The National Institute of Justice seeks proposals for research and evaluation projects to inform policy and practice in the field of youth justice.
Donor Name: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/20/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 5 years
Details:
Rigorous research and evaluations are needed to guide continued improvements to the youth justice system to ensure youth who are processed by juvenile courts are held accountable, treated in a developmentally appropriate manner, supported during their justice system involvement, and set up to successfully return to the community after out-of home placement as well as to understand youth justice system reforms and reinvestment efforts.
This funding opportunity seeks proposals for research and evaluation projects to inform policy and practice in the field of youth justice in the following four topics:
- Research and Evaluation on Youth Justice System Prosecution
- Research and Evaluation on Youth Justice Defense Delivery Systems
- Evaluation of Youth Reentry Practices
- Resubmissions of Youth Justice Reinvestment Studies.
Topics
- Topic 1: Research and Evaluation on Youth Justice System Prosecution
- Youth justice prosecutors make important decisions about juvenile court case processing, with varying levels of independence, including decisions concerning charging and alternatives to prosecution (e.g., diversion), transfers and waivers to criminal court, plea agreements, and recommendations for detention and disposition. They also serve important functions within the youth justice system by working closely with survivors, witnesses, and members of law enforcement, engaging with communities and community partners, and collaborating across systems.
- Topic 2: Research and Evaluation on Youth Defense Delivery Systems
- Youth defense counsel play a critical role in ensuring fairness and equity for youth who are processed in the juvenile court system, and they are expected to “zealously advocate” on behalf of their client. The National Juvenile Defense Standards identify the essential functions of zealous advocacy as independent investigation, review of discovery, legal research, visits to clients, motion practice, engagement of experts, adversarial testing of evidence, and development of alternative dispositional plans.
- Topic 3: Evaluation of Youth Reentry Practices
- Youth reentry is the process of reintegrating youth into their communities after a period of placement in residential facilities (i.e., detention, residential treatment, long-term secure) due to youth justice system involvement. Youth reentry involves a continuum of services which start at facility admission and continue through post-release and reintegration. More research is needed to understand the treatments and services and case management and coordination practices that facilitate successful reentry, and the contextual and mitigating factors that influence effectiveness.
- Topic 4: Resubmissions of Youth Justice Reinvestment Studies
- In FY 2024, the NIJ Research and Evaluation on Youth Justice Topics NOFO sought proposals for rigorous outcome evaluation projects on Youth Justice Reinvestment which evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of youth justice system reforms and reinvestment into evidence-based programs serving youth in their communities (prioritizing collaborative partnerships between community-based organizations and youth justice systems).
Funding Information
$4,000,000.
Grant Period
60 months.
Eligibility Criteria
The types of entities that are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:
- Government Entities
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Native American Tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
- Educational Organizations
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public Housing Organizations
- Public housing authorities
- Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- For-Profit Organizations
- Organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Other
- Federal Agencies
- Other Units of Local Government
- For the purposes of this NOFO, “state” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
