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 city of Chicago and Cook County, as disparate jurisdictions, will share their fiscal year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $28,663,987 to create jobs and promote economic stability through local government budgets, to minimize and avoid reductions in essential prevention and intervention services, and to strengthen and increase local capacity for law enforcement. The city and county will accomplish these goals by deploying sworn officers for overtime to police crime hot spots throughout the city and surrounding municipalities within the county; creating and retaining positions within the county; replacing aging and worn out police vehicles and law enforcement equipment; and purchasing contractual services for prevention and intervention programs within the county and its surrounding municipalities. The Chicago Department of Police will use funds for overtime, police vehicles, and in-car cameras. Cook County will use funds to hire criminal justice staff, provide overtime for municipalities, purchase police vehicles and equipment, and support prevention and intervention initiatives.

NCA/NCF