West Virginia FY24 John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program

As is the case with many other states, the hiring and retention of qualified public defenders and prosecutors is a pressing challenge for the state of West Virginia. The most consistently cited reason why attorneys decline or leave positions as prosecutors and public defenders is student loan debt. The majority of law students must borrow to finance their education and rising costs are continuing to impose insurmountable debt. To extend the problem, public defender and prosecutor salaries are failing to keep pace with the escalating cost of education.

The West Virginia Division of Administrative Services’ Justice and Community Services Section (DAS/JCS) – under the Department of Homeland Security – serves as the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for grant funded programs through the U.S. Department of Justice, other federal agencies, and the state and is applying for funding under the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s FY 2024 John R. Justice (JRJ) Program. If awarded, funds will be sub-awarded to eligible public defenders and prosecutors throughout the state to assist with student loan payments.

The goals of West Virginia's JRJ Program are to: 1) assist in the recruitment and retention of qualified attorneys to enhance the efficacy of the criminal justice system; 2) provide student loan repayment assistance to qualifying public defenders and local and state prosecutors; 3) encourage individuals to enter and continue employment as local and state prosecutors and defenders; and 4) increase confidence in the state and local criminal justice system through the retention of qualified attorneys.