NCJA Statewide Strategic Planning Training and Technical Assistance; Category 1 of Justice for All: Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Program

The Justice for All: Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Program, Category 1: Statewide Strategic Planning Training and Technical Assistance delivers training and technical assistance (TTA) and strategic planning services to policymakers at the state level to support their strategic planning efforts as required by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG).

The TTA program will expand a multifaceted approach to the target audience that will include the state administering agencies (SAAs) as well as JAG recipients and local justice coordinating councils and boards. The program will provide TTA to align planning across state and local efforts and leverage limited resources to their fullest potential.

NCA/NCF

The Justice for All Act of 2004 (JFAA) was enacted to protect the rights of crime victims, eliminate the substantial backlog of DNA samples in crime laboratories, and expand DNA testing capacity. JFAA was reauthorized and updated in 2016 through passage of the Justice For All Reauthorization Act (JFARA). The reauthorization established the Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2016, which added two new activities to JFAA through an amendment to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) statute. The first requires that each JAG applicant include with its application a "comprehensive statewide plan detailing how grants received under this section will be used to improve the administration of the criminal justice system." Each plan must be updated every 5 years, with annual progress reports. Second, the JFARA created a mandatory carve-out of JAG funds that will be used to provide technical assistance to states and local governments under two areas: 1. Support to develop and implement required statewide strategic plans to assist policy makers with allocation of JAG resources; and 2. Support to meet the obligations established by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This award is being funded under category one of the JFARA, which is specific to statewide strategic planning training and technical assistance (TTA). The objectives of this category are to (1) support the enhancement and development of statewide strategic plans by providing resources and assistance to enhance state and local jurisdictions' capacity to meet the JAG strategic planning requirements; and to (2) share strategic planning resources, information, and practices with stakeholders in the field. CA/NCF

The Justice for All Act of 2004 (JFAA) was enacted to protect the rights of crime victims, eliminate the substantial backlog of DNA samples in crime laboratories, and expand DNA testing capacity. JFAA was reauthorized and updated in 2016 through passage of the Justice For All Reauthorization Act (JFARA). The reauthorization established the Effective Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2016, which added two new activities to JFAA through an amendment to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) statute. The first requires that each JAG applicant include with its application a \"comprehensive statewide plan detailing how grants received under this section will be used to improve the administration of the criminal justice system.\" Each plan must be updated every 5 years, with annual progress reports. Second, the JFARA created a mandatory carve-out of JAG funds that will be used to provide technical assistance to states and local governments under two areas: 1. Support to develop and implement required statewide strategic plans to assist policy makers with allocation of JAG resources; and 2. Support to meet the obligations established by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
This award is being funded under category one of the JFARA, which is specific to statewide strategic planning training and technical assistance (TTA). The objectives of this category are to (1) support the enhancement and development of statewide strategic plans by providing resources and assistance to enhance state and local jurisdictions' capacity to meet the JAG strategic planning requirements; and to (2) share strategic planning resources, information, and practices with stakeholders in the field.

CA/NCF

The 2016 Justice for all Reauthorization Act (JFARA) requires a statewide strategic plan when applying for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic created extraordinary challenges for the justice system while increased calls for criminal justice reform drove funding, policy and programmatic changes.

The Strategic Planning Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) program will develop planning and leadership skills for agencies as they address these challenges and allocate Byrne JAG and Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) with data-driven strategies. The program will deploy a multifaceted approach targeted toward State Administering Agencies (SAAs), local Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils (CJCCs), advisory boards, other criminal justice agencies and non-traditional partners.

This strategic planning TTA will emphasize three key planning needs:

Strategic planning priority setting based on data, evaluation, best practices and engagement of diverse stakeholders: NCJA will deliver remote and onsite TTA, host multiple SAA Innovation Labs, move to full implementation of the Performance Measurement Tool Data Visualization Project and continue sharing best practices to enhance the strategic planning skills of recipients in setting justice system priorities.

Creating a more equitable strategic planning and grants administration process: NCJA’s new equity program will provide TTA to SAAs in developing more equitable strategic planning and grants administration processes. NCJA will disseminate best practices, provide direct TTA and expand the National Leadership Academy for Criminal Justice Executives to assist SAAs in achieving greater equity in distribution of funds.

Including subaward evaluation programs and sustainability planning in strategic planning processes to inform future funding: Having an informed and data-driven strategic plan requires review and evaluation of past funding investments and a plan for future funding sustainability. NCJA will conduct a nationwide scan of best practices in program monitoring and evaluation and work with four pilot sites to develop a comprehensive plan to review current subaward evaluation processes and sustainability plans to enhance these areas in their strategic planning and grants administration processes.

The NCJA team brings years of experience delivering TTA, skills in leading SAAs and CJCCs, developing, implementing and evaluating strategic plans. To date, NCJA has responded to over 600 Tier 1, 2 and 3 TTA requests from 45 states and four territories; held six regional trainings with 110 participants; provided guidance, resources and TTA to all 56 SAAs and many local direct awardees regarding CESF; and hosted a National Leadership Academy for Criminal Justice Executives.