FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland
Description of the Problem
Maryland, often called the United States in microcosm, is a very diverse state with a population of over 6 million. It ranges from the seashore of the Atlantic Ocean on the east, to central rolling hills, to mountains in the west. Maryland is equally diverse with respect to crime and faces many different challenges including human trafficking, drug trafficking, gang-related crime, and violent crime, as well as a heroin and opioid crisis that threatens the health and safety of citizens across the State. In addition, the cost of corrections continues to climb. In response to these challenging times, Maryland needs a coherent, proactive strategy to protect our communities and create a criminal justice system that is more accountable to both victims and taxpayers.
As the State Administering Agency (SAA), the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention,
Youth, and Victim Services (GOCPYVS/Office) continues to build upon its comprehensive crime reduction strategy, which is based on a three-pronged approach to support and enhance law enforcement, children/youth, and victim services. This approach includes strategies for building a robust support system for victims of crime within the State of Maryland, prioritizing a system that reduces adverse childhood experiences in our youth population, and supporting collaborative enforcement efforts that target gangs, drugs, firearms, and human trafficking organizations.
Under the Law Enforcement approach, the Office has implemented the Maryland
Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) initiative and has created the Governor’s Council on
Gangs and Violent Criminal Networks, which focus on the violent crime around the state through collaborations and data-sharing efforts between jurisdictions. Federal, state, and local level coordination across disciplines is necessary to effectively and efficiently reduce and prevent
Page 1 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland crime in Maryland. A primary tactic for reducing violent crime is focusing resources on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling gangs and violent criminal networks. Criminals involved in the trafficking and use of firearms in crimes of violence, human trafficking, distribution of illegal drugs, and other inherently violent criminal enterprises will be targeted through shared enforcement, prevention, intervention, and reentry strategies.
In addition to reducing the supply of illegal drugs and dismantling violent drug markets, law enforcement plays an important role in addressing the demand for substances and assisting community members in need. Poverty, behavioral health conditions, and homelessness can contribute to criminal activities and increase the likelihood of victimization. The Office understands that the criminal justice system may not provide the resources needed to address these underlying conditions. Therefore, Maryland invests in public health and public safety partnerships to give law enforcement additional tools and resources to further assist individuals and communities in need.
Below are some of the law enforcement initiatives that the Office will continue to support:
● Continuing to support and improve data collection for criminal justice reform.
○ The Office oversees the implementation of the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) in
Maryland and directs current, as well as future reinvestment funding to JRA
priorities. The Office coordinates and oversees the work of three JRA Boards. The
Local Government Commission continues to monitor, recommend and investigate
evidence based programming and gaps in services at the local level. The board
also develops performance measures and monitors progress of JRA reinvestment
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funded grantees. The Advisory Board continues to investigate data collection and
has begun exploring opportunities to improve Maryland’s expungement system,
as well as JRA-related aspects of the Juvenile Justice Reform Council. The
Oversight Board approved recommendations to improve Geriatric Parole, and
continues to monitor the implementation of the Justice Reinvestment Act to
ensure it is working as intended.
● Expansion of the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) to address violent
criminal enterprises.
○ MCIN is a statewide initiative that serves to break down jurisdictional barriers
and enables law enforcement and prosecutors to target entire criminal enterprises.
MCIN facilitates collaboration and information sharing between State, local, and
federal criminal justice agencies to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal
networks. MCIN continues to expand data sharing capabilities by identifying and
working to minimize gaps in data sharing. There are currently 14 MCIN
jurisdictions and the Office is exploring further expansion.
● Implementing the Crisis Intervention Team Center of Excellence (CITE).
○ During the 2020 Legislative Session, the General Assembly passed SB305 Crisis
Intervention Team Center of Excellence. This bill establishes a Crisis Intervention
Team Center of Excellence (CITCE) to be supported by the Office. The statute
established the following goals: (1) review services and training provided by the
center; (2) develop outcome measures for and evaluation of the center; (3)
develop recommendations for the full implementation of the crisis intervention
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model program at the municipal, county, and state level; and (4) provide general
oversight of the Center.
Under the Children and Youth Division, improving the well-being of Maryland’s children and youth by reducing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEss) is one of our top priorities. This is being accomplished by promoting trauma-informed practices, decreasing juvenile delinquency through diversion efforts, reducing out-of-home placements when possible, and preventing child abuse and neglect. The Office does this through key partnerships with our local Child Advocacy
Centers and Local Management Boards.
