FY24 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

New Hampshire (NH), a small state situated in the northeast region of the United States has an approximate population of 1,399,003.  The population is not evenly distributed, with the three southernmost counties being where approximately 60% of the population lives.  The remaining 40% reside in areas north, with 13% living in the three northernmost, rural counties.

The proposal narrative identifies several program areas that NH plans to address during the program period.  Funding will be utilized in relation to the program areas of law enforcement, prosecution, drug enforcement, and drug treatment.  This strategy, and the plans for the administration of JAG funding, has been developed through the State’s integral involvement in ongoing state-level criminal justice planning.

The program area NH will primarily focus on is the continued enforcement of laws relating to illicit drug use and distribution throughout the state, by continuing to support the Statewide Multi-jurisdictional Attorney General’s Drug Task Force.  The reality is, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine misuse, along with the increased prevalence of fake pills, are a concerning problem in the area with numbers steadily rising.  Statistics from a report put out by the NH Office of the Chief Medical Examiner indicated that 2022 saw a high of 487 overdose deaths, with most involving fentanyl.

The JAG Strategic Plan Steering Committee agrees that a drug treatment program remains vital and supports the continued allocation of funds to the NH Public Defenders Office (NHPD).  Funding will support a Master Social Worker that helps offenders to engage in services, increasing the likelihood of their successful re-entry into society, as outlined in the 2024-2028 Statewide Strategic Plan.

Directly related to the opioid crisis, the NHPD continues to experience a startling number of felony-level drug possession cases.  As expected, NHPD continues to see an increase in the percentage of clients afflicted with substance use disorder.

It is imperative that the progress made to maintain the operational and collaborative abilities of the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force is not lost, and that NH can continue to expand connections, continue to collaborate with stakeholders, and provide services, to further the goal of achieving a reduction of trafficking of opioids throughout the State.

The State Administrating Agency for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program remains the NH Department of Justice (NH DOJ); a recipient of many federal grant programs administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.