(a) The purpose of this subpart is to implement the provisions of section 815(c) of the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979 (42 U.S.C. 3789d(c); title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d; and title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681, et seq., to the end that no person in any State shall on the ground of race, color, national origin, sex, or religion be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be subjected to discrimination under, or be denied employment in connection with any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available under either the Justice System Improvement Act or the Juvenile Justice Act by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, the National Institute of Justice, or the Bureau of Justice Statistics. These regulations also implement Executive Order 12138, which requires all Federal agencies awarding financial assistance to take certain steps to advance women's business enterprise.

(b) The regulations in this subpart apply to the delivery of services by, and employment practices of recipients administering, participating in, or substantially benefiting from any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance extended under the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979, or the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended.

(c) Where a private recipient which receives such assistance through a unit of government is engaged in prohibited discrimination, the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics will invoke the enforcement procedures of this subpart (§ 42.208, et seq.) against the appropriate unit of government for failure to enforce the assurances of nondiscrimination given it by the private recipient pursuant to § 42.204(a). Where a private recipient receives assistance either directly from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, the National Institute of Justice, or the Bureau of Justice Statistics or through another private entity which receives funds directly from one of those agencies, compliance will be enforced pursuant to section 803(a) of the Justice System Improvement Act.

(a) JSIA means the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979, Public Law 96-157, 42 U.S.C. 3701, et seq.

(b) Juvenile Justice Act means title I and II of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Public Law 93-415, as amended by Public Law 94-503 and Public Law 95-115.

(c) OJARS or Office means the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics.

(d) LEAA means the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.

(e) NIJ means the National Institute of Justice.

(f) BJS means the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

(g) Employment practices means all terms and conditions of employment including but not limited to, all practices relating to the screening, recruitment, referral, selection, training, appointment, promotion, demotion, and assignment of personnel, and includes advertising, hiring, assignments, classification, discipline, layoff and termination, upgrading, transfer, leave practices, rate of pay, fringe benefits, or other forms of pay or credit for services rendered and use of facilities.

(h) Investigation includes fact-finding efforts and, pursuant to § 42.205(c)(3), attempts to secure the voluntary resolution of complaints.

(i) Compliance review means a review of a recipient's selected employment practices or delivery of services for compliance with the provisions of section 815(c)(1) of the Justice System Improvement Act, or this subpart.

(j) Noncompliance means the failure of a recipient to comply with section 815(c)(1) of the Justice System Improvement Act, or this subpart.

(k) Program or activity means the operation of the agency or organizational unit of government receiving or substantially benefiting from financial assistance awarded, e.g., a police department or department of corrections.

(l) Pattern or practice means any procedure, custom, or act affecting or potentially affecting, more than a single individual in a single or isolated instance.

(m) Religion includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief.

(n) Recipient means any State or local unit of government or agency thereof, and any private entity, institution, or organization, to which Federal financial assistance is extended directly, or through such government or agency, but such term does not include any ultimate beneficiary of such assistance.

(o) State means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;

(p) Unit of local government means any city, county, township, town, borough, parish, village or other general purpose political subdivision of a State, an Indian tribe which performs law enforcement functions as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, or, for the purpose of assistance eligiblity, any agency of the District of Columbia government or the U.S. Government performing law enforcement functions in and for the District of Columbia;

(q) Combination as applied to States or units of local government means any grouping or joining together of such States or units for the purpose of preparing, developing, or implementing a criminal justice program or project;

(r) Criminal justice council or CJC means the agency designated by a State to perform the functions listed in section 402(b)(1) of the Justice System Improvement Act.

(s) All masculine terms such as he, his, and him should be construed to mean their respective feminine counterparts, she, hers, and her, where appropriate.

(a) No person in any State shall on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in connection with any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available under the JSIA or the Juvenile Justice Act.

