FY 2009 Recovery Act JAG 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 disparate jurisdictions consisting of Kalamazoo County, the cities of Kalamazoo and Portage, and Kalamazoo Charter Township will use their Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $553,309 to enhance service delivery, increase officer safety, increase officer effectiveness, increase the use of digital technology in the criminal justice system, and enhance neighborhood crime reduction initiatives. Strategies to be used include purchasing equipment and software, providing professional development, providing incentives to drug and sobriety court participants, and utilizing educational materials, signage, and public service announcements to promote neighborhood crime reduction initiatives. The city of Kalamazoo will serve as the fiscal agent and use its share of funds for an emergency warning system and mobile digital video recording equipment. Kalamazoo Charter Township will purchase mobile digital recording equipment with its allocation. Portage will use its share of the allocation for digital recorders and computer-based training software. Kalamazoo County will use its share for mobile date terminals, computer-based training software, neighborhood crime reduction initiatives, and enhancements to the sobriety and drug courts.

NCA/NCF