The Attorney General, through the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, will make grants to states and to states organized as multi-state compacts to construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities, including boot camp facilities and other alternative correctional facilities that can free conventional space for the confinement of violent offenders, to:

(a) Ensure that prison space is available for the confinement of violent offenders; and

(b) Implement truth in sentencing laws for sentencing violent offenders.

(a) Violent offender. [Reserved]

(b) Serious drug offense means an offense involving manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture or distribute, a controlled substance (as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), for which a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years or more is prescribed by state law.

(c) Part 1 violent crimes means murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault as reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of the Uniform Crime Reports. If such data is unavailable, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) publications may be utilized. See, e.g., “Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1990.” (”Part 1 violent crimes” are defined here solely as the statutorily prescribed basis for the formula allocation of funding.)

(d) Recipient means individual states or multi-state compacts awarded funds under this part.

(e) State means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

(f) Comprehensive correctional plan means a plan which represents an integrated approach to the management and operation of adult and juvenile correctional facilities and programs and which includes diversion programs, particularly drug diversion programs, community corrections programs, a prisoner screening and security classification system, appropriate professional training for corrections officers in dealing with violent offenders, prisoner rehabilitation and treatment programs, prisoner work activities (including to the extent practicable, activities relating to the development, expansion, modification, or improvement of correctional facilities) and job skills programs, educational programs, a pre-release prisoner assessment to provide risk reduction management, post-release assistance and an assessment of recidivism rates.

(g) Correctional facilities includes boot camps and other alternative correctional facilities for adults or juveniles that can free conventional bed space for the confinement of violent offenders.

(h) Boot camp means a corrections program for adult or juvenile offenders of not more than six-months confinement (not including time in confinement prior to assignment to the boot camp) involving:

(1) Assignment for participation in the program, in conformity with state law, by prisoners other than prisoners who have been convicted at any time for a violent felony;

(2) Adherence by inmates to a highly regimented schedule that involves strict discipline, physical training, and work;

(3) Participation by inmates in appropriate education, job training, and substance abuse counseling or treatment; and

(4) Post-incarceration aftercare services for participants that are coordinated with the program carried out during the period of imprisonment.

(i) Truth in sentencing laws means laws that:

(1) Ensure that violent offenders serve a substantial portion of sentences imposed;

(2) Are designed to provide sufficiently severe punishment for violent offenders, including violent juvenile offenders; and

(3) The prison time served is appropriately related to the determination that the inmate is a violent offender and for a period of time deemed necessary to protect the public.

(a) Recipients must be individual states, or states organized as multi-state compacts.

(b) Application requirements. To be eligible to receive either a formula or a discretionary grant under subtitle A, an applicant must submit an application which includes:

(1) Assurances that the state(s) have implemented, or will implement, correctional policies and programs, including truth in sentencing laws. No specific requirements for complying with this condition are prescribed by this interim rule for fiscal 1995 funding because of the need for further review of the status of truth in sentencing laws and the impact and needs requirements relating to reform in state systems.

(2) Assurances that the state(s) have implemented or will implement policies that provide for the recognition of the rights and needs of crime victims.

(i) Providing notice to victims concerning case and offender status;

(ii) Providing an opportunity for victims to be present at public court proceedings in their cases;

(iii) Providing victims the opportunity to be heard at sentencing and parole hearings;

(iv) Providing for restitution to victims; and

(v) Establishing administrative or other mechanisms to effectuate these rights.

(3) Assurances that funds received under this section will be used to construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is available for the confinement of violent offenders.

(4) Assurances that the state(s) has a comprehensive correctional plan in accordance with the definition elements in § 91.2. If the state(s) does not have an adequate comprehensive correctional plan, technical assistance will be available for compliance. States will be afforded a reasonable amount of time to develop their plans.

(5) Assurances that the state(s) has involved counties and other units of local government, when appropriate, in the construction, development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure the incarceration of violent offenders and that the state(s) will share funds received with counties and other units of local government, taking into account the burden placed on these units of government when they are required to confine sentenced prisoners because of overcrowding in state prison facilities.

(6) Assurances that funds received under this section will be used to supplement, not supplant, other federal, state, and local funds.

(7) Assurances that the state(s) has implemented, or will implement within 18 months after the date of the enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (September 13, 1994), policies to determine the veteran status of inmates and to ensure that incarcerated veterans receive the veterans benefits to which they are entitled.

(8) Assurances that correctional facilities will be made accessible to persons conducting investigations under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. 1997.

(9) If applicable, documentation of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion, modification, operation, or improvement of correctional facilities.

(10) If applicable, a description of the eligibility criteria for participation in any boot camp that is to be funded.