Below are some of the initiatives that the Office will continue to support:
● Developing, implementing, and funding programs that reduce and/or prevent Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
○ Research shows a strong relationship between stressful or traumatic events, or
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including: child abuse (emotional,
physical, and/or sexual), household challenges (domestic violence, substance
abuse, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, and/or incarcerated family
member), and neglect (emotional and/or physical). The Office envisions a
comprehensive trauma-informed approach, which includes addressing the root
causes of juvenile delinquency, criminality, and victimization.
■ The Office’s cornerstone program, Handle with Care Maryland, allows us
to accomplish this goal by training law enforcement on various types of
trauma and prompting them to connect with schools when they feel that a
child has witnessed or experienced something traumatic. The schools then
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support the children should they need it. Handle with Care Maryland is
currently being implemented in more than 700 schools in 16 of the 24
jurisdictions in Maryland. Our goal is to implement the program in all 24
jurisdictions by the end of 2021.
● Supporting the priorities of the Maryland Children’s Cabinet, which coordinates the child
and family-focused service delivery system by emphasizing prevention, early intervention,
and community-based services for all children and families.
○ The Office, through the Children and Youth Division, has worked to coordinate
and facilitate the Children’s Cabinet, and the Local Management Boards that they
fund, to continue addressing the following priorities:
■ Reduce the impact of parental incarceration on children, youth, families,
and communities.
■ Reduce youth homelessness.
■ Improve outcomes for disconnected/ opportunity youth.
■ Reduce childhood hunger.
■ Increase community-based programs and services.
■ Expand trauma-responsive care and reduce the amount of Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Victims of crime are important stakeholders in the criminal justice process. The Victim
Services Unit was created to promote services, programs, and policies that provide victims of crime: the right to be safe in their homes and in their communities; the right to have increased access to services; the right to possess the requisite tools to become self-sufficient in the
Page 5 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland aftermath of criminal activity; and the indispensable right to receive restitution. The Office conducts a victims’ needs assessment and strategic planning workgroup sessions, and administers surveys to assist the Victim Services Unit’s strategic mission to align with these core principles. The Office envisions an overall trauma-responsive approach to victim services to address the unique needs of each victim utilizing research-based knowledge, such as the ACEs studies, to promote effective strategies.
Below are some of the victim services initiatives that the Office will continue to support:
● Identifying and establishing resources throughout the State of Maryland.
○ The Office works to improve victim safety, assist victims in achieving
self-sufficiency, and ensure victims and the community are aware of
resources available. In doing this, the Office will fund evidence-based
programs to achieve positive outcomes for victims of crime, and connect
victims of crime with easily accessible resources.
Description of the Programs to be Funded
In awarding the FY21 Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds, Maryland will prioritize the following programs and initiatives:
1. Mental Health and Wellness programs that allow for the development or expansion and
improvement of public facing law enforcement-mental health programs, such as
co-responder programs or Crisis Intervention Teams.
2. Officer Wellness Initiatives and Law Enforcement Employee Assistance Programs: In
2021 Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 71 requiring each law enforcement
agency to provide access to an employee assistance program for all police officers.
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3. Body Worn Camera (BWC) equipment: In 2021 Maryland General Assembly passed
Senate Bill 71, which requires each law enforcement agency to implement the use of
body-worn cameras for each law enforcement officer who regularly interacts with
members of the public as part of their official duties by July 1, 2025.
4. Gun Violence Reduction Strategies and Community Violence Intervention programs with
support from periphery services through education, training, advance analytics,
enforcement efforts, and successful prosecutions of violent repeat offenders. These efforts
will support both proven and new strategies that reduce gun violence and strengthen
community-based infrastructure.
5. Specialized law enforcement training such as classes and seminars in professional
development, use of force, de-escalation, investigation, crime prevention, and crime
analysis including, but not limited to: crime scene investigation, laboratory procedures,
certification of crime lab skills, data-driven policing strategies (i.e. crime analysis,
mapping), law enforcement information sharing, victim services/witness protection, and
investigative techniques.
6. National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
Maryland will use the mandatory three percent (3%) allocation to support implementation of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Maryland is currently collecting crime data under the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. This data is collected and maintained by the Maryland State Police (MSP), and analyzed by the Maryland Statistical
Analysis Center (MSAC) at the Office. The UCR records crime reported for the eight FBI Part I offenses and arrest counts for these eight Part 1 offenses, as well as 23 FBI Part II offenses. For
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NIBRS, Part I and Part II crime categories are replaced by Group A and Group B offenses.
