Office of Justice Programs Weekly News Brief

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the Office of Justice Programs:

Attorney General Holder Speaks at IACP Conference – In remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill., on October 24, Attorney General Eric Holder, said, "In our inner cities, rural areas, and tribal communities, neighborhoods have been transformed and countless lives have been improved and saved … despite growing budget constraints and increasing demands … many of your precincts and departments are not simply surviving - they are thriving." AG Holder discussed the Office of Justice Program's Bureau of Justice Assistance's successful efforts in the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, which fosters partnerships between government agencies, law enforcement and private-sector entities to gather, document, analyze and share information about terrorist-related suspicious activity. He also spoke about the Department's new Officer Safety Initiative, offering training programs and information-sharing platforms to keep officers safe.

OJJDP Awards $20 Million to Support Mentoring for Children of Military Families – The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) recently announced $20 million in funding to nine organizations to support mentoring programs and services for youth with a parent in the military. The Department of Defense provided this funding to OJJDP as part of a joint effort to support military families. The nine organizations include the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters, National 4-H Council, KidsPeace, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, National Alliance of Faith & Justice, Public/Private Ventures, YMCA of San Francisco and the Sea Research Foundation. "Children in military families experience unique challenges that other children may never face, such as dealing with their deployed parents' extended absence and anxiety over their safe return," said Jeff Slowikowski, OJJDP Acting Administrator. "These nine programs will provide children of military families a listening ear and caring support during a difficult time in their lives." For more information on the grant awards, visit http://www.ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2011/JJ_PR-101111.htm.

Upcoming Events:

Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will testify before the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on the Oversight of OJP, at the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2141, at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 2. The hearing is open to the media.

SOURCE Office of Justice Programs