34 USC 10103 - Office of Weed and Seed Strategies

Collapse to view only § 10103. Office of Weed and Seed Strategies

§ 10101. Establishment of Office of Justice Programs
§ 10102. Duties and functions of Assistant Attorney General
§ 10103. Office of Weed and Seed Strategies
§ 10104. Weed and Seed strategies
§ 10105. Inclusion of Indian tribes
§ 10106. Community Capacity Development Office
§ 10107. Division of Applied Law Enforcement Technology
§ 10108. Availability of funds
§ 10109. Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management
§ 10110. Office of Justice Programs grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts
§ 10111. Consolidation of financial management systems of Office of Justice Programs
§ 10112. Senior Policy Advisor on Culturally Specific Communities within the Office of Justice Programs

§ 10101. Establishment of Office of Justice Programs

There is hereby established an Office of Justice Programs within the Department of Justice under the general authority of the Attorney General. The Office of Justice Programs (hereinafter referred to in this chapter as the “Office”) shall be headed by an Assistant Attorney General (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Assistant Attorney General”) appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 101, as added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 603(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2077.)

§ 10102. Duties and functions of Assistant Attorney General

(a) Specific, general and delegated powers

The Assistant Attorney General shall—

(1) publish and disseminate information on the conditions and progress of the criminal justice systems;

(2) maintain liaison with the executive and judicial branches of the Federal and State governments in matters relating to criminal justice;

(3) provide information to the President, the Congress, the judiciary, State and local governments, and the general public relating to criminal justice;

(4) maintain liaison with public and private educational and research institutions, State and local governments, and governments of other nations relating to criminal justice;

(5) coordinate and provide staff support to coordinate the activities of the Office and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and

(6) exercise such other powers and functions as may be vested in the Assistant Attorney General pursuant to this chapter or by delegation of the Attorney General, including placing special conditions on all grants, and determining priority purposes for formula grants.

(b) Annual report to President and Congress

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 102, as added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 603(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2078; amended Pub. L. 107–296, title II, § 236, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2162; Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1152, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3113.)

§ 10103. Office of Weed and Seed Strategies

(a) Establishment

(b) Assistance

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 103, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1121(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3104.)

§ 10104. Weed and Seed strategies

(a) In generalFrom amounts made available under section 10103(c) of this title, the Director of the Office of Weed and Seed Strategies may implement strategies, to be known as Weed and Seed strategies, to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, criminal drug-related activity, and gang activity in designated Weed-and-Seed communities. Each such strategy shall involve both of the following activities:

(1) Weeding

(2) SeedingActivities, to be known as Seeding activities, which shall include promoting and coordinating a broad spectrum of community efforts (such as drug abuse education, mentoring, and employment counseling) to provide—

(A) human services, relating to prevention, intervention, or treatment, for at-risk individuals and families; and

(B) community revitalization efforts, including enforcement of building codes and development of the economy.

(b) GuidelinesThe Director shall issue guidelines for the development and implementation of Weed and Seed strategies under this section. The guidelines shall ensure that the Weed and Seed strategy for a community referred to in subsection (a) shall—

(1) be planned and implemented through and under the auspices of a steering committee, properly established in the community, comprised of—

(A) in a voting capacity, representatives of—

(i) appropriate law enforcement agencies; and

(ii) other public and private agencies, and neighborhood and community-based organizations, interested in criminal justice and community-based development and revitalization in the community; and

(B) in a voting capacity, both—

(i) the Drug Enforcement Administration’s special agent in charge for the jurisdiction encompassing the community; and

(ii) the United States Attorney for the District encompassing the community;

(2) describe how law enforcement agencies, other public and private agencies, neighborhood and community-based organizations, and interested citizens are to cooperate in implementing the strategy; and

(3) incorporate a community-policing component that shall serve as a bridge between the Weeding activities under subsection (a)(1) and the Seeding activities under subsection (a)(2).

(1) the United States Attorney for the District encompassing the community must certify to the Director that—

(A) the community suffers from consistently high levels of crime or otherwise is appropriate for such designation;

(B) the Weed and Seed strategy proposed, adopted, or implemented by the steering committee has a high probability of improving the criminal justice system within the community and contains all the elements required by the Director; and

(2) the community must agree to formulate a timely and effective plan to independently sustain the strategy (or, at a minimum, a majority of the best practices of the strategy) when assistance under this section is no longer available.