Detailed information on the 52 Group A offenses and 10 Group B offenses is captured with
NIBRS, resulting in over 60 data elements associated with each incident and arrest. By having the ability to capture a larger amount of incident-based data, as well as sub-offense data, victim and suspect information can be analyzed within a sharper scope.
Another advantage of NIBRS is that UCR currently employs the “hierarchy rule.” Under the domains of the hierarchy rule, if a criminal commits more than one offense in a single incident only the most serious offense will be listed as the cause of the incident. The hierarchy rule does not exist under NIBRS. Under NIBRS, local law enforcement agencies are required to submit detailed information about all offenses committed in a single incident. This includes detailed information about the victim, the offender, any witnesses and the nature and type of the offense.
Under the leadership of the Hogan-Rutherford Administration, the Governor’s Office of
Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services (Office) is committed to coordinating with our federal, state, and local partners to meet the following five objectives:
1. Develop Criminal Justice Strategies that are Coordinated at the Local, State, and Federal
Level.
2. Improve Victim Services for Maryland Residents.
3. Improve Child-Wellbeing and Reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences.
4. Maximize the Public Safety Returns on Maryland’s Corrections Spending.
5. Increase the Availability of Data to Support Data-Driven Approaches to Criminal Justice
Issues in Maryland.
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In addition to the previously identified funding priorities, Maryland will make FY21
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding available to support the following important public safety initiatives, which support the state’s objectives as outlined above. These initiatives include:
❖ Strategically developed, data-driven, best practices, and evidence based law enforcement
programs that rely on strong partnerships designed to reduce violent crime; identify,
disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal networks including gun, gangs, drug, and human
trafficking organizations; and support successful prosecutions of violent repeat offenders.
❖ Programs that improve Maryland’s sentencing and corrections policies according to the
priorities of the Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA) plan by utilizing validated screeners,
evidence-based practices, and programming, strengthening alternative corrections options
and diversion programs, and expanding treatment capacity within corrections.
❖ Prevention, early intervention, crisis and behavioral intervention programs that increase
child wellbeing and address Adverse Childhood Experiences with the goal of diverting
youth from involvement in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare system. Law
enforcement diversion programs will also be considered1 with a focus on data-driven,
evidence-based, and best practice programs.
❖ Law enforcement technology programs that increase capacity and leverage existing
resources, to include crime analysis, crime mapping and other analytical tools to fight
crime.
❖ Planning and evaluation of programs to develop a theory of change and impact
1 https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/community/joins.html Page 9 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland
systems-level change in partnership with coalition and other workgroup activities.
The Office places a significant emphasis on instituting strategic planning to align priorities at the State and local levels, to ensure the Office remains ahead of threats that impact the State, and to continue to be good stewards of the funds administered. Implementing evidence-based practices and data-driven decisions ensures the Office allocates resources to issues and jurisdictions in a way that will produce measurable outcomes, and assists in developing outcome-based performance measures for grant recipients. In doing this, the Office ensures the best use of resources and a better understanding of how programs increase the safety and improve the quality of life for Maryland’s citizens and visitors.
Subgrantee Award Process
The Office posts a program-specific Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for each funding source we administer. The NOFA provides an overview of the type(s) of programs that can be funded, as well as the basic programmatic guidelines/requirements for the specified funds.
Applicants are required to submit an application containing all requested information, as directed in the NOFA. Required elements include a project summary, a narrative (problem to be addressed, program overview, and implementation plan), a timeline, a spending plan, and a line item budget.
It is a fundamental goal of the Office to ensure that all applications receive a fair and impartial review. The Office strives for openness, competitiveness and transparency in the grant application process. There is a three-tiered review process for most competitive applications, including Edward Byrne Justice Memorial Assistance Grants. The process is as follows:
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1. Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services’ Internal Staff
Review: This review ensures that the technical requirements of the application have been
met and that proposals adhere to federal program funding requirements.
2. External Peer Review: A review is performed by a multi-disciplinary group of peer
reviewers who are knowledgeable about the relevant funding source and allowable
program and purpose areas of the projects. This team reviews and scores each
application.
3. Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth,and Victim Services’ Final Review: The
Program Manager is responsible for using all the findings to make funding
recommendations for each application. He/she then prepares a summary document with
this information and presents it to the subject matter expert for review and final
recommendations, which are then presented to the Executive Team.
