Mississippi BJA FY24 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves designated the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office (MSAGO) as the state agency to administer the John R. Justice (JRJ) Student Loan Repayment Program. The purpose is to encourage qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders in Mississippi and to continue in that service. Project activities include the MSAGO implementing its outreach strategy to eligible beneficiaries to encourage applications to the JRJ Program and operating the MSAGO program plan to select and award eligible beneficiaries and follow statutory requirements. Expected outcomes include increased awareness of the JRJ Program to eligible beneficiaries, application submissions made by applicants throughout Mississippi with the least ability to pay and reviewed by the MSAGO Selection Committee, and performance measures collected under JRJ Program requirements. Prosecutor and public defenders, including tribal prosecutors and public defenders, with financial need and spread equally throughout four geographic regions of Mississippi, are the intended beneficiaries of the JRJ Program.