Statewide Response to Violent Crime Reduction

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety will utilize Fiscal Year 2007 Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Category I Targeting Violent Crime funds to establish an intelligence-led, data-driven, multi-jurisdictional response to crime in three designated cities, strengthen investigations and prosecutions of gang members through statewide training, and evaluate the impact of crime reduction initiatives.

CA/NCF