Justice Assistance Grant Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The Maine Department of Public Safety will use its Fiscal Year 2008 JAG funds to sustain current statewide multi-jurisdictional drug task force activities. Given the substantial cuts in the JAG program, it is necessary to prioritize the use of these funds for statewide multi-jurisdictional task force activities. The purpose is to maintain the effectiveness of coordinated, multi-jurisdictional investigations, involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against drug and drug-related crime. This will foster shared intelligence, technologies, expertise, resources, tactics, and strategies leveraging limited resources. The goal is to reduce the supply of illegal drugs by immobilizing drug trafficking organizations and enhance the ability of law enforcement to detect, convict, and incarcerate drug traffickers by improving coordination and communication among criminal justice agencies.

NCA/NCF