corrections Program Office, Washington, DC o Resources for Victims of Crimes --Vanessa Alston, Program Manager, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC --Michelle Avery, Program Manager, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC --Cynthia Darling, Program Manager, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC --Brad Mitchell, Program Manager, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington, DC o Civil Rights Resources --Michael Alston, Deputy Director, Office for Civil Rights, Washington, DC Friday, July 21, 2000 o Territorial Problems and Program Development --Greg Robinson, Director, Social Sciences Center, California State University, Fullerton, CA --Bob Kirchner, Senior Advisor for Evaluation, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Washington, DC Saturday, July 22, 2000 o Reflections, Looking Toward the Future --Dr. Frances Brisbane, Dean, School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY ---------------------------- Executive Summary The unique nature of the American territories drew local and federal officials together for the Territories Information Exchange (TIE) Conference, which was designed to build stronger communication among all participants and to help erase the effects of isolation and distance upon the people administering federal grants in the diverse island communities of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The territories resist homogeneous categorization. Although they may have similar issues, they also have unique needs; each must be viewed individually. Common to all are the extra efforts required to communicate with the federal bureaucracy due to cultural differences, language differences, jurisdictional dynamics, and unusual geographic factors. A key recommendation of the conference was the creation of a special territorial desk within the newly reorganized Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in order to improve communications and OJP responsiveness to the territories. The recommendation followed from a discussion at the first TIE Conference in which Senator John Salas, who represents the Pacific territories, suggested a consortium of territories to improve information sharing, enhance opportunities for grant activity and generate a collective identity. Facilitator Dr. Frances Brisbane, Dean of the School of Social Welfare at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, told participants she would pass on their recommendation to the U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) officials welcomed territory representatives (some of whom traveled long distances to be there) and urged the conferees to seize the opportunity to share information, learn from each other, and take advantage of the support present in the specialized environment. TIE conference director and BJA program manager Barry Roberts said the agency wanted to hear in straightforward terms the issues and concerns of the territories. He encouraged all the participants to " say things that need to be heard and ask questions that haven't been asked." The conference provided many opportunities for grant managers and grant implementers to work together in formal and informal settings. Face-to-face discussions were especially helpful. Territorial representatives gave full descriptions of their justice systems, of their assets and their needs as they confront difficult criminal justice problems. Federal officials listened and provided information about programs and how to take advantage of them, as well as gain access to senior program managers and policymakers. Key goals were to build more informed relationships between the territories and BJA, and to expand the knowledge base. The Territories--Common Concerns The territories are saddled with a shadow identity that complicates their relationship to the federal granting process. The jurisdictional nature of the territories, the size of their populations and economic base become limiting factors when recruiting local resources to address global issues of immigration, drugs, and crime. As the Honorable Jim Hurd, U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands, poignantly explained, "Being in a territory does not give you all full rights and privileges of American citizens . You are only given those rights that Congress allows you to have, other than some very basic truths, very basic rights." Communication o Information Systems. A new grant management system (GMS) has been launched requiring all local jurisdictions to apply for grants and file reports electronically. Territorial representatives have reported manpower problems, computer equipment problems, program glitches and, as a result, lost applications. Communication through postal mail is extremely slow; routinely it can take weeks for packages to be delivered. Hard copies of documents need to be sent by fax or by overnight shipping, and these methods, too, can present their own technical or budgetary problems. o Cultural differences can tangle communications. People from different cultures may have disparate senses of time, priority, or effort when conducting business. Federal officials need to become more aware of stylistic differences and need territories to be candid in asking for help and respond in a timely manner using updated communications systems. o Language barriers are an ongoing disadvantage, especially for Puerto Rico, where the primary language is Spanish and its dealings with the Federal Government must be conducted in English. Patrick Coleman, deputy director of BJA, noted that not one "out of hundreds and hundreds of publications, and certainly none of our grant announcements, some of the most important things you could be looking for, [is bilingual]. Our entire Web site is in English.... It is an emerging issue and something that the Office of Justice Programs can be sensitized to." Illegal Immigration A very serious problem faced by many of the islands is the influx of illegal immigrants. The Virgin Islands, the smallest federal district in the nation, is ranked seventh in the country for illegal immigration. Affecting all issues of crime, substance abuse, joblessness, and poverty, island governments strain to cope. Marine law enforcement is almost nonexistent, which further reduces effectiveness in handling this problem. Drugs Territories are staging areas for drug smuggling, in part because enforcement of drug laws is weak and partly because often there are no customs requirements for shipping to the United States. Critically, ports also are sites for transshipment of illegal substances from other countries. Methamphetamine use is increasing in several territories, with a subsequent need for services and training. Investigations and cleanups of methamphetamine laboratories are especially difficult. Police and other emergency response agencies often encounter booby traps, gunfire, explosives and carcinogenic chemicals. These labs are often ecological disasters, and toxic-waste removal and environmental remediation is an expensive, long-term responsibility that is extremely difficult for the territories to shoulder by themselves. More strategic planning assistance is needed. Infrastructure Most territories have a unified government in which federal and local governmental functions are combined but which is funded by local resources. Island governance often is less complicated because there is less bureaucracy; however, since local resources are limited and must be stretched to cover both federal and local functions, the effectiveness of the judicial system can be compromised. There often are lengthy delays, and the lack of specific training for prosecutors and police can encourage criminal activity. Corruption among local public officials also can compromise effective governance. To deal with these issues, territories requested from the Federal Government, and especially BJA: o More onsite training and technical assistance. o Rehabilitation and treatment programs for substance abusers, as well as aftercare monitoring, education and prevention programs, and training for drug testing. o Alternatives to incarceration, alternative sanctions for first offenders and crime prevention. o More manpower, collaboration and integrated communications systems. o Help in managing multiple roles (planning, evaluation and implementation). o Strategic planning. o Culturally and linguistically appropriate assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance--How It Can Help BJA officials provided information about strategic planning, program development, funding, technical assistance, and training available through BJA and other federal agencies. Officials emphasized their desire to improve communications with the territories, and offered to help them obtain whatever resources they need to improve their criminal justice systems. With the implementation of a new grant management system, there have been many changes in BJA's information requirements. Grant applicants can look forward to further changes with the anticipated introduction of the Automatic Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system, which will complete the electronic, paperless conversion. For administrators, drawing down funds will mean that payment depends on maintaining up-to-date records and data flow. The recent reorganization of BJA has produced a more geographically-based administrative system with one program manager responsible for each state and territory. Technical assistance has become more accessible and more relevant. Further changes are anticipated as OJP undergoes its own reorganization. Officials offered the following general advice to territorial representatives in planning and developing their programs and grant applications. Early Planning Stages Examine the needs of the community and assess the root causes of the issues. Adopt a methodology for uncovering hidden assumptions. Investigate conditions in a community and think strategically, not just tactically, about how to solve problems. Become a peer reviewer to see how others have written grants and learn what makes a grant successful. Research similar and successful programs to determine what has been effective elsewhere. Establish community partnerships in order to generate local support for programs that eventually are funded. Build support and consensus among potential stakeholders. Develop relationships with the media to raise community awareness of activities. Grant Writing Develop a team approach to grant writing and use outside reviewers. Show both outcome objectives and implementation or process objectives in applications, and include a monitoring and evaluation system. Applications should make clear how a program will be sustained, especially after the federal funding cycle is completed. Adhere to application formats and deadlines. Monitoring the Grant Evaluation is an essential component of any grant process. It begins with establishing realistic and measurable goals. Evaluation is progressive, beginning with financial reporting, which answers the most critical questions about how much was spent on what, and followed by process reporting that reflects upon the political and cultural environment in which the program operates. Comprehensive management of financial responsibilities for grants requires in- depth knowledge of financial reporting. Territories are encouraged to seek technical assistance and training from the Office of the Comptroller to facilitate compliance. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Workshop: Prevention Resources Presenter: Bob Brown Senior Advisor for Prevention Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 bobb@ojp.usdoj.gov Bob Brown, senior advisor for prevention with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), provided an overview of the major principles and benefits of crime prevention and outlined the many resources available to participants through BJA. The current conception of crime prevention is holistic and involves all members of a community, including medical, social services, probation, parole, and court systems, with law enforcement playing a central role. Rather than mere security, prevention is a proactive response that addresses social problems through education and improves the quality of life within communities. The benefits of prevention include: o A greater sense of security and freedom. o Increased respect for the rights of all. o A revived sense of civic responsibility. o Healthier, more interdependent communities. o Increased individual and collective pride. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in particular BJA, places a great emphasis on integrating crime prevention into a total strategy for increasing public safety. BJA has more than $2 billion available for prevention programs, yet many communities are not aware of these resources. According to Brown, DOJ "must do a better job with our constituencies--the states, territories and Native American communities. We have to do a better job of informing people of what funds are available and how individuals, communities and governments can tap into these dollars." Brown listed the seven BJA grant programs and the areas of focus for the 1999-2000 funding cycle: BJA Grant Programs o Byrne Formula Grant Program. o Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program. o Byrne Discretionary Grant Program. o Open Solicitation Program. o Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Program. o Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. o Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program. 