JUSTICE FUNDING FOR STATES' PRISONS TOPS $1 BILLION

All 50 States Have Submitted Plans to Test Inmates for Drug Use and Treat Abusers

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- The Justice Department today announced a total of more than $420 million in funding for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territories to help incarcerate violent offenders for a longer period of time. The Justice Department has now provided over $1.3 billion to the states through the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) program.

The funds awarded today can be used to build or expand prisons or jails to house violent offenders. These prison grants may also be used to construct or enhance correctional facilities for non-violent offenders in order to free up bed-space for violent offenders.

In 1997, the Congress mandated that states implement comprehensive programs of drug testing, sanctions and treatment by September 1, 1998. All 50 states have submitted those strategies to the Justice Department. Failure to do so would have disqualified a state from receiving all of its FY 1999 prison building funds.

"These grants will help states keep violent prisoners in prison for longer periods of time," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "That will make our streets and communities safer."

By year end 1997, states had indicated that they would use their VOI/TIS funds to add more than 25,000 additional beds for adult offenders. In addition, four states--Idaho, Kansas, Maine and South Dakota--indicated they would use their entire FY 1997 VOI/TIS allotment for juvenile facilities.

Recent studies show that 50 to 60 percent of drug-addicted prisoners who do not receive treatment re-offend and are arrested again after their release. Other research shows that rehabilitation programs cut that rate by 25 percent.

"Adding new prison beds to incapacitate violent offenders is an important contribution to reducing crime in this country. But we need to do more. Beds alone do not address the cycle of offenders' drug use and crime," said Office of Justice Programs Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson. "By identifying substance-abusing inmates and mandating treatment for them, we can significantly reduce the number of offenders who return to prison."

Last year, states received over $467 million under the VOI/TIS program. The formula grants being made today will allow the states to supplement efforts initiated in FY 1996 and FY 1997.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are receiving grants totaling over $131 million under Tier Two of the Violent Offender Incarceration Program, compared to last year's 49. To receive a grant under Tier Two, a state must demonstrate that since 1993 it has increased the percentage of persons arrested for certain violent crimes who are sentenced to prison, increased actual prison time served or increased the average percentage of sentences served by violent offenders.

Twenty-seven states and Puerto Rico qualified for funds under Tier Three this year. Those states will receive grants totaling over $34 million. To receive a grant under Tier Three, a state had to qualify for Tier Two and meet further standards, such as increasing by 10 percent or more the number of persons convicted of violent crimes sentenced to prison over the most recent three-year period.

Twenty-seven states are receiving Truth-in-Sentencing Program grants totaling over $254 million. These states have passed laws or adopted sentencing and release guidelines that require violent offenders to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence imposed.

Earlier this fiscal year, on March 26, 1998, OJP awarded all 50 states, the territories and the District of Columbia a total of over $84 million in Violent Offender Incarceration Tier One funding. To qualify under Tier One, states must demonstrate that violent offenders serve a substantial portion of their sentences; impose sufficient punishment for violent adult and juvenile offenders; and sentence violent offenders to prison terms that adequately protect the public.

OJP also administers the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program, which allows states to fund treatment programs for drug-addicted inmates. Earlier this year, OJP made RSAT grants to each state totaling $59.3 million, bringing the program's three-year total to over $111 million.

Individual summaries are available describing each state's uses of the VOI/TIS funds to date and a local point of contact. To obtain copies of these summaries, contact Doug Johnson at 202/307-0703. Copies of these summaries are available online at OJP's homepage, which is listed below. To obtain additional information about OJP and its program, visit the agency's homepage at: https://ojp.gov.

Attached is a list of the 1998 VOI/TIS grant recipients.

