article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Safer Communities Partnership Act of 1999''. SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE REPLICATION OF RECENT SUCCESSFUL JUVENILE CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES. (a) In General.-- (1) Establishment.--The Attorney General (or a designee of the Attorney General), in conjunction with the Secretary of the Treasury (or the designee of the Secretary), shall establish a pilot program (referred to in this section as the ``program'') to encourage and support communities that adopt a comprehensive approach to suppressing and preventing violent juvenile crime and reducing drug and alcohol abuse among juveniles, patterned after successful State juvenile crime reduction strategies. (2) Program.--In carrying out the program, the Attorney General shall-- (A) make and track grants to grant recipients (referred to in this section as ``coalitions''); (B) in conjunction with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, provide for technical assistance and training, in addition to data collection, and dissemination of relevant information; and (C) provide for the general administration of the program. (3) Administration.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall appoint or designate an Administrator (referred to in this section as the ``Administrator'') to carry out the program. (4) Program authorization.--To be eligible to receive an initial grant or a renewal grant under this section, a coalition shall meet each of the following criteria: (A) Composition.--The coalition shall consist of 1 or more representatives of-- (i) the local or tribal police department or sheriff's department; (ii) the local prosecutors' office; (iii) State or local probation officers; (iv) religious affiliated or fraternal organizations involved in crime prevention; (v) schools; (vi) parents or local grass roots organizations such as neighborhood watch groups; (vii) social service agencies involved in crime prevention; (viii) a juvenile or youth court judge; and (ix) substance and alcohol abuse counselors and treatment providers. (B) Other participants.--If possible, in addition to the representatives from the categories listed in subparagraph (A), the coalition shall include 1 or more representatives of-- (i) the United States Attorney's office; (ii) the Federal Bureau of Investigation; (iii) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; (iv) the Drug Enforcement Administration; (v) the business community; and (vi) researchers who have studied criminal justice and can offer technical or other assistance. (C) Coordinated strategy.--A coalition shall submit to the Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee, a comprehensive plan for reducing violent juvenile crime. To be eligible for consideration, a plan shall-- (i) ensure close collaboration among all members of the coalition in suppressing and preventing juvenile crime; (ii) place heavy emphasis on coordinated enforcement initiatives, such as Federal and State programs that coordinate local police departments, prosecutors, and local community leaders to focus on the suppression of violent juvenile crime involving gangs; (iii) ensure that there is close collaboration between police and probation officers in the supervision of juvenile offenders, such as initiatives that coordinate the efforts of parents, school officials, and police and probation officers to patrol the streets and make home visits to ensure that offenders comply with the terms of their probation; (iv) ensure that a program is in place to trace all firearms seized from crime scenes or offenders in an effort to identify illegal gun traffickers; (v) ensure that effective crime prevention programs are in place, such as programs that provide after-school safe havens and other opportunities for at-risk youth to escape or avoid gang or other criminal activity, and to reduce recidivism; and (vi) ensure that a program is in place to divert nonviolent juvenile offenders into substance or alcohol abuse treatment, the successful completion of which may result in a suspended sentence for the offense, and the unsuccessful completion of which may result in an enhanced sentence for the offense. (D) Accountability.--A coalition shall-- (i) establish a system to measure and report outcomes consistent with common indicators and evaluation protocols established by the Administrator and that receives the approval of the Administrator; and (ii) devise a detailed model for measuring and evaluating the success of the plan of the coalition in reducing violent juvenile crime, and provide assurances that the plan will be evaluated on a regular basis to assess progress in reducing violent juvenile crime. (5) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Attorney General shall give priority to coalitions representing communities with demonstrated juvenile crime and drug abuse problems. (6) Grant amounts.-- (A) In general.--The Administrator may award a grant to an eligible coalition under this section, in an amount not to exceed the lesser of-- (i) the amount of non-Federal funds raised by the coalition, including in-kind contributions, for that fiscal year; and (ii) $400,000. (B) Nonsupplanting requirement.--A coalition seeking funds shall provide reasonable assurances that funds made available under this program to States or units of local government shall be so used as to supplement and increase (but not supplant) the level of the State, local, and other non-Federal funds that would in the absence of such Federal funds be made available for programs described in this section, and shall in no event replace such State, local, or other non-Federal funds. (C) Suspension of grants.--If a coalition fails to continue to meet the criteria set forth in this section, the Administrator may suspend the grant, after providing written notice to the grant recipient and an opportunity to appeal. (D) Renewal grants.--Subject to subparagraph (D), the Administrator may award a renewal grant to grant recipient under this subparagraph for each fiscal year following the fiscal year for which an initial grant is awarded, in an amount not to exceed the amount of non- Federal funds raised by the coalition, including in- kind contributions, for that fiscal year, during the 4- year period following the period of the initial grant. (7) Permitted use of funds.--A coalition receiving funds under this section may expend such Federal funds on any use or program that is contained in the plan submitted to the Administrator. (8) Congressional consultation.-- (A) In general.--Two years after the date of implementation of the program established in this section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report reviewing the effectiveness of the program in suppressing and reducing violent juvenile crime in the participating communities. (B) Contents of report.--The report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall include-- (i) an analysis of each community participating in the program, along with information regarding the plan undertaken in the community, and the effectiveness of the plan in reducing violent juvenile crime; and (ii) recommendations regarding the efficacy of continuing the program. (b) Information Collection and Dissemination With Respect to Coalitions.-- (1) Coalition information.--For the purpose of audit and examination, the Attorney General-- (A) shall have access to any books, documents, papers, and records that are pertinent to any grant or grant renewal request under this section; and (B) may periodically request information from a coalition to ensure that the coalition meets the applicable criteria. (2) Reporting.--The Attorney General shall, to the maximum extent practicable and in a manner consistent with applicable law, minimize reporting requirements by a coalition and expedite any application for a renewal grant made under this section. (c) Authorization of Appropriations.-- (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2003, of which-- (A) not less than $1,000,000 in each fiscal year shall be used for coalitions representing communities with a population of not more than 50,000; and (B) not less than 2 percent in each fiscal year shall be used for technical assistance and training under subsection (a)(2)(B). (2) Source of sums.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this subsection may be derived from the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund.
summary: Requires the Attorney General, in carrying out the program, to: (1) make and track grants; and (2) provide for technical assistance and training, in addition to data collection and dissemination of relevant information, and general program administration. Directs the Attorney General to appoint or designate an Administrator to carry out the program. Sets forth initial grant and renewal requirements. Directs that a grant recipient (coalition) submit to the Attorney General a comprehensive plan for reducing violent juvenile crime that meets specified requirements, such as ensuring that: (1) heavy emphasis is placed on coordinated enforcement initiatives; (2) there is close collaboration between police and probation officers in the supervision of juvenile offenders; (3) a program is in place to trace all firearms seized from crime scenes or offenders in an effort to identify illegal gun traffickers; and (4) a program is in place to divert nonviolent juvenile offenders into substance or alcohol abuse treatment. Requires coalitions to establish a system to measure and report outcomes, devise a detailed model for measuring and evaluating success, and provide assurances that the plan will be evaluated regularly to assess progress in reducing violent juvenile crime. Directs the Attorney General to give priority to coalitions representing communities with demonstrated juvenile crime and drug abuse problems. Sets forth provisions regarding grant amounts, permitted use of funds, a Comptroller General report to Congress reviewing program effectiveness, and information collection and dissemination with respect to coalitions. Authorizes appropriations.