Subject:
Title
Grant application to the U.S. Department of Justice for the Fiscal Year 2025 State Criminal Alien Assistance program.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the Department Director for the submission of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 State Criminal Alien Assistance program formula grant application by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
• Under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of the U.S. Department of Justice makes payments to units of local government that incur certain types of costs due to incarceration of undocumented criminal aliens.
• The reporting period for the FY25 program is July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
• SCAAP payments are calculated from information provided in applications, information provided to OJP by Department of Homeland Security regarding review of data on eligible inmates, and the amount of appropriated funds available for the SCAAP application cycle.
• This is an annual program that has been awarded to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office previously.
• The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will submit the application and handle administration for this grant.
• No match required.
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Strategic Plan:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.2 Enhance Community Safety.
Summary:
Summary
A state or unit of local government is eligible to apply for a payment under the FY 2025 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program if it incarcerated individuals in a correctional facility during the reporting period whom it either (1) knows were undocumented criminal aliens or (2) reasonably and in good faith believes were undocumented criminal aliens.
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Background Information:
The OJP administers the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) in conjunction with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). SCAAP provides federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law and incarcerated for at least four consecutive days during the reporting period.
SCAAP Grant awards benefit the County by offsetting a portion of correctional costs.
Fiscal Impact:
The amount awarded is based upon a formula and available funds by OJP after the annual application information is provided. Funding received for FY24 was $101,966.00.
PCSO is serving as the applicant and fiscal agent for grant administration. At the time of the award, the Sheriff will provide a specific area within jail operations where the money may be spent. It must be used for correctional purposes only. No match is required.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to sign this grant application was delegated by the County Administrator per the memo dated March 28, 2016, titled “Delegation of Authority by the County Administrator and Improved Grant Procedures.”
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Attachments:
FY 2025 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program Grant Solicitation
Online Application Certifications, Disclosures, and Assurances
Intent to Apply Approval