(d) ApplicationAn application for designation as a Weed-and-Seed community for purposes of subsection (a) shall be submitted to the Director by the steering committee of the community in such form, and containing such information and assurances, as the Director may require. The application shall propose—

(1) a sustainable Weed and Seed strategy that includes—

(A) the active involvement of the United States Attorney for the District encompassing the community, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s special agent in charge for the jurisdiction encompassing the community, and other Federal law enforcement agencies operating in the vicinity;

(B) a significant community-oriented policing component; and

(2) a methodology with outcome measures and specific objective indicia of performance to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy.

(e) Grants

(1) In general

(2) Uses

(3) LimitationsA community may not receive grants under this subsection (or fall within such a community)—

(A) for a period of more than 10 fiscal years;

(B) for more than 5 separate fiscal years, except that the Assistant Attorney General may, in single increments and only upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances, authorize grants for not more than 3 additional separate fiscal years; or

(C) in an aggregate amount of more than $1,000,000, except that the Assistant Attorney General may, upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances, authorize grants for not more than an additional $500,000.

(4) DistributionIn making grants under this subsection, the Director shall ensure that—

(A) to the extent practicable, the distribution of such grants is geographically equitable and includes both urban and rural areas of varying population and area; and

(B) priority is given to communities that clearly and effectively coordinate crime prevention programs with other Federal programs in a manner that addresses the overall needs of such communities.

(5) Federal share

(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the Federal share of a grant under this subsection may not exceed 75 percent of the total costs of the projects described in the application for which the grant was made.

(B) The requirement of subparagraph (A)—

(i) may be satisfied in cash or in kind; and

(ii) may be waived by the Assistant Attorney General upon a determination that the financial circumstances affecting the applicant warrant a finding that such a waiver is equitable.

(6) Supplement, not supplant

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 104, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1121(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3104.)

§ 10105. Inclusion of Indian tribes

For purposes of sections 10103 and 10104 of this title, the term “State” includes an Indian tribal government.

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 105, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1121(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3107.)

§ 10106. Community Capacity Development Office

(a) Establishment

(1) In general

(2) Purpose

(3) Exclusivity

(b) Means

The Director shall, in coordination with the heads of the other elements of the Department, carry out the purpose of the Office through the following means:

(1) Promoting coordination of public and private efforts and resources within or available to States, units of local government, and neighborhood and community-based organizations.

(2) Providing information, training, and technical assistance.

(3) Providing support for inter- and intra-agency task forces and other agreements and for assessment of the effectiveness of programs, projects, approaches, or practices.

(4) Providing in the assessment of the effectiveness of neighborhood and community-based law enforcement and crime prevention strategies and techniques, in coordination with the National Institute of Justice.

(5) Any other similar means.

(d) Best practices

The Director shall—

(1) identify grants under which clearly beneficial outcomes were obtained, and the characteristics of those grants that were responsible for obtaining those outcomes; and

(2) incorporate those characteristics into the training provided under this section.

(e) Availability of funds

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 106, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1159(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3116; amended Pub. L. 109–271, § 8(f), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 766.)

§ 10107. Division of Applied Law Enforcement Technology

(a) Establishment

(b) Duties

In carrying out the purpose of the Division, the head of the Division shall—

(1) establish clear minimum standards for computer systems that can be purchased using amounts awarded under such grants; and

(2) ensure that recipients of such grants use such systems to participate in crime reporting programs administered by the Department, such as Uniform Crime Reports or the National Incident-Based Reporting System.

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 107, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1160(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3117.)

§ 10108. Availability of funds

(a) Period for awarding grant funds

(1) In general

(2) Treatment of reprogrammed funds

(3) Treatment of deobligated funds

(b) Period for expending grant funds

(d) Applicability

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 108, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1161(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3118; amended Pub. L. 109–271, § 8(g), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 767.)

