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 Jackson and the county of Hinds will utilize their Fiscal Year 2008 award in the amount of $106,771 to continue interoperability efforts and sustain court personnel. Both the City and County will use grant funds to integrate their records management, jail management, and municipal court systems through ThinkStream Database Access Software. The integration of this information will provide instant criminal histories of defendants to county and city personnel and will eliminate the possibility of releasing those detainees who are not ready for release. It will also assist court personnel to quickly clear cases of mistaken identity due to inaccuracies associated with human error. Hinds County will also use a portion of grant funds to sustain a Court Facilitator and an Assistant Public Defender who were funded under previous grants.

NCA/NCF