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OJP98-202

After hours contact: Doug Johnson 1-888/582-6753

States/Territories	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3**	TIS**	FY 98 Totals	VOI/TIS Totals FY 96,97,98)
Alabama	1,622,484	1,994,390	26,518	n/a	3,643,392	10,766,862
Alaska	1,622,484	352,783	1,156,055	n/a	3,131,322	8,322,541
Arizona	1,622,484	2,286,204	1,241,611	6,119,176	11,269,475	29,015,256
Arkansas	1,622,484	1,062,739	1,204,251	n/a	3,889,474	10,238,381
California	1,622,484	17,847,321	1,848,141	59,297,157	80,615,103	221,941,065
Colorado	1,622,484	1,218,759	1,209,015	n/a	4,050,258	10,848,123
Connecticut	1,622,484	1,046,055	1,203,743	2,800,291	6,672,573	17,679,863
Delaware	1,622,484	396,726	1,183,914	1,061,629	4,264,753	10,972,558
District of Columbia	1,622,484	1,027,521	1,203,177	2,741,471	6,594,653	13,063,786
Florida	1,622,484	11,978,635	1,537,574	32,063,579	47,202,272	121,528,139
Georgia	1,622,484	3,693,371	26,518	9,885,846	15,228,219	40,423,039
Hawaii	1,622,484	267,833	1,153,461	n/a	3,043,778	6,862,516
Idaho	1,622,484	265,163	26,517	n/a	1,914,164	1,914,164
Illinois	1,622,484	8,602,248	n/a	n/a	10,224,732	43,178,356
Indiana	1,622,484	2,432,335	26,518	n/a	4,081,337	12,456,248
Iowa	1,622,484	705,487	n/a	1,888,283	4,216,254	11,087,389
Kansas	1,622,484	847,468	26,517	2,268,645	4,765,114	14,584,630
Kentucky	1,622,484	1,028,843	1,203,217	n/a	3,854,544	10,620,939
Louisiana	1,622,484	3,210,161	1,269,824	8,593,285	14,695,754	37,794,590
Maine	1,622,484	123,843	n/a	331,495	2,077,822	5,322,345
Maryland	1,622,484	3,704,555	1,258,404	n/a	6,585,443	15,275,783
Massachusetts	1,622,484	3,179,941	26,518	n/a	4,828,943	14,771,337
Michigan	1,622,484	4,872,655	1,320,588	13,045,260	20,860,987	55,514,098
Minnesota	1,622,484	1,269,761	1,184,056	3,398,697	7,474,998	17,476,518
Mississippi	1,622,484	1,047,774	26,517	2,804,494	5,501,269	16,032,785
Missouri	1,622,484	2,596,366	n/a	6,951,094	11,169,944	30,398,842
Montana	1,622,484	107,345	1,175,077	n/a	2,904,906	7,678,825
Nebraska	1,622,484	547,299	n/a	n/a	2,169,783	6,596,176
Nevada	1,622,484	1,080,348	1,204,789	n/a	3,907,621	10,240,236
NewHampshire	1,622,484	106,155	1,175,041	n/a	2,903,680	7,662,837
New Jersey	1,622,484	3,428,817	1,276,501	9,179,390	15,507,192	34,635,788
New Mexico	1,622,484	1,135,976	1,206,487	n/a	3,964,947	10,361,469
New York	1,622,484	10,834,383	n/a	29,010,047	41,466,914	117,687,867
North Carolina	1,622,484	3,560,010	1,280,507	9,528,796	15,991,797	41,455,950
North Dakota	1,622,484	43,784	n/a	117,181	1,783,449	4,777,174
Ohio	1,622,484	3,976,539	n/a	10,644,549	16,243,572	42,954,506
Oklahoma	1,622,484	1,587,432	n/a	4,249,429	7,459,345	16,674,994
Oregon	1,622,484	1,207,152	1,182,144	3,231,365	7,243,145	19,058,139
Pennsylvania	1,622,484	4,144,219	1,298,346	11,091,820	18,156,869	46,143,205
Rhode Island	1,622,484	274,231	1,180,173	n/a	3,076,888	7,027,812
South Carolina	1,622,484	2,913,033	n/a	7,796,975	12,332,492	32,774,984
South Dakota	1,622,484	112,818	26,516	n/a	1,761,818	6,539,539
Tennessee	1,622,484	3,281,495	n/a	8,782,234	13,686,213	34,429,001
Texas	1,622,484	9,642,487	1,466,237	n/a	12,731,208	33,395,293
Utah	1,622,484	526,967	1,187,890	1,410,210	4,747,551	12,125,379
Vermont	1,622,484	55,814	1,173,503	n/a	2,851,801	7,520,748
Virginia	1,622,484	1,283,139	n/a	3,439,233	6,344,856	20,703,493
Washington	1,622,484	1,352,702	26,516	3,626,477	6,628,179	22,208,936
WestVirginia	1,622,484	307,995	26,516	n/a	1,956,995	7,029,900
Wisconsin	1,622,484	1,095,286	26,516	n/a	2,744,286	7,381,229
Wyoming	1,622,484	96,399	n/a	n/a	1,718,883	5,509,828
American Samoa	108,166	n/a	12,115	n/a	120,281	328,916
Guam	108,166	n/a	n/a	n/a	108,166	291,580
N. Mariana Islands	108,166	n/a	n/a	n/a	108,166	291,580
Puerto Rico	1,622,484	1,644,330	1,222,010	n/a	4,488,824	12,042,437
Virgin Islands	108,166	111,284	266	n/a	219,716	599,136
Grand Totals	$84,801,832	$131,516,376	$35,509,804	$255,358,108	$507,186,120	$1,364,217,110