(b) A recipient may not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, on the grounds set forth in paragraph (a) of this section:

(1) Deny an individual any disposition, service, financial aid, or benefit provided under the program;

(2) Provide any disposition, service, financial aid, or benefit to an individual which is different, or is provided in a different manner, from that provided to others under the program;

(3) Subject an individual to segregation or separate treatment in any matter related to his receipt of any disposition, service, financial aid, or benefit under the program;

(4) Restrict an individual in any way in the enjoyment of any advantage or privilege enjoyed by others receiving any disposition, service, or financial aid or benefit under the program;

(5) Treat an individual differently from others in determining whether he satisfies any admission, enrollment, quota, eligibility, membership, or other requirement or condition which individuals must meet in order to be provided any disposition, service, financial aid, function, or benefit provided under the program;

(6) Deny an individual an opportunity to participate in the program through the provision of services or otherwise or afford him an opportunity to do so which is different from that afforded others under the program;

(7) Deny a person the opportunity to participate as a member of a planning or advisory body which is an integral part of the program;

(8) Subject any individual to physical abuse or summary punishment, or deny any individual the rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all persons;

(9) Subject any individual to discrimination in its employment practices in connection with any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available under the JSIA or the Juvenile Justice Act;

(10) Use any selection device in a manner which is inconsistent with the Department of Justice Uniform on Employee Selection Guidelines, 28 CFR 50.14.

(c) In matters involving employment discrimination, section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA shall be interpreted by the Office consistently with title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Public Law 88-352, 79 Stat. 253, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, Public Law 92-261, 87 Stat. 103, and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Public Law 95-555, 92 Stat. 2076.

(d) The use of a minimum height or weight requirement which operates to disproportionately exclude women and persons of certain national origins, such as persons of Hispanic or Asian descent, is a violation of this subpart, unless the recipient is able to demonstrate convincingly, through use of supportive factual data, that the requirement has been validated as set forth in the Department of Justice Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, 28 CFR 50.14.

(e) A recipient, in determining the type of disposition, services, financial aid, benefits, or facilities which will be provided under any program, or the class of individuals to whom, or the situations in which, such will be provided under any program, may not directly or through contractual or other arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination under section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program as respects individuals of a particular race, color, sex, national origin, or religion.

(f) In determining the site or location of facilities, a recipient or applicant may not make selections with the purpose or effect of excluding individuals from, denying them the benefits of, subjecting them to discrimination under, or denying them employment in connection with any program or activity to which this subpart applies; or with the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially impairing the accomplishment of the objectives of the JSIA, the Juvenile Justice Act, or this subpart.

(g) For the purposes of this section, the disposition, services, financial aid, or benefits provided under a program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance shall be deemed to include any portion of any program or function or activity conducted by any recipient of Federal financial assistance which program, function, or activity is directly or indirectly improved, enhanced, enlarged, or benefited by such Federal financial assistance or which makes use of any facility, equipment, or property provided with the aid of Federal financial assistance.

(h) The enumeration of specific forms of prohibited discrimination in paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section does not limit the generality of the prohibition in paragraph (a) of this section.

(i)(1) In administering a program regarding which the recipient has previously discriminated against persons on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, the recipient must take affirmative action to overcome the effects of prior discrimination.

(2) Even in the absence of such prior discrimination, a recipient in administering a program may take affirmative action to overcome the effects of conditions which resulted in limiting participation by persons of a particular race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.

(j) Nothing contained in this subpart shall be construed as requiring any recipient to adopt a percentage ratio, quota system, or other program to achieve racial balance. The use of goals and timetables is not use of a quota prohibited by this section.

(a) Every application for Federal financial assistance to which this subpart applies shall, as a condition of approval of such application and the extension of any Federal financial assistance pursuant to such application, contain or be accompanied by an assurance that the applicant will comply with all applicable nondiscrimination requirements and will obtain such assurances from its subgrantees, contractors, or subcontractors to which this subpart applies, as a condition of the extension of Federal financial assistance to them.

(b) Every unit of State or local government and every agency of such unit that applies for a grant of $500,000 or more under the JSIA or the Juvenile Justice Act, must submit a copy of its current Equal Employment Opportunity Program (if required to develop one under 28 CFR 42.301, et. seq.) to OJARS at the same time it submits its grant application. No application for $500,000 or more will be approved until OJARS has approved the applicant's EEOP.

(c) Every application for Federal financial assistance from a State or local unit of government or agency thereof shall contain an assurance that in the event a Federal or State court or Federal or State administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination after a due process hearing, on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex against the recipient State or local government unit, or agency, the recipient will forward a copy of the finding to the appropriate CJC and to OJARS.

(a) The Office shall investigate complaints filed by or on behalf of an individual claiming to be aggrieved, that allege a violation of section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, or this subpart.

(b) No complaint will be investigated if it is received more than one year after the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the Director of OJARS for good cause shown.

