Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020 | NIJ 2020 17296

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 17296

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), within the U.S. Department of Justice, offered this discretionary grant opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020" (Funding Opportunity Number: NIJ 2020 17296). Created on January 30, 2020, with an original application deadline of April 29, 2020, the solicitation supported research and development aimed at improving safety, health, and overall wellness across the criminal and juvenile justice environment. The program sits at the intersection of law and justice, science and technology, and broader research and development activity, and it is associated with CFDA 16.560.

The main purpose of the solicitation was to fund innovative, multidisciplinary research projects that generate practical knowledge, evidence, and tools. NIJ sought work that could directly inform policies, practices, training, technologies, and organizational approaches that reduce harm and strengthen well-being. Importantly, the scope was not limited to one group: it explicitly included (1) the criminal and juvenile justice workforce (such as law enforcement, corrections, courts, probation, parole, and related staff), (2) individuals under criminal justice supervision (including people on probation, parole, or otherwise monitored in the community), and (3) people who come into contact with or are affected by the criminal justice system more broadly (which can include families, communities, service providers, and others impacted by justice involvement).

Because the solicitation emphasized "innovative" and "multidisciplinary" research, it was designed to encourage proposals that bring together multiple fields and methods, such as public health, psychology, occupational safety, sociology, criminology, medicine, epidemiology, organizational behavior, data science, engineering, and program evaluation. In practical terms, NIJ was looking for projects that move beyond description and toward actionable outcomes: studies that identify risks and protective factors, test interventions, evaluate programs or policies, and produce tools that practitioners can use to improve real-world conditions. The word "tools" in this context can reasonably include validated screening instruments, training curricula, decision-support resources, implementation guides, and evidence-based recommendations that agencies can adopt.

Funding was provided through a grant mechanism, with an award ceiling of up to $4,000,000 per award. NIJ anticipated making roughly 6 awards under this solicitation, signaling a competitive process likely aimed at larger, higher-impact projects rather than many small awards. While the opportunity was open to a wide range of organizations, NIJ made eligibility broad to attract strong research teams and partnerships. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as described in NIJ's additional eligibility guidance. This range suggests NIJ expected collaborations among researchers, justice agencies, and community or health partners, especially where research access, implementation, and evaluation require operational cooperation.

Overall, this FY 2020 NIJ solicitation was built around strengthening the evidence base for what improves safety, health, and wellness in justice settings, while also pushing toward practical solutions that can be implemented by agencies. The focus on both the workforce and justice-involved populations reflects a systems view: improving wellness outcomes for staff and supervised individuals can be interconnected, and research under this program was intended to produce knowledge and tools that help the broader criminal and juvenile justice system operate more safely and effectively.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 30, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 29, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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