§ 14045b. Grants to combat violent crimes on campuses
(a)
Grants authorized
(1)
In general
The Attorney General is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education, for use by such institutions or consortia consisting of campus personnel, student organizations, campus administrators, security personnel, and regional crisis centers affiliated with the institution, to develop and strengthen effective security and investigation strategies to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campuses, and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving such crimes against women on campuses, which may include partnerships with local criminal justice authorities and community-based victim services agencies.
(2)
Award basis
The Attorney General shall award grants and contracts under this section on a competitive basis for a period of 3 years. The Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, shall award the grants in amounts of not more than $500,000 for individual institutions of higher education and not more than $1,000,000 for consortia of such institutions.
(3)
Equitable participation
The Attorney General shall make every effort to ensure—
(A)
the equitable participation of private and public institutions of higher education in the activities assisted under this section;
(b)
Use of grant funds
Grant funds awarded under this section may be used for the following purposes:
(1)
To provide personnel, training, technical assistance, data collection, and other equipment with respect to the increased apprehension, investigation, and adjudication of persons committing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus.
(2)
To develop and implement campus policies, protocols, and services that more effectively identify and respond to the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and to train campus administrators, campus security personnel, and personnel serving on campus disciplinary or judicial boards on such policies, protocols, and services. Within 90 days after January 5, 2006, the Attorney General shall issue and make available minimum standards of training relating to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus, for all campus security personnel and personnel serving on campus disciplinary or judicial boards.
(3)
To implement and operate education programs for the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
(4)
To develop, enlarge, or strengthen victim services programs on the campuses of the institutions involved, including programs providing legal, medical, or psychological counseling, for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to improve delivery of victim assistance on campus. To the extent practicable, such an institution shall collaborate with any entities carrying out nonprofit and other victim services programs, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim services programs in the community in which the institution is located. If appropriate victim services programs are not available in the community or are not accessible to students, the institution shall, to the extent practicable, provide a victim services program on campus or create a victim services program in collaboration with a community-based organization. The institution shall use not less than 20 percent of the funds made available through the grant for a victim services program provided in accordance with this paragraph.
(5)
To create, disseminate, or otherwise provide assistance and information about victims’ options on and off campus to bring disciplinary or other legal action, including assistance to victims in immigration matters.
(6)
To develop, install, or expand data collection and communication systems, including computerized systems, linking campus security to the local law enforcement for the purpose of identifying and tracking arrests, protection orders, violations of protection orders, prosecutions, and convictions with respect to the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on campus.
(c)
Applications
(1)
In general
In order to be eligible to be awarded a grant under this section for any fiscal year, an institution of higher education shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time and in such manner as the Attorney General shall prescribe.
(2)
Contents
Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall—
(A)
describe the need for grant funds and the plan for implementation for any of the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section;
(B)
include proof that the institution of higher education collaborated with any non-profit, nongovernmental entities carrying out other victim services programs, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim services programs in the community in which the institution is located;
(C)
describe the characteristics of the population being served, including type of campus, demographics of the population, and number of students;
(E)
provide assurances that the Federal funds made available under this section shall be used to supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the level of funds that would, in the absence of Federal funds, be made available by the institution for the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section; and
(3)
Compliance with campus crime reporting required
No institution of higher education shall be eligible for a grant under this section unless such institution is in compliance with the requirements of section
1092
(f) of title
20. Up to $200,000 of the total amount of grant funds appropriated under this section for fiscal years 2007 through 2011 may be used to provide technical assistance in complying with the mandatory reporting requirements of section
1092
(f) of title
20.
(d)
General terms and conditions
(1)
Nonmonetary assistance
In addition to the assistance provided under this section, the Attorney General may request any Federal agency to use the agency’s authorities and the resources granted to the agency under Federal law (including personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial, technical, and advisory services) in support of campus security, and investigation and victim service efforts.
(2)
Grantee reporting
(A)
Annual report
Each institution of higher education receiving a grant under this section shall submit a performance report to the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall suspend funding under this section for an institution of higher education if the institution fails to submit such a report.
(B)
Final report
Upon completion of the grant period under this section, the institution shall file a performance report with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Education explaining the activities carried out under this section together with an assessment of the effectiveness of those activities in achieving the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section.
(3)
Report to Congress
Not later than 180 days after the end of the fiscal year for which grants are awarded under this section, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report that includes—
(B)
a summary of the purposes for which the grants were provided and an evaluation of the progress made under the grant;
(e)
Authorization of appropriations
For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011.
(g)
Definitions and grant conditions
In this section the definitions and grant conditions in section
13925 of this title shall apply.
[1] See References in Text note below.