(c) The Office shall conduct investigations of complaints as follows:

(1) Within 21 days of receipt of a complaint, the Office shall:

(i) Ascertain whether it had jurisdiction under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section;

(ii) If jurisdiction is found, notify the recipient alleged to be discriminating of its receipt of the complaint; and

(iii) Initiate the investigation.

(2) The investigation will ordinarily be initiated by a letter requesting data pertinent to the complaint and advising the recipient of:

(i) The nature of the complaint, and, with the written consent of the complainant, the identity of the complainant;

(ii) The programs or activities affected by the complaint;

(iii) The opportunity to make, at any time prior to receipt of the Office's preliminary findings, a documentary submission, responding to, rebutting, or denying the allegations made in the complaint; and

(iv) The schedule under which the complaint will be investigated and a determination of compliance or non-compliance made.

(3) Within 150 days or, where an on-site investigation is required, within 175 days after the initiation of the investigation, the Office shall advise the complainant, the recipient, the chief executive(s) of the appropriate unit(s) of government, and the appropriate CJC of:

(i) Its investigative findings;

(ii) Where appropriate, its recommendations for compliance; and

(iii) If it is likely that satisfactory resolution of the complaint can be obtained, the recipient's opportunity to request the Office to engage in voluntary compliance negotiations prior to the Director of OJARS' determination of compliance or non-compliance.

(4) If, within 30 days, the Office's recommendations for compliance are not met, or voluntary compliance is not secured, the matter will be forwarded to the Director of OJARS for a determination of compliance or non-compliance. The determination shall be made no later than 14 days after the conclusion of the 30-day period. If the Director makes a determination of non-compliance with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, the Office shall institute administrative proceedings pursuant to § 42.208 et seq.

(5) If the complainant or another party, other than the Attorney General, has filed suit in Federal or State court alleging the same discrimination alleged in a complaint to OJARS, and, during OJARS' investigation, the trial of that suit would be in progress, OJARS will suspend its investigation and monitor the litigation through the court docket and, where necessary, contacts with the complainant. Upon receipt of notice that the court has made a finding of a pattern or practice of discrimination within the meaning of § 42.208, the Office will institute administrative proceedings pursuant to § 42.208, et seq. Upon receipt of notice that the court has made a finding affecting only the complainant, the Office will adopt the findings of the court as its investigative findings pursuant to § 42.205(c)(3).

(6) The time limits listed in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(5) of this section shall be appropriately adjusted where OJARS requests another Federal agency or another branch of the Department of Justice to act on the complaint. OJARS will monitor the progress of the matter through liaison with the other agency. Where the request to act does not result in timely resolution of the matter, OJARS will institute appropriate proceedings pursuant to this section.

(a) The Office shall periodically conduct:

(1) Pre-award compliance reviews of all applicants requesting a grant from LEAA, NIJ, or BJS for $500,000 or more; and

(2) Post-award compliance reviews of selected recipients of LEAA, NIJ, or BJS assistance.

(b) Pre-award reviews. The Office shall review selected formula, discretionary, and national priority applications for $500,000 or more in order to determine whether the application presents a possibility of discrimination in the services to be performed under the grant, or in the employment practices of the applicant. In those instances where it finds such a possibility, the Office shall special condition, disapprove or take other action with respect to the application to assure that the project complies with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA.

(c) Post-award reviews. The Office shall seek to review those recipients which appear to have the most serious equal employment opportunity problems, or the greatest disparity in the delivery of services to the minority and non-minority or male and female communities they serve. Selection for review shall be made on the basis of:

(1) The relative disparity between the percentage of minorities, or women, in the relevant labor market, and the percentage of minorities, or women, employed by the recipient;

(2) The percentage of women and minorities in the population receiving program benefits;

(3) The number and nature of discrimination complaints filed against a recipient with OJARS or other Federal agencies;

(4) The scope of the problems revealed by an investigation commenced on the basis of a complaint filed with the Office against a recipient or by a pre-award compliance review; and

(5) The amount of assistance provided to the recipient.

(d) Within 15 days after selection of a recipient for review, the Office shall inform the recipient that it has been selected and will initiate the review. The review will ordinarily be initiated by a letter requesting data pertinent to the review and advising the recipient of:

(1) The practices to be reviewed;

(2) The programs or activities affected by the review;

(3) The opportunity to make, at any time prior to receipt of the Office's investigative findings, a documentary submission responding to the Office, explaining, validating, or otherwise addressing the practices under review; and

(4) The schedule under which the review will be conducted and a determination of compliance or non-compliance made.

