Training and Technical Assistance for Statewide Planning

NCJA with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) can provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to state criminal justice administering agencies (SAA) to build sustainable capacity to engage in community and evidence based strategic planning to improve the administration of justice. NCJA will work collaboratively with BJA and the SAAs to provide on-site training and technical assistance, hold a series of monthly webinars, conduct at least two semi-annual conferences for SAAs and their partners, and create and disseminate publications to assist the SAA in developing statewide strategic plans. The technical assistance available is flexible. The only requirement is that it relates to building or enhancing the strategic planning capacity of the SAA and their stakeholders and facilitates the use of evidence based programs and practices as part of the strategic planning. To the extent possible, NCJA builds on the capacity of the SAA staff, and uses current and former SAA directors or their staff as TA providers to fully embrace peer-to-peer information sharing and education.

Several SAAs have already taken advantage of the TTA program to bring in subject matter experts to educate the SAA staff and stakeholder community, including oversight advisory bodies for the Byrne JAG Program, on the meaning of evidence based programs and how to build them into the planning and implementation of strategies and programs supported by federal and state assistance. All SAAs are encouraged to fund evidence-based programs and this TTA program provides a way for outside leaders and experts to provide guidance on the types of evidence-based programs available in various program areas.

SAAs are using a community based strategic planning model to update or create a statewide strategic plan for their organization. Facilitators can help identify stakeholders to bring to the table and to help manage the process including data gathering and analysis, running stakeholder meetings, and assistance with drafting actual plans. Outside facilitators provided by this grant can tailor the process and plans to address individual circumstances of the SAA to create more robust and realistic strategic plans.

Some states are finding ways to educate the wider stakeholder community through statewide conferences or training specially designed to discuss both evidence based programs and the need and helpfulness of strategic planning. NCJA has been able  to provide some faculty for these trainings through this program as well.

To take advantage of this training and technical assistance please complete the Request Form available and contact Tammy Woodhams or Cabell Cropper. NCJA looks forward to working with you to continue to build the capacity of the SAA organizations across the country.

Examples of TA Offered:

• Stakeholder Education: NCJA can educate the SAA staff and stakeholder community, including oversight advisory bodies for the Byrne JAG Program, on the meaning of evidence based programs and how to buildthem into the planning and implementation of strategies.
• Stategic Planning: NCJA can bring in facilitators that can help identify stakeholders to bring to the table and to help manage the process including data gathering and analysis, running stakeholder meetings, and assistance with drafting actual plans.
• Conference and Training: NCJA has been able to provide some faculty for trainings to educate the wider stakeholder community through statewide conferences or training specially designed to discuss both evidence based programs and the need and helpfulness of strategic  planning.

The table below shows the types of NCJA training and technical assistance most frequently requested by SAAs.

Disclaimer: This document was created with the support of Grant No. 2009-SC-B9-K003 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.