FY 2009 Justice Assistance Grant Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local governments, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and 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, including 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 and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The town of West Hartford will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award towards the purchase of an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The West Hartford Police Department will use the AFIS to aid in the immediate identification of perpetrators of motor vehicle theft, burglaries, robberies, sexual assaults, homicides, and arson. The current practice is to submit fingerprints to the State of Connecticut Forensic Laboratory for examination, which has an average turnaround time of four to seven months. With the purchase and installation of an in-house system, results will be made available in a more appropriate and efficient time-frame.

NCA/NCF