NIJ Multisite Impact and Cost-Efficiency Evaluation of Veterans Treatment Courts, Fiscal Year 2022

The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights, increases access to justice, supports crime victims, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. With this solicitation, NIJ, in collaboration with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), seeks applications for funding to conduct a multisite impact and cost-efficiency evaluation of veterans treatment courts (VTCs). NIJ proposes to make one award as a cooperative agreement under this solicitation. The awardee will lead a cross-site evaluation involving court and research partners in up to six VTCs across the U.S. Incorporating experimental design and other research methods, the process, impact, and cost study will examine: Program impact on relapse, recidivism, and other outcomes For whom are programs effective Which program elements are effective Whether programs are cost-efficient Topics of interest include veterans with violent offense histories, mental health and comorbidity, leveraging technology, peer mentoring, and equitable service access. The 5-year period of performance will begin with a planning phase to confirm the research protocol including VTC site selection. In the case of partnerships that will involve the use of federal award funds by multiple partnering agencies to carry out the proposed project, only one entity/partnering agency may be the applicant (as is the case with any application submitted in response to this solicitation); any others must be proposed as subrecipients. This solicitation supports DOJ Strategic Objective 3.1: Combat violent crime, promote safe communities, and uphold the rights of victims of crime. It also supports the National Institute of Justice Courts Strategic Research Plan, 2020-2024. NIJ plans to post on its website a webinar that will provide information on the cross-site evaluation, research solicitation, and research partner site eligibility.