Office Of Justice Programs Technical Assistance And Training Program

Audit Report No. 04-40
September 2004
Office of the Inspector General


Appendix 7

Descriptions of the Office of Justice Programs'
Bureaus, Program Offices, and Support Offices


BUREAUS

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Established by the Omnibus Crime Control & Safe Streets Act of 1968 § 401, the BJA provides funding, training, and technical assistance to state and local governments to combat violence and drug-related crime, and to help improve the criminal justice system. This bureau now includes the former Drug Courts Program Office and the former Corrections Program Office.

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Established by the Omnibus Crime Control & Safe Streets Act of 1968 § 302, the BJS collects and analyzes statistical data on crime and the operations of justice systems at all levels of government. It also provides financial and technical support to state governments in developing their capabilities in criminal justice statistics, improving criminal history records, and implementing crime identification technology systems.

National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Established by the Omnibus Crime Control & Safe Streets Act of 1968 § 202, the NIJ supports research and development programs, conducts demonstrations of innovative approaches to improve criminal justice, develops and tests new criminal justice technologies, evaluates the effectiveness of justice programs, and disseminates research findings to practitioners and policymakers. The NIJ also provides primary support for the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a clearinghouse of criminal justice-related publications, articles, videotapes, and online information.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Established by the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 § 201, the OJJDP provides award funding to improve juvenile justice systems and sponsors innovative research, demonstration, evaluation, statistics, and technical assistance and training programs to improve the nation’s understanding of and response to juvenile violence and delinquency.

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 § 1411, the OVC provides funding to states to support programs that provide direct assistance to crime victims and compensate them for medical and other unreimbursed expenses resulting from violent crimes. The OVC also sponsors training for state, and local criminal justice officials and other professionals to help improve their response to crime victims and their families.


PROGRAM OFFICES

Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education (OPCLEE). The OPCLEE was created by the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, but was first established in the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). In 1998, the OPCLEE was transferred to the OJP. OPCLEE provides educational assistance to college students who commit to public service, and to dependent children of officers killed in the line of duty.

Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO). Established in 2004 by the OJP, the CCDO assists communities by empowering them to solve local problems through crime prevention, increasing community safety, and revitalizing neighborhoods. The CCDO also includes the Office of Weed and Seed and the American Indian and Alaskan Native Affairs Desk.


SUPPORT OFFICES

Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR is responsible for ensuring that recipients of financial assistance from OJP, its component organizations, and the BJA are not engaged in prohibited forms of discrimination. The OCR ensures that potential and existing grantees fully comply with all civil rights laws and regulations so that needed federal assistance may commence or continue.

Office of General Counsel (OGC). The OGC provides legal advice and guidance to the OJP and its component bureaus.

Office of Communications (OCOM). The OCOM is a key point of contact for the OJP. Its primary responsibilities include working with congressional members, committees, and their staff on legislation, policies, and issues affecting the OJP and its Bureaus and Program offices. The OCOM also apprises Congress, the criminal justice community, the news media, and the public about OJP activities, through such means as tracking legislation; managing correspondence; maintaining a portfolio of speeches and testimony given by OJP and other Department of Justice officials; and by preparing briefing books and papers for congressional hearings, and other reports.

Office of the Chief Information Officer. This support office provides automated systems development and support and network integration for the OJP.

Office of Management and Administration. This support office oversees (1) the Office of Administration (except the Information Resources Management Division); (2) the Office of Budget and Management Services; (3) the Office of the Comptroller; and (4) the Equal Employment Opportunity Office.

Office of Administration (OA). The OA serves as the principal advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for OJP on matters involving human resources recruitment and management; labor relations; contracting and procurement; property and space management; and the maintenance, safety, and security of facilities.

Office of Budget and Management Services (OBMS). The OBMS directs, coordinates, and prepares the OJP's annual budget requests to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Department of Justice. Following annual appropriations, the OBMS allocates and tracks all OJP funds, maintaining control of agency obligations, including grants, payments, agreements, and contracts. In addition, the OBMS works with the OJP bureaus and offices to implement the National Performance Review, the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act, the Government Performance and Results Act, as well as other initiatives. Through its Executive Secretariat Staff, the OBMS also manages OJP's correspondence control system and provides advice and assistance to OJP components.

Office of the Comptroller (OC). The OC is the principal advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for the OJP on matters involving fiscal policy guidance and control. The OC also supports accounting, financial and grants management, and claims collection services. The OC is comprised of four divisions responsible for providing support services for the offices and bureaus that comprise OJP. The four divisions are the: (1) Financial Management Division, (2) Accounting Division, (3) Monitoring Division, and (4) Training and Policy Division.

Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEO). The EEO office is responsible for ensuring that the OJP provides equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants on the basis of merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disability.