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 county of Henry will use its Fiscal Year 2009 JAG award to enhance and continue three previously implemented and successful programs. The first is the Neighborhood Watch program that will create stronger partnerships with the county's communities and make the citizens feel more comfortable reporting criminal activity to the sheriff's office. This will allow for a safer community which will lessen the opportunities for crime to occur. The county will purchase programs for the Neighborhood Watch meetings, signs for the program participants and metal Neighborhood Watch signs at the boundaries of the member communities. The second program that Henry County will continue and enhance with the use of JAG funding is the Citizen/Teen Police Academies Crime Prevention Program. This program allows the Henry County Sheriff's Office to reach out to specific groups of citizens and communities that not only want to learn more about the Henry County Sheriff's Office, but law enforcement in general. The academies are used to educate teens, seniors, and the whole community in law enforcement procedures, personal safety measures, and home security and to encourage cooperation between themselves and law enforcement to make their communities safer, as well as to assist law enforcement with information to prevent crime and/or catch offenders. JAG funds will be used to provide informational programs and educational literature to supplement this project. Finally, the County of Henry will use JAG funds for the High Impact and Directed Enforcement in Problem Areas Program. This program allows the sheriff's office to pay deputies overtime pay to work in high crime and drug trafficking areas of Henry County without taking them away from the regular calls for service personnel. This allows the sheriff's office to have a larger presence in areas that need the special attention, not only to increase drug and crime investigations and arrests but to enhance the county's on-going crime prevention activities. Increased officer presence will heighten citizens' feelings of security and well being in their communities. These programs are an essential part of the community policing efforts in Henry County and their enhancement and continuation would not be possible without JAG funding.

NCA/NCF