Longitudinal Research on Delinquency and Crime, Fiscal Year 2020 | NIJ 2020 18232

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 18232

The Department of Justice, through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), offered this Fiscal Year 2020 discretionary grant opportunity to support longitudinal research on delinquency and crime across the life course. The central aim is to fund an expansion or extension of one or more ongoing, existing longitudinal studies that already follow individuals over time, with a focus on how delinquent and criminal behavior emerges, continues, and eventually declines or stops. The solicitation emphasizes research that can track developmental pathways from childhood through adolescence and into young adulthood, recognizing that offending patterns and the factors that shape them can shift significantly across these stages.

A major theme of the opportunity is a holistic approach to child and adolescent development. Rather than isolating a single influence, NIJ signals interest in work that considers multiple interacting domains that can shape behavior over time, such as family dynamics, peer networks, school experiences, neighborhood conditions, exposure to violence, health and mental health, substance use, trauma, social services involvement, and justice system contact. Within that broader developmental perspective, the solicitation highlights three key processes: the onset of delinquency (how and when offending begins), persistence (why some individuals continue offending), and desistance (how and why offending decreases or stops). The expectation is that an extended or expanded study can shed light on these trajectories with stronger evidence than a short-term or one-time research design.

The practical purpose of the research is explicitly prevention- and intervention-oriented. NIJ indicates that findings should help identify malleable risk factors (things that increase the likelihood of delinquency and can realistically be changed) and protective factors (things that buffer against delinquency and can be strengthened). By focusing on factors that can be targeted, the resulting evidence is intended to inform strategies to prevent delinquency before it starts and to improve interventions for juvenile and young adult offenders already involved in the justice system. In other words, this is not just descriptive research; it is meant to generate insights that can translate into real-world program design, policy decisions, and public safety practice.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant) in a discretionary category, listed under law, justice, and legal services as well as science and technology and other research and development. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 16.560, and the funding opportunity number is NIJ 2020 18232. The solicitation was created on March 24, 2020, with an original closing date of May 25, 2020. NIJ anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of up to $2,000,000, signaling a relatively large, competitive investment aimed at supporting a substantial extension of an established longitudinal project rather than many smaller new starts.

Eligibility was broad and included multiple sectors capable of conducting rigorous longitudinal research. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and other nonprofit entities); and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, along with other eligible entities as clarified in the solicitation’s additional eligibility information. This range suggests NIJ was open to proposals led by universities, research organizations, government research units, and other capable institutions, as long as they could demonstrate the capacity to manage and scientifically extend an existing longitudinal study.

Overall, the opportunity reflects NIJ’s interest in strengthening long-term evidence about how delinquency and crime develop over time and how they can be prevented or reduced through targeted, evidence-informed action. It directly aligns with the Department of Justice strategic goal of reducing violent crime and promoting public safety, using longitudinal research as a tool to identify when and where interventions can be most effective across critical developmental periods.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Longitudinal Research on Delinquency and Crime, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 25, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NIJ 2020 18232

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