Fiscal Year 2008 JAG Electronic Evidence Presenter Project

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 county of Spotsylvania will use its Fiscal Year 2008 JAG award in the amount of $10,455 to purchase an electronic evidence presenter for use in court hearings and trials. The equipment will enable the Sheriff's Office and the Commonwealth Attorney's Office to fulfill their respective missions of protecting life, property, and reducing the fear of crime by fairly and diligently prosecuting all felony and serious misdemeanor cases filed in Spotsylvania County. The electronic evidence presenter is a video capture system that is utilized to project the images of exhibits, such as documents, x-rays, negatives, photos, transparencies, fingerprints, and objects, to one or more LCD monitors. The purchase and placement of this equipment to be a dedicated part of the courtroom means that when hearings and trials occur, the individuals that are involved do not have to bring their own equipment and take the necessary time to set it up and break it down before and after each case. Information and evidence can be quickly displayed for everyone to see at the same time. Use of a digital projector will allow a person to highlight, emphasize, or 'pull out' certain information from exhibits being displayed to the courtroom. This dedicated piece of equipment will speed up the trial process, aid in clarifying elements of a trial in the courtroom, will allow comprehensive and detailed presentation of evidence material thus allowing cases to proceed in the most efficient and effective manner.

NCA/NCF