This Body-Worn Camera Partnership Program is for law enforcement agencies, including tribal law enforcement, seeking to pilot, establish, or enhance body-worn camera policy and implementation practices. BJA’s Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program (BWCPIP) addresses how to develop and implement these policies and practices for effective program adoption, including the purchase, deployment, and maintenance of camera systems and equipment; data storage and access; and privacy considerations. BWCPIP funds are to be used to purchase or lease camera technology, and program stipulations require that the devices be deployed in a deliberate and planned manner. Before receiving the bulk of their funds, award recipients must first demonstrate a commitment and adherence to a strong body-worn camera (BWC) policy framework. BWCPIP also stresses requisite training, tracking the impact of BWCs, sound digital evidence management practices, and internal and external stakeholder input. Correctional agencies are eligible to apply for BWCPIP funding, provided they are publicly funded and perform law enforcement functions. BJA also provides competitive microgrants to small, rural, and tribal law enforcement agencies seeking to initiate or expand a body-worn camera program. BJA provides all grantees with training and technical assistance which is also available to the field. For more information, visit: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/bwc-partnership-program/overview
The purpose of the Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program is to reimburse states, counties, federally recognized tribes, cities, and local jurisdictions up to 50% of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers. The term ‘Law Enforcement Officer’ means any officer, agent, or employee of a State, unit of local government, or federally recognized tribes authorized by law or by a government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, or investigation of any violation of criminal law, or authorized by law to supervise people who have been sentenced. This includes full, part- time, and auxiliary personnel, whether paid or volunteer. For more information, visit: www.ojp.gov/program/bulletproof-vest-partnership/overview
This program supports state, local, and tribal governments, law enforcement agencies, correctional facilities, probation and parole departments, and sheriffs’ offices in developing, implementing, or expanding de-escalation and crisis response training programs that improve responses to and outcomes for individuals in crisis who have behavioral health conditions (including mental health and substance use disorders), intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs), physical disabilities, and/or traumatic brain injuries. This program will equip law enforcement and correctional officers with tactical skills and strategies to effectively de-escalate crisis situations, enhance safety, and protect officer wellbeing. Officers trained in crisis intervention techniques are better equipped to safely de-escalate volatile situations involving individuals experiencing behavioral health crises, including those with I/DDs. The skills developed through de-escalation and crisis response training can help improve interactions with persons experiencing a crisis and optimize officer’s ability to focus on their core public safety and facility security duties. This program supports site-based awards, training, and technical assistance, which can be found at: https://www.informedpoliceresponses.com/
COSSUP funds support the development, implementation, or expansion of comprehensive programs in response to overdose deaths, illicit opioids, stimulants, and other substances. Through this program, state, territorial, local, and tribal governments can support law enforcement-related activities, including efforts to locate and investigate illicit activities related to the unlawful distribution of opioids; increase access to prevention programs and overdose reversal medications; and expand treatment and recovery support services in the community, within correctional facilities and upon reentry. More information can be found at: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/cossup/about
Recognizing that institutional and community corrections officers and staff face many challenges, threats, and stressors, the Corrections Officer and Staff Safety and Wellness Program offers training and technical assistance and builds upon the knowledge base of what works to continually improve their safety and wellness. In addition to offering training, the Corrections Officer and Staff Safety and Wellness Center serves as a repository of corrections policies, protocols, and innovations that work to improve corrections officer and staff safety, wellness, resilience, and retention. In addition, the Center will focus on what works to identify and prevent suicide risk among corrections officers who are lost to suicide at a rate much higher than that for the general population. For more information, visit: https://bja.ojp.gov
The Death in Custody Reporting Act (DCRA; Public Law 113-242) requires that states provide information regarding the death of any person incarcerated at a municipal or county jail to the Attorney General on a quarterly basis. Municipal and county jails or lockups are to report this information to their State Administering Agency (SAA) according to the process determined by their SAA. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) offers resources to states and localities to support DCRA data collection and reporting. More information about BJA’s DCRA Data Collection Program can be accessed here.
