Maine Public Safety & Health Initiative

The Congressionally Selected Awards Program, authorized by the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects selected by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-8, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 09 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) will focus resources on the identified threat posed by the use of non-medical prescription drugs and related criminal activity that has impacted the public safety and health of three rural counties. The goal is to improve the capacity of drug law enforcement on prescription drug diversion within Aroostook, Penobscot, and Piscataquis Counties, which have a combined population of 236,112. The strategy of this project is to provide additional investigative resources to these rural counties that have been negatively impacted by prescription drug diversion and lack the resources available to combat this problem. The MDEA will assign experienced local police officers to Maine's only statewide investigative task force serving the identified counties. The MDEA will measure the project's progress based upon 1) a performance matrix examining the return on investment for the number of drug diversion investigations conducted and value of drugs removed from the marketplace; 2) number of "drug-affected" babies born; and 3) number of drug overdose deaths.

NCA/NCF