Justice Department Stresses Fair Competition In Anticrime Grants
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Obama administration is much more transparent than was the Bush administration about disclosing where the billions of dollars on grants to criminal justice agencies are going, reports National Public Radio. Some previous grant recipients are unhappy about the open process. Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for Justice Programs, tells NPR, "I've really laid down the law about the importance of competing grants so that we ensure that people who are interested in applying for grants from the Department of Justice all have an equal chance."
Robinson tells applicants who were used to getting grants year after year almost automatically that "it's a new era." Discussing new priorities in the Obama administration, Robinson cited $100 million allocated for prisoner re-entry programs and an emphasis on anticrime programs that have scientifically-validated results.
National Public Radio
Not surprising. In OIG Gleen Fine's report in November 2009, he outlined the top management challenges in the Justice Department last year and grant managment in the Office of Justice Program division is still a problem:
DOJ Top Management Challenges
P. 17:
7. Grant Management: The OIG has identified grant management as a significant challenge for the Department since inception of this list, not only in terms of making timely awards of billions of dollars of grant funds but also in maintaining proper oversight over grantees to ensure the funds are used as intended. This challenge is particularly acute for the Department in 2009 because in addition to managing over $3 billion in grant funding from its regular fiscal year appropriation, the same grant administrators also must oversee disbursement and oversight of $4 billion in grants under the Recovery Act. The challenges the Department faces in ensuring the integrity of Recovery Act funds are described in a separate challenge, while this section focuses on the continuing challenge the Department faces in ensuring the overall efficiency and integrity of its grant programs.
Read more on the OIG report. Click here.
Oh, and some bit a good news that was reported back in July 2008. And I don't know if this amendment was rescinded. Let's hope not:
The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Rep. David Obey (D-WI), is taking measures to ensure that DOJ will no longer have the "discretion" to hand out grants to their favorite recipients counter to peer-review recommendations. Rep. Obey has offered an amendment requiring that:
The Attorney General, and the head of any entity in the Department of Justice, in making grants in the exercise of authority under any discretionary grant program shall--
(1) conduct a peer review process, and
(2) adhere strictly to the peer review rankings made.
More from Project of Government Oversight website. Click here.
Showing posts with label Office of Justice Programs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Office of Justice Programs. Show all posts
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
OJP now provides transparency for FY08 grants.
POGO released back in June an article entitled Getting Byrned by Justice: Favoritism in the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program where the watchdog organization reported apparent conflicts of interest in the awarding of grants through the DOJ fiscal year 2007 Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Competitive Grants Program. Now DOJ is providing transparency on the website.
While researching the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program, POGO learned that DOJ had not been publicly posting a list of grant recipients for the past few years. In light of that inexcusable lack of transparency, we recommended that DOJ begin promptly posting grant recipients on their website--a FOIA request should not be required to get a list of federal grant recipients.
We're happy to announce that the FY08 grants are now posted on the DOJ website.
In a House subcommittee hearing on the OJP department, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Sedgwick did tell the committee that "starting this year, OJP is requiring that any grants that have 'varied from peer review [scores] are fully documented.' " The real question is when will OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores who is still under investigation with the Inspector General and the Oversight Committee admit that he didn't provide transparency when ignored decision making grant process and granted certain organizations grants for political and religious agenda?
Saturday, October 04, 2008
OJJDP announces more than $293 million in grants.
Office of Justice Program website:
WASHINGTON, Oct 03, 2008
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey today announced more than $293 million in grant awards to help at-risk youth and improve juvenile justice systems nationwide. These grants, administered by OJP's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), support community efforts to prevent crime and protect public safety through focusing on the well-being of our nation's young people.
"The Department is committed to fighting gangs and gang violence through both enforcement and prevention," said Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey. The grant awards announced today are an important investment in our efforts to provide youth with alternatives to the destructive lifestyle of crime and gangs."
OJJDP awarded more than $125 million directly to states and territories in formula and block grants to implement a range of programs that support safe communities. These funds will support delinquency prevention activities, efforts to enforce underage drinking laws, and accountability-based programs to reduce juvenile offending and strengthen juvenile justice systems. The Office also awarded more than $167 million in discretionary grants to support a range of delinquency prevention and child protection activities.
This year, mentoring grants will focus on the needs of underserved populations, including at-risk youth in Native American and Alaska Native communities and Latino communities that have gang problems. The funding also supports a variety of child protection activities. OJJDP awarded more than $17 million in grants to state and local law enforcement agencies under its Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program to support joint local, state, and federal efforts to investigate and prosecute online crimes against children and keep children safe from online predators.