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Health and Reentry Project (HARP) aims to support sheriffs, jail administrators, and leaders of state corrections agencies to address health-related factors that contribute to crime for reentering individuals, support the development of operations-responsive reentry partnerships in the health sector, and strengthen continuity of care approaches. Interested jails are asked to complete the linked form below to indicate their needs and area of interest. HARP will serve as many interested jurisdictions as it can within its available resources. For additional information, visit https://healthandreentryproject.org/technical-assistance/technical-assistance-for-corrections. Those interested in assistance in this area can complete the Technical Assistance Interest Form.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Assistance Center (BJA NTTAC) facilitates the delivery of training and technical assistance (TTA) to the criminal justice community. By providing rapid, expert, coordinated, and data driven TTA, the BJA NTTAC team supports practitioners in their efforts to reduce crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement, making communities safer. Utilizing a vast provider network, the BJA NTTAC team connects state, local, and tribal justice agencies with subject matter experts to address their communities’ specific public safety needs. Learn more at: https://bjatta.bja.ojp.gov/
Under the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP), BJA certifies that local or state prison industry programs meet all the necessary requirements to be exempt from federal restrictions on prisoner-made goods in interstate commerce. PIECP programs place people who are incarcerated in realistic work environments, pay them prevailing wages, and give them a chance to develop marketable skills that will increase their potential for rehabilitation and meaningful employment on release. BJA provides technical assistance to all active state and county-based certified correctional industry programs that manage business partnerships with private industry and provides the latest information and strategies on prison industries to enhance certificate holders’ prison industry programs. For more information, visit: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/piecp/overview
BJA’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Management Office is responsible for supporting PREA implementation nationwide. In addition to administering the PREA Site-based Grant Program, this office also directs the PREA Resource Center, articulates the instrumentation and methodology to be used for PREA audits, trains and certifies PREA auditors, provides oversight for PREA audits, and communicates with governors’ offices about their annual statutory obligations under PREA. More information about PREA can be accessed here: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/prea/overview. Additional information, and access to training and technical assistance can be accessed here: https://www.prearesourcecenter.org/
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program is a formula grant program that enhances the capabilities of state, local, and tribal governments to provide residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment to adult and juvenile populations during detention or incarceration, initiate or continue evidence-based SUD treatment in jails, prepare individuals for reintegration into the community, and assist them and their communities throughout the reentry process by delivering community-based treatment and other recovery aftercare services. It encourages the establishment and maintenance of drug-free prisons and jails and development and implementation of specialized residential SUD treatment for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The program also encourages the inclusion of medication-assisted treatment as part of any SUD treatment protocol. Further information is available at: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/rsat/overview. BJA offers training and technical assistance to RSAT Program recipients and subrecipients. For more information or to request support go to: https://www.rsat-tta.com/Home
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) in conjunction with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). SCAAP provides federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law and who were incarcerated for at least four consecutive days during the reporting period. More information about BJA’s SCAAP Program can be accessed here and the SCAAP Helpdesk can be contacted at SCAAP@usdoj.gov.
The Swift, Certain, and Fair Supervision Program supports replication of the Hawaii Opportunity Probation with Enforcement model of responding to behavior of individuals on supervision with swift, certain, and fair consequences (SCF). The SCF program seeks to improve community supervision agencies’ operational capacity to reduce recidivism and violent crime through strengthening effective supervision strategies and focusing on individuals at high risk of recidivating.
The Tribal Corrections Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program delivers on strategies to strengthen tribal correctional system capacity to enhance public safety and facilitate successful community reintegration efforts. It supports tribal communities in addressing their community supervision and training needs, as well as ensuring successful community reintegration efforts, for individuals returning to the community from correctional facilities. It focuses on using culturally appropriate programming; advancing criminal justice reform by providing TTA on implementing and/or enhancing alternatives to incarceration; enhancing tribal justice system capacity to identify and meet the rehabilitation needs of probationers, detainees, and inmates; and embracing victim-centered community supervision and reentry approaches to better serve victims of crime. For more information, visit: https://ncjtc.fvtc.edu/programs/PR00000014/tribal-corrections-capacity-building-training-and-technical-assistance-program
BJA’s Tribal Justice Systems Program supports Tribal efforts to develop and improve culturally relevant adult tribal justice systems and prevent crime, including violent crime and substance use-related offenses (opioids, alcohol, stimulants, and other drugs). This funding supports the entire continuum of adult tribal justice system needs – from prevention to law enforcement to courts to corrections to reentry. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized Tribal governments. For additional fact sheets, please visit: CTAS_booklet_QRcodes 508 Compliant.pdf. For information on available Tribal grant opportunities, please visit: justice.gov/tribal/grants.
The Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program (TJSIP) provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia with funding to strengthen tribal justice system capacity by addressing physical infrastructure needs. Through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) Purpose Area 4, BJA provides site-based funding to federally recognized tribes to renovate, expand, or replace existing tribal justice-related facilities or build new permanent tribal justice-related facilities (prefabricated, permanent modular, new standalone permanent facilities, or pre-engineered steel building options).
The facility types supported by this program include police departments, courts, detention centers, multipurpose justice centers, transitional living facilities, correctional alternative or treatment facilities, and domestic violence shelters/safe homes/transitional living facilities/advocacy programs. For additional information on TJSIP and CTAS, visit: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/tjsip/overview.