(c) States, and states organized as multi-state compacts, which can demonstrate affirmative responses to the assurances outlined above will be eligible to receive funds.

(d) Each state application for such funds must be accompanied by a comprehensive correctional plan. The plan shall be developed in consultation with representatives of appropriate state and local units of government, shall include both the adult and juvenile correctional systems, and shall provide an assessment of the state and local correctional needs, and a long-range implementation strategy for addressing those needs.

(e) Local units of government, i.e., any city, county, town, township, borough, parish, village or other general purpose subdivision of a state, or Indian tribe which performs law enforcement functions as determined by the secretary of the Interior, are in turn eligible to receive subgrants from a participating state(s). Such subgrants shall be made for the purpose(s) of carrying out the implementation strategy, consistent with state(s) comprehensive correctional plan.

(f) In awarding grants, consideration shall be given to the special burden placed on states which incarcerate a substantial number of inmates who are in the United States illegally. States will not be required to submit additional information on numbers of criminal aliens. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) are currently working together to implement the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) to assist the states with the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens. The Office of Justice Programs will coordinate with the SCAAP program to obtain the relevant information.

(g) The funds provided under this part shall be administered in compliance with the standards set forth in part 38 (Equal Treatment for Faith-based Organizations) of this chapter.

(a) Half of the total amount of funds appropriated to carry out subtitle A for each of the fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 will be made available for Truth in Sentencing Incentive Grants.

(b) Eligibility. To be eligible to receive such a grant, a state, or states organized as multi-state compacts, must meet the requirements of § 91.3 and must demonstrate that the state(s)—

(1) Has in effect laws which require that persons convicted of violent crimes serve not less than 85% of the sentence imposed; or

(2) Since 1993—

(i) Has increased the percentage of convicted violent offenders sentenced to prison;

(ii) Has increased the average prison time which will be served in prison by convicted violent offenders sentenced to prison;

(iii) Has increased the percentage of sentence which will be served in prison by violent offenders sentenced to prison; and

(iv) Has in effect at the time of application laws requiring that a person who is convicted of a violent crime shall serve not less than 85% of the sentence imposed if—

(A) The person has been convicted on 1 or more prior occasions in a court of the United States or of a state of a violent crime or a serious drug offense; and

(B) Each violent crime or serious drug offense was committed after the defendant's conviction of the preceding violent crime or serious drug offense.

(c) Formula allocation. The amount available to carry out this section for any fiscal year will be allocated to each eligible state in the ratio that the number of Part 1 violent crimes reported by such state to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 1993 bears to the number of Part 1 violent crimes reported by all states to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 1993.

(d) Transfer of unused funds. On September 30 of each fiscal years 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000, the Attorney General will transfer to the funds to be allocated under the Violent Offender Incarceration Grant formula allocation (section 91.5) any funds made available to carry out this section that are not allocated to an eligible state under paragraph (b) of this section.

(a) Half of the total amount of funds appropriated to carry out this subtitle for each of fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 will be made available for Violent Offender Incarceration Grants.

(b) Eligibility. To be eligible to receive such a grant, a state, or states organized as multi-state compacts, must meet the requirements of section 91.3(b).

(c) Allocation of violent offender incarceration funds—(1) Formula allocation. 85% of the sum of the amount available for grants under this section for any fiscal year and any amount transferred as described in § 91.4(c) for that fiscal year will be allocated as follows:

(i) 0.25% will be allocated to each eligible state except that the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands shall each be allocated 0.05%.

(ii) The amount remaining after application of paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section will be allocated to each eligible state in the ratio that the number of Part 1 violent crimes reported by such state to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 1993 bears to the number of Part 1 violent crimes reported by all states to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 1993.

(2) Discretionary allocation. Fifteen percent of the sum of the amount available for Violent Offender Incarceration Grants for any fiscal year under this subsection and any amount transferred as described in § 91.4(c) for that fiscal year will be allocated at the discretion of the Assistant Attorney General for OJP to states that have demonstrated:

(i) The greatest need for such grants, and

(ii) The ability to best utilize the funds to meet the objectives of the grant program and ensure that secure cell space is available for the confinement of violent offenders.

(d) Transfer of unused funds. On September 30 of each fiscal years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000, the Assistant Attorney General will transfer to the discretionary program under paragraph (c)(2) of this section any funds made available under paragraph (c)(1) of this section that are not allocated to an eligible state under paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(a) The federal share of a grant received under this subtitle may not exceed 75 percent of the costs of a proposal described in an application approved under this subtitle. The matching requirement can only be met through a hard cash match, and must be satisfied by the end of the project period. A certification to that effect will be required of each recipient of grant funds and must be submitted to the Office of Justice Programs with the application.

(b) [Reserved]