Interesting. So, the focus is on native, Alaskan, and latin communities that have gang problems.
From Youth Today, here were two examples of organizations that were funded from the OJJDP scandal under J. Robert Flores:
Applicant: Native American Children's Alliance, Ohio
Leadership: Linda Logan, executive director
Assets: $38,000
Revenue: $63,000
For: To introduce the Child Advocacy Center model to Native American communities (Native Child Advocacy Centers).
Web: http://www.nativechildalliance.org/
Rank: 47 (tie)
Average Score: 82
Requested Amount: $1 million
Award Amount: $247,000
Percent Change: -76
Applicant: The Latino Coalition for Faith and Community Initiatives,
Calif.Leadership: Richard Ramos, executive director
Assets: $104,000
Revenue: $3.2 million
For: The Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming Our Futures) Project.
Web: http://www.latinocoalition.org/
Rank: 25
Average Score: 89.5
Requested Amount: $3 million
Award Amount: $1.2 million
Percent Change: -60
Funded
Native American Children’s Alliance: To help tribes set up child welfare advocacy centers. “There are over 600 of these centers throughout the U.S. … We have less than five in Indian Country,” says Executive Director Linda Logan.
The plan is to increase awareness of the centers among tribal leaders and to help them adapt and implement models through training and other assistance. The grant is not to actually set up the centers.
Latino Coalition for Faith and Community Initiatives: To expand efforts to provide services, including mentoring, http://www.data.com for youth in gangs or at risk of gang involvement. The grant will also be used to provide “leadership training for parents,” says Executive Director Richard Ramos.
Aspira: The 46-year-old organization’s website bills it as “national nonprofit organization devoted solely to the education and leadership development of Puerto Rican and other Latino youth,” largely through school-based Aspira clubs.
Aspira President Ronald Blackburn-Moreno says the grant will help to accomplish three objectives: to do a “comprehensive analysis … of our youth leadership development material” in order to create a “national model” for youth development programs, especially for Hispanic youth; to “fully integrate our parent involvement and our mentoring programs”; and to conduct a research-based evaluation of Aspira’s programs over the past 40 years.
On a side note:
Jeff Sedgwick Confirmed Assistant Attorney General
On Thursday, October 2, 2008, Jeffrey L. Sedgwick was confirmed by the United States Senate as Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. President Bush nominated Dr. Sedgwick to the position in April 2008. He has served as Acting Assistant Attorney General since January 2008 and Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics since March 2006.
Sedgwick testified for the House subcommittee on September 18 in the Office of Justice Program hearings to discuss the operations of the Office of Justice Program division. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is under the umbrella of the Office of Justice Program. OJJDP Adminstrator J. Robert Flores reports to Sedgwick.
WASHINGTON, Oct 03, 2008
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey today announced more than $293 million in grant awards to help at-risk youth and improve juvenile justice systems nationwide. These grants, administered by OJP's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), support community efforts to prevent crime and protect public safety through focusing on the well-being of our nation's young people.
"The Department is committed to fighting gangs and gang violence through both enforcement and prevention," said Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey. The grant awards announced today are an important investment in our efforts to provide youth with alternatives to the destructive lifestyle of crime and gangs."
OJJDP awarded more than $125 million directly to states and territories in formula and block grants to implement a range of programs that support safe communities. These funds will support delinquency prevention activities, efforts to enforce underage drinking laws, and accountability-based programs to reduce juvenile offending and strengthen juvenile justice systems. The Office also awarded more than $167 million in discretionary grants to support a range of delinquency prevention and child protection activities.
This year, mentoring grants will focus on the needs of underserved populations, including at-risk youth in Native American and Alaska Native communities and Latino communities that have gang problems. The funding also supports a variety of child protection activities. OJJDP awarded more than $17 million in grants to state and local law enforcement agencies under its Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program to support joint local, state, and federal efforts to investigate and prosecute online crimes against children and keep children safe from online predators.
Interesting. So, the focus is on native, Alaskan, and latin communities that have gang problems.
From Youth Today, here were two examples of organizations that were funded from the OJJDP scandal under J. Robert Flores:
Applicant: Native American Children's Alliance, Ohio
Leadership: Linda Logan, executive director
Assets: $38,000
Revenue: $63,000
For: To introduce the Child Advocacy Center model to Native American communities (Native Child Advocacy Centers).