1999-2000 Topic Areas o Alcohol and Crime. o Crime Prevention Among the Elderly. o Improving Access to Services in Rural and Tribal Settings. o Mental Health. o Police Partnerships. o Local Criminal Justice Planning. o Improving Front-End Decision-Making. o Strategies to Strengthen the Adjudication Process. o Innovations in Offender Supervision and Re-entry. In applying for funding, proposers should use a team approach to grant writing, using outside reviewers. Brown suggested that a checklist be used to ensure neatness, completeness, consumer support, and responsiveness to Requests for Proposals/Notices of Available Funding. In addition to direct support from BJA, Brown offered a number of BJA- funded organizations that territorial representatives could contact for resource information and assistance in developing prevention programs: o Boys and Girls Clubs of America: Works with states and territories to operate after-school programming for children. Their curriculum includes mentoring, violence prevention, and peer training. o Law Enforcement Exploring (a program of the Boys Scouts of America): Provides youth ages 13-21 experience with careers in the criminal justice system through activities that emphasize leadership, skills building, community service, and fitness. o National Crime Prevention Council: Most famous for its advertisements featuring McGruff the crime dog, this organization provides publications and resources on a wide range of topics relating to prevention. o National Association of Town Watch: Sponsors the annual National Night Out on the first Tuesday in August and provides communities with materials needed to organize their own National Night Out and neighborhood watches. o Triad Program of the National Sheriffs' Association: Jointly established by the National Sheriffs' Association, the American Association for Retired Persons, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Triad Program offers senior citizens working with law enforcement opportunities to provide service to their communities within schools, malls, and other places. o Join Together: Administered by the Boston University School of Public Health, Join Together is a resource for prevention strategies and programs, particularly relating to drugs and violence. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Workshop: Drug Courts Presenter: Julius Dupree Program Manager Drug Courts Program Office 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 dupreej@ojp.usdoj.gov In 1989, the Miami criminal justice system pioneered the use of drug courts as an alternative way to deal with a wave of drug-related crimes by nonviolent offenders. The basic premise of the model is that better outcomes can be achieved by involving multiple agencies, both public and private, in a collaborative effort to provide intervention, treatment, and followup services for nonviolent offenders guilty of drug-related crimes. Indeed, drug courts have proven to be more effective than traditional responses to these crimes, and, therefore, visibility and resources have increased since 1989. This model generally is used only with "nonviolent" offenders, which means that they did not carry, possess or use a firearm or other dangerous weapon; did not use force against another person; did not cause the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any person; and have not previously been convicted of one or more felony crimes of violence. The federal Drug Courts Program Office (DCPO) was created as part of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), in 1994, to provide financial and technical assistance to states and localities for the development and implementation of drug courts. Funded programs leverage the coercive power of courts to provide nonviolent substance-abusing offenders with an integrated mix of treatment, substance-abuse testing, incentives, and sanctions directed toward breaking the cycle of substance abuse and crime. A video describing drug courts and their effectiveness emphasized the following points: o More individualized services can be offered through specialized drug courts than in the traditional justice system. o For many offenders, drug courts are the first time they have received individualized attention involving intervention, treatment, and followup. The message that somebody cares is important. o Successful completion of the drug court program results in charges being reduced or dropped, thereby "cleaning up" the individual's criminal record. o Drug courts emphasize treatment rather than incarceration. o There is less family disruption for individuals participating in the drug courts than when they are incarcerated. o Drug courts are based on a system of incentives and sanctions, carefully designed to work together to ensure the greatest chances for success. o Drug courts are cost-effective alternatives to incarceration. Total resources available for drug courts have grown significantly over the past few years, from $11.9 million, in 1995, to $40 million this year nationwide. In order to receive funding, however, a proposed drug court program is required by law to target nonviolent substance-abusing offenders and at least include the following components: o Continuing judicial supervision. o Mandatory periodic testing. o Substance-abuse treatment for each participant. o Supervised release with appropriate sanctions for noncompliance. o Programmatic offender management and aftercare services. In addition, the following components of a drug court are required by DCPO in order to receive any type of implementation or enhancement grant: o Integration of alcohol- and other drug-treatment services. o Nonadversarial approach. o Early identification and placement. o Continuum of alcohol, drug, and other related treatment and rehabilitative services. o Frequent alcohol and other drug testing. o Coordinated strategy governing the drug court's response to participants' compliance. o Ongoing judicial interaction. o Monitoring and evaluation. o Continuing interdisciplinary education. o Forging partnerships among drug courts, public agencies, and community- based organizations. There are four types of grants available from DCPO: 1. An adult drug court implementation grant of up to $500,000 for 3 years, used to establish a drug court dealing with adult offenders. 2. A juvenile drug court implementation grant of up to $500,000 for 3 years, used to establish a drug court dealing with juvenile offenders. 3. A single drug court enhancement grant of up to $300,000 for 2 years, used to add or enhance components to an existing drug court program. 4. A statewide drug court enforcement grant of up to $300,000 for 2 years, used to provide a state entity with resources to implement statewide strategies, such as information technology systems or evaluation procedures. The grant applications for each, along with information about the process and requirements for proposal submission, are available at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/guidelinesinfo.htm. Additionally, staff from DCPO are available to answer questions through the grant management system hotline at 888-549-9901. Further help is available to potential applicants through a series of workshops designed to assist communities in planning a drug court. Planning grants of up to $30,000 per jurisdiction are available from DCPO to cover travel costs and other planning-related expenses. Information about these planning grants and the workshops are available by calling 800-851-3420 or via the Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/dcpo.htm. Julius Dupree, program manager with DCPO in Washington, D.C., indicated the importance of seeking additional support for the effort. He suggested exploring funding opportunities from local sources, including the city and county, as well as looking for resources from the traditional justice systems and public and private health and human service delivery organizations. For technical assistance in planning and/or implementing a drug court, the following resources were presented: 1. Tribal Drug Court Training & Technical Assistance o National Association of Drug Court Professionals--Janna Walker, program manager, 888-316-2327 or 703-706-0576 or www.drugcourt.org. o The Tribal Law and Policy Institute--Jerry Gardner, executive director, 415- 647-1755 or jerry@tribal-institute.org. 2. Mentor Drug Court Network o National Association of Drug Court Professionals--Lolita Curtis, vice president, 888-316-2327 or 703-706-0576 or www.drugcourt.org. 3. Training and Technical Assistance for Treatment in Drug Courts o National Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities--Irene Gainer, director, 703-522-7212 or natasc@aol.com. 4. Evaluation and MIS Training and Technical Assistance o SEARCH, Incorporated--Francis Bremson, manager, 916-392-2550 or www.search.org. o The Center for Court Innovation--Eric Lee, deputy director, 212-272-8088 or www.communitycourts.org. o Crime and Justice Research Institute--John Goldkamp, president, 215-627- 3766 or cjri@ix.netcom.com. 5. Drug Court Clearinghouse o American University Drug Court Clearinghouse and Technical Assistance Project--Caroline Cooper, director, 215-885-2875 or www.american.edu/justice. 6. Juvenile Drug Court Training and Technical Assistance o National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges--Iris Key, manager, 775-784-1663 or key@ncjfcj.unr.edu. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Workshop: Adjudication Resources Presenter: Charles "Bud" Hollis Senior Advisor for Adjudication Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 Adjudication describes the process that criminal charges go through--from a transfer from an arresting agency, through court process and sentencing, to corrections agencies. It spans pretrial, prosecution, courts, and indigent defense at the state and local levels. Although the amount of funds available for discretional or noncategorical expenditures is very limited, Adjudication Resources has two programs that are of special interest to the territories. The first is the Community Prosecution Program, and the other is for High Intensity Financial Crime Areas (HIFCAs). It is too late to apply to either program for this year--the Community Prosecution Program closed on June 30 and the HIFCA program closes July 24. However, applications for these programs can be made for the next fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2001. The Community Prosecution Program supports a prosecutor, who makes the application--state, local, or tribal--to work with a community in a problem- solving mode. In this program, the prosecutor is not a case processor but a community leader, working with community organizations to identify and solve problems. Instead of simply using the police's crime mapping program to decide, for example, that a community's main problem is home burglary, a community is consulted as to its concerns. For example, a community may agree that home burglary is a problem, but what really concern its members are disruptions in their quality of life--the presence of prostitutes, graffiti, and gangs. Offenders may not be committing burglary but they may be involved in those quality-of-life offenses, and a neighborhood prosecutor who gets to know a community and these disruptive individuals can make a judge aware of the offender's history. An individual still may be sentenced for a misdemeanor, but the sentence probably will be stiffer. In this way, a community begins to see that its complaints are heard. This action encourages those engaged in this kind of disruptive behavior to move their activities to another neighborhood, or, if the intervention program is jurisdiction- wide, to the next jurisdiction. The message goes out that antisocial behavior will not be tolerated. The Community Prosecution Program allows prosecutors to create these community-based plans and then obtain grants to implement them (or to expand existing programs). The program began in state and local jurisdictions before being adopted and funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. This year, $10 million was available for the program, and BJA anticipates making about 70 awards. The process of peer review is ongoing, and BJA hopes to identify recipients and possibly to make the awards by September 30, 2000. The other program combats money laundering in the four designated HIFCAs: San Juan, New York/Northern New Jersey, Los Angeles and the United States Southwest border. This is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Justice. A high-level work group, including the Deputy Attorney General and the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, meets once a month to plan strategies for action at the local and state, as well as federal, levels. Congress and the Oversight Committee recognize that money laundering is a problem that must be addressed at multiple levels. The purpose of the Adjudication Resources program is to get state and local prosecutors involved in solving money-laundering problems in their areas. Financial crimes dealing with money laundering require complex investigations. Often the problem at state and local levels is inadequate resources, not just in dollars and manpower but also expertise. But involvement of state and local prosecutors and law enforcement officials is critical because most activity occurs at that level; much of the activity currently not only is uninvestigated but also unnoticed. Agencies in New York and Arizona have been very active. This is a modest program of 8 to 10 grants, with preference to the 4 HIFCAs. The program has a 5-year authorization. The first year's appropriation was $3 million, with $20 million for each of the next 4 years. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Workshop: The Total Resource Picture Presenter: Tim Murray, Director Program Development Division Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. murrayt@ojp.usdoj.gov Tim Murray of the Bureau of Justice Assistance described the activities of his area and explained the process of applying for grants, receiving, them and reporting on them. BJA awards competitive grants for program development in a straightforward, even-handed way. Formerly, large mainland local governments had an advantage over the territories because they had large cadres of professional grant writers, or knew where to hire them. However, BJA has made two changes in the procedure for requesting grants that removed that advantage. "You have just as much chance as New York City or Los Angeles County, or any of those other places competing for those moneys," Murray said. In the area of competitive grants, the territories can now compete with the most sophisticated, funded grant-writing machine. Instead of a format requiring a professionally written grant application, BJA now relies on a simple narrative format in which the applicant answers several questions, including: o What is the problem? o What are you going to do about it? o Whom are you going to work with? o How will you know if it works? o How much will it cost? o What will happen to the program when the money is gone? Now, instead of announcing which programs it will support, the agency relies on localities to identify the problems it feels it needs to attack, as well as to answer the questions about its approach. This takes BJA out of the false position of acting as if it knows all about a community's problems. Now, after receiving approximately 2,000 applications each year, BJA gets a sense of what problems most affect and concern localities. If BJA then identifies general problems, such as child abuse, and can direct money to where it is needed. Murray estimated that in recent years BJA has distributed more than $400 million in discretionary grants to local governments that were no more dedicated, concerned, or in need than the territories represented at the session. They simply figured out how to find out about the grants and how to apply for them. In fact, BJA announces such grants on its Web page. For further help in finding and applying for funding opportunities, Murray encouraged participants to phone him at 202-616-8933, "and I'll talk you through it." Examples of issues for which BJA probably will solicit competitive grant applications in the coming year include: o Community Prosecutions. o Mental Health Courts. o The Open Solicitation. Murray told participants that in order to receive technical assistance, "it's stuff you have to write to request, but you hardly ever do that." Often localities do not know help is available, and they do not know whom to ask for it. He advised participants to stay in touch with him and with other people they meet from BJA, and to telephone and visit them to broaden the acquaintance at every opportunity, even if there is no particular problem to discuss. The technical assistance BJA provides can include sending an expert to help with a problem, sending a local person off for training, providing written materials or supporting a conference with faculty or materials, all at no cost to the locality. Summarizing the grant application procedure, Murray said that even though only comparatively few grants are made from the hundreds of applications, the process is valuable: It clarifies thinking on what projects are really the most important and which to pursue, even if no grant is forthcoming. Just as helpful is the opportunity to serve as a "peer reviewer" on applications. This is a sure-fire method to learn the best ways to apply for a grant. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Wednesday, July 19, 2000 Workshop: Methamphetamine: Problems and Solutions Presenter: Luke Galant Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 luke@ojp.usdoj.gov Luke Galant of the Bureau of Justice Assistance described the growing menace of methamphetamine, the challenges to law enforcement in preventing and interdicting its use, and the help available from BJA and other agencies to combat the problem. Quoting General Barry McCaffrey, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Galant reminded participants that methamphetamine, also known as "ice," "crank," or "speed," is "one of the worst drug menaces ever to threaten America." The 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that "4.7 million Americans have tried methamphetamine in their lifetimes- -a marked increase from 1994 estimates of 3.8 million." Nearly 5 percent of high school seniors have used meth, compared with just 2.7 percent in 1990, according to the 1999 Monitoring the Future study. With plenty of raw material available in local grocery, hardware, and drug stores, and recipes available on the Internet, methamphetamine is easy and inexpensive to make--"$4.00 of chemicals will produce $4,000 to $5,000 worth of products." By combining elements extracted from over-the-counter cold remedies, such as Sudafed, and applying other free agents and distilled chemicals, which change ephedrine and pseudoephedrine from the cold remedies into methamphetamine, this popular recreational drug acts as a stimulant and euphoric, giving its user a feeling of omnipotence. However, the tremendous high is followed by a devastating low. Once produced in large-scale labs, imported from Mexico and considered a border-state and East and West coast "urban" problem, methamphetamine now is at least as likely to be found in Midwestern and rural "mom-and-pop" labs. Nowhere is this more evident than in the heartland of America, rural Iowa, which "is the largest consumer, per capita, of methamphetamine in the United States." A small lab, he observed, takes not much more than a "Mr. Coffee machine and a couple of beakers of chemicals"--all easily stored in a footlocker or the trunk of a car. Because of the ease of production, meth cookers often rent spaces, such as hotel rooms, cook for a few days, and then disappear, leaving the space contaminated with mercury--and other highly toxic chemicals. The production of methamphetamine presents a set of "unique hazards" not only to enforcement personnel and first responders, but also to the community at large. o In synthesizing the drug, producers use ether, kerosene and lye (Drano), all of which create a toxic atmosphere. Meth cookers dump their waste wherever they can--down sinks and into sewage systems, reservoirs, open pits, and slagheaps--creating an "ecological disaster." o The method of cooking the chemicals to create methamphetamine results in phosphine gas--a colorless, poisonous, ill-smelling, flammable gas--which is the same type used by the Nazis in the gas chambers. The end result is the potential for a highly flammable atmosphere. Unsuspecting law enforcement or emergency responders can enter a lab, flick on a light switch and "blow the whole place apart." o Methamphetamine cookers are "uniquely violent" among drug traffickers. They are frequently armed and meth labs often are booby-trapped. The psychosis induced by habitual use of the drug often results in domestic violence and child abuse. The California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement determined that, on average, 2.5 children under the age of 16 were found in labs that had been busted. These children are "tremendously toxified," Galant said. Law enforcement authorities assume onerous responsibilities when they shut down methamphetamine laboratories. "It's going to cost you to go after meth," Galant cautioned. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) makes law enforcement agencies that take control of meth labs responsible for remediating contaminated sites and their contents. Environmental cleanup of a simple mom- and-pop lab can cost as much as $4,500 per site, with major labs costing local jurisdictions as much as $100,000 to $150,000. Galant concluded his comments with observations on how BJA and the Attorney General are addressing the methamphetamine problem. o In cooperation with the National Sheriff's Association, BJA is funding training programs so that law enforcement officers can identify and close down methamphetamine and other clandestine laboratories. o Working with Circle Solutions Inc., BJA is funding a multiagency, strategic- planning approach to address the growth of methamphetamine and clandestine laboratories. Galant noted that "when a lab is found and meth occurs, it is not to be viewed only as a law enforcement problem--it is an environmental problem, a public health problem, an ecological problem, a hazardous materials problem that needs to be addressed collectively." o The Office of the Attorney General has put forward a plan for dealing with methamphetamine in future funding years that is a community-based, multiagency response and addresses prevention, enforcement, and treatment across the board. o BJA, in the 2002 budget, has proposed to address methamphetamine comprehensively, in demonstration, training, and technical assistance programming. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 BJA Welcome Presenter: Patrick Coleman Deputy Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 colemanp@ojp.usdoj.gov In welcoming participants to the conference, Patrick Coleman of the Bureau of Justice Assistance noted that the territories have unique characteristics that make their relationships with BJA different from those of the contiguous lower 48 states. The following are among the characteristics that make it more difficult to generate adequate resources in order to build comprehensive and effective intervention projects in the territories: o The territories are more geographically isolated from the states and from each other, making ongoing, effective communication more difficult. o Smaller population numbers and, therefore, smaller numbers of crimes/offenses committed can sometimes make problems appear less significant than in more populated areas with higher numbers of crimes. o More lenient immigration policies in the territories make interdiction efforts more complicated because of the need to coordinate with multiple international enforcement agencies. While each of these presents challenges for BJA, Coleman emphasized that they should not be excuses for not communicating and working well with the territories. Pledging that BJA would continue to improve relationships with the territories, Coleman pointed out that technology can be used to improve communication, particularly by using it as a means to share information about grant availability and application procedures. More activist-oriented program officers in BJA, with specific responsibilities for working with the territories, have helped improve relationships and can continue to do so. In addition, there should be ongoing efforts to help policymakers in Washington become more sensitive and responsive to the unique needs of the territories. In order to address these and other issues, the TIE Conference was designed to improve communication and working relationships between BJA and the territories by presenting opportunities for BJA to share information about programs, technical assistance, and funding that is available to the territories while hearing about needs and/or concerns from territory representatives. The emphasis for the conference and for future relationships should be on positive communication, problem resolution, and mutual cooperation and support. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: American Samoa Presenter: Leonard Seumanutafa Program Specialist Criminal Justice Planning Agency American Samoa Government Executive Office Building, Third Floor Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 faaulena@hotmail.com The transition to a modern communications system connecting the Bureau of Justice Assistance to the United States territories has resulted in growing pains, particularly for American Samoa. The territory is trying to catch up with the modern technology needed to apply for grant money and obtain essential information concerning criminal status, background checks, arrest records, and statistical analyses. An increase in violent crime in the late 1980s and 1990s has necessitated funding for innovative crime-prevention strategies in the territory, as well as the establishment of new services to meet victims' needs. BJA has been able to bridge the gap between the United States government and the Samoan community by cultivating support at the level of the village councils- -the intermediaries between the government and the community--to whom victims of domestic violence and other family members, such as those who witness the abuse but are powerless to stop it, must appeal directly. At the meeting, several representatives from BJA highlighted some of the bureau's myriad grant programs available to Samoans to create improved criminal history records, criminal evaluation information, and victim compensation for medical, psychiatric, and funeral expenses. Among the issues raised by Seumanutafa, communications was the most urgent; examples were cited of several grant applications submitted by the territory but not received by BJA because of Samoa's outdated communications equipment. Problems of distance and timing were noted to be responsible for delays in telephone and mail correspondence. BJA's toll-free phone number cannot be accessed by the territory's telephone system, and the regular postal service is extremely slow. Mary Sayles, program manager for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), encouraged the territory to continue applying for funding, particularly from BJA's Byrne Grant Program, which awards funds for acquiring and researching crime statistics and criminal evaluations, and to follow up by connecting to the bureau through the island's local telephone operator. She also suggested writing directly to the BJA Office of the Comptroller if system crashes or other technical failures prevent e-mail communication. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Guam Presenter: Lola Leon Guerrero Byrne Grant Coordinator Guam Bureau of Planning Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex Agana, Guam 96932 leleong@mail.gov.gu In combating and preventing drug-related crime, Guam's limited resources have been dramatically augmented by Bureau of Justice Assistance grant programs that target violent crime, provide rehabilitation services, and promote victim care. At the same time, access to these programs is hampered by Guam's transition from outdated modes of communication to modernized crime- prevention systems. Lola Leon Guerrero, Byrne Grant Coordinator, described the impact and specific uses of these grants, as well as the practical problems grant applicants experience in attempting to utilize these resources. To reduce drug trafficking and drug-related violent crime, the Byrne Program has been integral in forming several task forces, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, the Drug Detector Dog Unit Task Force, the Maritime Task Force; which deals closely with the U.S. Coast Guard; and the Street Level Drug Task Force, which links the Guam Police Department directly with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. According to Guerrero, 40 percent of Byrne funds go to automation and have been directly responsible for: o Modernizing Guam's only forensic crime laboratory with a forensic laboratory management information system. o Developing a central repository containing the arrest, conviction, and status records of offenders. o Deploying a police records management information system, that allows the Guam Police Department automated access to the central repository. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is committed to providing Guam with direct linkage to Washington's online sex offender registry beginning in August. By October 13, Guam should be able to comply with the federal mandate requiring state and local governments to update this registry regularly. The Guam Police Department and the Superior Court of Guam use the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG) Program for improvements and technology projects that are not fully funded, or that can no longer be funded, under the Byrne Program, such as: o Updated police-patrol and arrestee-transport vehicles, equipment for new police academy graduates, police radios, firearms, and firing-range supplies. o New computer systems such as the document management and retrieval system, criminal Justice Information Systems data enhancement, and Justice Wide Area Network program communication lines. o Electronic coverage of police academy training cycles. Finally, the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program provides services for criminals being released, and has been used to hire two psychiatric technicians, a chemical-dependency specialist and one corrections officer. Funding has also been used to implement the first drug rehabilitation center for incarcerated inmates, which recently started a co-ed treatment cycle. Guerrero detailed several problems that encumber the application process, citing the difficulty in receiving mail in a timely manner and Guam's inability to access both the LLEBG application Web site and the RSAT files, which, upon each attempt, erroneously indicate "unauthorized user." In providing examples of services made possible by BJA grant programs, Guerrero stressed that reliable electronic access to these resources is critical to Guam's ability to deal effectively with the rise in drug-related crime the territory has experienced in recent years. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: The Northern Mariana Islands Presenter: Kay Inos Criminal Justice Planner Criminal Justice Planning Agency P.O. Box 501133 CK Saipan, MP 96950 Kay.cipa@saipan.com About three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines lie the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States since 1975. Consisting of 16 islands, some uninhabited, some sparsely populated and some growing rapidly, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) has a population of 69,398 that includes indigenous peoples of Chamorro, Carolinian and other Micronesian, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean ethnic groups. It is hard to imagine that these "islands in the sun," with their casual lifestyle, booming economy and vibrant tourist industry, would, in just one recent drug bust, harbor more than $1.2 million dollars (almost 4 pounds) of methamphetamine. Kay Inos, criminal justice planner with the Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) in Saipan, offered a brief overview of the Northern Marianas' criminal justice system and the benefits of the Bureau of Justice Assistance's grant- funded enforcement programs. With four municipalities--the islands of Rota (pop. 3,509), Saipan (pop. 52,698), Tinian (pop. 2,631) and the Northern Islands--the Northern Marianas' CJPA balances funding among different municipal governments, police stations, customs offices, and mayoralties. Support from BJA is used primarily to fund the Northern Marianas Drug Task Force, which is a collaborative effort of CNMI Customs, Department of Public Safety and Office of the Attorney General. In addition, the CJPA divides remaining grant funds among smaller programs and the development of a Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). "We still have a big problem with our CJIS--we are not connected to the National Crime Information Center," Inos said. With training provided by the Australian Customs Services, CNMI has acquired a canine patrol to monitor illicit drug activity at the islands' airports, and the most recent drug bust was a result of canine patrol activity. Most drug- related cases go through the Federal District Court, leaving CNMI's one drug prosecutor to handle relatively few local cases. Inos noted that "drug problems resulted in 5 to 10 student suspensions a week" in Saipan's junior high school, but in spite of a lack of funding, the islands continued to benefit from the success of a D.A.R.E. program. "We haven't been funded for the past year," Inos said, "yet we still have jamborees, parades, dances, a basketball team and a Little League team." Three D.A.R.E. instructors are currently being certified, and she reported that an abstract was being prepared for BJA to solicit future funding. CNMI's Family Court Mediation Program is now in its third year of funding, with 14 certified mediators, mostly volunteers from the local communities (teachers, lawyers, and psychologists). Although not fully implemented, the program's guidelines recently have been established, and a number of cases have been or are being mediated. Other federal grant-driven initiatives in the Northern Marianas include training of law enforcement personnel in money laundering investigations, firearms use, and investigation and interrogation procedures. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Puerto Rico Presenter: Edith Vazquez Pardo, Esq. Assistant Advisor on Federal Affairs Government of Puerto Rico La Fortaleza, P.O. Box 902-0082 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902 evazquez@fortaleza.prstar.net Puerto Rico is located 1,600 miles southeast of New York City and 1,000 miles southeast of Miami. It is 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, with a population of 3.9 million people. Puerto Rico came under United States sovereignty in 1898 after the signing of the Treaty of Paris at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. With a government closely modeled on the United States system, Puerto Rico is a democracy, and the people are American citizens protected by both the United States and Puerto Rican constitutions. The military, post office, air- traffic control, radio and television licensing, and customs and immigration operations are managed by the respective United States government agencies. Buoyed by a large tourist industry, in the last 50 years Puerto Rico has become a modern society with a large middle class and a high standard of living, with an average family income of $30,000 per year. The port of San Juan is home to 23 cruise ships, more than any other city in the world. Annually, 3.1 million people visit Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico's higher education system is a mix of public and private institutions enrolling more than 164,000 students. It has one of the world's largest student populations with 50 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 24 attending a college or university. Additionally, one-half of its labor force has had 1 or more years of college-level education. Of all of the territories, Puerto Rico is the only one in which the primary language is not English. Although the education system is bilingual (Spanish- English) in the public schools, students generally have only one class in English and do not speak English at home or at work. This language barrier is Puerto Rico's greatest obstacle in seeking and receiving federal assistance, especially given that grant announcements and the DOJ Web site are produced almost entirely in English. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Virgin Islands Presenters: Wayne Chinnery Drug Policy Advisor to the Governor Law Enforcement Planning Commission 8172 Sub Base, Suite 3 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802-5803 dunbar35@hotmail.com Meridith Nielsen Deputy Drug Policy Advisor Law Enforcement Planning Commission 8172 Sub Base, Suite 3 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802-5803 "The Virgin Islands, at this juncture in our history, are in a very critical situation . The prospects for us to rise out of these things are very good in the very near future, but we first must recognize what our problems are," said Wayne Chinnery of the Law Enforcement Planning Commission. By offering a brief overview of the history of the Virgin Islands, Chinnery traced the roots of this current crisis and identified the problems that have helped to create it. The Virgin Islands were acquired by the United States in 1917 from Denmark, which had occupied the Islands since the mid-1600s. Dubbed "the poorhouse of the Caribbean" by President Herbert Hoover after a visit in the 1950s, the islands' reputation and economy began to change dramatically in the 1960s. Benefiting from the closure of Cuba to Americans, the islands welcomed increasing numbers of American tourists. This rise in tourism and the resulting economic development led to increased immigration to the islands in the late 1960s, first from other Caribbean islands and then from the United States. With the influx of immigrants, the Virgin Islands began to become less homogeneous, leading islanders to question: "Who are we in this society? What are we entitled to? Who are our enemies? Whom should we be fighting against?" The first enemies identified were immigrants from the other islands, primarily because they seemed the most defenseless. The lack of a unified national identity became more acute as the children of these immigrants began to view themselves as Virgin Islanders, while their parents continued to identify with their homelands. This heterogeneity of identities among Virgin Islanders became increasingly evident when the question of status came to a vote. Prompted by two United Nations resolutions that called on countries with territories and possessions either to integrate them fully or allow for their independence, Virgin Islands politicians reflected the ambivalence of the populace by offering seven status choices on the referendum. With so many choices, a clear decision on independence or integration could not be reached. In addition, since the vote was advisory and the status of the territories depended on final negotiations with the Federal Government, the authority of Virgin Islanders to decide their status was diluted and that made the vote more ambiguous. "We [Virgin Islanders] have substituted our American citizenship for our national identity," Chinnery said. As a result, the Virgin Islands have imported some of the least positive aspects of American society, such as a dependence on the government to solve all problems and a tolerance of young people's negative behavior. Virgin Island politicians, like their American counterparts, pander to different interest groups rather than stake clear positions. The electorate enables such traits because they do not want to confront the very serious issues and difficult decisions that they are required to solve. As a result, the local government has ceded much of its authority to the Federal Government, particularly in areas relating to criminal justice. Because the Federal Government provides the majority of funding in this area, it is able to dictate the types of criminal justice programs that are created while the local government, lacking in infrastructure and real data, has difficulty justifying proposed programs and implementing funded initiatives. This lack of local authority and clear national consensus has allowed many serious problems to develop. With the main tourism having shifted to cruise- ship passengers rather than long-stay vacationers, the economy of the islands has suffered. Many economic incentives intended to lure new industries were given too freely, allowing businesses to prosper on the islands without having to reinvest their profits in the local economy. The education system, which was federalized nearly 20 years ago, funds administrators at the expense of teachers; the Federal Government dictates the curriculum. In addition, public safety is threatened by an increase in crime precipitated by the proliferation of illegal drugs and the rise in illegal immigrants working in the underground economy. Without a strong local government supported by a unified populace, finding workable solutions to these problems will remain an extremely difficult task. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Special Needs of the Territories Presenter: The Honorable Jim Hurd U.S. Attorney General, Virgin Islands Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse 5500 Veteran Drive, Suite 260 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802-6424 Jim Hurd, the U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands, provided an overview of the special needs common to all of the territories, with a particular emphasis on the Virgin Islands. Despite each territory's unique socioeconomic and political conditions, they all suffer from a lack of resources, particularly in the area of law enforcement. Because the rights of territorial citizens are determined not only by Congress but by the specific charters of each territory, there are unique issues relating to law enforcement and criminal prosecution that differ from those of the United States. Unlike state governments in the United States, which are distinct from the Federal Government, territories operate under single sovereignty. Therefore, greater coordination between the local and federal law enforcement systems is needed. Additionally, in the Virgin Islands there is a discretionary grand jury, and indictment is the sole means by which suspects are brought before the court for trial. The lack of resources and unique legal situations in the territories pose common problems for law enforcement. The number one problem in most territories is illegal immigration. Because the government, municipal, and environmental infrastructures already are stretched to the limits, managing large numbers of illegal immigrants is a challenge. In the Virgin Islands there are only three Immigration and Naturalization Service agents. Additionally, illegal drug trafficking is a major issue in the territories. In most, the trafficking in illegal drugs is actually more serious a problem from a criminal justice standpoint than as a public health problem. Because there is no customs or immigration requirements in Puerto Rico for travel to the United States, drug traffickers in other territories use Puerto Rico to ship drugs to the United States. With limited resources, there are very few options available for local and federal authorities in the territories to prevent such shipments of illegal drugs. Finally, Hurd identified corruption within the territorial governments themselves as an obstacle to law enforcement. Exacerbating this situation is the tenuous relationship between federal and local authorities. For instance, United States attorneys assigned to the territories serve for only a couple of years, and this tour is viewed by most as a stepping stone to a better appointment. Given this fact, local authorities are hesitant to seek assistance with corruption issues from federal officials, whose terms are limited, and who most likely already have a negative view of local officials. In the Virgin Islands, Attorney General Hurd has set community outreach as a priority for his office, establishing a Speaker's Bureau and a mentoring program, among other programs, to improve communication and understanding between the federal authorities and the territorial citizens. He also has worked to build capacity in local agencies. In the Virgin Islands, until 7 years ago, the U.S. Attorney's Office was both the federal and local prosecutor. The local authorities wanted more authority and the responsibility for prosecuting all local crimes; however, due to lack of money and technical expertise, they were unable to assume this task. The U.S. Attorney's Office assisted local authorities by acting as second chair in every murder case to help build the trial skills of local attorneys. For the year and a half that this assistance was provided, there was an impressive 90 percent conviction rate. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: BJA Today Presenter: Paul Steiner, Branch Chief, Southeast Region Bureau of Justice Assistance State and Local Assistance Division 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, DC 20531 The painful transition of United States territorial governments toward modern communications standards is challenging the Bureau of Justice Assistance's objectives of reducing crime and improving the functioning of the justice system in those territories. As BJA undergoes reorganization and automates its grant- application process, territories are finding their own technology insufficient to fulfill DOJ protocols and mandates. Paul Steiner, branch chief of BJA's southeast region, examined some of the difficulties faced by the Virgin Islands, and addressed in particular their urgent requests for technical updates and assistance. Focusing on the hindering of grant applications due to technical problems and slow communications in the islands, Steiner offered solutions for better access to the Internet, and--once connected--simpler and more direct resources. Since BJA's objective calls for a "completely paperless, technology-based grant program," the requirements needed to attain this goal are being met by the bureau's reorganization into a geographically based operation, which allows for: o One BJA contact per state or territory to provide information and expertise. o An updated, easily navigable Web site. o A new, electronic grant-management system that local governments can use to manage their own subgrants. o A help hotline staffed with Web program editors to resolve online issues. Having completed the online deployment of its Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG) Program, which provides funds for procurement of law enforcement equipment such as police patrol vehicles and radios, firearms, and firing-range supplies, BJA now can focus on implementing these requirements systemwide. Another result of reorganization has been the installation of senior policy advisors, whose function is to keep field members apprized of policy and program development, research, and best practices in areas such as infrastructure, planning, and methods for dealing with drug courts. Under consideration is the establishment of a National Center for Justice Planning, whose mission would include ensuring that state and local jurisdictions are up to date on the latest technology. Referring briefly to the ways in which the separate, but simultaneous, reorganization of the Office of Justice Programs, of which the BJA is a part, will affect the territories, Steiner mentioned a new program development division, with offices specializing in practical areas of criminal justice research, grant administration, and best practices. Although Steiner emphasized that BJA is "at the forefront of online grant programs," he cited further needs, such as better online security assurance; more staff training to deal with federal requirements, planning, and administration; and new strategies to handle high staff turnover. Currently, a program is in the works to develop a pilot group that will test computer applications and agency programs before they are delivered to the local governments. During the session, a question arose concerning whether grants should be submitted on paper if system crashes or other technical failures prevented their electronic transmission. The response was quick and direct: No grant request will be considered in any form other than electronic. The fact that the Virgin Islands' shift to automation must be total--with no room for alternatives--was further underscored when Steiner reiterated BJA's commitment to solving all electronic problems, and that by offering technical assistance and information, BJA's ultimate goal was to "help the territories help themselves." ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Office of the Comptroller Presenter: Stacy Worthington, Director Training and Policy Division Office of the Comptroller 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 Stacy Worthington of the Office of the Comptroller outlined the functions, responsibilities and powers of the office, which approves all DOJ grants and awards and generally makes sure that grantees conform to all financial and reporting requirements. The Training and Policy Division, with a staff of 15, manages the Customer Service Center, which deals with financial issues, policy and training, and conducts seminars around the country and in Washington, D.C. "We're the people who call up and check on things," he said. "And that's probably how people get the idea we're running the place. But we're really not." He added that the Comptroller's Office certifies each grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, after checking each one and examining the financial qualifications of local organizations. In addition, the Comptroller's Office makes all payments for the agency and prepares annual budgets and statements. Worthington outlined the processes for getting access to grant money and for adjusting discretionary grants. He explained the reporting audit requirements of the Comptroller's Office, contracting dos and don'ts, the food and beverage policy and the range of services available from the office. The Comptroller's Office supports 12 program offices, including BJA and offices devoted to police courts (which provides training for police officers), juvenile justice, violence against women, corrections programs, and counter- terrorism. Thus, the office exercises stewardship over a portfolio of 40,000 grants totaling $20 billion. When a locality gets an award package from the Comptroller's Office, it must read the list of special conditions, sign off on them on the award document, and return it to the office's control desk. Only then, Worthington said, can the funds be made available. Other documents include the cost principle, depending on the type of organization, administrative requirements, rules and regulations that apply, audit requirements for grantees, a sheet of frequently asked questions and progress-report forms. Worthington warned conferees, half-facetiously, to make sure no senior executive grabs the documents and hides them in his desk for safekeeping. Grantees also must arrange for a system of electronic cash withdrawals, Worthington said. Money is no longer sent by mail but by electronic payment. Only certain congressionally mandated funds are paid in lump sums; everything else is drawn down as needed. The telephone number to call for assistance in drawing down funds is 202-305-9988. Worthington advised conferees to call their program managers for advice. He encouraged those making requests to extend or adjust agreements to put those requests in writing. Such requests usually result from a change in the scope of a program since the original application, requiring, for example, that money be moved from one category to another. Program managers can issue grant adjustments, but it is important to document any verbal approval. Localities can move up to 10 percent of a total grant among categories, as long as the scope remains the same. There are strict requirements on food and beverage charges when government funds are used. Entertainment costs cannot be charged, and snacks must not turn into meals. Grantees, he said, must submit the SRF-269 financial report quarterly, reporting only outlays and expenditures within the project budget. The report must be submitted, even if there are no expenditures. Reports are due within 45 days of the end of the quarter. Final reports are due within 120 days of the end of the quarter. Progress reports, using the form provided by the Comptroller's Office, are due semiannually--in June and December. The Comptroller's Office cannot waive the reporting requirement. As for contracting dos and don'ts, grantees can follow their own procurement standards, provided they are at least as restrictive as the federal standards. The small purchase threshold is $100,000, and this cannot be exceeded. Negotiated contracts must be competitive at all levels, and a sole-source contract must be documented and justified. There must be prior approval for any fee (not in the original proposal) of more than $450 per day for a consultant. Localities cannot impose special conditions, such as experience in jail construction, to make only one bidder eligible. Price fixing is forbidden, as is any conflict of interest, or any interest or family connection to a bidder. The threshold requiring an audit is $300,000 in federal funds received within a fiscal year. Grantees must submit an audit report (in the A-33 form, provided by the Comptroller's Office) to the Federal Audit Center. Worthington provided a Top Ten list of audit findings that can lead to corrective action: o Late submission. o Commingling of funds. o Lack of documentation to support costs. o Excess cash (more than is needed for the next 30 days). o Inadequate monitoring of subrecipients (make sure, with phone calls and visits, that they are doing their jobs, Worthington advised). o Unallowable costs. o Inadequate records of time and effort. o Inappropriate changes (prior approvals not documented). o Inaccuracy. o Conflicts of interest. