Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2012 3115
Apply for BJA 2012 3115
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment Fostering Desistance through Effective Supervision" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812 Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 28, 2011 and posted on Nov 28, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 23, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) County governments City or township governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance through Effective Supervision" (Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2012 3115) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under CFDA 16.812, the Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative. It is built around the Second Chance Act of 2007, which was created in response to the reality that the vast majority of incarcerated people will eventually return to their communities. With more than 2.3 million people in federal and state prisons and millions more cycling through local jails each year, the program frames reentry as both a public safety issue and a community reintegration challenge. The overall aim is to strengthen the transition from incarceration to the community in ways that reduce future offending and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and neighborhoods.
At the center of this opportunity is a multi-site Demonstration Field Experiment (DFE) focused on prisoner reentry, where participating jurisdictions are expected not just to run a program, but to implement and rigorously test a specific intervention. BJA is partnering with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), signaling that the effort is meant to produce credible, research-backed findings that can inform national practice. The intervention to be tested is designed to target two priority areas where the field needs stronger scientific evidence: motivation to change and criminal thinking. In practical terms, this means applicants are expected to deliver a structured approach that influences how participants think about their behavior and choices, while also strengthening internal commitment to change, both of which are closely tied to desistance from crime.
A defining feature of the solicitation is its emphasis on evaluation quality. The DFE is required to use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, which is considered one of the strongest methods for determining whether an intervention actually causes better outcomes compared to standard practice. In an RCT framework, eligible participants are randomly assigned either to receive the new intervention or to a comparison condition, allowing researchers to measure differences in recidivism and other outcomes with greater confidence. This requirement makes the opportunity more demanding than many typical reentry grants because sites must be prepared to support research operations, adhere to protocols, and maintain fidelity in how the intervention is delivered.
The solicitation also highlights operational collaboration as part of the intervention model. Parole officers and service providers are expected to work together to improve delivery, which suggests an approach where supervision is not treated as separate from support services. Instead, the grant envisions coordinated case planning and aligned messaging, where supervision practices reinforce behavior change goals and services address practical barriers to success. This kind of coordination is meant to strengthen consistency, increase participant engagement, and create a supervision environment that supports accountability while actively promoting progress.
In terms of funding details, the award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000, with no stated award floor. The funding instrument is a grant, and the solicitation includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants must contribute non-federal resources toward the project as specified in the full announcement. The opportunity was posted on November 28, 2011, with an application deadline of February 23, 2012, and it was later archived on March 24, 2012. While the dates indicate this specific solicitation cycle is closed, the summary captures the program model and expectations that often carry forward into similar Second Chance Act initiatives.
Eligible applicants include state governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, county governments, and city or township governments. This eligibility list reflects the fact that reentry and community supervision are largely administered at state, local, and tribal levels, where agencies have direct responsibility for parole, probation, and community-based supports. Applicants would typically be jurisdictions that can enroll a sufficient number of returning individuals, implement the targeted intervention through supervision and provider partners, and support the required research design across one or more sites.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as an evidence-building reentry initiative rather than a standard service expansion grant. Its purpose is not only to help people returning from incarceration, but to generate new, high-quality evidence about what works to reduce recidivism, particularly interventions that change thinking patterns and strengthen motivation, delivered through an improved partnership between supervision officers and service providers. For help with the solicitation requirements, BJA directed applicants to the BJA Justice Information Center (phone 1-877-927-5657, email JIC@telesishq.com), with extended hours on the closing date.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance through Effective Supervision" grant?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under CFDA 16.812 (the Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative). The opportunity is titled "Second Chance Act Demonstration Field Experiment: Fostering Desistance through Effective Supervision" and has Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2012 3115.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The purpose is to strengthen the transition from incarceration to the community in ways that reduce future offending and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and neighborhoods. A core emphasis is building strong evidence about what works in reentry and community supervision.
How does this opportunity relate to the Second Chance Act of 2007?
The program is built around the Second Chance Act of 2007, which was created in response to the reality that most incarcerated people eventually return to their communities. The grant frames reentry as both a public safety issue and a community reintegration challenge.
What makes this grant different from a typical reentry services grant?
This opportunity is designed as an evidence-building demonstration rather than a standard service expansion award. Participating jurisdictions are expected to implement and rigorously test a specific intervention and support a high-quality evaluation approach.
What is a Demonstration Field Experiment (DFE) in this solicitation?
The DFE is a multi-site demonstration focused on prisoner reentry where participating jurisdictions are expected to implement a defined intervention and test it under real-world conditions across one or more sites, producing credible findings that can inform broader practice.
What intervention focus areas are emphasized in the solicitation?
The intervention is intended to target two priority areas where the field needs stronger scientific evidence: motivation to change and criminal thinking. In practical terms, the approach should influence how participants think about behavior and choices while strengthening internal commitment to change.
What evaluation design is required under this opportunity?
The solicitation requires a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. This means eligible participants are randomly assigned either to receive the new intervention or to a comparison condition, allowing outcomes (including recidivism and other measures) to be compared with greater confidence.
Why does the solicitation emphasize randomized controlled trials (RCTs)?
The RCT requirement reflects the goal of producing credible, research-backed findings about whether the intervention causes better outcomes than standard practice, rather than relying on less rigorous comparisons.
What operational expectations come with supporting an RCT?
Sites must be prepared to support research operations, follow protocols, and maintain fidelity in how the intervention is delivered. This makes the opportunity more demanding than many reentry grants because the program must be implemented consistently enough to be evaluated fairly.
Who is BJA partnering with on this effort?
BJA is partnering with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the National Institute of Corrections (NIC). This partnership signals that the effort is intended to produce findings that can inform national practice.
What role do parole officers and service providers play in the program model?
The solicitation highlights collaboration between parole officers and service providers to improve delivery. The model suggests coordinated case planning and aligned messaging so that supervision practices reinforce behavior change goals while services address practical barriers to success.
Does the solicitation treat supervision and services as separate activities?
No. The approach described emphasizes coordination so supervision is not treated as separate from support services. Instead, the grant envisions a supervision environment that supports accountability while actively promoting progress.
What are the expected outcomes this program is trying to influence?
The overall aim is to reduce future offending (recidivism) and improve reentry outcomes for participants, as well as broader benefits for families and neighborhoods. The intervention focus on criminal thinking and motivation to change is closely tied to desistance from crime.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $1,000,000.
Is there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor is stated in the summary provided.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The solicitation includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants must contribute non-federal resources toward the project as specified in the full announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, county governments, and city or township governments.
Why are state, local, and tribal governments the eligible applicants?
The eligibility list reflects that reentry and community supervision are largely administered at state, local, and tribal levels, where agencies have direct responsibility for parole, probation, and community-based supports.
Is this solicitation still open?
No. The opportunity was posted on November 28, 2011, had an application deadline of February 23, 2012, and was archived on March 24, 2012. Those dates indicate that this specific solicitation cycle is closed.
What key expectations should a participating jurisdiction be ready to meet?
Based on the summary, applicants would typically need the ability to enroll a sufficient number of returning individuals, implement the targeted intervention through supervision and provider partners, and support the required randomized trial design across one or more sites.
Where could applicants get help with solicitation requirements?
BJA directed applicants to the BJA Justice Information Center (JIC) at 1-877-927-5657 or JIC@telesishq.com, with extended hours on the closing date.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for reference?
Funding Opportunity Number: BJA 2012 3115. CFDA: 16.812 (Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative).
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