$1-M fed grants available to fight crimes and violence

The Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) announces the availability of funds for the STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT), and Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Programs.

The amount available under the following grants are as follows: $177,210 under FY99 VAWA; $239,582 under FY98 RSAT; $233,974 under FY99 RSAT; $20,000 under FY98 Byrne and $464,310 under FY99 Byrne. The CJPA office is the CNMI’s administering agency for the VAWA, RSAT, and Byrne programs.

1. FY1999 Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program – $464,310. The program provides critical drug law enforcement and prosecution resources to state and local government. The BJA requires a pre-approved Program Abstract that meets the program requirements outlined under the Byrne Program 26
Authorized Purpose Areas. The FY1999 strategy proposed to use 10% or $46,431 of the grant for administration and 90% for the implementation of six action programs, which include the following:

a. Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) – $92,879. This project proposes to continue the improvement of the CNMI’s Criminal Justice Information System, a project that would automate the criminal records and link via a computer network the CNMI Criminal Justice systems. The project further proposes to implement the Criminal
Justice Record Improvement (CJRI) program for accurate, complete and timely reporting of criminal history records.

b. Interagency Financial Crimes and Drug Enforcement Task Force – $200,000. This program is designed to provide integrated interdiction, investigation, and prosecution activities to focus on drug offenses, drug-related violent crimes, organized crime, government corruption, and related offenses. The intended recipient of this program is the Drug Task Force composed of the Department of Public Safety (Criminal Investigation Bureau), Department of Finance (Customs Enforcement Branch, and the Office of the Attorney General (Criminal Division).

C. Court Diversion Program – $5,000. This program proposes to provide alternative to prevent detention, jail and prison for persons who pose no danger to the community. The program is presently being operated under the Office of Adult Probation and staffed by an administrator who provides intensive monitoring and tracking of eligible clients. The intended recipient of this program is the Office of Adult Probation under the CNMI Superior Court.

d. Family Court Mediation Program – $25,000. This Program is designed to provided operation assistance to the Family Court Mediation Program under the Family Court Division, CNMI Superior Court. The intended recipient of this program is the Family Court Division under the CNMI Superior Court.

e. Court Case Management and Imaging System – $45,000. This program is to supplement existing automation efforts by the Commonwealth Judicial Branch. The court is presently implementing the court’s case management systems enabling electronic case tracking, case calendaring, data storage and retrieval and related activities. The resulting effect will be better planning opportunity and more efficient and effective administration of justice. The intended recipient of this program is the CNMI Superior Court.

f. Batterer’s Program – $50,000. This project is designed to provide counseling and rehabilitative services for perpetrators of family violence, particularly domestic violence. The intended recipient of this grant is the Grace Family Ministries.

II. FY1998 Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program – $250,000. The program provides critical drug law enforcement and prosecution resources to state and local government

a. Court Case Management and Imaging System – $20,000. This program is to supplement existing automation efforts by the Commonwealth Judicial Branch. The court is presently implementing the court’s case management systems enabling electronic case tracking, case calendaring, data storage and retrieval, and related activities. The program is anticipated to enable the court to actively participate in the CNMI Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). The intended recipient of this program is the CNMI Superior Court.

III. Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program – $473,556. The primary purpose of the RSAT program is to assist states and units of local government in developing and implementing residential substance abuse treatment programs within State and local correctional and detention facilities in which prisoners are incarcerated for a period of time sufficient to permit substance abuse treatment. Funds under this program may be used to implement residential substance abuse program that provide individual and group treatment activities for offenders in residential facilities operated by State and local correctional agencies. This program, which involves drug testing, calls for collaborative efforts among the Division of Corrections, Parole, Probation, and the Division of Mental Health and Social Services.
a FY1998 RSAT – $239,592. This project is designed to provide counseling and rehabilitative services for perpetrators of family violence, particularly domestic violence. The project will provide treatment program on self-esteem, parenting, drug and alcohol abuse, anger management, financial management, and other interpersonal relations to perpetrators of domestic violence. The intended recipient of this grant is the Division of Corrections, Department of Public Safety.

b. FY 1999 RSAT – $233,974. This project is designed to provide counseling and rehabilitative services for perpetrators of family violence, particularly domestic violence. The project will provide treatment program on self-esteem, parenting, drug and alcohol abuse, anger management, financial management, and other interpersonal relations to perpetrators of domestic violence. The intended recipient of this grant is the Division of Corrections, Department of Public Safety.

IV. STOP (Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Formula Grant – $177,210. This program is intended to foster more widespread apprehension, prosecution, and adjudication of perpetrators of violent crimes against women through the criminal justice system.

a. Family Violence Task Force – $168,349. The Family Violence Task Force is intended to provide a centralized, coordinated, and multi-disciplinary response to domestic violence, with an emphasis on victim safety and on the prevention of further and more serious violence or an injury to women and/or juvenile family members. The Task Force is composed of the Attorney General Criminal Division, Department of Public Health Medical Social Services, Division of Youth Services, Department of Public Safety, Family Court Division, Criminal Justice Planning Agency, Ayuda Network, Karidat and other VOCA funded projects. The intended recipient of this program is the Family Violence Task Force.

The available funds will be awarded by the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Council for the Improvement of the Criminal Justice System (CJPA Supervisory Council) through a subgrant process consistent with the project description outlined in the CNMI’s FY 1998 and FY 1999 applications and accompanying strategies for the VAWA, RSAT and Byrne Programs. Projects funded under these programs will be monitored and administered by the CJPA office. The Supervisory Council is expected to meet on Thursday, April 20, 2000 and will review all applications and proposals submitted to the CJPA on or before Friday, April 7, 2000.

Interested applicants must contact the CJPA at 664-4550-7 or stop by the CJPA Office on Capitol Hill (House #13414) to obtain a Subgrant Application Form. For more information, please contact Harry C. Blanco, CJPA executive director, or e-mail harry.cjpa@Saipan.com.