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 Navajo Nation, Office of the Prosecutor, proposes to use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award to fund the Navajo Nation 2009 Justice Assistance Grant Program. The goals of the project are to lower declination rate of cases for adult and juvenile cases within the Office of the Prosecutor, improve community education and awareness of the Office of the Prosecutors, and coordinate with criminal justice agencies, placement facilities, and human service providers for strategies to be utilized that will provide cross trainings, meetings, and work sessions with prosecution, criminal justice agencies, and service providers. By providing community education and awareness through active participation, the Prosecutor's Office will improve awareness of presentations on Navajo Nation adult criminal, children's codes, victim's rights, and the criminal process. This will be achieved by providing continued coordination with other criminal justice agencies, placement facilities, and direct service providers through the evaluation of existing protocol/policies for law enforcement, criminal investigations, courts, probation, prosecution, and victim services, and by providing training for all programs necessary to properly implement these policies and procedures.

NCA/NCF