Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice (MSU) received the 2018 award for Category 1 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) provider. MSU will work with CNA (Category 2) and NCVC (Category 3) throughout the grant period to provide assistance to the national PSN program, BJA, OLP, EOUSA and any other entity requesting assistance implementing PSN strategies.
Research and evaluation entities
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Efforts initiated or completed during fourth reporting period of the National PSN Category 1 award for MSU are included in this milestone. Robyn Carter, Ed McGarrell, and Heather Perez, are herein known as the "MSU team".
All TTA requests, either rapid response or formal, were responded to and in support of PSN implementation plans. Formal requests required support from the District’s PSN team as these requests tend to be more extensive.
MSU directly delivered TTA to the districts during the reporting period from 7/1 – 12/31/2020:
• WAW: improving trauma-informed practices and outreach, particularly in collaboration community partners.
• MSU continued to be provide assistance to Davenport/IAS on acquiring a Research Partner and on data and analysis.
• MSU continued to be provide assistance to MT on data and analysis and risk assessment.
• Open DOJ solicitations were shared with the partners and the field to encourage multi-faceted/over-lapping violence reduction, community improvement funding and efforts.
• MSU provided assistance to a student at U Penn and explained how difficult it would be to convert the PSN target areas into GIS-coordinates. He came back proposing that they would like to survey the PSN task forces and requested contact information. He was referred to BJA/DOJ.
• MSU reached out to the field to get assistance with identifying any person, units/departments, small businesses focused on public health and criminal justice that also has minority representation or ownership to be more mindful of resources.
• MSU provided PSN media approved resources/ideas to the PAW.
• Assistance was provided to LAW/Shreveport on strategic messaging. This grew into a formal request with several resources developed.
• MSU worked with ID to identify a viable Fiscal Agent. BJA was informed of the assistance provide and still needed.
• MSU provided support to the Research Partners in the GAN on Violence Risk Assessment Tools.
• MSU provided suggestions to the Fiscal Agent for the CAN and OR on potential alternatives to financial incentives for a PSN program
• MSU provided numerous on conducting NFS reviews.
• MSU assisted CAS with identifying a Research Partner and developing a Research Plan.
• Lead by SME, Julie Wartell and coordinated by MSU, Problem Analysis Bootcamp was delivered to OHN on October 14th
• MSU continued to provide support as a larger team of experts to INN/Gary on Homicide Investigations and Prosecution Assessment, implementation strategies/science and Non-Fatal Shooting Assessment
• MSU provided resources to assist LAW with development of a domestic violence strategic plan
• MSU provided DC with identifying strategies to address repeat misdemeanor offenders.
• MSU provided PAE with examples of MOU’s between USAO’s and their research partners.
• MSU talked with AZ about identifying a new FA. The conversation was shared with BJA.
• MSU took lead on development of a community engagement strategy for ALN. The entire TTA team will develop additional resources.
• MSU, Nola Joyce and Joan Brody held an initial conversation with TXS to develop a grant strategy.
• MSU spoke with the MSS POC to help identify a Research Partner and develop a Research Plan. A Research Partner was identified at USM (a former MSU Ph.D. student).
• MSU and CAN held an initial call with MSN to gauge interest and timing for Guns and Gangs Training.
• MSU made an initial connection with WAW and GAN on adult reentry strategies.
• Community policing resources were shared with WAW.
All seven PSN regions received TTA during the reporting period. A TTA tracker is kept current and circulated among the partners and BJA. Items in the tracker come from formal TTA requests received through the https://psntta.org/tta-request-form/.
MSU completed and posted the webinar, “ Sustaining Your PSN Initiative”, https://psn.cj.msu.edu/items-of-interest/index.html
MSU continued to review and provide feedback-"needs revision" or "approved"- on all received FY2018 Strategic Action Plans (SAP) and FY2019 Grant Action Plans(GAP). During the reporting period, BJA approved 91 SAPs, 1 remained under revision by a site, and 1 had not been received. FY2019 GAPs, 77 received, 1 under revision, 76 approved. Heather Perez reviewed all GAPs and provided a BJA final approval announcement to the Districts allowing the removal of the special condition in GMS. The GAP tracker is kept current and circulated among the partners and BJA.