(e) Within 150 days or, where an on-site investigation is required, within 175 days after the initiation of the review, the Office shall advise the recipient, the chief executive(s) of the appropriate unit(s) of government, and the appropriate CJC, of:

(1) Its investigative findings;

(2) Where appropriate, its recommendations for compliance; and

(3) The opportunity to request the Office to engage in voluntary compliance negotiations prior to the Director of OJARS' determination of compliance or noncompliance.

(f) If, within 30 days, the Office's recommendations for compliance are not met, or voluntary compliance is not secured, the Director of OJARS shall make a determination of compliance or non-compliance. The determination shall be made no later than 14 days after the conclusion of the 30-day negotiation period. If the Director makes a determination of non-compliance with section 815(c) of the JSIA, the Office shall institute administrative proceedings pursuant to § 42.208, et seq.

(a) Each recipient shall:

(1) Keep such records, and submit to OJARS such timely, complete, and accurate information as OJARS may request to determine whether the recipient is complying with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA; and

(2) Permit reasonable access by OJARS to its books, documents, papers, and records, to the extent necessary to determine whether the recipient is complying with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA.

(b) Failure to comply with § 42.207(a) shall subject the recipient to the sanctions provided in section 803(a) of the JSIA, 42 U.S.C. 3783(a).

(a) Whenever the Office has:

(1) Received notice of a finding, after notice and opportunity for a hearing by:

(i) A Federal court (other than in an action brought by the Attorney General under section 815(c)(3) of the JSIA);

(ii) A State court; or

(iii) A Federal or State administrative agency (other than the Office under paragraph (a)(2) of this section); to the effect that there has been a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA; or

(2) Made a determination after an investigation by the Office pursuant to § 42.205 or § 42.206 of this subpart that a State government or unit of general local government, or agency thereof, is not in compliance with this subpart, or section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, or this subpart: the Office shall, within 10 days after such occurrence, notify the chief executive of the affected State and, if the action involves a unit of general local government, the chief executive of such unit of general local government, that such program or activity has been so found or determined not to be in compliance with this subpart or section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA or this subpart, and shall request each chief executive notified under this section with respect to such violation to secure compliance.

(b) For the purposes of this section, notice means:

(1) Publication in—

(i) Employment Practices Decisions, Commerce Clearinghouse, Inc.;

(ii) Fair Employment Practices, Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.;

(iii) The United States Law Week, Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.; or

(iv) Federal Supplement, Federal Reporter, or Supreme Reporter, West Publishing Company; or

(2) Receipt by the Office of a reliable copy of a pattern or practice finding, made after a due process hearing from any source.

(c) When the Office receives notice of a finding which has been made more than 120 days prior to receipt, the Office will determine if the finding is currently applicable.

(1) In determining the current applicability of the finding, the Office will contact the clerk of the court and the office of the deciding judge (or the appropriate agency official) to determine whether any subsequent orders have been entered.

(2) If the information is unavailable through the clerk or the office of the judge (or the appropriate agency official), the Office will contact the attorneys of record for both the plaintiff and defendant to determine whether any subsequent orders have been entered, or if the recipient is in compliance.

(3) If, within 10 days of receipt of notice, it is not determined through the procedures set forth in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section, that the recipient is in full compliance with a final order of the court (or agency) within the meaning of § 42.211(b), the Office will notify the appropriate chief executive of the recipient's noncompliance as provided in § 42.208(a).

(d) For purposes of paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section a finding by a Federal or State administrative agency shall be deemed rendered after notice and opportunity for a hearing if it is rendered pursuant to procedures consistent with the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5, title 5, U.S. Code (the Administrative Procedures Act).

(e) The procedures of a Federal or State administrative agency shall be deemed to be consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) if:

(1) The agency gives all interested parties opportunity for—

(i) The submission and consideration of facts, arguments, offers of settlement, or proposals of adjustment when time, the nature of the proceeding, and the public interest permit; and

(ii) Hearing on notice, and a decision by an individual who did not participate in the investigation or prosecution of the matter.

(2) A party is entitled to be represented by counsel or other qualified representative, to present his case or defense by oral or documentary evidence, to submit rebuttal evidence, and to conduct such cross-examination as may be required for a full and true disclosure of the facts; and

(3) The record shows the ruling on each finding, conclusion, or exception presented. All decisions, including initial recommended, and tentative decisions, shall be a part of the record and shall include a statement of—

(i) Findings and conclusions, and the reasons or basis therefor, on all the material issues of fact, law, or discretion presented on the record; and

(ii) The appropriate rule, order, sanction, relief, or definal thereof.