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Corrections Resources Presenters: Gene Contatore Program Manager Corrections Program Office 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. Kim Dolise Kelberg Program Manager Corrections Program Office 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. Kim Kelberg described the work and resources of the Technical Assistance Unit of the Corrections Program Office, while Gene Contatore explained the training and technical assistance programs and outlined some of the cultural differences that have led to communications problems. The Technical Assistance Unit provides on-site training in support of the Violent Offender Issues Training and the Truth in Sentencing program, as well as in such areas as Residential Substance Abuse Treatment and sentencing reform. While the assistance and training is free, the requesting agency provides the training location, if possible, though the Technical Assistance Unit will provide it if necessary. The Technical Assistance Unit, Kelberg said, is designed to help localities qualify and apply for grant programs. The office provides experts and practitioners to help with compliance and helps manage the consequences of the grant program or legislation. Experts and researchers from the office also will help produce proposals to obtain funds for aftercare. Although they cannot evaluate programs, they will help connect local grantees with universities and specific researchers who can design, and help with, evaluation programs. Kelberg described a program in which the Corrections Program Office and the American Correctional Association are developing curricula and will provide training in 14 areas, including the effective use of needs assessment and planning, managing prison contracts, geriatric and longer-term prisoners, the female prison population, reducing the flow of contraband in prisons, planning facilities, and using data for programming and management decisions or for presentation to the legislature. The Technical Assistance Hotline number is 800-848-6325. Ayisa Crowe, at extension 51874, handles substance abuse training, violent offenders incarceration, and Truth in Sentencing requests. Kelberg handles queries regarding violent offenders issues, incarceration training, and sentencing and can be reached at extension 52903. Contatore spoke of the problems that the territories share: Chinese immigration in Guam and the Marianas; economic problems in the Virgin Islands and-- because of the downturn in the Japanese economy and the drop in tourism from there--in Guam and Saipan. He also observed that cultural differences can affect relations between the department and officials in the territories. People on the mainland, he said, "don't have a tremendous amount of patience." This, he said, is perceived by people in the territories as arrogance, and it leads to complaints about young grant managers, such as, "already they're telling us what to do." But perceptions and ways of doing business often are different on the mainland than in the territories, Contatore noted. The problem, he said, is that "we grant managers are not used to being told, 'Yeah, we'll get something to you,' and then, 3 months later, having to ask for it again. It's just not a proper way of doing business." Apart from cultural differences, he said, it is important that the territories get help with e-mail and other electronic communications systems in order to access the Web and get information promptly from the Office of Justice Programs. This, he said, will enable the territories to better their own position. "We want you to do these things so that you can get a better handle and a better response from us." But, he added, "we expect a certain amount of professionalism. We expect a call back when we make a phone call. We expect that if we send you something in a fax, you're not going to ignore it totally . If you want to be treated like professionals, you have to show us some professional respect." It is not the job of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to look over the localities' shoulders and catch errors, he continued, but to help them get grants and make them work well. The "number one tool" in all this, he said, is the grant manager. When there is a problem or a question, the thing to do is pick up the phone and call that grant manager. There is no shame in asking for help. Contatore suggested that the territories band together to seek special and separate treatment, since their problems are unique, similar to the situation of Aleuts or Native Americans. This would require congressional action, he noted. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Resources for Victims of Crimes Presenters: Vanessa Alston Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 alstonv@ojp.usdoj.gov Michelle Avery Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 averym@ojp.usdoj.gov Cynthia Darling Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 cynthia@ojp.usdoj.gov Brad Mitchell Project Coordinator Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 mitchelb@ojp.usdoj.gov Vanessa Alston of the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) offered participants an overview of the agency and its compensation and assistance programs. The Office for Victims of Crime and the Crime Victims Fund were created by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). OVC was chosen to be the lead agency within the U.S. Department of Justice to advocate for the rights of victims. Millions of dollars are collected from fines, forfeited bonds, penalties, and fees (not from taxpayers)--more than $601 million in the past 10 months. OVC uses these funds for Formula Grants and Discretionary Grants, awarded to states and localities for special projects. OVC also makes discretionary grants for victims of federal crimes and supports training and technical assistance to those providing services to victims. Each of the states, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico receive a $500,000 base grant from VOCA funds; the Northern Marianas, Guam, and American Samoa receive a base of $200,000. Beyond the base, states receive additional funds based on their populations. Nearly $2 billion was appropriated between 1986 and 2000. Domestic violence centers and child advocacy projects are among the programs funded. Once each state meets the eligibility requirements, the program is eligible for a grant amount of 40 percent of what was paid out 2 years prior, because only programs that have been in existence for 2 years may apply for VOCA funds. So-called compensation funds help pay for medical costs, mental health counseling, funeral and burial costs, and lost wages for crime victims. Applications go out October 1 of each federal fiscal year, and grants run for 1 to 3 years. OVC is revising its guidelines for these programs. There are no major changes that would affect the territories, except for a plan to add compensation for relocation expenses for victims, which would be especially beneficial for victims of domestic violence. Michelle Avery spoke about the agency's Special Projects Division, which is the program development division of OVC. The division maintains contact with victim services providers and law enforcement in the field to learn how the agency might help them. The division does this through focus groups, participation in conferences around the world and other types of outreach. The division tries to develop programs at the local level that can then be replicated and adapted in other settings. Depending on what is heard from the field, the priorities of the office and the administration and the amount of available funding, the division will determine which programs to support. This year the division is soliciting applications to improve services for programs for immigrant crime victims. Many new immigrants are not getting the services they need because of language and other barriers. The office is also interested in funding mental health services for rural areas and creating an institute for professional training in mental health treatment for child victims of violence. Every year the office issues a Discretionary Grant Application Kit, typically in the spring. Listed are the programs developed for that year, and the criteria for funding. The application deadline for this year was July 14. The office also accepts unsolicited concept papers and proposals from the field. Typically, what works best is a brief concept paper with a skeletal budget proposal. Some current or recent programs the division has funded include: o Victim Services 2000, now in its third year. This is a multi-year project, now in Denver, Colorado; Medina County, Ohio; and Vermont, and serves mostly rural areas. o A summit convened by the International Association of Chiefs of Police with prosecutors and victim advocates to develop recommendations on how to improve victims services. o Crisis response improvement. When there is a critical incident such as a bombing or other terrorist act, how can communities respond better and meet the needs of victims and those who care for them? The division has focus groups of experts from around the country who explain how to mobilize emergency response teams. o Cultural consideration. Developing and testing pilot curricula that seek to educate victim service providers on how to work with victims of various backgrounds. Brad Mitchell spoke about the agency's Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC). The goal of OVC TTAC is to make comprehensive, quality training available to those working in the field. It has three components and is supported by a pool of consultants: o Speaker's Bureau. The division provides speakers for focus groups or special meetings. o Training component. TTAC offers training on a variety of topics, including a training curriculum developed by the Special Projects Division. Domestic violence, hate crimes, and sexual assault are among the specialties. If a need for specific training is identified, an application can be made. o Technical assistance. The division provides a consultant for expert, focused support and mentoring on programmatic issues. This is to facilitate long-term systemic change. In addition to the technical assistance program, OVC TTAC offers a Mentor Program in which a VOCA administrator from one state, territory, or region may offer technical skills to a VOCA administrator in another area. The application package is very simple. There is a cover page, then questions are answered about what is needed and the applicant is matched with a project coordinator. For the Speaker's Bureau, there is a $2,500 cap on fees, which should cover one speaker's keynote and training sessions for one day. For training and technical assistance there is no cap. The TTAC "purple pack" is a training resource guide that lists types of training currently available and in development. Vanessa Alston noted that OVC has a Web site, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/, with links to each of the divisions and to other resources. OVC also operates a national clearinghouse with information on other victims' resources. Three other OVC staff who also attended were Carol Watkins, director of the State Compensation and Assistance Division; program specialist Celeste Williams, who monitors Puerto Rico; and Jeff Puryear, who monitors American Samoa and the Northern Marianas. Carol Watkins noted that a listserv for VOCA administrators has been developed. "This is extremely useful, but many of the territories don't have that e-mail capacity to get back to us," she said. Regarding programs for children who are witnesses to violence, funds are limited, in part because this funding area is relatively new. For funding of such programs, participants should contact Mary Louise Kelly of OVC. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, which has a new 5-year program called Safe Start, may also be helpful; the coordinator there is Kristin Kracke. VOCA is intended to benefit victims. It does not provide program funding for perpetrators or for families of perpetrators. It does fund restorative justice projects, in which victims meet with perpetrators, but the programs must be organized so that the victim is the primary beneficiary. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Thursday, July 20, 2000 Workshop: Civil Rights Resources Presenter: Michael Alston Deputy Director Office for Civil Rights 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, D.C. 20531 alstonm@ojp.usdoj.gov The Office for Civil Rights, part of the Office of Justice Programs, is responsible for ensuring that law enforcement agencies comply with nondiscrimination laws. Any facilities, such as prisons, or any training or other programs developed with federal assistance, are required to fulfill certain civil rights obligations. Michael Alston of the office reviewed the relevant laws and the obligations of federal grant recipients. Since 1964, the Office for Civil Rights has enforced Title VI, which prohibits discrimination by race, sex, color, or national origin. This division also enforces Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on basis of age and sex in education and training programs. Sexual orientation is not a protected class by statute, but the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that homosexuals are protected in some limited instances. For example, a homosexual employee may not be the target of same-sex harassment. The Office for Civil Rights does not have authority to enforce prohibitions to protect veterans. The authority in those cases is the U.S. Veterans Administration. If a law enforcement agency receives a grant of $500,000 or more and has at least 15 employees, it is required to submit an equal-opportunity plan. If the agency is not that large, it is required to certify that it has developed an equal- opportunity plan and is maintaining it on file. Such certification also must be obtained from any subgrantees. Thus, any individual can file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights against an agency. If the claim is sufficient, it may be investigated. The office also is required to conduct compliance reviews of employment or services from time to time. The prohibition of discrimination applies to any program or activity that receives federal assistance. "Program" is broadly defined in the statute. If just one department of an agency is receiving federal funds, under the broad definition, the operations of all related agencies are covered. The Safe Streets Act prohibits discrimination in both employment and delivery of services. Nondiscrimination in delivery of services is key and not always clearly understood. Examples of prohibited discrimination in services include: o Targeting individuals from certain minority communities for law enforcement; this is a violation of Title VI and the Safe Streets Act. The Office for Civil Rights also coordinates with the Civil Rights Division, which has jurisdiction over individual complaints regarding racial profiling. o A funded hotline that does not provide services for the hearing-impaired. o The exclusion of particular groups from state planning agencies that determine how the funds are to be spent. o Slower 911 services to some communities than to others. Both Title VI and the Safe Streets Act prohibit discrimination on the basis of national origin. If a jurisdiction has a population that does not speak English, all agencies that receive federal assistance are required to provide services in the appropriate languages. That is not yet formal policy, but nevertheless the agencies are expected to deliver services in languages other than English. For example, 911 services in Spanish must be provided where there is such a need. Alston said he assumed that in Puerto Rico, the reverse also would be true: Services would have to be available for the English-speaking minority. A review of the plans that have been submitted from the territories suggests that women are even more underrepresented in police departments than they are in the United States. He asked participants whether the cause was discrimination, or a preference on the part of women to avoid that type of work. In order to be in compliance with antidiscrimination laws, jurisdictions must prove that an attempt to recruit women was made. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Friday, July 21, 2000 Workshop: Territorial Problems and Program Development Presenters: Greg Robinson Director, Social Sciences Center California State University P.O. Box 6850 Fullerton, CA 92834 grobinson@fullerton.edu Bob Kirchner Senior Advisor for Evaluation Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 Seventh St. NW Washington, D.C. 20531 kirchner@ojp.usdoj.gov Territorial Problems The Federal Government needs a better understanding of the similarities and differences among the five criminal justice systems of Guam, American Samoa, the Marianas, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The traditional view is that the territories are essentially the same, relative to the United States, and have the same strengths and the same problems. As a result, program development has failed to take into account special territorial needs. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice has been making an effort to recognize individual differences while sustaining expectations overall for the criminal justice system. Program developers must acknowledge the ways in which size, capacity, ethnic, cultural and economic factors all affect a jurisdiction's perception of problems, and the solutions that will actually work. In an effort to make the DOJ's programs more useful to the territories, participants developed a "report" to specify each territory's special characteristics and needs. Representatives were asked to address these questions: o What is your agency, and what is the level of federal participation? o What is the major crime problem that you face? o What is working well? o What one component is in the greatest need of change? American Samoa Leonard Seumanutafa is a program specialist with the Criminal Justice Planning Agency. The territory has a unified government on two islands (population 16,000), but federal participation is unique here. There is no visible federal law enforcement; instead, law enforcement is rooted in and is organized to reflect island culture. The major crime problem is growing methamphetamine use by all age groups. American Samoan life is strongly rooted in the territory's history and culture, and the presence of methamphetamine is working to destroy the fabric of society, generating a breakdown in the connections among generations. On the other hand, the community is working well to maintain its cultural identity in the face of these challenges. For example, a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant was used to develop a traditional application to law enforcement, which involves relying on young men meeting public service requirements by serving as police officers. The greatest need for change is in the rehabilitation and treatment of substance abusers. The territory needs funding as well as strategic planning, education programs and drug testing programs. Guam Lola Guerrero is the Bryne Grant Coordinator for the Guam Bureau of Planning. Guam also has a unified government, but on a single island (population 140,000). With the presence of a U.S. military base on Guam, the Federal Government is fully present here, but federal officials often have dual responsibilities for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The major crime problem in Guam is an increasing use of methamphetamine and, concurrently, an increase in domestic violence, as a result of several factors. Guam is a major drug staging area from which criminals ship drugs to multiple destinations. An economic downturn has resulted in layoffs, which have contributed to family disintegration and more violence at home. What is going well is the collaboration between agencies and the federal funding for significant programs. Federal funding has been used to create multijurisdictional task forces and to facilitate rehabilitation and aftercare drug treatment programs for offenders. The greatest need is for an expansion of these programs to help families of substance abusers as well as victims of crime. Puerto Rico Edith Vazquez Pardo is assistant advisor on federal affairs, and promotes communication among three levels of government. Federal agencies have a well-established presence; among them are the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With 3.9 million people living on an urbanized island, there are several major crime problems: drug abuse and drug staging occurring at all accessible ports, illegal immigration and related poverty, and overcrowding in jails, which is at a critical level. A policy of information-sharing from the central office, initiated by the governor, has had a positive effect in making funding available to more agencies. Also successful has been a program for culturally sensitive intervention with domestic abuse perpetrators. The territory most needs improvements in its strategic planning capacity in order to ensure that resources are being used effectively. This problem has received increasing attention, as more resources directed to law enforcement have not necessarily been correlated with decreasing levels of crime. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Kay Inos is a planner with the Criminal Justice Planning Agency. With a population of 18,000 on three islands, CNMI also has a unified government. Federal participation is limited here. The FBI and DEA are located at Guam, but the territory is not covered by federal immigration laws. An economic crisis, partially the result of a serious loss in tourism, has resulted in an increase in the crime rate. The drug abuse rate is lower, except in the junior high schools, where there has been a disturbing increase in use. The most important players in such a small system are the public safety system and, perhaps the most complex, the culture. On a small island, the chief of police may have to arrest an offender who is a relative. While the police generally do a good job, the correctional facility is overcrowded, leading to early release or, when that is inappropriate, reduced sentences. Especially helpful to CNMI have been the modern technology and equipment, and the technical assistance, that have been purchased with federal funds. While CNMI is making advances in the area of criminal information management systems, it needs further technical assistance in order to provide current information and program applications to its people. Virgin Islands Jim Hurd is the U.S. Attorney for the Virgin Islands (population 16,000). There is federal participation at all levels of governance. The major crime in the territory is drug-related crime among young people, not only possession, but also sales and turf wars. An entrenched apathy and disregard for community norms are widespread in this age group, and the problem has grown worse in the past 5 years. A lack of manpower and information-sharing handicaps law enforcement agencies, while the courts have been forced to delay incarceration for convicted criminals for as many as 5 years. Nonprofit organizations that provide youth services and treatment for victims of domestic violence are working well. These organizations use VOCA grants and juvenile justice programs to assist the communities. Law enforcement and the courts feel the strain of many cultural and political issues, including corruption. These forces, together with a simultaneous need to address critical drug, immigration and incarceration problems, create an unwieldy balancing act for the justice department. More manpower, more collaboration across agencies, and more communication systems would make a significant difference. Program Development Program development is a part of the grant process that needs "unpacking," much like a suitcase. Seeing the layers of planning, documenting and reporting that go into a successful program is essential to grant applicants. Bob Kirchner and Greg Robinson both stressed the need to develop a multifocus approach, build a wider understanding, and create more effective programs for constituents. Planning When planning for federal programs, administrators should acknowledge that more responsibilities are being shouldered at the local level, and that the public is skeptical of spending money on ineffective programs. These facts should act as a catalyst for grant administrators to scrutinize the allocation of resources and not waste funding that can be used more effectively. The questions to ask are: "What is working and what is not working?" A second approach to planning is to use root cause analysis. Grant applicants should identify an issue, examine its various aspects, and repeatedly ask, "Why?" To each response, the question "Why?" should be posed again and again. In this way, program developers can "work downstream" to discover whether an intervention or program is an appropriate way to address a problem. This process helps identify problems more precisely, and creates a wider view of the system and its interdependent components. It is important to use a community-based planning process. Bringing all stakeholders to a table will empower the process and help reduce unexpected conflicts at later stages in the program development. Also helpful is engaging the media in the early stages of the planning process. This will help generate public support not only at the beginning, but also in later stages of the grant funding cycle. Documenting To create a successful grant document, Kirchner advised, applicants should state broad, ambitious goals and two types of objectives: outcome objectives and process or implementation objectives. o Outcome objectives state the results one hopes to attain by intervention. This refers to the changes generated by project activities in the lives and conditions of a population in a targeted area. Good outcome objectives refer to phenomena that are observable and measurable, such as the percentage of arrests for domestic violence. o Process or implementation objectives refer to how the project activities are accomplished, for example: "This project will provide a 10-week program for substance abuse intervention for 250 juveniles." In addition, program objectives must be connected explicitly with program outcomes. This can be accomplished by focusing on evaluation and assessment beginning in the earliest stages of the planning process. Goals and objectives should be specified as precisely as possible. o Make goals realistic and achievable. Goals often have to do with behavior change, but there are several changes that must occur before behavior is affected. Applicants may use the KABB formula--Knowledge, Attitude, Beliefs, Behavior--not only to identify the changes that must occur in a community in order for a program to be successful, but also as a guide to the process applicants must use to develop a program. For example, applicants must evaluate available research to develop a thorough knowledge base, and examine their own attitudes and beliefs for hidden assumptions. Applicants may start the planning process by believing that more police are needed and writing a grant application for that purpose, but they must also consider that hiring more police likely will result in more people in jail, and ask whether they have sufficient resources to handle the increase in the jail population. o Describe the linkage between program activities and program objectives. It is a series of "if/then" statements designed to show coherence among the premise, implementation, and the outcome. Theories of change can be wildly different among distinct groups. For example, probation officers, social workers, educators, and law enforcement officers may define problems of inner-city youth diversely. Understanding those differences may suggest different measures. Reporting Evaluation must occur on several levels. 1. Fiscal and Programmatic Monitoring--an early and significant stage in reporting. o Did the program achieve its administrative objectives? o Were the services proposed actually provided? 2. Process Evaluation. A good program description includes the social, cultural, and political climate of the territory or specific agency. o Keep a current program diary. o Analyze the progress of the program realistically. How exactly did the target audience respond to the program? o Provide a continuous cycle of process evaluation. 3. Summative or impact evaluation. These are rigorous methods that support causal attributions and are reserved for research designs and statistical analysis. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange Conference Saturday, July 22, 2000 Workshop: Reflections, Looking Toward the Future Facilitator: Dr. Frances Brisbane Dean, School of Social Welfare State University of New York at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center, Level 2, Room 093 Stony Brook, New York 11794 francesb@ssw.hsc.sunysb.edu Establishment of a desk within the Office of Justice Programs to deal solely with the problems and requirements of the U.S. territories should be considered a top priority. Normally, such a recommendation would be the topic of another Territories Information Exchange Conference. But Barry Roberts, program manager from the Bureau of Justice Assistance in Washington, D.C., said an impending reorganization of that office requires that such a desk be established soon. The reorganization, Roberts said, will result in special desks for assistance to Native Americans and to Alaska Natives. If the territories want a similar presence, they must act quickly; waiting until next year's conference may be too late. Its essential, facilitator Dr. Frances Brisbane said, that the territories be united in supporting such a recommendation for the special desk, which would spotlight territorial problems that are often handled as an aside in Washington. Such a desk could bridge the gap in service between the territories and the United States. The gap has narrowed in the last two years as a result of the 1999 TIE meeting and interest and concern from BJA director, Nancy Gist. Territorial representatives said they found the TIE conference very helpful because the agenda focused on the distinctive problems and needs of the territories, in contrast to large national conferences where, they said, they often feel "invisible." Two areas of concern, however, are the timing and frequency of similar conferences; one meeting per year may not be sufficient to deal effectively with problems and to generate improved communication among the territories, and between the territories and DOJ. The possibility of a shared Web site devoted exclusively to the concerns of the territories should be explored as one way to increase communication. Timing and location will be paramount considerations for future meetings. A process should be in place for possible attendees to clear their calendars so that more can participate in the conferences. This process should also allow for coordination with local legislative offices to avoid interference with legislative sessions so that legislators can attend conferences, as they add needed insight to problems at the local level. Keeping the conference in Washington, D.C., however, poses problems for attendees from the far Pacific area, who are adversely affected by jet lag and a sense of being rushed through rather full agendas with little time for rest. These problems have to be weighed against the advantages of being at the center of the nation's criminal justice system and the availability of so many informational and funding sources from DOJ. Los Angeles and Hawaii were mentioned as possible locations for future conferences. Shorter conference days might help participants overcome jet lag more effectively and absorb more information. However, Brisbane cautioned that physical obstacles should not drive decisions regarding conference locations. Suggested changes could involve more lead time for individuals arriving for a conference and an improvement in communication to ensure those individuals that are needed to attend are notified well in advance. Roberts noted that one advantage of keeping the conference in Washington is that it is easier to generate the kind of excitement that OJP representatives demonstrated in their presentations. Their availability was key to the conference's success, and it would be difficult to produce that kind of excitement if the meeting were held elsewhere, he said. For the TIE Conference in 2001, Brisbane suggested that other funding sources should be brought into the mix, such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and federally funded substance-abuse agencies, to give program planners a broad picture of funding resources available throughout the federal spectrum. ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange (TIE) Conference Agenda Facilitator: Dr. Frances Brisbane, Dean School of Social Welfare State University of New York at Stony Brook WEDNESDAY July 19, 2000 2:30 - 2:45 pm Welcoming Remarks Barry Roberts, Program Manager and TIE Conference Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 2:45 - 3:30 pm Prevention Resources Robert "Bob" Brown, Senior Advisor for Prevention Bureau of Justice Assistance 3:30 - 4:45 pm Drug Courts Julius Dupree and Lori Sherrod, Program Managers Drug Court Program Office 4:45 - 5:00 pm Break 5:00 - 6:30 pm Working Dinner 5:45 - 6:15 pm Adjudication Resources Charles "Bud" Hollis, Senior Advisor for Adjudication Bureau of Justice Assistance 6:15 - 6:30 pm The Total Resource Picture Tim Murray, Director Program Development Division Bureau of Justice Assistance 6:30 - 7:15 pm Methamphetamine: Problems and Solutions Luke Galant, Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement Bureau of Justice Assistance 7:15 - 7:30 pm What's Ahead? THURSDAY July 20, 2000 8:00 - 8:45 am Attendee Registration & Continental Breakfast 8:45 - 9:00 am BJA Welcome Patrick Coleman, Deputy Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 9:00 - 11:45 am Presentations from Territories "The Politics, Culture and Economics of the Territories" 9:00 - 9:30 am The Northern Mariana Islands Kay Inos, Bryne Grant Coordinator Criminal Justice Planning Agency 9:30 - 10:00 am Guam Lola Leon Guerrero, Byrne Program Coordinator Bureau of Planning 10:00 - 10:30 am American Samoa Ala'alamua L. Filoiali'i, Executive Director Criminal Justice Planning Agency Leonard Seumanutafa, Bryne Programs Coordinator Criminal Justice Planning Agency 10:30 - 10:45 am Break 10:45 - 11:15 am Puerto Rico 11:15 - 11:45 am Virgin Islands Wayne Chinnery, Drug Policy Advisor to the Governor Law Enforcement Planning Commission Meridith Nielsen, Deputy Drug Advisor to the Governor Law Enforcement Planning Commission 11:45 - 12:00 pm Break 12:00 - 1:30 pm Working Lunch 12:45 - 1:15 pm BJA Today Richard H. Ward, III, Deputy Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 1:15 - 2:15 pm Office of the Comptroller Stacy Worthington, Director, Training and Policy Division Office of the Comptroller 2:15 - 3:15 pm Corrections Resources Gene Contatore and Kim Dolise Kelberg, Program Managers Corrections Program Office 3:15 - 3:30 pm Break 3:30 - 4:30 pm Resources for Victims of Crimes Vanessa Alston, Michelle Avery, Cynthia Darling, &Brad Mitchell, Program Managers Office for Victims of Crime 4:30 - 5:00 pm Civil Rights Resources Michael Alston, Deputy Director Office for Civil Rights 5:00 - 5:15 pm Wrap up FRIDAY July 21, 2000 8:30 - 9:00 am Continental Breakfast 9:00 -10:15 am Program Development Moderators: Bob Kirchner, Senior Advisor for Evaluation Bureau of Justice Assistance Greg Robinson, Director Social Science Research Center California State University, Fullerton 10:15 - 10:30 am Break 10:30 - 11:45 am Program Description and Data Needs 11:45 - 12:00 pm Break 12:00 - 1:30 pm Working Lunch 2:00 - 3:15 pm Implementation Monitoring and Reporting 3:15 - 3:30 pm Break 4:45 - 5:00 pm Next Steps: What Should be Accomplished First? SATURDAY July 22, 2000 8:30 - 9:00 am Continental Breakfast Facilitator: Dr. Frances Brisbane 9:00 - 11:00 am Reflections on TIE 2000 Brainstorming for TIE 2001 Adjournment and Farewells ---------------------------- Territories Information Exchange (TIE) Conference Participant List Representing American Samoa: Ala'alamua L. Filoiali'i Executive Director Criminal Justice Planning Agency American Samoa Government Executive Office Building, Third Floor Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 Phone: 684-633-5221 Fax: 684-633-1933 keener@samoatelco.com Leonard Seumanutafa Program Specialist Criminal Justice Planning Agency Executive Office Building, Third Floor Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 Phone: 684-633-5221 Fax: 684-633-7552 faaulena@hotmail.com Jenny Soa Fiscal Officer Criminal Justice Planning Agency American Samoa Government Executive Office Building, Third Floor Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 Phone: 684-633-5221 Fax: 684-633-1933 fjsoa@samoatelco.com Representing Guam: Lola Leon Guerrero Byrne Grant Coordinator Guam Bureau of Planning Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor's Complex Agana, Guam 96932 Phone: 671-472-4201 Fax: 671-477-1812 leleong@ns.gov.gu Representing Northern Mariana Islands: Kay Inos Criminal Justice Planner Criminal Justice Planning Agency P.O. Box 501133 CK Saipan, MP 96950 Phone: 670-644-4550 Fax: 670-664-4560 kay.cjpa@saipan.com Daisy Manglona Technical Assistance Specialist Criminal Justice Planning Agency P.O. Box 501133 CK Saipan, MP 96950 Phone: 670-664-4550 Fax: 670-664-4560 daisy.cjpa@saipan.com Representing Puerto Rico: Edith Vazquez Pardo, Esq. Assistant Advisor on Federal Affairs Government of Puerto Rico La Fortaleza, P.O. Box 902-0082 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902 Phone: 787-721-4275 Fax: 787-721-6551 evazquez@fortaleza.prstar.net Representing Virgin Islands: Wayne Chinnery Drug Policy Advisor to the Governor Law Enforcement Planning Commission 8172 Sub Base, Suite 3 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802-5803 Phone: 340-774-6400 Fax: 340-776-3317 dunbar35@hotmail.com Meridith Nielsen Deputy Drug Policy Advisor Law Enforcement Planning Commission 8172 Sub Base, Suite 3 St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802-5803 Phone: 340-774-6400 Fax: 340-776-3317 Representing the Office of Justice Programs (OJP): Michael Alston Deputy Director Office for Civil Rights 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-307-0692 alstonm@ojp.usdoj.gov Vanessa Alston Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-8619 alstonv@ojp.usdoj.gov Michelle Avery Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-514-5084 averym@ojp.usdoj.gov Ila Arlene Blue Program Manager Violence Against Women Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-2713 Fax: 202-305-2589 bluei@ojp.usdoj.gov Robert "Bob" Brown Senior Advisor for Prevention Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-3297 bobb@ojp.usdoj.gov Patrick Coleman Deputy Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-0313 colemanp@ojp.usdoj.gov Gene Contatore Program Manager Corrections Program Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-1360 gene@ojp.usdoj.gov Cynthia Darling Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-3571 cynthia@ojp.usdoj.gov Michelle Dodge Program Manager Violence Against Women Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-353-7345 Julius Dupree Program Manager Drug Court Program Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-514-1928 duoreej@ojp.usdoj.gov Luke Galant Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-3211 luke@ojp.usdoj.gov Kim Dolise Kelberg Program Manager Corrections Program Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-2903 dolisek@ojp.usdoj.gov Jeffrey Kerr Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-3581 Fax: 202-305-2440 kerrj@ojp.usdoj.gov Robert "Bob" Kirchner Senior Advisor for Evaluation Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-3455 kirchner@ojp.usdoj.gov Brad Mitchell Program Manager Office for Victims of Crime 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-514-9069 mitchelb@ojp.usdoj.gov Tim Murray Director Program Development Division Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-307-5974 murrayt@ojp.usdoj.gov Barry Roberts Program Manager Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S. Department of Justice 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-1144 Fax: 202-354-4061 Mary Santonastasso Director State and Local Assistance Division Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-2088 santonas@ojp.usdoj.gov Mary Sayles Program Manager Bureau of Justice Statistics 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-514-9056 Fax: 202-616-1351 saylesm@ojp.usdoj.gov Lori Sherrod Program Manager Drug Court Program Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-305-7424 sherrodl@ojp.usdoj.gov Gerardo Velazquez Program Manager Bureau of Justice Assistance U.S. Department of Justice 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-353-8645 Fax: 202-305-2543 velazque@ojp.usdoj.gov Richard H. Ward, III Deputy Director Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-616-6500 ward@ojp.usdoj.gov Stacy Worthington Director Training and Policy Division Office of the Comptroller 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 Phone: 202-307-0629 ---------------------------- Speakers/Facilitators Solomona Aoelua Legislative Assistant Office of Congressman Eni Faleomavaega 2422 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-8577 Fax: 202-225-8757 Frances Brisbane Dean, School of Social Welfare State University of New York at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center, Level 2, Room 093 Stony Brook, New York 11794 Phone: 631-444-2139 Fax: 631-444-8908 francesb@ssw.hsc.sunysb.edu Honorable Eni F. H. Faleomavaega Representative from American Samoa U.S. House of Representatives 2422 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-8577 Fax: 202-225-8757 faleomavaega@mail.house.gov Honorable Jim Hurd U.S. Attorney, Virgin Islands Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse 5500 Veteran Drive, Suite 260 St, Thomas, VI 00802-6424 Phone: 340-774-5757 Fax: 340-776-3474 Erin McCormack Project Coordinator Community Research Associates 311 Plus Park Boulevard, Suite 100 Nashville, Tennessee 37217 Phone: 615-399-9908 Fax: 615-399-9301 emccormack@community-research.com Rebecca Morris President Conference Reports & Internet Services 27 Freeman Street Arlington, Massachusetts 02474 Phone: 781-643-6311 Fax: 781-646-2628 morris@conferencereports.com Greg Robinson Director, Social Sciences Center California State University P.O. Box 6850 Fullerton, CA 92834 Phone: 714-278-2600 Fax: 714-278-2549 grobinson@fullerton.edu