NCJ Number
194063
Date Published
February 2002
Length
267 pages
Annotation
The 1997 Open Solicitation initiative of the Bureau of Justice Assistance was designed to identify and support outstanding programs that address criminal justice problems with perspectives that are both local and innovative in approach; this report updates information on the original 36 Open Solicitation sites and provides separate, more detailed reviews of 3 sites: The Clark County Rural Drug Courts; the Santa Fe, NM, Jail Diversion Program; and the Family Investigative Services Response Team of Vacaville, CA.
Abstract
The Open Solicitation grant program emphasized five requirements: innovation, implementation, monitoring, community collaboration, and measurement of results. Local problem definitions and program goals were diverse. The variety of program aims included coordinating services, improving system response, providing better treatment of substance abusers and other special populations, revising sentencing processes, reducing witness intimidation, handling juveniles transferred to adult courts, providing services to "at-risk" youths, using tribal traditions in prevention programs, and preparing for anticipated problems on a tribal reservation. Variations also existed in the lead agencies and target populations. The first section of this report presents 1999 field reports and 2001 updates for all 36 of the sites. Descriptions and evaluations are then provided for the Clark County (Nevada) Rural Drug Courts, which involves making the drug court mechanism and drug treatment resources available in key rural satellite locations; the Santa Fe Jail Diversion Program, which provides an alternative justice system program for the mentally ill and chronic substance abusing population; and the Family Investigative Services Response Team of Vacaville, CA, which developed a coordinated, comprehensive response to cases of family violence. 37 references