The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), seeks proposals for rigorous research projects that inform policy and practice in the field of juvenile justice.

This project furthers the Department’s mission by supporting the development of new knowledge and tools to address the challenges of crime and justice in the United States.

Priority Areas

Specifically, this solicitation seeks proposals for studies that advance knowledge and understanding in one of the following two priority topic areas:

• Juvenile justice responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: The juvenile justice system plays a central role in protecting public safety; supervising youth, including those at high-risk to reoffend; and ensuring the safety, health, and long-term success of youth in its custody. The COVID-19 public health crisis introduced unprecedented challenges for state and local juvenile justice systems attempting to fulfill these responsibilities.
• Deinstitutionalization of status offenders: Since the passage of the original Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) in 1974, Congress has included deinstitutionalization of status offenders (DSO) as one of the core compliance requirements for the participation of states and U.S. territories in the OJJDP Formula Grants Program. A “status offender” is a youth under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for a noncriminal act considered a violation of law solely because of the youth’s status as a minor. “

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $2,000,000
• Award Ceiling: $2,000,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants:
  • City or township governments, County governments, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Small businesses, Special district governments, State governments, Other.
• Other:
  • For purposes of this solicitation, the term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virginia Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
  • Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are not eligible to apply. Federal agencies are eligible to apply. (Any award made to a federal agency will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.)
  • To advance Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the Attorney General determined that all state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be eligible for FY 2021 DOJ discretionary grant funding.
  • To become certified, the law enforcement agency must meet two mandatory conditions: (1) the agency’s use of force policies adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws; and (2) the agency’s use of force policies prohibit chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by law.
  • The certification requirement also applies to law enforcement agencies receiving DOJ discretionary grant funding through a sub award.

For more information, visit NIJ-OJJDP.