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 cities of Arlington and Fort Worth and the county of Tarrant will use their Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $228,362 for criminal justice purposes. The fiscal agent, the city of Fort Worth will use their portion of the JAG funds ($120,902) for law enforcement staffing software that will allow the city to analyze data and more effectively set and meet patrol unit goals, and to purchase eight hand-held radios for the Ministers Against Crime and the Clergy and Police Alliance. These organizations assist the Fort Worth Police Department officers with nontraditional roles, such as helping to ensure calm in a crisis situation, patrol and report crime, and offer support to victims of violent crime.

The city of Arlington will use their JAG funds ($70,922) to purchase electric three-wheeled personal mobility devices that will be used for policing venues where traditional patrol vehicles are not viable because of a confined space or pedestrians, and 22 tactical carbines in order to replace an aging inventory of shotguns. Tactical carbines are an effective and safer weapon for use in an urban environment. Tarrant County will use its portion of the JAG award ($36,538) to fund a portion of the salary of a Law Liaison for the Mental Health-Law Liaison Project, which assists law enforcement officers with diverting people who have a mental illness or other cognitive impairment from arrest into treatment. The county of Tarrant will also use JAG funds to support the Adult Drug Treatment Court, which provides treatment in lieu of prosecution. Through the Drug Impact Rehabilitation Enhanced Comprehensive Treatment program (D.I.R.E.C.T.), the Drug Court promotes treatment and intervention that will hopefully prevent an individual from further involvement in the criminal justice system. The D.I.R.E.C.T. program will purchase drug testing strips and supplies.

NCA/NCF