Celebrate Safe Communities and Neighborhood Watch Project

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 National Initiatives: Preventing Crime Competitive Grant Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), helps improve criminal justice systems and provides national programs and efforts such as training and technical assistance to strategically address the needs of state and local justice systems and communities.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) will enhance Neighborhood Watch initiatives across the country, enhance the national Celebrate Safe Communities initiative, and respond to the incipient and precipitous increase in crime in many communities throughout the United States, due to loss of jobs and lower household incomes, increased mortgage default and foreclosure rates, and increased strain on public, social, health, and safety services. They will develop and deliver training, technical assistance, and promotional media for local Neighborhood Watch programs and Celebrate Safe Communities events. NCPC will develop, enhance, and maintain national web sites for Neighborhood Watch and Celebrate Safe Communities ensuring that they are designed to facilitate the exchange of information and strategies among registered programs. They will also provide onsite and online training and technical assistance to law enforcement officers, crime prevention practitioners, and community leaders to start and develop local Neighborhood Watch programs and Celebrate Safe Communities events.

CA/NCF