(a) Authority to make grants
The Director, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Corrections, may make—

(1) 4 grants in each fiscal year, in various geographical areas throughout the United States, to public agencies for correctional options (including the cost of construction) that provide alternatives to traditional modes of incarceration and offender release programs—

(A) to provide more appropriate intervention for youthful offenders who are not career criminals, but who, without such intervention, are likely to become career criminals or more serious offenders;

(B) to provide a degree of security and discipline appropriate for the offender involved;

(C) to provide diagnosis, and treatment and services (including counseling, substance abuse treatment, education, job training and placement assistance while under correctional supervision, and linkage to similar outside services), to increase the success rate of offenders who decide to pursue a course of lawful and productive conduct after release from legal restraint;

(D) to reduce criminal recidivism by offenders who receive punishment through such alternatives;

(E) to reduce the cost of correctional services and facilities by reducing criminal recidivism; and

(F) to provide work that promotes development of industrial and service skills in connection with a correctional option;

(2) grants to private nonprofit organizations—

(A) for any of the purposes specified in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (1);

(B) to undertake educational and training programs for criminal justice personnel;

(C) to provide technical assistance to States and local units of government; and

(D) to carry out demonstration projects which, in view of previous research or experience, are likely to be a success in more than one jurisdiction;

in connection with a correctional option (excluding the cost of construction);

(3) grants to public agencies to establish, operate, and support boot camp prisons; and

(4) grants to State courts to improve security for State and local court systems.

(b) Selection of grantees
The selection of applicants to receive grants under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) shall be based on their potential for developing or testing various innovative alternatives to traditional modes of incarceration and offender release programs. In selecting the applicants to receive grants under subsection (a)(3), the Director shall—

(1) consider the overall quality of an applicant's shock incarceration program, including the existence of substance abuse treatment, drug testing, counseling literacy education, vocational education, and job training programs during incarceration or after release; and

(2) give priority to public agencies that clearly demonstrate that the capacity of their correctional facilities is inadequate to accommodate the number of individuals who are convicted of offenses punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding 1 year.

Priority shall be given to State court applicants under subsection (a)(4) that have the greatest demonstrated need to provide security in order to administer justice.

(c) Consultations
The Director shall consult with the Commission on Alternative Utilization of Military Facilities created by Public Law 100–456 in order to identify military facilities that may be used as sites for correctional programs receiving assistance under this subpart.