FY 2009 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 city of Philadelphia will use its fiscal year 2009 Recovery Act JAG funds towards personnel, equipment, technology, crime prevention, and reentry services. A total of 52 court employee positions within the Community Court, Pre-Trial Services, and Juvenile and Adult Probation and Parole will be maintained and necessary less-than-lethal weapons will be purchased. The Philadelphia Police Department proposes to create a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Operations Command Center. The RTCC will provide a state-of-the-art crime information center that merges current, recent, and ongoing investigatory needs against historical and current criminal activity. The Operations Command Center will be the location where police commanders can manage and/or monitor police responses to critical or large public safety incidents and events. Additionally, a Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF) will be created to allow for the retention of local, state, and federal classified and secret data. Two reentry programs that will be funded are the Mural Arts Program (MAP), which will help create a model job and skills training program for the city's most at-risk young adults, and Green Jobs for Ex-Offenders, which will provide rapid training and employment in green job skills and then permanent job placements with green industries.

NCA/NCF