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Federal Resources to Promote Information Sharing and Technology Development

Federal Resources to Promote Information Sharing and Technology Development

Christopher TraverSenior Policy Advisor

Bureau of Justice Assistance

http://www.it.ojp.gov

BJA Background

• A component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, which also includes:• National Institute of Justice• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention• Office for Victims of Crime• Bureau of Justice Statistics

• Supports law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, victim services, technology, and prevention initiatives that strengthen the nation’s criminal justice system

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BJA comprised of 3 components;

• Policy

• Programs

• Planning

These components administer grant programs, shape and promote sound justice policy, and plan for fiscal and legislative changes affecting over 7,000 grants.

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BJA provides leadership, services, and funding to America’s communities by:

• Emphasizing local control;

• Building relationships in the field;

• Developing collaborations and partnerships;

• Promoting capacity building through planning;

• Streamlining the administration of grants;

• Increasing training;

• Technical assistance;

• Creating accountability of projects;

• Encouraging innovation;

• Ultimately communicating the value of justice efforts to decision-makers at every level.

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Funding – Justice Assistance Grants• JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives,

technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas:

         Law enforcement programs         Prosecution and court programs         Prevention and education programs         Corrections and community corrections programs         Drug treatment programs         Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement

programs

      Any law enforcement or justice initiative previously eligible for funding under Byrne or LLEBG is eligible for JAG funding.

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JAG – Justice Assistance Grant

• Proposed to streamline justice funding and grant administration, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program (42 U.S.C. 3750)

• Allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions.

• JAG blends the previous Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) Programs to provide agencies with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they are needed most.

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Byrne Discretionary

• Funds specific programs through Congressional earmarks and the discretion of BJA Director

• Projects typically national scope, or demonstration projects with larger scale benefits

• Often competed through funding solicitations through BJA

• This is the source for almost all of BJA’s national information sharing and technology programs

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm

http://www.grants.gov

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/saa/index.htm

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Successful Funding Applications:• Identify the participants/partners • Inventory of software/hardware• Identify a clear mission

• What you want to do• How you’d like to do it• Have a clear written plan

• Create an advisory committee• Begin meeting• Reach common ground

• Create/sign MOU/MOA with partners• Implement standards

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Why Programs Don’t Get Funded

• Not meeting the guidelines

• No clear mission or description of project

• Failure to answer questions

• Roles of partners not defined

• Required partners not identified

• Failure to follow directions• Length/spacing• Number of copies• Binding• Attachments

• Deadline

• Grant history

• No performance measures

• No sustainability plan

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Training and Technical Assistance:

• BJA-sponsored training and technical assistance provides direct assistance to develop and implement comprehensive, system-wide strategies for public safety and improving criminal justice systems.

• BJA’s TTA supports;• State• Local• Tribal jurisdictions

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Supporting State, Local, and Tribal Through:

• Onsite technical assistance

• Offsite technical assistance (via telephone, e-mail, Internet, help desk, distance learning, etc.)

• Peer-to-peer information exchange and mentoring (individual, group, or jurisdiction wide)

• Publication drafting and dissemination

• Information sharing

• Conferences, workshop, and training events (agenda development, speaker identification, and logistical support)

• Curriculum development

• JTTAC - Justice Training and Technical Assistance Committee

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The TTA Program Addresses:• Problem assessment

• Strategic planning and development

• Program sustainability

• Cutting-edge practice(s) documentation and identification

• Evidence-based practice(s) identification and development

• Team building and collaboration

• Community partnership development

• Staff development

• Resource identification and management

• Information management

• Program evaluation

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Training Highlights

• National Information Exchange Model• Privacy and Civil Liberties Policy Protection• SLATT• Criminal Intelligence for the Chief Executive• 28 CFR Part 23• Service Oriented Architecture (JRA)• Cyber Crime

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Information Sharing and National Policy

BJA national policy office links programs together to ensure consistency and nationwide impact

• The goal: National Consensus Standards and Guidelines

• The method: Engaging partners at all levels of government and the private sector to drive requirements and foster implementation

• Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative

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Examples of BJA Information Sharing Projects:

• 28 CFR Part 23• Applying Security Practices• CAD/RMS Functional Specs and IEPDs• Capabilities Assessment Toolkit• Corrections Intelligence Sharing• Executive Intelligence Training• Federated ID/Privilege Management• Fusion Center Guidelines• Fusion Center Technology/SOA• Gang Information Sharing Initiative• Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM)• IEPD Clearinghouse• IEPD Guidelines• Justice Exchange Modeling (JIEM)• Justice Reference Architecture• Justice Resources CD• Justice Standards Clearinghouse (JSC)

• Knowledgebase/Helpdesk• NCISP• National Information Exchange Model• NIEM Policy Academy• NIEM Developer Tools/User’s Guide• NIEM User Conference/Training• National Motor Vehicle Titling System• National Sex Offender Public Registry• National Virtual Pointer System• Prescription Drug Monitoring Program• Privacy Policy Development• Public Safety Data Interoperability• Regional Sharing Initiatives• Regional Information Sharing Systems• Statewide Victim Notification Programs• Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR)• Technical Assistance• Training and Outreach

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Spotlight: National Information Exchange Model

• Standard way to describe information• A ‘person’ in IL is the same as a ‘person’ in DC

• Grew out of the work of Global, BJA, and many partners who created Global Justice XML

• Expanded partnership with DOJ, DHS, and the Intelligence Community enable broader information sharing across communities of interest

• Included in Special Condition Language for OJP, COPS, and DHS grants

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Spotlight: Justice Reference Architecture

• Global’s implementation of the OASIS Service-Oriented Architecture Reference Model

• Two primary goals:• Define the reference architecture that can be adopted by

justice agencies to enable agility and cost savings• Develop reusable Services to promote common standards for

message transport

• JRA facilitates linking with other architectures, especially at the Federal level (FEA, DOJ EA, DHS EA) to more easily promote information sharing at all levels of government

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Spotlight: Suspicious Activity Reporting

• Evaluation Environment underway to determine feasibility of a national SAR capability

• Leverages what police have been doing for years: suspicious activity, field interview reports, etc.

• Shared Space vs. Data Warehouse

• The effort is led by PM-ISE, in partnership with BJA, DOJ, DHS, DOD, and FBI

• Initial focus is on prevention of terrorism, but the mechanism is designed to support the all crimes/all hazards mission of fusion centers

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Christopher TraverSenior Policy AdvisorBureau of Justice Assistance

(202) 307-2963christopher.traver@usdoj.gov