Hawaii's FY 2024 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program

The goal of this program is to attract and retain qualified local, state, and federal public defenders and prosecutors who commit to continued employment in these roles.

The program provides student loan repayment assistance for state and federal public defenders, as well as state and county prosecutors, who agree to remain in their positions for at least three years. A Planning Committee, consisting of representatives from the state Department of the Attorney General, the state Office of the Public Defender, and the four county prosecution offices, will review program materials and selection criteria, assist with outreach, and determine award amounts. A Selection Committee, a subgroup of the Planning Committee, will review applications and select eligible applicants to receive repayment awards. The committee will strive to allocate funds equally between prosecutors and public defenders. However, if the 50% threshold is not met due to a lack of eligible applications, remaining funds will be awarded based on financial need, potentially leading to an unequal distribution of funds between the two groups. The Department of the Attorney General will make payments directly to the financial institutions holding the student loans.

The Planning Committee will collaborate to ensure that both prosecutors and public defenders are selected and awarded funds to assist with their student loan repayment.

Funds will be distributed to the selected prosecutors and public defenders, helping to attract and retain qualified individuals who commit to continued employment in these essential roles.