(f) If within 10 days of receipt of notice the Office cannot determine whether the finding was rendered pursuant to procedures consistent with the APA, it shall presume the APA procedures were applied, and send notification under § 42.208(a) to the appropriate chief executive(s).

(g) Each notification under § 42.208(a) shall advise the appropriate chief executive of:

(1) The program or activity determined to be in noncompliance;

(2) The general legal and factual basis for its determination;

(3) The Office's request to secure compliance;

(4) The action to be taken by the Office and the provisions of law under which the proposed action is to be taken should the chief executive fail to secure compliance; and

(5) The right of the recipient to request a preliminary hearing, pursuant to § 42.212, and a full hearing, pursuant to § 42.213.

(a) In the event a chief executive secures compliance after notice pursuant to § 42.208, the terms and conditions with which the affected State government or unit of general local government agrees to comply shall be set forth in writing and signed by the chief executive of the State, by the chief executive of such unit (in the event of a violation by a unit of general local government), and by the Director of OJARS.

(b) Prior to the effective date of the agreement, the Office shall send a copy of the agreement to each complainant, if any, with respect to such violation, and to the appropriate CJC.

(c) The chief executive of the State, or the chief executive of the unit (in the event of a violation by a unit of general local government) shall file semi-annual reports with the Office detailing the steps taken to comply with the agreement.

(d) Within 15 days of receipt of such reports, the Office shall send a copy to each complainant, if any.

(e) The Director of OJARS shall also determine a recipient to be in compliance if it complies fully with the final order or judgement of a Federal or State court, pursuant to § 42.211 (a)(2) and (b), or if found by such court to be in compliance with section 815(c)(1).

(a) If, at the conclusion of 90 days after notification of noncompliance with section 815(c)(1):

(1) Compliance has not been secured by the chief executive of that State or the chief executive of that unit of general local government; and

(2) An administrative law judge has not made a determination under § 42.212 that it is likely the State government or unit of local government will prevail on the merits;

(b) If a hearing is requested pursuant to § 42.213, the suspension of funds shall be effective for a period of not more than 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing, or in the absence of a hearing under § 42.213, funds shall be suspended for not more than 120 days, unless there has been an express finding by the Director of OJARS after notice and opportunity for such a hearing, that the recipient is not in compliance with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, or this subpart.

(a) Payment of suspended funds made available under the JSIA or the Juvenile Justice Act shall resume only if—

(1) Such State government or unit of general local government enters into a compliance agreement signed by the Director of OJARS in accordance with § 42.209;

(2) Such State government or unit of general local government:

(i) Complies fully with the final order or judgment of a Federal or State court, if that order or judgement covers all matters raised by the Director of OJARS in the notice pursuant to § 42.208, or

(ii) Is found to be in compliance with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA by such court;

(3) After a hearing, the Director of OJARS, pursuant to § 42.213, finds that noncompliance has not been demonstrated; or

(4) An administrative law judge has determined, under § 42.212, that it is likely that the State government or unit of local government will prevail on the merits.

(b) Full compliance with a court order, for the purposes of paragraph (2) of this section, includes the securing of an agreement to comply over a period of time, particularly in complex cases or where compliance would require an extended period of time for implementation.

(a) Prior to the suspension of funds under § 42.210(a), but within the 90-day period after notification under § 42.208, the State government or unit of local government may request an expedited preliminary hearing on the record in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 554 in order to determine whether it is likely that the State government or unit of local government would, at a full hearing under § 42.213, prevail on the merits on the issue of the alleged noncompliance.

(b) The preliminary hearing shall be initiated within 30 days of request. The ALJ shall make his finding within 15 days after the conclusion of the preliminary hearing.

(a) At any time after notification of noncompliance under § 42.208, but before the conclusion of the 120-day suspension period referred to in § 42.210, a State government or unit of general local government may request a hearing on the record in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 554 in order to contest the findings of determination of noncompliance made under § 42.208. The Office shall initiate the hearing within 60 days of request.

(b) Within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing, or, in the absence of a hearing, at the conclusion of the 120-day period referred to in § 42.210, the Director of OJARS shall make a finding of compliance or noncompliance.

