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 disparate jurisdictions comprising of Greene County and the city of Paragould will use their JAG funds to upgrade computer software to aid dispatch and incident reporting for the city and county police departments. As a result of the upgrade, the police department will have access to GPS for all their units that are on duty. Access to GPS will help the dispatcher send the closest unit on calls which will increase response time for calls for service. The software upgrade will also provide the police department with access to a local sex offender database that will help reduce paperwork for the officer in charge of the local registry program. It will also aid in community notification of sex offenders in the area.

NCA/NCF