Web: http://www.nativechildalliance.org/
Rank: 47 (tie)
Average Score: 82
Requested Amount: $1 million
Award Amount: $247,000
Percent Change: -76
Applicant: The Latino Coalition for Faith and Community Initiatives,
Calif.Leadership: Richard Ramos, executive director
Assets: $104,000
Revenue: $3.2 million
For: The Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming Our Futures) Project.
Web: http://www.latinocoalition.org/
Rank: 25
Average Score: 89.5
Requested Amount: $3 million
Award Amount: $1.2 million
Percent Change: -60
Funded
Native American Children’s Alliance: To help tribes set up child welfare advocacy centers. “There are over 600 of these centers throughout the U.S. … We have less than five in Indian Country,” says Executive Director Linda Logan.
The plan is to increase awareness of the centers among tribal leaders and to help them adapt and implement models through training and other assistance. The grant is not to actually set up the centers.
Latino Coalition for Faith and Community Initiatives: To expand efforts to provide services, including mentoring, http://www.data.com for youth in gangs or at risk of gang involvement. The grant will also be used to provide “leadership training for parents,” says Executive Director Richard Ramos.
Aspira: The 46-year-old organization’s website bills it as “national nonprofit organization devoted solely to the education and leadership development of Puerto Rican and other Latino youth,” largely through school-based Aspira clubs.
Aspira President Ronald Blackburn-Moreno says the grant will help to accomplish three objectives: to do a “comprehensive analysis … of our youth leadership development material” in order to create a “national model” for youth development programs, especially for Hispanic youth; to “fully integrate our parent involvement and our mentoring programs”; and to conduct a research-based evaluation of Aspira’s programs over the past 40 years.
On a side note:
Jeff Sedgwick Confirmed Assistant Attorney General
On Thursday, October 2, 2008, Jeffrey L. Sedgwick was confirmed by the United States Senate as Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. President Bush nominated Dr. Sedgwick to the position in April 2008. He has served as Acting Assistant Attorney General since January 2008 and Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics since March 2006.
Sedgwick testified for the House subcommittee on September 18 in the Office of Justice Program hearings to discuss the operations of the Office of Justice Program division. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is under the umbrella of the Office of Justice Program. OJJDP Adminstrator J. Robert Flores reports to Sedgwick.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Justice Department Office of Justice Programs oversight hearing
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Written by Biloxi
September 23, 2008
House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security released yesterday the written testimonies of the witnesses. There were two panels of witnesses. The first witness will be Jeffrey Sedgwick, Acting assistant attorney general for Office Justice Program (OJP). Sedgwick replaced Ms. Cybele Daley after she left in January. A second panel of witnesses consists of six witnesses, all of them leaders of nonprofit organizations or associations:
*Bill Piper, director of national affairs at D.C.-based Drug Policy Alliance Network;
*Ron Brooks, president of the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition (NNCOAC) in San Francisco;
*Mary Lou Leary, executive director of the D.C.-based National Center for Victims of Crime, who briefly ran OJP for former President Bill Clinton;
*Shay Bilchik, director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI) and former OJJDP Administrator;
*Pete Marone, president of the Virginia Department of Forensic Science; and
*Charlie Sullivan, who runs Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants.
[More]..
Read on.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
House Judiciary Committee will hold hearing on the Office of Justice Programs.
Written by Biloxi
Mittwoch, 27 August 2008
On September 18, 2008, House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Office of Justice Programs to "examine whether its grant making is in line with the best research and policies." According to crime subcommittee counsel Mario Dispenza, the hearing will include analysis of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention but not likely on the grant making process.
Read on from Newsinkling.org
Mittwoch, 27 August 2008
On September 18, 2008, House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Office of Justice Programs to "examine whether its grant making is in line with the best research and policies." According to crime subcommittee counsel Mario Dispenza, the hearing will include analysis of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention but not likely on the grant making process.
Read on from Newsinkling.org
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
OJJDP scandal spreads to other Justice Department divisions.
Written by Biloxi
DIENSTAG, 22 JULI 2008
I have written about the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) scandal under the OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores. But, there are two other departments within the Justice Department that are not getting noticed in the media: The departments of Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of the Assistant Attorney General.
DIENSTAG, 22 JULI 2008
I have written about the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) scandal under the OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores. But, there are two other departments within the Justice Department that are not getting noticed in the media: The departments of Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of the Assistant Attorney General.
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