Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2012 3096
Apply for NIJ 2012 3096
- The National Institute of Justice in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 15, 2012 and posted on Mar 15, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) issued a discretionary grant solicitation titled "Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons" (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2012 3096) to support research and evaluation projects that strengthen what is known about trafficking in persons within the United States. The central purpose of the opportunity is to fill major knowledge gaps in how trafficking occurs, how it is detected and processed within the justice system, and which interventions are actually effective. NIJ signaled a strong preference for work that produces practical, usable findings for federal, state, and local criminal justice and allied partners, rather than purely descriptive studies that do not translate into improved identification, reporting, investigation, or program performance.
A major emphasis of the solicitation is the underreporting of trafficking cases at every level of the criminal justice system. NIJ highlighted interest in studies that examine why trafficking is not being reported or recorded consistently, how cases may be misclassified as other crimes, and how reporting practices vary across jurisdictions and agencies. This includes understanding barriers to victims coming forward, gaps in frontline identification (for example, among patrol officers, investigators, prosecutors, corrections, service providers, and hotline or outreach partners), inconsistencies in statutory definitions and operational indicators, and the ways institutional incentives, training, and data systems can influence whether suspected trafficking is documented as trafficking. Proposals responsive to this priority would typically focus on measurement problems, case identification processes, reporting pathways, data quality, and the organizational or systemic factors that contribute to undercounting.
In addition to measurement and reporting issues, NIJ also invited evaluation studies of counter-trafficking programs and tools. This portion of the opportunity is oriented toward determining whether specific strategies, technologies, training approaches, task force models, screening instruments, investigative techniques, or service referral mechanisms actually lead to better outcomes. While the solicitation summary does not list specific programs, the intent is clear: NIJ wanted rigorous evaluation designs that can credibly assess effectiveness, implementation quality, and real-world impact. Strong evaluation proposals in this space generally examine both outcomes (such as increased accurate identification, improved investigation quality, stronger prosecutions, enhanced victim safety, reduced re-victimization, improved service engagement, or disruption of trafficking networks) and implementation (how the program was delivered, to whom, with what fidelity, at what cost, and under what conditions it worked best).
The funding instrument is a grant, with the opportunity categorized as discretionary and the activity type listed under "Other," clarified as research and evaluation. NIJ anticipated making approximately two awards under this solicitation, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award. The notice lists an award ceiling and floor as 0, which typically indicates that specific dollar limits were not provided in the summary record and would be described in the full solicitation document or depend on project scope and NIJ budget decisions.
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility details contained in the full solicitation. In practice, NIJ research solicitations commonly attract applications from universities, research organizations, nonprofits, and sometimes state or local agencies partnering with researchers, especially for evaluations that require access to administrative data, program operations, or criminal justice partners. The solicitation was posted on March 15, 2012, and the closing date for applications was May 29, 2012, with the opportunity archived on June 29, 2012.
For applicants who needed help accessing the announcement electronically or who had questions about the requirements, the listed program contact was John T. Picarelli, Social Science Analyst at NIJ, reachable by phone at 202 307 3213 or by email at John.Picarelli@usdoj.gov. The summary also references an additional information link to the full solicitation document, which would contain the detailed statement of work expectations, application instructions, required forms, selection criteria, and any specific methodological or reporting requirements NIJ expected applicants to follow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NIJ "Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons" (NIJ 2012 3096)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) discretionary grant solicitation titled "Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons" (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2012 3096). It supports research and evaluation projects focused on trafficking in persons within the United States.
What is the main purpose of the solicitation?
The central purpose is to fill major knowledge gaps about how trafficking occurs, how it is detected and handled within the justice system, and which interventions are actually effective.
What kinds of projects is NIJ trying to encourage?
NIJ indicated a strong preference for projects that produce practical, usable findings for federal, state, and local criminal justice and allied partners. The solicitation emphasizes work that can translate into improvements in identification, reporting, investigation, and program performance, rather than purely descriptive studies that do not lead to operational improvements.
What topic area is emphasized most heavily in the solicitation?