(1) If the Director makes a finding of noncompliance, the Director shall:

(i) Notify the Attorney General in order that the Attorney General may institute a civil action under section 815(c)(3) of the JSIA;

(ii) Cause to have terminated the payment of funds under the JSIA and/or the Juvenile Justice Act; and

(iii) If appropriate, seek repayment of funds.

(2) If the Director makes a finding of compliance, payment of the suspended funds and reconsideration of applications shall resume.

Any State government or unit of general local government aggrieved by a final determination of the Office under § 42.213 may appeal such determination as provided in section 805 of the JSIA.

(a) The Director of OJARS may, at any time, request the Attorney General to file suit to enforce compliance with section 815(c)(1). OJARS will monitor the litigation through the court docket and liaison with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Where the litigation does not result in timely resolution of the matter, and funds have not been suspended pursuant to § 42.215(b), OJARS will institute administrative proceedings unless enjoined from doing so by the court.

(b)(1) Whenever the Attorney General files a civil action alleging a pattern or practice of discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex in any program or activity of a State government or unit of local government which State government or unit of local government receives funds made available under the JSIA or the Juvenile Justice Act and the conduct allegedly violates or would violate the provisions of this subpart or section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA and neither party within 45 days after such filing has been granted such preliminary relief with regard to the suspension or payment of funds as may otherwise be available by law, the Director of OJARS shall suspend further payment of any funds under the JSIA and the Juvenile Justice Act to that specific program or activity alleged by the Attorney General to be in violation of the provisions of section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA until such time as the court orders resumption of payment.

(2) The Office expects that preliminary relief authorized by this subsection will not be granted unless the party making application for such relief meets the standards for a preliminary injunction.

(c)(1) Whenever a State government or unit of local government or any officer or employee thereof acting in an official capacity, has engaged or is engaging in any act or practice prohibited by section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA, a civil action may be instituted after exhaustion of administrative remedies by the person aggrieved in an appropriate U.S. District Court or in a State court or general jurisdiction.

(2) Administrative remedies shall be deemed to be exhausted upon the expiration of 60 days after the date the administrative complaint was filed with the Office or any other administrative enforcement agency, unless within such period there has been a determination by the Office or the agency on the merits of the complaint, in which case such remedies shall be deemed exhausted at the time the determination becomes final.

(3) The Attorney General, or a specifically designated assistant for or in the name of the United States may intervene upon timely application in any civil action brought to enforce compliance with section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA if he certifies that the action is of general public importance. In such action the United States shall be entitled to the same relief as if it had instituted the action.

Section 42.201(c). The compliance enforcement mechanism of section 815(c)(2) applies by its terms to State and local government. The prohibitions in section 815(c)(1), however, apply to all recipients of OJARS assistance. Accordingly, where a private entity which has received LEAA, NIJ, or BJS assistance through a State or local unit of government is determined by OJARS to be in non-compliance, OJARS will invoke the section 815(c)(2) mechanism against the appropriate unit of government for its failure to enforce the assurances of compliance given it by the private recipient, unless the unit has initiated its own compliance action against the private recipient. The fund termination procedures of section 803(a) will be invoked against non-complying private recipients which receive assistance directly from LEAA, NIJ, or BJS, or through another private entity.

Section 42.202(g). Section 815(c)(1) of the JSIA limits suspension and termination of assistance in the event of noncompliance to the “programs or activity” in which the noncompliance is found. The phrase “program or activity” was first used in section 815(c)(1) of the Crime Control Act of 1976, the substantially identical predecessor to section 815(c)(1).

House Report No. 94-1155 (94th Congress, 2d Session), at p. 26, explained the provision as follows:

“Suspension may be limited to the specific program or activity found to have discriminated, rather than all of the recipients' LEAA funds.

“For example, if discriminatory employment practices in a city's police department were cited in the notification, LEAA may only suspend that part of the city's payments which fund the police department. LEAA may not suspend the city's LEAA funds which are used in the city courts, prisons, or juvenile justice agencies.”

Sections 42.203(b) and 42.203(e-i). These provisions are derived from 28 CFR 42.104(b) of subpart C of the Department of Justice Nondiscrimination Regulations. Where appropriate “sex” and “religion” have been added as prohibited grounds of discrimination, and “denial of employment” as another activity within the scope of section 815(c)(1).

