Justice Department Awards Illinois $18.8 Million in Justice Assistance Grants

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mary Lou Leary, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, announced more than $18.8 million in FY 2010 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funding is available to Illinois to prevent and control crime. Leary made the announcement at the Smarter Solutions for Crime Reduction: The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Strategic Planning Initiative conference in Chicago.

"This funding is critical in supporting a wide range of crime control and prevention activities, such as law enforcement operations, prosecution and court programs, community corrections activities, education, and technology enhancements that are essential in fighting crime in our communities," said Leary.

The JAG Program, which will provide nearly $455 million in FY 2010 funds to all 56 states and territories, provides states, tribes, and local governments with essential funding required to support program areas such as law enforcement, crime prevention and prosecution, education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, technology improvement, and crime victim and witness initiatives. JAG grants are allocated based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding. Sixty percent of the allocation is awarded directly to a state and 40 percent is set aside for units of local government. States are required to sub-grant a portion of the funds to local units of government, such as a city, county, township or town. Tribal governments are also eligible to receive pass-through funding from the state.  

An additional $1.5 million in Byrne Competitive funds will be awarded to the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA), which represents state, tribal, and local governments on crime prevention and crime control issues. Both grant programs are administered by the Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

NCJA provides training and technical assistance (TTA) to criminal justice leaders across the nation. Both NCJA and the Bureau of Justice Assistance work with State Administering Agencies (SAAs) to offer on-site TTA, webinars, regional conferences, and publications to assist SAAs in developing their statewide plans and ensure the proper use of Byrne JAG Funds. NCJA will assist SAAs (and the NCJA broader membership of state, local, and tribal criminal justice and public safety practitioners) in the use of evidence-based practices and data-driven strategies, with the ultimate goal of improving the effectiveness of criminal justice programs across the country.

"BJA is proud to work in partnership with states and the National Criminal Justice Association to ensure that our investments in the justice system are strategic and result in enhancements that states and local communities identify as most needed to ensure public safety and an effective justice system," said James H. Burch, II, Acting Director, BJA.

To receive additional information on OJP's FY 2010 JAG Grant Awards, please visit: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/10grantawards.htm

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims.  OJP has seven components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Community Capacity Development Office, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART).  More information about OJP can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

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SOURCE Office of Justice Programs