Fiscal Year 2008 Justice Asstance 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 disparate jurisdictions of the city of Birmingham and the county of Jefferson will utilize their Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $174,927 to purchase law enforcement equipment. The City of Birmingham and the Birmingham Police Department will create a computer crime laboratory to help deal with the number of increased reports of internet child pornography, online gambling, fraudulent applications for goods or services, and the rising number of identity thefts that have been reported. As computer usage increases in homes, offices, and organizations, this project will create an Electronic Cyber Crime Training Program within the Birmingham Police Department that will train law enforcement officers to combat all illegal computer-related crimes. The goal of the newly created Cyber Crime Training Program is to train officers to target and properly investigate any criminal activity presented from a computer, a network or operations against persons or businesses, and to ensure that the appropriate reactions occur in order to minimize losses and damages. Specifically, the Birmingham Police Department will purchase 20 laptop computers, laptop accessories, forensics kits, projectors, and computer crime software and related licenses. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will purchase five mobile data terminals and accessories to continue to implement technology improvements for the Records Management System/Jail Management System. This purchase will also include the maintenance agreement and related software.

NCA/NCF