A major emphasis is underreporting of trafficking cases across every level of the criminal justice system. NIJ expressed interest in understanding why trafficking is not consistently reported or recorded, how cases may be misclassified, and how reporting practices vary across jurisdictions and agencies.
What does NIJ mean by "underreporting" in this context?
Based on the solicitation summary, underreporting refers to trafficking incidents and cases not being documented as trafficking (or not documented at all) at different stages of the justice system, including initial identification, reporting, recording, investigation, and prosecution-related processes.
What kinds of research questions related to underreporting appear responsive?
Examples of responsive questions described in the summary include: why trafficking is not reported or recorded consistently; how and why trafficking may be misclassified as other crimes; how reporting practices differ by agency or jurisdiction; what prevents victims from coming forward; and how institutional factors such as incentives, training, and data systems affect whether suspected trafficking is documented as trafficking.
Which systems or frontline roles does the solicitation highlight for identification gaps?
The summary specifically mentions potential gaps among patrol officers, investigators, prosecutors, corrections, service providers, and hotline or outreach partners as examples of frontline points where trafficking may be missed or not documented as trafficking.
What factors does NIJ suggest could influence whether trafficking is documented correctly?
The summary points to inconsistencies in statutory definitions and operational indicators, plus institutional incentives, training practices, and data systems that may affect whether suspected trafficking is recorded and classified as trafficking.
What kinds of methods or study emphases are implied for underreporting-focused proposals?
Proposals responsive to the underreporting priority would typically focus on measurement problems, case identification processes, reporting pathways, data quality, and organizational or systemic factors that contribute to undercounting.
Does the opportunity also fund program evaluations?
Yes. In addition to measurement and reporting issues, NIJ invited evaluation studies of counter-trafficking programs and tools to determine whether specific strategies and approaches lead to better outcomes.
What types of programs, strategies, or tools does NIJ indicate may be evaluated?
While specific programs are not listed in the summary, NIJ describes interest in evaluating strategies, technologies, training approaches, task force models, screening instruments, investigative techniques, and service referral mechanisms.
What does NIJ appear to want in an evaluation design?
The summary indicates NIJ wanted rigorous evaluation designs that can credibly assess effectiveness, implementation quality, and real-world impact.
What outcomes might an evaluation study examine under this solicitation?
The summary provides examples of outcomes such as increased accurate identification, improved investigation quality, stronger prosecutions, enhanced victim safety, reduced re-victimization, improved service engagement, and disruption of trafficking networks.
What implementation topics might be important in an evaluation study?
The summary suggests examining how the program was delivered, who received it, fidelity (whether it was implemented as intended), costs, and the conditions under which it worked best.
What is the funding instrument and program type?
The funding instrument is a grant. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, and the activity type is listed as "Other," clarified as research and evaluation.
How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?
NIJ anticipated making approximately two awards under this solicitation.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.
What is the award amount (minimum/maximum)?
The summary record lists an award ceiling and floor as 0. This typically means specific dollar limits were not provided in the summary and would be described in the full solicitation document or depend on project scope and NIJ budget decisions.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility details contained in the full solicitation.
What kinds of applicants commonly apply to NIJ research solicitations like this?
Based on the summary, NIJ research solicitations commonly attract applications from universities, research organizations, nonprofits, and sometimes state or local agencies partnering with researchers (particularly for evaluations requiring access to administrative data, program operations, or criminal justice partners).
When was the solicitation posted and when did it close?
The solicitation was posted on March 15, 2012, and the closing date for applications was May 29, 2012.
Is the opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on June 29, 2012.
Where would applicants find the detailed requirements and application instructions?
The summary references an additional information link to the full solicitation document. That full solicitation would contain the detailed statement of work expectations, application instructions, required forms, selection criteria, and any specific methodological or reporting requirements NIJ expected.
Who is the point of contact for questions about the solicitation?
The listed program contact is John T. Picarelli, Social Science Analyst at NIJ. Phone: 202 307 3213. Email: John.Picarelli@usdoj.gov.
What kinds of assistance was the point of contact intended to provide?
The summary indicates the contact could help applicants who needed assistance accessing the announcement electronically or who had questions about requirements.
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