Project Design and Implementation
The mission of the Office is to serve as a coordinating office that advises the Governor on criminal justice strategies. The Office plans, promotes, and funds efforts with government entities, private organizations, and the community to advance public policy, enhance public safety, reduce crime and juvenile delinquency, and serve victims.
The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services is the designated
State Administering Agency (SAA) for Maryland. As required by federal statute, the Governor appointed this office to this role and we are responsible for “comprehensive criminal justice planning and policy development within the State.” The Office is responsible for the allocation of resources statewide and acts to “distribute, monitor and report on spending” under many State Page 11 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland and Federal programs. As the executive branch agency designated to accept, plan and distribute criminal justice funds, we seek to leverage state and federal grant dollars to address the needs of statewide and local criminal justice systems. As the SAA we further serve as the primary coordinating body for state and local public safety issue identification, system collaboration, policy development, and system planning and implementation.
The Office coordinates with public safety partner agencies across the State, and within jurisdictions, to ensure that programs and initiatives address the need to reduce both crime and victimization. The Office’s public safety strategy for reducing violent crime is specifically focused on identifying, disrupting and dismantling criminal networks through collaboration and comprehensive data sharing between partner agencies at the state, local and federal levels.
In coordination with our public safety partner agencies, tactics, resources and intelligence are integrated for the purpose of targeting criminal networks and gangs that are involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, the use of firearms in crimes of violence, human trafficking or other inherently violent criminal activity. This is accomplished via a comprehensive multidisciplinary effort that includes enforcement, prevention, and victim services.
This coordination also extends to non-law enforcement partners. The impact of the opioid crisis in Maryland has further highlighted the need for information sharing and service coordination between all first responders, and specifically between public health and public safety to adequately address the issues impacting justice-involved citizens with substance use disorders. The Office’s criminal justice strategies often include partnerships with public health, social services, and other local entities that share the goal of improving justice outcomes and mitigating the community impacts of crime.
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To support this effort, Maryland created a coalition of criminal justice agencies that collaborates and coordinates tactics, resources and intelligence through comprehensive data sharing, cross-jurisdictional partnerships, effective policies and supportive technologies.
To reach this objective, Maryland will utilize the following strategies:
Governor’s Council on Gangs and Violent Criminal Networks
This council includes representatives from the state’s criminal justice agencies and was formed for the purpose of providing leadership, policy oversight, and the coordination of operational strategies to collect and share relevant data related to violent crime and victimization. This group provides support and assistance to programs and entities participating in the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN), with the ultimate goal of supporting successful high-level prosecutions of criminal networks. The Office also serves as the fiscal agent for the MCIN and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) projects.
Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN)
The MCIN initiative is a network of criminal justice agencies focused on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling criminal networks through collaboration and comprehensive data sharing at the local, state and federal level. MCIN focuses on identifying violent criminal networks operating within Maryland and disrupting and dismantling these organizations utilizing federal and state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges to permanently disband these organizations. Partner agencies will coordinate tactics, resources, information and intelligence for the purpose of targeting gangs and violent criminal networks that are involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, the use of firearms in crimes of violence, human trafficking or other inherently violent criminal enterprises.
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MCIN provides the basis for data-driven decision making both operationally and for policy development. In addition to supporting the operational component and providing timely, accurate and actionable information to decision makers, de-identified data will be collated in order to inform stakeholders, develop policy, and measure the impact of our efforts to reduce violent crime.
The Office will create opportunities to share knowledge with the communities of practice on best and promising evidence-based strategies in violent crime reduction. The United States
Attorney’s Office, working with state, and local law enforcement, is an important partner in the law enforcement response to crime in local jurisdictions, and is a part of developing and implementing a crime-reduction program to help local law enforcement address violent crime problems. Additionally, regional statewide human trafficking trainings for law enforcement and prosecutors, and the Maryland Human Trafficking Investigators Seminar focus on the investigation of human trafficking cases with the ultimate goal of recovering and restoring victims of human trafficking and prosecuting more offenders.
Community Engagement Process
In accordance with the Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016,2 which requires a statewide strategic plan, the Office distributed an electronic survey to its public safety partners to seek input on funding priorities and needs.3 Specifically, the survey requested insight from the statewide criminal justice community as it relates to needs within the following eight broad purpose areas:
2 Bureau of Justice Assistance. Justice for All: Effective Administration of the Criminal Justice Training and Technical Assistance Program - FY 2019 Competitive Announcement. National Conference of State Legislatures. Federal Criminal Justice Funding. 3 It is important to note that the Office consulted with, and received a template from, the National Criminal Justice Association for the electronic survey. Page 14 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland
1. Law enforcement
2. Prosecution and court programs
3. Prevention and education
4. Corrections and community corrections
5. Drug treatment and enforcement
6. Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement
7. Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation)
8. Mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including
behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams
The Office received surveys from 711 entities of which 68.2% (n = 485) consisted of local and nonprofit entities.4 The remaining 31.8% (n = 226) consisted of state, other, private sector, and federal entities. Survey respondents identified the following priorities:
● Law Enforcement: Priorities include crisis intervention teams/mental health,
recruitment/retention, and training. Equipment, such as body worn cameras and
surveillance, is also needed.
● Courts: Priorities include specialty courts, mental health liaisons, and training.
● Corrections: Priorities include alternatives to incarceration and reentry programs.
Reentry priorities include reducing recidivism, access to treatment, and employment
programs.
4 It is important to note that the Office received surveys from 711 entities or 711 unique Responded IDs; however, some questions resulted in more than 711 responses. Page 15 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland
● Youth and Prevention: Priorities include addressing juvenile delinquency and adverse
childhood experiences, as well as mentoring. Challenges relating to youth include mental
health, racial and ethnic disparities, and substance use.
● Victims: Priorities include addressing the needs of youth exposed to violence, special
populations, and sexual assault survivors. Additional victim service providers are also
needed.
● Technology: Priorities include automated information sharing and the development of
outcome based performance measures.
● Opioids: Priorities include increased capacity and improved access to substance use
treatment.
Capabilities and Competencies
Applicant
The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services is responsible for coordinating interagency public safety and crime control and prevention activities throughout the state and is the state's principal coordinator with local, regional, and federal counterpart organizations. In addition, the Office also provides technical assistance in public safety and crime control and prevention activities and programs, including development of coordinated local crime control and prevention plans, to state agencies, local governments, private nonprofit organizations, and local communities.
With the cooperation and collaboration of appropriate state agencies, the Office is charged with preparing a three-year Comprehensive State Crime Control and Prevention Plan.
The most recent plan is for 2021– 2023. This serves as Maryland's roadmap for strategic Page 16 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland planning and coordination. All sub-awards made using Edward Byrne Memorial Justice
Assistance Grant funds will be consistent with the strategies articulated in this plan. At the time of this submission, the SAA is also reviewing new and emerging needs to respond to the COVID pandemic crisis and will update the plan accordingly.
The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services is Maryland’s
State Administering Agency (SAA) for, and administration of, Federal and State funds for public safety, victims of crime, and crime control and prevention. The Office is responsible for comprehensive criminal justice planning and policy development, and seeks to leverage state and federal grant dollars to address the needs of statewide and local criminal justice systems. In state
FY20, the Office managed and distributed over $191M in grant funds, making 890 awards to 370 unique organizations.
In collaboration with government entities, private organizations, and the community, the
Office plans, promotes, and funds efforts to advance public policy, enhance public safety, reduce crime and juvenile delinquency, and serve victims. As the SAA for Maryland, we recognize the importance of collecting program-related data and outcomes based performance measures and using that data to identify best practices and gaps in services. As a result, we are well-positioned to promote those best practices and work collaboratively with partners to address gaps in services through program modifications and quality improvement initiatives.
With regard to fiscal accountability, each grant award is maintained in our Grants
Management System (GMS) as a separate and distinct funding source. Also, each federal grant award is given a unique accounting code and expenses are tracked and reconciled separately for each award. When funds are reported on (SFR425) and drawn, expenses and revenue are
Page 17 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland recorded and reported based on the unique accounting code along with the federal grant award number.
The Office has written accounting policies and procedures, which are included in our
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and are updated as needed. This SOP also incorporates all of the related State of Maryland’s Policies and Procedures.
Our Grants Management System tracks actual expenditures against budgeted amounts for each subaward. The sub-recipient reports actual expenditures on a monthly or quarterly basis.
They enter their expenditures and submit the financial report for reimbursement into our Grants
Management System. Reported expenditures are limited to the remaining amount in each budget category based on previously reported expenditures. The submissions are reviewed and approved.
Payment requests are processed on a reimbursable basis. Sub-recipients expenses are reimbursed by the State and then on a monthly basis, the expenses are reconciled and those funds are requested from the grantor agency. Our administrative expenses are also paid, reconciled, and requested on a monthly basis.
All financial and programmatic information is retained during the award period and for three years from the date of grant close out acceptance. Each sub-recipient is also required to retain grant related records for that timeframe.
