Justice Assistance Grant 2008

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 Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance (OJA) will use their Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) to support programs in the following areas: 1) automated justice information systems that are compatible among counties, courts, district attorneys, public defenders, and the departments of corrections, transportation, and justice; 2) program initiatives that are multijurisdictional and provide technical assistance to support cooperative efforts, so that collaboration becomes more prevalent among local jurisdictions, and ultimately the administration of justice is achieved more efficiently and effectively; 3) prevention programs that provide youth with the resources and skills to recognize risks associated with drug and alcohol use, violence, and gang participation; 4) prevention and intervention programs that target youth and provide resources to those most likely at risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system; 5) evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment for abusers who have entered the criminal justice system; 6) programs that reduce the Wisconsin prison population by providing alternatives to incarceration to first-time non-violent misdemeanor offenders; and 7) initiatives to reduce drug crime by allocating resources to multijurisdictional drug enforcement task forces that actively enforce drug possession and sale crimes, support crime prevention programs, initiate and implement information sharing, and allow effective communication and collaboration among outside law enforcement jurisdictions. The FY 2008 JAG grant will support OJA's mission to provide communities, state and local government agencies, and non-profit programs with effective financial resources, meaningful justice system planning data and information, and appropriate linkages to justice system programming in order to have a positive, long-term impact on Wisconsin's justice system, while promoting the safety of its citizens. OJA has allocated ten percent of the JAG award for administration of the JAG Program.

NCA/NCF