E8-5820. Bureau of Justice Assistance; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested

ACTION:

30-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Revision of a Currently Approved Collection; State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.

The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (Bureau of Justice Assistance) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with emergency review procedures of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OMB approval has been requested by September 2003.

The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected areas. Comments should be directed to OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Department of Justice Desk Officer [phone], Washington, DC 20503.

All comments, and suggestions, or questions regarding additional information, to include obtaining a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions, should be directed to M. Berry at [phone], Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, 810 Seventh Street, Room 4223, Washington, DC 20531.

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Overview of This Information

(1) Type of information collection: Extension of currently approved collection expire.

(2) The title of the form/collection: State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the department sponsoring the collection. Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, United States Department of Justice.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract:

Primary: Federal, State, and local public safety agencies. States and local units of general government including the 50 state governments, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the more than 3,000 counties and cities with correctional facilities.

Abstract: In response to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Section 130002(b) as amended in 1996, BJA administers the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the 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 who are incarcerated for at least 4 consecutive days during the designated reporting period and for the following correctional purposes;

Salaries for corrections officers

Overtime costs

Performance based bonuses

Corrections work force recruitment and retention

Construction of corrections facilities

Training/education for offenders

Training for corrections officers related to offender population management

Consultants involved with offender population

Medical and mental health services

Vehicle rental/purchase for transport of offenders

Prison Industries

Pre-release/reentry programs

Technology involving offender management/inter agency information sharing

Disaster preparedness continuity of operations for corrections facilities

Other: None.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply. It is estimated that no more than 748 respondents will apply. Each application takes approximately 90 minutes to complete and is submitted once per year (annually). The total hour burden to complete the applications is 1122 hours.

If additional information is required, contact Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, Policy and Planning Staff, Justice Management Division, United States Department of Justice, 601 D Street NW., Patrick Henry Building, Suite 1600, NW., Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: March 18, 2008.

Lynn Bryant,

Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice.