The Second Chance Act Programs are designed to help communities develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by offender reentry and recidivism reduction.



The Second Chance Act is a commonsense response to the increasing number

credit: The Guardian

of people who are released from prison and jail and returning to communities.

There are currently 2.5 million people serving time in our federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycling through local jails every year.

Ninety-five percent of all prisoners incarcerated today will eventually be released and will return to communities.

Of those serving a sentence in state or federal prisons, approximately 750,000 will be released each year.

The Second Chance Act will help ensure the transition people make from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful.

Not Applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions

To facilitate offenders successful reintegration into society, the following sections of the Second Chance Act have been funded:
• State, Tribal, and Local Reentry Courts - authorizes the creation of state, local, and tribal reentry courts to monitor offenders and provide them with the treatment services needed to establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life.


• Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment - authorizes grants to states, local governments, and Indian tribes to develop and implement prison-based and family-based treatment programs for incarcerated parents who have minor children.
• Evaluate and Improve Education at Prisons, Jails, and Juvenile Facilities - authorizes a grant to study the effectiveness of educational programs in prisons and jails and identify best or promising practices.
• Technology Careers Training Demonstration Grants - authorizes grants to develop training programs for offenders no more than 3 years from release to find jobs in higher paying, technology-related jobs.
• Offender Reentry Substance Abuse and Criminal Justice Collaboration - authorizes grants to develop treatment programs to better address the needs of returning offenders with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues.
• Adult and Juvenile Demonstration - authorizes grants to states and local governments that may be used to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of individuals who have been incarcerated.

Allowable uses of funds include mentorship, housing, education and job training, engagement with community colleges, family programming, initiatives addressing victim priorities and restorative justice, research to improve the effectiveness of release and revocation decisions using risk assessment tools, and reentry court programs.


• Mentoring Grants to Nonprofit Organizations - authorizes grants to nonprofit organizations that may be used for mentoring of adult offenders or providing transitional services for reintegration into the community.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

None.

Beneficiary Eligibility

None.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

The standard application form (SF-424), as furnished by the federal agency in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common Rule), must be used for this program.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. The standard application forms, as furnished by the federal agency and required by the Common Rule, must be used for this program. This program is also subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110. All applications must be submitted electronically via the Office of Justice Programs Grants Management System (GMS) at https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov). Applications or supplemental materials received by facsimile or postal mail will not be accepted.

Award Procedures

Upon approval by the Assistant Attorney General, letters and an award package are sent to the grantee. One copy of the grant award must be signed by a duly authorized representative and returned to BJA.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

Second Chance Act of 2007 (H.R. 1593/S. 1060).

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Varies.

Appeals

See 28 C.F.R. Part 18.

Renewals

Continuation grants are renewable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching Requirements: Match is required for the state and local grants.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Contingent upon program goals and objectives, generally 12-18 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Please contact the program office for more information.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program reports are not applicable.

Cash reports are not applicable.

Unless otherwise specified in the award s special conditions, recipients are required to submit semi-annual Progress Reports.

Unless otherwise specified in the award s special conditions, recipients are required to submit quarterly Financial Status Reports.

To assist in fulfilling the Departments responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111-352, recipients must provide data that measures the results of their work.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. These audits are due to the cognizant federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee s fiscal year. Performance Measures: To assist in fulfilling the Department s responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, applicants who receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measures the results of their work.

Records

Recipients of federal funds are expected to retain documentation supporting all program transactions for at least 3 years after the closure of audit reports related to such funding. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving records has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records must be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all related issues, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0401-0-1-754.

Obigations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 12 $40,277,384; FY 13 est $80,000,000; and FY 14 Estimate Not Available

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Varies, see solicitation guidelines posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Solicitation guidelines are posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm. For additional guidance reference the Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide 2011 (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm ) and Post award Instructions (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/pdfs/post_award_instructions.pdf). Applicable OMB Circulars and Department of Justice regulations applicable to specific types of grantees can be found in title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations (28 C.F.R.).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Thurston Bryant U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Assistance
810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20351 Email: AskBJA@usdoj.gov Phone: 202-616-6500 or 1-866- 859-2647

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria are described in the OJP Program Announcement available at http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.