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.

Genesee County will utilize its Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $23,115 to purchase tasers and training air cartridges for the Genesee County Sheriff's Office. The county's close proximity to major cities, along with the presence of a significant highway infrastructure, greatly influence the criminal activity within the community, particularly in the areas of illegal drug trafficking and property and violent crimes. The tasers, funded through the grant, will become a vital tool for the protection of citizens and law enforcement officers during encounters with violent, confrontational individuals. Because of the current state of the local economy, the Genesee County Sheriff's Office would not have been able to purchase the tasers without the assistance of the Recovery Act funds.

NCA/NCF