Expansion of McGruff House and McGruff Truck programs to Safeguard Children

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 goals of this project are to maintain and expand the McGruff House and McGruff Truck programs by increasing the number of program sites in selected communities and states which will improve the capacity of local neighborhoods and communities to safeguard children and prevent crime. The National McGruff House Network (NMHN) will expand outreach to new states such as Ohio, Kentucky, Colorado, and Nevada, and will enhance current programs in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, and Washington creating a 20 percent increase in McGruff Houses nationally. The McGruff Truck program will be expanded by 10 percent nationally with emphasis on Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, and Utah. This will be accomplished via technical assistance outreach and regular communication via newsletters, website, email, and telephone contact. Additionally, onsite recruitment will take place through contact at state crime prevention conferences and national and regional meetings.

CA/NCF