Individual projects benefiting a particular sex, race, or ethnic group are not violative of section 815(c)(1) unless the granting agency or the recipient has engaged in a pattern of granting preferential treatment to one such group, and cannot justify the preference on the basis of a compelling governmental interest, in the case of racial or ethnic discrimination, or a substantial relationship to an important governmental function, in the case of sex discrimination.

Section 42.203(b)(10). On August 25, 1978, the Department of Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor and the then-Civil Service Commission published the Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines codified at 28 CFR 50.14. Since OJARS is a component of the Department, these guidelines are applicable to the selection procedures of LEAA, NIJ, and BJS recipients. See 44 FR 11996 (March 2, 1979) for a detailed commentary on the guidelines.

Section 42.203(c). In the Conference Report on section 518(c) of the Crime Control Act (the substantially identical predecessor of section 815(c)), the managers stated that “In the area of employment cases brought under this section, it is intended by the conferees that the standards of title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 apply.” H. Rept. No. 94-1723 (94th Cong., 2d Sess.) at p. 32.

This section makes the OJARS standards of employment discrimination consistent with those used by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. It further clarifies that the burden shifts to the employer to validate its selection procedures once OJARS has demonstrated that those procedures disproportionately exclude an affected class. Discriminatory purpose on the part of the employer, which must be shown before the burden shifts in a Fourteenth Amendment case such as Washington v. Davis, 426 U.S. 229, 96 S. Ct. 2040 (1976), need not be shown in an employment discrimination case brought under section 815(c)(1).

Section 42.203(j). Section 815(b) of the JSIA reads:

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, nothing contained in this title shall be construed to authorize the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, or the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (1) to require, or condition the availability or amount of a grant upon the adoption by an applicant or grantee under this title of a percentage ratio, quota system, or other program to achieve racial balance in any criminal justice agency; or (2) to deny or discontinue a grant because of the refusal of an applicant or grantee under this title to adopt such a ratio, system, or other program.”

In commenting on the Crime Control Act of 1976, Senator Roman Hruska of Nebraska explained the difference between quotas and goals and timetables as follows:

“Section 518(b) [now 815(b)] of the act prohibits the setting of quotas. This provision was unchanged, and this provision will still bind the Administration.

“LEAA does have an affirmative obligation under this law to seek to eliminate discriminatory practices, voluntarily, if possible, prior to resorting to fund termination. LEAA can request that a recipient eliminate the effect of past discrimination by requiring the recipient to commit itself to goals and timetables. The formulation of goals is not a quota prohibited by section 518(b) of the act. A goal is a numerical objective fixed realistically in terms of the number of vacancies expected and the number of qualified applicants available. Factors such as a lower attrition rate than expected, bona fide fiscal restraints, or a lack of qualified applicants would be acceptable reasons for not meeting a goal that has been established and no sanctions would accrue under the program.” Cong. Rec. S 17320 (September 30, 1976, daily ed.).

The Senate Judiciary Committee Report on the JSIA also emphasized that section 815(b) does not “undercut subsection (c) in any way; subsection (b) has been interpreted so as not to limit LEAA's anti-discrimination enforcement capabilities. Indeed, recent court decisions have made this abundantly clear. See, e.g., United States v. City of Los Angeles, No. 77-3460 (C.D. Cal. 2/1/79).” S. Rept. 96-142, p. 57.

See also the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Affirmative Action Guidelines, 44 FR 4422 (January 19, 1979).

Section 42.204. All grantees and subgrantees must make the assurances found in paragraph (a). Only State and local units of government and agencies thereof must make the assurance found in paragraph (c), since, as explained in the commentary on § 42.201(c), the enforcement provisions of section 815(c)(2) apply only to governmental recipients.

Section 42.205(a). Where information available to the Office clearly and convincingly demonstrates that the complaint is frivolous or otherwise without merit, the complaint will not be investigated, and the complainant will be so advised.

Section 42.205(b). A one-year timeliness requirement is imposed to ensure that OJARS will be devoting its resources to the resolution of active issues, and to maximize the possibility that necessary witnesses and evidence are still available.

Examples of good cause which would clearly warrant an extension of the filing period are a statement from the complainant stating that he or she was unware of the discrimination until after a year had passed, or that he or she was not aware that a remedy was available through OJARS.

Section 42.205(c)(1). Jurisdiction exists if the complaint alleges discrimination on a ground prohibited by section 815(c)(1), if the recipient was receiving funds at the time of the discrimination, and the respondent named in the complaint is a current recipient of LEAA, NIJ, or BJS assistance.

