TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ANNOUNCEMENT: Technical Assistance to Support Effective Innovations in the Management of Sex Offenders
About The Center for Sex Offender Management
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), and the State Justice Institute (SJI) are pleased to announce the establishment of the Center for Sex Offender Management (CSOM), a national project to support local jurisdictions in the effective management of sex offenders under community supervision. CSOM is providing technical assistance to individual criminal justice agencies, courts, policy makers, and jurisdictional teams engaged in the development and implementation of innovative approaches to the management of sex offenders.
Criteria for Applying for Technical Assistance
All technical assistance requests must be directly related to CSOM’s primary goal: to enhance public safety by preventing further victimization through improving the management of adult and juvenile sex offenders who are in the community. The following criteria will be used to determine CSOM’s method of responding to the technical assistance request:
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The benefits of receiving technical assistance to the requesting agency(s) or jurisdiction; The extent to which the request is compatible with CSOM’s primary goal; The extent to which the request for assistance advances the field’s knowledge of sex offender management or has the potential to develop new, promising practices in the field; The commitment of key staff and leadership to participate in the assistance; The costs and time that would be necessary to deliver the assistance; and The unavailability of assistance from other sources.
How to Apply for Technical Assistance
There are no deadlines for submitting requests for technical assistance, however, funds are limited, and requests will be reviewed as they are received to assure that they meet the criteria outlined above. All applications will be acknowledged. Applicants who are approved to receive technical assistance will be notified as quickly as possible but no more than 60 days from receipt of the application. The process for requesting technical assistance is as follows: 1) The requesting agency must complete the attached application form. 2) The written request is to be mailed to: Charles Onley Center for Sex Offender Management c/o Center for Effective Public Policy 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 720 Silver Spring, MD 20910 phone (301) 589-9383
The Review of Technical Assistance Requests
When the written request is received, a CSOM staff person will review the application and, if further information is needed, telephone the contact person. CSOM’s resources are limited; therefore, each request for assistance will be carefully reviewed to determine the best method of meeting the needs of the applicant organization or jurisdiction. If appropriate, applicants may be assisted through one of CSOM’s other components, including:
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Consultation with colleagues in one of the project’s Resource Sites for those jurisdictions interested in establishing and maintaining a collaborative team approach to the supervision of sex offenders. Scheduled training for criminal justice and other professionals responsible for the day-to-day management of sex offenders or for the development of state or local policies that effect that day-to-day management. Dissemination of resource materials, policy and practice briefs, manuals, research, books, and articles on current topics related to the management of sex offenders. Referral to practitioners or experts for specific advice or assistance through CSOM’s Information Exchange.
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Further Information
For further information about technical assistance, please contact Charles Onley.
March 2001
Center for Sex Offender Management APPLICATION FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
To apply, complete this form and mail to: Charles Onley Center for Sex Offender Management c/o Center for Effective Public Policy 8403 Colesville Rd., Suite 720, Silver Spring, MD 20910 fax (301) 589-3505
PART I
Date of Application: Contact Person: Title: Agency: County: Address: City: Phone: E-Mail: State: Fax: Zip:
The recipients of the requested assistance are (check all that apply):
__Probation __Parole __Community Corrections __Cour ts __Victims __Institutional Corrections __Treatment __Law Enforcement
__Prosecution __Defense __ Working with adult sex offenders __Working with juvenile sex offenders __Local agency(s) __Regional agency(s) __State level agency(s) __Other (specify) ______________________
Please Note: All technical assistance recipients are required to participate in a follow-up assessment of the impact of the assistance. You will be asked to: 1) Complete and submit an evaluation form (provided by the project) describing the assistance that you received and your assessment of its usefulness and effectiveness. 2) Complete a six-month follow-up survey (either written or over the telephone); and 3) Complete a 12-month follow-up survey (either written or over the telephone). 1
PART II
CSOM APPLICATION FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
1) Describe the assistance requested. Describe the issues, concerns, or needs of your jurisdiction and the assistance that will address those needs.
2) Describe how your jurisdiction, or agencies in the jurisdiction, will benefit from the assistance. Describe the concrete outcomes anticipated as a result of the assistance.
3) Describe the resources that will be needed to respond to the request and the proposed timetable for delivery of assistance.
4) Describe other avenues of assistance that have been explored to date (if any) and the outcome of those requests for assistance.
5) Describe the role of key leadership in the effort. How will they support or participate in the assistance?
6) All technical assistance recipients are required to participate in a follow-up assessment of the assistance received. Please indicate your agreement to fully participate in this assessment.
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PART III
CSOM APPLICATION FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (optional section)
You are not required to respond to the following questions to be considered to receive technical assistance. These questions are designed to assist CSOM in better understanding the current practices in the field.
1) How many sex offenders are under community supervision in your jurisdiction? How many staff (probation/parole/community corrections) are responsible for their supervision?
2) How is supervision of sex offenders in your community managed? (Provide a written description of your current practices, including the case management methods used for sex offenders and the collaborative efforts among agencies and organizations in your community relative to the management of those offenders.)
March 2001
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