Smart Supervision: Reducing Prison Populations, Saving Money, and Creating Safer Communities | Apply Online

Smart Supervision Grant (BJA 2016-8992) - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Smart Supervision: Reducing Prison Populations, Saving Money, and Creating Safer Communities grant?

This is a discretionary federal grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance (USDOJ-OJP-BJA). It is designed to help jurisdictions strengthen community supervision and improve probation outcomes in ways that reduce new criminal behavior, lower admissions to jails and prisons, and reduce overall corrections costs.

Who is the funding agency for this opportunity?

The funding agency is the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is BJA 2016 8992.

What category does this grant fall under?

This opportunity falls under the Law, Justice, and Legal Services category.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is listed under CFDA 16.812.

What is the main goal of the Smart Supervision program?

The central aim is to help communities strengthen community supervision, improve probation outcomes, and reduce new criminal behavior. The practical expectation is that more effective supervision will reduce admissions to jails and prisons and lower corrections costs for taxpayers.

Is this grant focused only on stricter surveillance of people on probation?

No. The emphasis is not simply on surveillance. The grant focuses on approaches shown to change behavior, manage risk, and respond effectively to violations in ways that protect public safety while avoiding unnecessary incarceration.

What kinds of supervision approaches does this grant support?

The grant is intended to support supervision approaches backed by evidence and that measurably improve success rates for people on probation. This includes implementing proven supervision strategies, refining how probation resources are allocated, and developing new, innovative methods to increase compliance and reduce reoffending.

What does "evidence-based" mean in the context of this grant?

Based on the opportunity description, "evidence-based" refers to supervision strategies that are supported by research and are expected to produce measurable improvements in probation success rates, compliance, and reduced reoffending.

What does the program mean by "measurably improve success rates" for probation?

It means the funded work should be able to demonstrate, using measurable results, improved outcomes for people on probation, such as better compliance and reduced new criminal behavior, consistent with the program's overall intent to reduce jail and prison admissions.

What outcomes is this grant trying to achieve for communities?

The grant is structured to help jurisdictions modernize probation supervision to produce safer communities, fewer people cycling into incarceration, and more efficient use of public funds.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

Are federally recognized tribal governments eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are listed as eligible applicants.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) per grant?

The award ceiling is $750,000 per award.

How many awards were expected to be made?

The program anticipated making about 7 awards.

Is this a discretionary or formula grant program?

This is a discretionary federal grant program.

When was this funding opportunity posted?

The opportunity was created and posted on February 9, 2016.

What was the application deadline?

The application closing date was April 11, 2016.

What part of the justice system does this grant primarily target?

Based on the description provided, the primary focus is on community supervision and probation, with the goal of improving outcomes and reducing incarceration admissions.

How does improving probation supervision relate to reducing jail and prison populations?

The program is built on the expectation that better supervision approaches, especially those that reduce new criminal behavior and improve compliance, will lower admissions to jails and prisons and reduce the number of people cycling into incarceration.

What does the grant mean by "modernize probation supervision"?

In this opportunity, modernization refers to applying research-based practices, improving how probation resources are allocated, implementing proven strategies, and testing promising innovations to improve outcomes and public safety.

Can applicants use the funding to test innovative approaches?

Yes. The opportunity notes that jurisdictions can develop new, innovative methods to increase compliance and reduce reoffending, alongside implementing proven strategies.

What is the intended taxpayer impact of this program?

The program is intended to reduce overall corrections costs for taxpayers by lowering admissions to jails and prisons through improved community supervision and reduced reoffending.