Prior to a determination of noncompliance, OJARS will attempt to negotiate voluntary compliance only during the 30-day period following receipt of the Office's preliminary findings, and only at the request of the recipient, as provided in § 42.205(c)(3). If a determination of noncompliance is made, OJARS will participate in voluntary compliance efforts during the 90-day period following the letter sent to the chief executive(s) under section 42.208.

Sections 42.205(c) (3) and (4) and 42.206(e). OJARS will notify the appropriate chief executive(s) of its recommendations during the voluntary resolution phase of both the complaint investigation and compliance review process. OJARS expects that the early involvement of the chief executive will often expedite the resolution of issues.

Section 42.205(c)(5). OJARS will initiate an investigation if the litigation discussed in this subparagraph becomes protracted or apparently will not resolve the matter within a reasonable time.

Section 42.205(c)(6). In order to effectively utilize the resources of other agencies, and to avoid duplication of effort, OJARS may request another agency to act on a particular complaint. OJARS expects this practice to be limited, and will attempt to ensure that any cooperative agreement reached with another agency is consistent with the timetables set forth in § 42.205(c).

Section 42.206(a). OJARS recognizes the practical impossibility of reviewing the compliance of each of its more than 39,000 recipients. The regulations seek to expedite the review process by reducing its length and narrowing its focus. Compliance reviews may, in some instances, be limited to specific employment practices, or other functions of a recipient, that appear to have the greatest adverse impact on an affected class.

Section 42.206(b). The factors listed will be considered cumulatively by OJARS in selecting recipients for reviews. OJARS will consider data from all sources, including information provided by both internal and external auditors.

Section 42.208(b). Upon receipt of the publications listed, OJARS will review the case reports for findings that may be violations of section 815(c)(1). In the case of the West Publishing Company reporters, OJARS will consult the topic “Civil Rights” in the Key Number Digests contained in the advance sheets.

Section 42.208(e). This subsection sets forth the minimum procedural safeguards that OJARS would require of an administrative hearing to assure the process was consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act. The sufficiency of other procedures that may vary in form but insure due process and the same opportunity for a fair hearing of both parties' evidence will be determined by OJARS on a case-by-case basis.

The Office will compile a list of State agencies whose procedures have been found consistent with the Administrative Procedure Act, and a list of State agencies whose procedures have been found inconsistent. When a finding of an agency not on either list is received, the Office will attempt to reliably determine the procedures used to render the findings.

Section 42.209(a). Although the signature of the appropriate chief executives are ultimately required on the compliance agreement, these regulations do not preclude them from delegating the responsibility for securing compliance during the 90-day period following notification, to State or local administrative or human rights agencies under their respective authority. A compliance agreement may be an agreement to comply over a period of time, particularly in complex cases or where compliance would require an extended period of time for implementation.

Section 42.209(b). The regulations require that a copy of the proposed compliance agreement be sent to the complainant, if any, before the effective date of the agreement. Although the Act would permit a copy to be sent as late as the effective date, OJARS believes the compliance agreement would be more likely to resolve all concerns and discourage litigation if the complainant's views were considered before it took effect.

Section 42.211(b). An example of a case where compliance would require an extended period of time for implementation would be a court order setting a goal of five years for an employer to raise the percentage of minorities in its workforce to parity with the percentage of minorities in the relevant geographical labor force.

Section 42.213. The full hearing will be conducted in accordance with JSIA Hearing and Appeal Procedures, 28 CFR 18.1, et seq.

Section 42.215(a). In a December 20, 1976 letter to the Administrator of LEAA, Congressman Peter Rodino, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, commented on the regulations proposed to implement the substantially identical nondiscrimination provisions of the Crime Control Act. He advised the Administrator that “the committee intentionally omitted the word ‘refer’ from the law to ensure that LEAA would always retain administrative jurisdiction over a complaint filed with them. It is not appropriate for LEAA to refer cases to the Civil Rights Division or other Federal or State agencies without monitoring the case for prompt resolution.”

Section 42.215(c)(2). The exhaustion of administrative remedies at the end of 60 days (unless the Office has made a determination) does not limit OJARS' authority to investigate a complaint after the expiration of that period. OJARS will continue to investigate the complaint after the end of the 60-day period, if necessary, in accordance with the provisions of § 42.205.