Fiscal Year 2008 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 disparate jurisdictions of the city of Lawrence and the county of Douglas will use their Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $20,709 to purchase equipment to capture usable fingerprints and photographs of persons who have been arrested, those of interest in criminal investigations, and those needed for comparison purposes. The equipment will be used to establish a booking station at the Douglas County Law Enforcement building. The booking station will increase line officers efficiency as well as capture needed data such as fingerprints and photographs for future use. The booking station will reduce the need to transport offenders of minor offenses or with low bond amounts to the Douglas County Jail. The equipment will also allow officers and deputies to capture arrested suspect information without requiring them to drive to the jail. The booking station will also capture needed information for those incidents where an individual is considered a person of interest. This station will help alleviate overcrowding issues at the jail, improve officer efficiency, and offer the ability to quickly capture fingerprints and images needed for investigations

NCA/NCF