sionals outside the agency. To ensure quality con- 

 trol, all formal grant applications are reviewed by 

 at least two experts from outside the agency. In 

 some instances, three or more outside reviewers 

 may be involved in evaluating the application. 



In addition to this revolving peer-review system, 

 the Institute also uses peer-review panels. The 

 unsolicited research program, for example, aug- 

 ments the basic Institute program by providing 

 support for the following types of projects: 



• Small, individual research projects for which 

 there are few alternative funding mechanisms 



• Research projects with innovative approaches 

 to criminal justice problems 



• Research on interdisciplinary subject areas 



• Exploratory studies in criminal justice areas 

 in which there has been little previous work 



• Research not currently identified as priority 

 areas in NILECJ's program plan. 



Each concept paper in this program is reviewed 

 by one or more of the following peer-review pa- 

 nels: Courts, Corrections, Police and Advanced 

 Technology, Community Crime Prevention, and 

 Evaluation and Interdisciplinary Studies. 



Organization of the National Institute 



To ensure that fundamental research issues and 

 needs are addressed in a systematic fashion, a lim- 

 ited reorganization was expected to go into effect 

 with the beginning of FY 1978. 



For FY 1978, the National Institute's total budg- 

 et is $21 million, with approximately $12 million to 

 be devoted to research and the remainder to evalu- 

 ation, program development, training, testing, dis- 

 semination, and reference services. The work of 

 the Institute will be conducted by the following 

 offices: 



Office of the Director. This Office has the authori- 

 ty and responsibility for providing national direc- 

 tion, control, and leadership to encourage research 

 and development to improve and strengthen law 

 enforcement and criminal justice at all levels of 

 government. It directs and supervises the person- 

 nel, administration, and operation of the National 

 Institute. The Director's Office also advises the 

 LEAA Administrator on all matters pertaining to 

 criminal justice research and development and 

 makes recommendations to LEAA concerning re- 

 search needs and priorities. 



Office of the Deputy Director. This Office directs 

 the preparation of analyses, plans, budgets, pro- 

 grams, and management policy and guidelines for 

 the Institute. The Office is responsible for directing 

 and coordinating all Institute activities in support 

 of LEAA's action program development process, 

 and for supervising the day-to-day management 

 and administrative activities of the Institute. 



Analysis, planning, and management staff. This 



148 JUSTICE 



staff provides analytic planning, and management 

 support to the Office of the Deputy Director. 



Office of Research Programs. This Office is re- 

 sponsible for the administration of the Institute's 

 basic, applied, and developmental research activi- 

 ties primarily through an external grant/contract 

 program. It also maintains a small, internal re- 

 search program. Focusing upon the Institute's 

 specified long-range research priorities and LEAA's 

 applied program development needs, the Office 

 formulates a balance of both basic and applied 

 research that builds upon past efforts, develops new 

 knowledge in priority areas, and contributes to 

 LEAA's action program development process. The 

 Office also administers the: 



• Visiting fellowship program, under which re- 

 searchers come to the Institute to execute 

 research projects in the area of crime and 

 criminal justice. 



• Research agreements program, under which 

 prominent research organizations may con- 

 duct a relatively extensive and long-term 

 combined negotiated and self-initiated re- 

 search endeavor in a particular area of crime 

 or criminal justice. 



• Unsolicited research program to encourage 

 the submission of innovative, more basic, and 

 high quality research studies that are not nec- 

 essarily based upon Institute priorities or pro- 

 gram needs. 



Office of Research and Evaluation Methods. This 

 Oflice is responsible for the administration of the 

 Institute's methodological research and develop- 

 ment activities primarily through an external grant/ 

 contract program. It also maintains a small, inter- 

 nal research program and provides other Institute 

 and LEAA offices with advice concerning research 

 and evaluation measurement problems associated 

 with the Institute's long-range research agenda and 

 on criminal justice systemwide research and evalu- 

 ation problems. It develops more efficient and 

 cost-effective methods for measuring the impact of 

 program interventions and for addressing the eval- 

 uative needs of decisionmakers. 



Office of Program Evaluation. This Office is re- 

 sponsible for evaluating selected programs primari- 

 ly through an external grant/contract program. It 

 also maintains a small internal capability. The 

 Office evaluates selected national-level programs 

 undertaken by LEAA; evaluates major criminal 

 justice initiatives of State and local governments; 

 and provides evaluative information on classes of 

 programs and techniques both supportive of 

 LEAA program development needs and the needs 

 of State and local elected and criminal justice offi- 

 cials. The Office also shares responsibility with the 

 Office of Development, Testing, and Dissemination 

 (ODTD) for implementing and evaluating con- 



