National Ashanti Alert Network Training and Technical Assistance Program

Ashanti Billie was a 19-year-old woman who disappeared in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on September 18, 2017.  Two weeks later, authorities discovered her body in Charlotte, North Carolina—350 miles away.  The amount of time and distance between Ashanti’s abduction and the discovery of her body, as well as falling outside the scope of other alert programs, raised questions regarding the lack of a missing person alert system that focused on individuals over the age of 17.  The Ashanti Alert Act (Act) and the National Ashanti Alert Network (Network) help address this gap.

The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), in collaboration with the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Technology Support Center (RTSC), is submitting this proposal to continue support for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), National Ashanti Alert Network Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program.  This project assists jurisdictions in reducing crime, improving criminal justice efforts, enhancing information sharing, strengthening multiagency collaboration, and implementing data-driven, evidence-based strategies.  This proposal builds on the successful work achieved by IIR and the RTSC and will advance the following goals:

Provide, with oversight and guidance from BJA, high-quality, cost-effective TTA to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) jurisdictions regarding the Network.
Provide training to SLTT jurisdictions to help develop their programs, participate in the Network, or develop public awareness education to reduce victimization.
Continue to develop and expand the state pilot program.

Activities include the following:

Improve and increase knowledge about the Act and the Network to SLTT missing person programs to have them participate in the pilot program or submit an Ashanti Alert Plan.
Manage a database of missing person programs and contacts.
Maintain and update related legislation and policies.
Create and distribute resources, templates, briefing documents, reports, and outreach and awareness materials.
Launch and manage the Ashanti public website and secure stakeholder portal.
Implement a solution to enable jurisdictions to share missing person information.
Support the Ashanti Alert Advisory Committee and the Ashanti Alert Stakeholder Working Group.
Support the pilot program and provide technical assistance to participants (geographically and programmatically diverse).
Communicate and collaborate with BJA and assess TTA services.
Collect the required data from SLTT programs, as required by the Act.

This effort will enhance jurisdictions’ abilities to effectively share information, locate and return missing adults home safely and unharmed, reduce violent crime, and save lives.

Ashanti Billie was a 19-year-old woman who disappeared in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on September 18, 2017. Two weeks later, authorities discovered her body in Charlotte, North Carolina—350 miles away. The amount of time and distance between Ashanti’s abduction and the discovery of her body, as well as falling outside the scope of other alert programs, raised questions regarding the lack of a missing person alert system that focused on individuals over the age of 17. The Ashanti Alert Act (Act) and the National Ashanti Alert Network (Network) aim to address this problem. The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), in collaboration with the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Technology Support Center (RTSC), is submitting this proposal to continue support for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) National Ashanti Alert Network Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program. This project assists jurisdictions in reducing crime, improving criminal justice efforts, enhancing information sharing, strengthening multiagency collaboration, and implementing data-driven, evidence-based strategies. This proposal builds on the successful work achieved by IIR and the RTSC and will advance the following three goals: provide, with oversight and guidance from BJA, high-quality, cost-effective TTA to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) jurisdictions regarding the Network; provide training to SLTT jurisdictions to help develop their programs, participate in the Network, or develop public awareness education to reduce victimization; and continue to develop and expand the state pilot program. The project supports the following activities: improve and increase knowledge about the Act and the Network for SLTT missing person programs, encourage participation in the pilot, and support jurisdictions in establishing or enhancing a missing adult alert program; maintain and update a database of missing person programs, contacts, and program legislation and policies; develop, update, and distribute resources, templates, briefing documents, reports, and outreach materials; launch and manage the Ashanti public and secure websites; support the federal Ashanti Advisory Committee, the Ashanti Alert Stakeholder Working Group, and the Ashanti Alert National Coordinator; launch the pilot program, implement technical solutions for sharing alert information, and provide technical assistance to pilot sites; communicate and collaborate with BJA; report TTA activities; collect the required data, per the Act; and help draft the Annual Report to Congress. This effort will enhance jurisdictions’ abilities to effectively share information, locate and return missing adults home safely and unharmed, reduce violent crime, and save lives.