Update: The FY 2005 application period is now closed.

Overview: BJA administers SCAAP, in conjunction with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security. 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 4 consecutive days during the reporting period. The application process is managed through the Internet, using the automated Grants Management System (GMS).

Reporting Period: The reporting period for the FY 2005 application is July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004. Any eligible inmate who served four or more days during this period may be reported to BJA.

Eligible Inmates - Applicant Responsibilities
Unless otherwise prohibited, applicants may submit records of inmates in their custody during the reporting period who: were born outside the United States or one of its territories and had no reported or documented claim to U.S. citizenship; were in the applicant's custody for four or more consecutive days during the reporting period; were convicted of a felony or second misdemeanor for violations of State or local law; were identified and reported using due diligence.

Due Diligence
In preparing the inmate data files of persons meeting the eligibility criteria for SCAAP, jurisdictions shall use due diligence to determine the accuracy of the inmate records and related claims submitted to BJA, and they shall not submit an inmate record if the jurisdiction knows or has reason to know that the information is false or that the inmate does not qualify.

Jurisdictions shall not submit inmate records for an otherwise qualifying inmate where the jurisdiction's records indicated the inmate: (1) was born in the United States or one of its territories, (2) had a claim to U.S. citizenship, (3) was a U.S. citizen, or (4) did not qualify as an undocumented criminal alien in accordance with the SCAAP statute.

Qualifying Criminal Charges and Convictions
To be eligible for reporting, inmates must have been convicted of a felony or second misdemeanor for violations of State or local law, and housed in the applicant's state or local correctional facility for 4 or more consecutive days during the reporting period. Once a person meets these criteria, all pre-trial and post-conviction time served from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004 may be reported to BJA.

Legislation: SCAAP is governed by Section 241(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1231(i), as amended, and Title II, Subtitle C, Section 20301, Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Public Law 103-322.

Funding: The FY 2005 appropriation is $300 million. SCAAP payments will be calculated using a formula that provides a relative share of funding to jurisdictions that apply and is based on the number of eligible criminal aliens as determined by ICE.

Eligibility: States and units of general government that have authority over correctional facilities that incarcerate or detain undocumented criminal aliens for at least 4 consecutive days are eligible to apply for SCAAP funds. The phrase "states and units of general government" encompasses the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the more than 3,000 counties and cities with jail facilities.

How/When to Apply: Applications will be accepted through Office of Justice Program's (OJP) online Grants Management System (GMS) beginning Monday, February 7, 2005 and ending at 8:00 p.m. (EST) Wednesday, March 30, 2005. Applicants must begin the online SCAAP registration process prior to 8:00 p.m. (EST) Wednesday, March 23, 2005.

Related Information:
SCAAP Archive Information
FY 2004 SCAAP Awards

Contact Information:

Written Inquiries:
Linda Hammond-Deckard
SCAAP Program Manager
Bureau of Justice Assistance
810 Seventh Street, NW.
Washington, D.C. 20531

Direct Toll Free Phone Support:
Technical assistance is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. e.t., via the GMS Helpdesk at 1-888-549-9901, option 3.

E-Mail Inquiries:
Program and Policy Issues: SCAAP Inquiries- scaap@usdoj.gov
Technical Issues: GMS Helpdesk- gmshelp@ojp.usdoj.gov
Banking Issues: OC Customer Service Center- AskOC@ojp.usdoj.gov