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NIJ is seeking investigator-initiated proposals to conduct research that examines criminal justice tools, protocols, and policies concerning drug trafficking, markets and use, and the effects of drug legalization and decriminalization on law enforcement, applicable to State, tribal and local jurisdictions. Proposals must address one of two criminal justice activities: drug intelligence and community surveillance, or criminal investigation and prosecution. In addition, NIJ has identified three drug research priorities: Marijuana and cannabis products; Heroin and other opioids (including diverted prescription drugs); and Novel psychoactive substances (also known as synthetic drugs).

NIJ is seeking investigator-initiated proposals to conduct research that examines criminal justice tools, protocols, and policies concerning drug trafficking, markets and use, and the effects of drug legalization and decriminalization on law enforcement, applicable to State, tribal and local jurisdictions. Proposals must address one of two criminal justice activities: drug intelligence and community surveillance, or criminal investigation and prosecution. In addition, NIJ has identified three drug research priorities: Marijuana and cannabis products; Heroin and other opioids (including diverted prescription drugs); and Novel psychoactive substances (also known as synthetic drugs).

The Soros Justice Fellowships fund outstanding individuals to undertake projects that advance reform, spur debate, and catalyze change on a range of issues facing the U.S. criminal justice system. The fellowships are part of a larger effort within the Open Society Foundations to reduce the destructive impact of current criminal justice policies on the lives of individuals, families, and communities in the United States by challenging the overreliance on incarceration and extreme punishment, and ensuring a fair and accountable system of justice. Fellows receive funding through the following three categories: - Advocacy Fellowships - Media Fellowships - Youth Activist Fellowships

The National Institute of Corrections recognizes the necessity for state and local criminal justice systems to develop pretrial justice systems and agencies which have established structures to make consistent pretrial release and detention decisions, that are based in legal and evidence based pretrial practices. The pretrial release or detention decision is critical and is known to have an effect on future criminal justice decisions and outcomes of the defendant. Because of the potential impact of this decision on criminal justices outcomes, NIC has made significant investments to develop sound and fundamental information and tools which will support fair, just, and consistent pretrial release and detention decisions that increase public safety and court appearance during the pretrial phase of the case.

The Soros Justice Fellowships fund outstanding individuals to undertake projects that advance reform, spur debate, and catalyze change on a range of issues facing the U.S. criminal justice system. The fellowships are part of a larger effort within the Open Society Foundations to reduce the destructive impact of current criminal justice policies on the lives of individuals, families, and communities in the United States by challenging the overreliance on incarceration and extreme punishment, and ensuring a fair and accountable system of justice.

To that end, OSF is inviting applications for its Soros Justice Fellowships. The program supports outstanding individuals poised to undertake a project that advances reform, spurs debate, and/or catalyzes change on a range of issues facing the U.S. criminal justice system. All projects must, at a minimum, relate to one or more of the following U.S. criminal justice reform goals: reducing the number of people who are incarcerated or under correctional control, challenging extreme punishment, or promoting fairness and accountability in our systems of justice.

In 2014, the Bureau for African Affairs (AF) and INL agreed to assist CAR's transitional government in re-establishing the country's criminal justice system, which was devastated during the destabilizing violence. CAR is among AF's top foreign assistance priorities in sub-Saharan Africa, and INL assistance seeks to re-establish functioning law enforcement and criminal justice institutions, and expand those institution's capacity to protect, serve, and provide justice to all CAR citizens across sectarian-lines, while upholding human rights and increasing public trust. Pending funding availability and other required approvals, this project will seek to continue INL's efforts to build the capacity of CAR's judicial institutions, with an emphasis on addressing atrocities, war crimes, and conflict related crimes.

The State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has been working with the Government of the Republic of Tunisia to enhance the capacity of Tunisia's criminal justice system since 2011. This includes efforts to improve the capacity of civilian law enforcement to provide citizen security; improve the capacity of the corrections system to provide safe, secure, and humane treatment of inmates; and improve the capacity of the justice sector to provide access to justice and maintain the rule of law throughout the country. The goal of INL's corrections reform project is to enhance the performance and capacity of Tunisia's corrections institutions. This includes the development of a professional and sustainable corrections system that provides humane, safe, and secure imprisonment.

In collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), NIJ is seeking competitive applications for a cooperative agreement to support research on the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program. The purpose of this solicitation is to inform the program's place-based and community-oriented efforts to reduce violent and serious crime as part of the Administration's comprehensive strategy to advance neighborhood revitalization. In partnership with researchers and community stakeholders, BCJI grantees identify "hot spots" in neighborhoods challenged by poverty, unemployment, struggling schools, and inadequate housing; they collaboratively develop environmental design, legislative, and other approaches to promote collective efficacy and target crime among offenders returning from incarceration, gangs, and youth. Applications must propose four research tasks: a review of BCJI planning, implementation, and enhancement grants; a process evaluation of BCJI grant activities; an evaluability assessment of BCJI program sites; and a process and outcome evaluation of the BCJI Training and Technical Assistance.