§ 10109. Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management

(a) Establishment

(1) In general

(2) Purpose

(3) Exclusivity

(b) Covered programs

The programs referred to in subsection (a) are the following:

(1) The program under subchapter XVI of this chapter.

(2) Any grant program carried out by the Office of Justice Programs.

(3) Any other grant program carried out by the Department of Justice that the Attorney General considers appropriate.

(1) In general

(2) Relationship to NIJ evaluations

(3) Timing of program assessments

The program assessment required by paragraph (1) of a grant selected under paragraph (1) shall be carried out—

(A) not later than the end of the grant period, if the grant period is not more than 1 year; and

(B) at the end of each year of the grant period, if the grant period is more than 1 year.

(d) Compliance actions required

(e) Grant management system

(f) Availability of funds

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 109, formerly § 105, as added Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1158(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3114; renumbered § 109, Pub. L. 109–271, § 8(e), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 766.)

§ 10110. Office of Justice Programs grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during any fiscal year the Attorney General—

(1) may make grants, or enter into cooperative agreements and contracts, for the Office of Justice Programs and the component organizations of that Office (including, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law (unless the same should expressly refer to this section), any organization that administers any program established in title 1 of Public Law 90–351); 1

1 See References in Text note below.

and

(2) shall have final authority over all functions, including any grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts made, or entered into, for the Office of Justice Programs and the component organizations of that Office (including, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law (unless the same should expressly refer to this section), any organization that administers any program established in title 1 of Public Law 90–351).1

(Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(b) [title I, § 112], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–50, 2681–67; Pub. L. 107–56, title VI, § 614, Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 370; Pub. L. 107–273, div. A, title II, § 205(d), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1778.)

§ 10111. Consolidation of financial management systems of Office of Justice Programs

(a) Consolidation of accounting activities and procurement activities

The Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, in coordination with the Chief Information Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Justice, shall ensure that—

(1) all accounting activities for all elements of the Office of Justice Programs are carried out under the direct management of the Office of the Comptroller; and

(2) all procurement activities for all elements of the Office are carried out under the direct management of the Office of Administration.

(b) Further consolidation of procurement activities

The Assistant Attorney General, in coordination with the Chief Information Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Justice, shall ensure that, on and after September 30, 2008—

(1) all procurement activities for all elements of the Office are carried out through a single management office; and

(2) all contracts and purchase orders used in carrying out those activities are processed through a single procurement system.

(d) Achieving compliance

(1) Schedule

(2) Specific requirements

With respect to achieving compliance with the requirements of—

(A) subsection (a), the consolidation of operations shall be initiated not later than 90 days after January 5, 2006; and

(B) subsections (b) and (c), the consolidation of operations shall be initiated not later than September 30, 2006, and shall be carried out by the Office of Administration, in consultation with the Chief Information Officer and the Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management.

(Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, § 1162, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3118.)

§ 10112. Senior Policy Advisor on Culturally Specific Communities within the Office of Justice Programs

(a) Establishment; duties

There shall be a Senior Policy Advisor on Culturally Specific Communities within the Office of Justice Programs who shall, under the guidance and authority of the Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs—

(1) advise on the administration of grants related to culturally specific (as defined in section 12291(a) of this title) services and contracts with culturally specific organizations;

(2) coordinate development of Federal policy, protocols, and guidelines on matters relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (as those terms are defined in section 12291(a) of this title), in culturally specific communities;

(3) advise the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs concerning policies, legislation, implementation of laws, and other issues relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in culturally specific communities;

(4) provide technical assistance, coordination, and support to other offices and bureaus in the Department of Justice to develop policy and to enforce Federal laws relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in culturally specific communities;

(5) ensure that appropriate technical assistance, developed and provided by entities having expertise in culturally specific communities, is made available to grantees and potential grantees proposing to serve culturally specific communities; and

(6) ensure access to grants and technical assistance for culturally specific organizations and analyze the distribution of funding in order to identify barriers for culturally specific organizations.

(b) Qualifications

The Senior Policy Advisor on Culturally Specific Communities shall be an individual with—

(1) personal, lived, and work experience from a culturally specific community; and

(2) a demonstrated history of and expertise in addressing domestic violence or sexual assault in a nongovernmental agency.

(Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title XIII, § 1313, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 935.)