CSG Justice Center Works with Policymakers to Improve Assessment and Collection of Court-Ordered Fines, Fees, Restitution, and Child Support
FEATURES
Struggling with budget gaps, policymakers in state and local government have taken steps to generate additional revenue through the assessment and collection of fines, fees, and surcharges for people involved in the criminal justice system. In many states and counties, elected officials have added or raised fees associated with a wide range of criminal justice system operations, including court processing and electronic monitoring. Counties are also increasingly moving to pass along to the person incarcerated the costs of meals and/or medical services. But such efforts can have unintended consequences. The CSG Justice Center is conducting a project to improve how state and local officials design and implement policies that aim to increase revenues through the assessment and collection of court-ordered fines and fees.To read the full feature, click here.
Justice Center Staff Works with State Agencies and Community and Faith-Based Organizations in Ohio to Promote Collaboration around Reentry
Justice Center staff recently traveled to Ohio to pilot test a companion tool to the Reentry Partnerships guide and to promote the guide and its recommendations at a national reentry conference.
The guide, Reentry Partnerships: A Guide for State & Faith-Based and Community Organizations, was released in December 2008 with the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice and the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, U.S. Department of Labor. It offers practical recommendations for how state government officials and community-based service providers can better use limited resources to help people released from prisons and jails successfully rejoin families and communities.
To read more about the Justice Center's work promoting collaboration between community and faith-based organizations in Ohio, click here.
HILL UPDATE
House of Representatives Approves $100 million for Second Chance Act for FY 2010
On Thursday, June 18, 2009, the House of Representatives approved an appropriations bill for the Department of Justice for fiscal year 2010 that provides $114 million for prisoner reentry, including $100 million for Second Chance Act programs and nearly $14 million for reentry initiatives in the federal Bureau of Prisons. The bill must also be passed by the Senate before it can be signed by the President. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies is scheduled to consider the bill the week of June 22.
In May, 60 Representatives and 32 Senators submitted letters to the Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies to request funding for the Second Chance Act in fiscal year 2010. The President's budget includes $100 million for the Second Chance Act and prisoner reentry grants within the Department of Justice, up from $25 million in FY2009. The President's budget also includes $112 million for prisoner reentry programs within the Department of Labor, up from $74 million in FY09. To read more about the President's budget, click here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS
Know Your Rights Web Series
Legal Action Center
June - August 2009
Annual Justice Address, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Vera Institute of JusticeJuly 9, 2009
New York, N.Y.
Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) Trainings
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentNew York, N.Y., June 24 -25, 2009
Washington, D.C., July 8-10, 2009
National Conference on Ending Homelessness
National Alliance to End HomelessnessJuly 29-31, 2009
Washington, D.C.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Advancing Criminal Justice Policy, Practice, and TechnologyThe U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding specific projects and activities to advance criminal justice policy, practice, and/or technology. NIJ seeks applications for funding of specific innovative, high-payoff projects and activities fostering the adoption into practice of new, cutting-edge policy, practice, and/or technology related to courts, crime and crime prevention, drugs and crime, forensic sciences, law enforcement, relevant technology and tools, and victims and victimization.
Application Deadline: July 6, 2009
Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), is seeking applications for funding under the Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program. This program furthers the Department's mission by supporting the activities of four fellowship positions to assist OVC in its mission to advance victims' rights and services through training, technical assistance and public awareness activities. Applicants are limited to individuals; organizations are not eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate a specific ability and strong desire to support the technical assistance, training and other educational needs of providers who respond to crime victims.
Application Deadline: July 9, 2009
Building and Enhancing Criminal Justice Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice is seeking applications for funding to support criminal justice researcher-practitioner collaborations. This solicitation is aimed at developing existing partnerships, establishing new partnerships, and capturing significant lessons that have been learned through past and current researcher-practitioner partnerships. This program furthers the Department's mission by sponsoring research to provide objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the state and local levels.
Application Deadline: July 20, 2009