This solicitation seeks applications for funding for research and evaluation projects that will address the knowledge gaps related to trafficking in persons, with clear implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. NIJ has funded research on trafficking in persons for over a decade, and is particularly interested in proposals that build upon and complement its earlier research investments. NIJ’s current portfolio of human trafficking research comprehensively addresses such topics as: scope, prevalence, and perpetration of the crime; effective criminal justice responses and challenges thereto; victimization experiences and meeting victim needs; and how best to reduce the demand for trafficking victims. Applicants should familiarize themselves with this prior NIJ-funded research and include relevant research in their literature review. For a summary of NIJ-funded research projects on the subject of human trafficking, see www.nij.gov/nij/topics/crime/human-trafficking/welcome.htm.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for basic or applied research and development projects. An NIJ forensic science research and development grant supports a discrete, specified, circumscribed project that will: (1) increase the body of knowledge to guide and inform forensic science policy and practice, or (2) lead to the production of useful material(s), device(s), system(s), or method(s) that have the potential for forensic application. The intent of this program is to direct the findings of basic scientific research; research and development in broader scientific fields applicable to forensic science; and ongoing forensic science research toward the development of highly-discriminating, accurate, reliable, cost-effective, and rapid methods for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal justice purposes. Projects should address the challenges and needs of the forensic science community. The operational needs discussed at NIJ’s FY 2016 Forensic Science TWG meeting may be found on NIJ.gov. Additional research needs of the forensic science community can be found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees website. While the goals and deliverables of proposed projects do not necessarily need to result in immediate solutions to the posted challenges or needs, they should speak to them and produce knowledge that adds to work towards eventual resolutions.

This project will support the Embassy Mexico City/INL ROL Criminal Prosecutions Program by providing Mexican law students and professors an opportunity to develop litigation skills for working in and teaching the ACJS. This will be done by delivering litigation workshops, providing training/study tours to the United States and organizing an international conference on law schools' role in the consolidation of the ACJS.

INL is part of the Department of State's multi-faceted response to transnational criminal activity. Dedicated to strengthening criminal justice systems, countering the flow of illegal narcotics, and minimizing transnational crime, INL plays a key role in leading the development and synchronization of U.S. international drug and crime assistance. INL's technical support is tailored to support partner countries through multilateral, regional, and country-specific programs and prevent victimization of vulnerable populations. To support further progress in Costa Rica, INL has allocated funds for a program to increase police, local governments and community security by creating a Capacity Enhancement Program on Domestic Violence prevention, increasing vulnerable populations' awareness, and victim's assistance in the 15 cantons in Costa Rica.

This award will support efforts in at two or three of five target countries (select among: Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Armenia, and Montenegro) to identify priority substantive anti-corruption measures and assist in implementation of related reform actions. The substantive measures will be determined in reference to the countries' commitments in the context of relevant international standards, and to the recommendations of the peer review bodies associated with those standards. Several anti-corruption mechanisms and fora promote action on these standards by facilitating peer reviews, resulting in recommendations for reform, or by generating country commitments. Exemplar mechanisms and fora include UNCAC and GRECO (primary) and the Anti-Bribery Convention, Istanbul Action Plan, Open Government Partnership, and related policy (secondary). Each of the target countries has engaged in at least one of these entities and has received recommendations or made commitments to address corruption in various ways. INL intends for this project to initiate a multi-stakeholder process in each country selected for this project to prioritize two to three peer review body recommendations addressed to - or political commitments made by -- the country. The project should then support the development of action plans and targeted follow-up action (i.e. technical assistance, advocacy, and coordination) to help governments implement the action plans. Suggested focus areas in which to develop priorities, action plans, and follow-up measures could include judicial integrity/independence, criminalizing and enforcing foreign bribery, transparency of party funding and electoral campaigns, law enforcement reforms, and public procurement fraud and corruption. Supporting action in these areas would aid the criminal justice sector and civil society in making tangible steps to adopt laws, policies, or procedures that either prevent or combat corruption.

The Law & Social Sciences Program considers proposals that address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules.  The program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological.  Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior.  Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors.  Fields of study include many disciplines, and often address problems including though not limited to: Crime, Violence and Punishment Economic Issues Governance Legal Decisionmaking Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice Litigation and the Legal Profession LSS provides the following modes of support: Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowships Workshop and Conference Proposals

The Law & Social Sciences Program considers proposals that address social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules. The Program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological. Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior. Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors. Fields of study include many disciplines, and often address problems including though not limited to: Crime, Violence and Punishment Economic Issues Governance Legal Decision Making Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice Litigation and the Legal Profession

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the Rule of Law program in Kazakhstan. Eligibility for this award is restricted to qualified U.S. and Non-U.S. organizations. USAID intends to make an award to the applicant(s) who best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the merit review criteria described in this NOFO subject to a risk assessment. Eligible parties interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and selection process.