NW3C Intellectual Property Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program

This program is funded under both the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), the Byrne Competitive Program helps local communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program authorization also states that 'the Attorney General may reserve not more than 5 percent, to be granted to 1 or more States or units of local government, for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 3751 of this title, pursuant to his determination that the same is necessary'(1) to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime' (42 U.S.C. 3756).

The Intellectual Property Enforcement, Training, and Technical Assistance Program is designed to provide national support and improve the capacity of state and local criminal justice systems to address intellectual property criminal enforcement, including prosecution, prevention, training, and technical assistance.

The National White Collar Crime Center will establish and develop a BJA training curriculum to provide educational classes nationwide to law enforcement agencies in the areas of criminal enforcement and forensic analysis, to include technical assistance as needed. They will provide training curricula specializing in the identification, investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of intellectual property crimes, including education as it relates to forensic analysis within this specialized area of criminal enforcement. They will provide innovative delivery methodologies of curricula to include, but not be limited to e-training, roll call training, and academy training of both new recruits and experienced officers, prosecutors, and other justice system employees. The National White Collar Crime Center will develop and distribute BJA educational materials for public safety at all levels, including administrators, investigators, and line officers to reach large national audiences. They will provide technical assistance to public safety agencies in the areas of investigation, training, prosecution, and computer forensics as it relates to criminal violations. They will identify new criminal crime trends in the area of intellectual property and develop methodologies for addressing needs of the field through training, education, and use of technology.

CA/NCF