The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety's Program Division provides funding under the Federal Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth-In-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) Incentive Formula Grant Program. This funding is provided to Massachusetts through the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The VOI/TIS Grant Program provides formula grant funds to the states to build or expand prison and jail capacity for the confinement of persons convicted of a Part I Violent Crime. The purpose of increasing bed capacity is so that violent offenders can be removed from the community and the public can be assured that these offenders will serve substantial portions of their sentences. VOI/TIS funding can also be used by states for prisoner re-entry programs. The last time funding for the VOI/TIS Program was appropriated by Congress was federal fiscal year 2001. However, states have until September 2006 to use their VOI/TIS funds. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety's Program Division has recently awarded over $11 million for state and county re-entry initiatives.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety's Program Division does not anticipate an application for funding under the VOI/TIS Program until January 2006. For more details, please contact Donna Cuomo at donna.cuomo@state.ma.us or 617-725-3355.
Note: the FFY 2004 application is available.