[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 248 (Monday, December 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78109-78110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30284]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Comment Request for Information Collection for the Evaluation of
Grants Serving Young Offenders; New Collection
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department, as part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation
program to provide the public and Federal agencies with an opportunity
to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) [44 U.S.C.
3505(c)(2)(A)]. PRA helps to ensure that requested data can be provided
in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources)
is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the
impact of the collection requirements on respondents can be properly
assessed.
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is
soliciting comments concerning the information collection activities
associated with the random assignment evaluation of ETA-funded grants
serving young offenders, specifically, the Face Forward Grants (FFG)
Rounds I and II; and the High-Poverty, High-Crime Communities Grants
(HPHCG). These grants are aimed at serving young adult offenders,
juvenile offenders, and students in high-risk high schools; and provide
specific supports and interventions, such as enrollment in school or
job training programs as well as access to housing, the availability of
adult mentors, mental health services, and supporting social services
through referrals. The objective of the evaluation is to determine
whether these grants improve youth educational and employment outcomes,
and reduce recidivism.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addresses section below on or before February 27, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Gloribel Nieves-Cartagena, Office
of Policy Development and Research, Room N-5641, Employment and
Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-2771 (this
is not a toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech
impairments may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling
the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/
TDD). Fax: 202-693-2766. Email: [email protected]. A
copy of the proposed information collection request with applicable
supporting documentation including a description of likely respondents,
proposed frequency of responses, and estimated total burden can be
obtained free of charge by contacting the office listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
For those leaving incarceration, overcoming the barriers to
successful reentry may mean the difference between living a healthy and
fulfilling life in a community and facing instability and potential
homelessness. Understanding the ways Federal programs and systems
interact with the formerly incarcerated is critical to helping
individuals overcome these barriers. Additionally, it is important that
employers and job seekers understand the facts around the role of a
criminal record in making hiring decisions.
The Department assists young ex-offenders in finding employment and
making a smooth transition to community life through employment-
centered programs that include mentoring, job training, and other
transitional services implemented by local faith-based and community
organizations in collaboration with the American Job Centers.
In Program Years 2012 and 2013, the Department awarded $120 million
in funds to implement projects aimed at serving young adult offenders,
juvenile offenders, and students in high-risk high schools. The FFG and
the HPHCG programs are holistic program models offering a full
complement of services including educational programs, vocational and
employment programs, and mentoring. In addition, the programs target
the same youth outcomes-educational attainment, improved labor market
outcomes, and reduced recidivism.
Understanding the effectiveness of these Department of Labor-funded
youth offender programs requires a rigorous evaluation that can address
potential biases resulting from fundamental differences between program
participants and nonparticipants. ETA has contracted with Mathematica
Policy Research and its subcontractor, Social Policy Research
Associates, to conduct (1) a random assignment evaluation to measure
the impact of the youth offender programs, and (2) a process study to
understand program implementation and help interpret impact study
results.
The proposed evaluation will include two data collection efforts:
(1) A request for youth consent to participate in the random assignment
study in the Contact Information Form; and (2) baseline and contact
information collected for the random assignment evaluation, in the
Baseline Information Form.
Understanding the effectiveness of youth offender programs requires
data collection from multiple sources. This evaluation effort intends
to collect a rich set of baseline, service, and outcome data on
treatment and control group members. The Baseline Information Form will
enable the evaluators to describe the characteristics of study
participants at the time they are randomly assigned to the treatment or
control group, ensure that random assignment was conducted properly,
create subgroups for the analysis, provide contact information to
locate individuals for follow-up surveys, and improve the precision of
the impact estimates.
II. Desired Focus of Comments
The Department is particularly interested in comments which:
[[Page 78110]]
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;
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;
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
III. Current Actions
Type of Review: New Collection.
Title: Evaluation of ETA Grants Serving Young Offenders.
OMB Number: 1205-0NEW.
Affected Public: Individuals or households (Young ex-offenders) &
private sector (staff).
Burden Estimates for Contact Information Form and Baseline Information Form Data Collection for Young Offenders
Grants Evaluation
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Total
Number of respondent
respondents Burden per response (minutes) burden
(hours)
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Youth...................................... 5,000 13................................. 1,083
Staff...................................... 40 13 minutes per youth, with an 1,083
average of 125 youth per staff
member.
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Total.................................. 5,040 ................................... 2,166
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Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: 0.
We will summarize and/or include in the request for OMB approval of
the ICR, the comments received in response to this comment request;
they will also become a matter of public record.
Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2014-30284 Filed 12-24-14; 8:45 am]
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