The partners continued to use a post TTA evaluation for recipients of PSN TTA activities. Results were included in TTA summaries/follow-up reports. The partners created and began using a post TTA evaluation for recipients of PSN TTA activities. Results were included in TTA summaries/follow-up reports. A template was also developed for TTA providers/trainers/SMEs.
Open DOJ solicitations were shared with the partners and the field to encourage multi-faceted/over-lapping violence reduction, community improvement funding and efforts.
Items of interest such as webinars, trainings, podcasts, current literature, etc. was shared with the Districts.
Heather Perez continued to work with EOUSA to maintain the most current PSN POC and LEC contact information.
MSU continued to refine the legacy document, PSN “blueprints”. The document is in the publishing approval process.
The MSU team work with Main Justice to update, McGarrell, E.F., H. Perez, R. Carter, and *H. Daffron. "Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN): Research Foundations. Bureau of Justice Assistance Training and Technical Assistance Report" found on: https://psn.cj.msu.edu/tta/resources.html
The MSU team continued to refine the “one-pager” on Victim/Witness guidelines. BJA and NCVC reviewed and approved the document which builds upon NCVC’s larger resources.
The MSU team continued to assist with the development or maintenance of the training catalog and its contents, https://psntta.org/tta-resources/ttacatalog/.
Development of chronic violent offender, federal prosecution, social network analysis, and victim-witness intimidation trainings were completed.
The MSU team continued to develop tweets, newsletter content and webpage resources on PSN activities.
MSU continued to assist with National Conference planning. Suggested sessions and presenters was shared and/or updated with the Partners and BJA. Due to COVID, the conference was cancelled.
MSU continued to assist with coordination of the delivery of the Rich Hobson, Armed Offender training.
The partners continued to build content on the psntta.org website.
Bi-weekly team calls continued. The schedule seems appropriate. MSU maintains a dedicated conference call line and circulates a weekly agenda.
The regional TTA teams continued monthly calls. MSU team members remained Analysts for the Pacific, South Central and Midwest regions. Monthly and individual District calls occurred with those three regions.
Heather Perez gathered weekly BJA Director updates from the TTA partners for Kate McNamee's report-outs. A two-week projection is summarized for a look forward on activities, successes and innovations.
The MSU team kept current our PSN website: https://psn.cj.msu.edu/index.html.
MSU provided with BJA with 2018 project descriptions and SAPs in support of the NIJ National Evaluation. Ed McGarrell sits on a review committee for the evaluation.
MSU gathered “success stories” from the field to support a BJA report.
MSU provided BJA with a few examples of “successful TTA” examples.
MSU worked with CNA to ensure all districts were receiving the PSN monthly bulletin.
MSU began discussing PSN team attendance at the Winter 2021 Fellows Academy. More than 25 PSN Districts have previously attended the Fellows Academy.
MSU contributed to the Innovations in Supervision resource materials development.
The MSU team contributed to and participated in the December 2, 2020, “PSN New Grantee webinar: https://psntta.org/tta-resources/webinars/project-safe-neighborhoods-ps…
Please respond to the Performance Metrics below. The Performance Metrics questions are based on the TTA Type indicated in the General Information section of the TTA.
Please submit a signed letter of support from your agency’s executive or other senior staff member. The letter can be emailed to or uploaded with this request. The letter should be submitted on official letterhead and include the following information:
- General information regarding the request for TTA services, i.e., the who, what, where, when, and why.
- The organizational and/or community needs specific to the request for TTA services.
- The benefits or anticipated outcomes from the receipt of TTA services.
By submitting this application to BJA NTTAC, I understand that upon approval of this application for TTA, the requestor agrees to keep BJA NTTAC informed of any circumstances that may impact the delivery of the TTA, including changes in the date of the event, event cancellation, or difficulties communicating with the assigned TTA provider.
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