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 Framingham will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award to purchase a mobile license plate recognition system. This system will be programmed to detect motor vehicles that are stolen, unregistered, uninsured, or wanted in regards to a crime or Amber Alert. The police department will also purchase computer software needed to activate and operate a web-based community information sharing system. This system would give citizens the ability to set-up accounts to provide them automatic notifications and alerts via email and/or text messaging as soon as they are posted on the department's website. The town's goals are to improve the department's capacity to deal with traffic-related safety, address the problem of stolen motor vehicles, and increase the level of information exchange with the community.

NCA/NCF