All fiscal specialists have taken the DOJ's Financial Management Training course and have one to six years experience reviewing financial grant documents, rules, principles, and regulations. The Grants Manager, who supervises the fiscal specialists, has over 10 years experience managing grants and has also completed the DOJ Financial Management training and
Page 18 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland is a Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS) through the National Grants Management
Association (NGMA). In addition, several staff have also completed DOJ’s Financial
Management Training and participated in the Grants Management Book of Knowledge (GMBok) training sponsored by NGMA.
The Office, as the applicant under this funding opportunity, will: 1) award and monitor the subaward(s); 2) serve as the fiscal agent, with responsibility for tracking and reporting all grant expenditures; 3) collaborate with the subawardee’s program leads to ensure compliance with all reporting requirements; and 4) review and submit Performance Measurement Tool
(PMT).
The Program Manager provides staff assistance and manages multiple federal and/or state grant programs administered by the Office. The Program Manager serves as a funding source expert and is responsible for the entire grant management process of the funding source/program.
Specifically, this individual:
➢ Manages the grant application and award process.
➢ Oversees all subawardee’s program and budget activity.
➢ Oversees program development and reporting.
➢ Works in collaboration with the subawardee’s program leads to collect and submit the
Performance Measures reports required under this solicitation.
Plan for Collecting the Data Required
In collaboration with government entities, private organizations, and the community, the
Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services plans, promotes, and funds efforts to advance public policy, enhance public safety, reduce crime and juvenile delinquency, Page 19 of 22 FY 2021 Byrne JAG State Allocation - Maryland and serve victims. As the State Administering Agency for Maryland, we recognize the importance of collecting program-related data and outcome based performance measures and using that data to identify best practices and gaps in services. As a result, we are well-positioned to promote best practices and work collaboratively with partners to address gaps in services through program modifications and quality improvement initiatives.
The Office understands the importance of collecting data to assess the effectiveness of funded programs and will capture the required information through the normal quarterly reporting process. The Office uses two types of programmatic reports to determine progress and program effectiveness: a Performance Measurement Report (quantitative measures) and a
Progress Report (qualitative measures). Progress and Performance Measurement Reports are tools used to monitor how well a program is meeting its goals and objectives. The performance measure data collected varies based on the type and scope of the funded program. The Office uses these measures to assess program performance and document what was achieved with the awarded funds. All award packages include a copy of the sub-grant Performance Measurement and Progress Report questions. The sub-recipient is expected to tailor their data collection to answer the questions.
The Office requires sub-recipients to submit quarterly Progress Reports and Performance
Measurement Reports on January 15th, April 15th, July 15th and October 15th through its Grants
Management System (GMS). Requests for Funds will not be processed if either Performance
Measurements or Progress Report questions have not been completed or what was submitted was considered unacceptable by program staff. All Quarterly Report Forms (Progress Report,
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Performance Measurements, Financial Report, and Request for Funds) must be submitted online
(via the Office’s reporting software).
In addition to the quarterly reports, the Office may request an Annual Progress Report.
This information will be used to monitor and assess the program to determine if it is meeting the stated goals and objectives, supporting the state’s Comprehensive State Crime Control and
Prevention Plan, and complying with federal requirements. Failure to submit these reports in the prescribed time will result in delay with regard to the disbursement of funds.
Performance measure data collected will vary and be dependent on the type(s) of programs funded. Examples of measures we collect could include:
➢ Number of persons diverted from arrest into a diversion program.
➢ Number of youth who successfully fulfilled all program obligations and
requirements.
➢ Number of convictions obtained.
➢ Number of new victims served who learned about your services via outreach
campaign.
➢ Number of violent gun crimes.
➢ Number of cases prosecuted.
➢ Number of trainings held.
➢ As a result of technology upgrades, number of additional hours allocated to direct
victim services/support?
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Conclusion
In conclusion, funding under the Edward Byrne Justice Memorial Assistance Grant
Program has been instrumental in helping Maryland in its fight against crime, especially violent crime. Although significant strides have been made, much work remains to be done. Continued funding under the Edward Byrne Justice Memorial Assistance Grant will help Maryland continue many of the successful strategies described in this application, as well as implement additional evidence-based and data-driven practices that have been shown to be effective in reducing violent crime, reducing the prison population, and improving access to comprehensive victim services. The Office plans to request BJA technical assistance to review the required strategic plan due to consolidation of multiple functions that impact statewide implementation of strategies.
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