FY 2008 JAG Formula 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 Iowa Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy will use their Fiscal Year 2008 Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds to reduce alcohol and drug abuse and their effects among adult and juvenile citizens. The state has experienced a rise in the number of its juveniles and adults abusing alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and marijuana, which has affected public safety and health. To combat this problem, the state will utilize a results-based decision making process to align the use of resources with the long term goals of improving the well-being of children and families and the quality of life in their communities. Specifically, they will focus on the following results in making funding decisions: 1) all Iowans are healthy and drug-free, 2) Iowa communities are free from illegal drugs, and 3) all Iowans are safe from drug abusing offenders. To measure the extent to which funded programs are achieving the results, 12 performance indicators will be used, including the number of Iowa traffic fatalities that are alcohol-related; the number of confirmed or founded types of child abuse related to denial of critical care, presence of an illegal drug in a child's body or manufacture of methamphetamine in the presence of a minor; the average price and purity of methamphetamine and cocaine; and the percent of probation and parole revocations in which a positive drug or alcohol result was a factor.

To address these indicators, the state plans to fund programs within the following purpose areas: 1) drug endangered children; 2) school-based prevention with local community coalition participation targeting high-risk youth and their parents; 3) media campaigns concerning emerging drugs and empowering parents to educate their children about drugs; 4) integrating substance abuse prevention services with services provided through the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections; 5) retail alcohol sales training; 6) enforcement of drunk and drugged driving laws; 7) underage and binge drinking on college campuses; 8) diversion to treatment and intensive supervision for low-risk non-violent alcohol and other drug addicted juvenile and adult offenders; 9) monitoring of illegal prescription drug abuse; 10) offender reintegration including substance-free supervised transitional housing; 11) juvenile, adult, and family drug courts; 12) case management resources for community-based offenders receiving treatment services, including those with co-occurring disorders; 13) multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, drug intelligence systems, and information sharing among law enforcement agencies; 14) narcotics law enforcement training opportunities for local law enforcement and prosecutors; 15) crime lab enhancements to reduce the turnaround time for evidence analysis; and 16) jail-based drug treatment and therapeutic communities. Administrative funds will be used for personnel, travel expenses, equipment, and supplies necessary to administer the JAG Program.

NCA/NCF