FY 2022 BJA National Initiatives - Justice for All: Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Program: NCJA Statewide Strategic Planning TTA

The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA), through its Center for Justice Planning, is pleased to submit this proposal for 12-months of supplemental funding to support the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 23 – Courts, Communities and Strategic Partnerships Supplemental for the Justice for All: Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Program: Statewide Strategic Planning Training and Technical Assistance under CFDA: 16.738. The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) statute requires State Administering Agencies (SAAs) to submit a comprehensive statewide strategic plan, developed in consultation with a diverse list of system stakeholders, that details how grants will be used to improve the administration of justice and how the state will allocate funding within and among the nine Byrne JAG program areas. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 added a 9th program area to the Byrne JAG statute focused on reducing firearm-related violence. The Act authorized and appropriated funding for five years specifically for this new program area. Both Byrne JAG and Byrne SCIP SAAs need support as they navigate new relationships, requirements and investments to meet the priorities of the Byrne SCIP funding and the new Byrne JAG 9th program area. NCJA will serve as the lead agency to design, develop and manage activities for this program. NCJA will use this supplemental funding to maintain its foundational TTA offerings outlined in award number 15PBJA-22-GK-01566-JAGJ, while expanding its in-depth and comprehensive training to meet the needs of all SAAs and the priorities for Byrne SCIP. NCJA will support SAAs in the development and implementation of their strategic plans, provide subject matter expertise (SME), build capacity in strategic planning, data utilization and implementation of evidence-based practices, support efforts to improve fairness and reduce racial and ethnic disparities through grants administration and strategic planning and evaluate the effectiveness of training and technical assistance delivered. 

This strategic planning TTA will emphasize four key planning goals 1) Continue and enhance the overall TTA and strategic planning services, including but not limited to, priority setting and implementation based on data, evaluation, best practices and engagement of diverse stakeholders for both Byrne JAG and Byrne SCIP SAAs. 2) Support the BJA PMT Steering Committee including providing SMEs, meeting facilitation and additional support for DCRA in coordination with its TTA provider. 3) Support BJA in delivering discretionary funding webinars with SAAs and 4) Support BJA by carrying out special projects as requested by BJA leadership.

The Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016 amended the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program requiring State Administering Agencies (SAAs) to submit a comprehensive statewide strategic plan, developed in consultation with a diverse list of system stakeholders, detailing how grants will be used to improve the administration of justice and how the state will allocate funding within and among the nine Byrne JAG program areas.
As the longstanding provider of strategic planning TTA to SAAs and their community partners, NCJA can immediately execute a program to support these agencies as well as local subrecipients and justice coordinating councils and boards in the development and implementation of their strategic plans; provide subject matter expertise; build capacity in strategic planning, data utilization and implementation of evidence-informed practices; support efforts for integration between public safety and behavioral health; and evaluate the effectiveness of the training and technical assistance delivered. NCJA will offer a variety of TTA opportunities with the ultimate goal of improving criminal justice outcomes through the development of evidence-informed, data-driven, and comprehensive strategic plans that inform Byrne JAG investments in each state.
This TTA will emphasize: (1) Continued technical assistance and support to SAAs as well as Byrne JAG recipients and local justice coordinating councils and boards, and (2) Enhanced strategic planning support through: (a) Priority setting within the justice system; (b) Integration between public safety and behavioral health and victims services grants; (c) Data utilization, including the National Incident-Based Reporting System, other state and local data, and the performance management tool; and (d) Improved coordination between local and state agencies.
Successful delivery of this program will improve state and local justice systems through the development of comprehensive strategic planning skills. NCJA will maintain its foundational TTA offerings, while expanding its in-depth and comprehensive training to meet the needs of all SAAs and local stakeholders. NCJA will serve as the lead agency to design, develop and manage activities for this 12-month program while leveraging the expertise of its staff, partners, subject matter experts and BJA, to best support state policymakers in their strategic planning and implementation.