FY 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant Program

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act') and by 42 U.S.C. 3751(a). The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases. The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars.

Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website ' Recovery.gov ' to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds.

The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funded under the Recovery Act is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Recovery JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. Recovery JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

The county of Ionia will utilize its fiscal year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $22,320 to purchase electronic citations devices and tasers. The county's goal is to serve and protect the citizens of Ionia County. By using the electronic citations devices, information will be entered faster, citations will be completed more accurately, and data will be shared throughout the agency in a timely manner. In addition, the electronic citations devices will assist the county in reducing the number of traffic crashes due to the reduced time it will take to complete, issue, and submit citations. The Ionia County Sheriff's Office will also purchase tasers. The tasers will be another option for the officers to use before executing the use of lethal force, which will ultimately save lives.

NCA/NCF