JAG Formula 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 Cincinnati, serving as the fiscal agent for this award, will share the Recovery Act JAG funds with 14 jurisdictions within Hamilton County. In a disparate situation, the units of local government must apply for an award with a single joint application. Each jurisdiction's allocation will be used for activities and projects that will provide meaningful and measurable outcomes consistent with the goals of the Recovery Act to include creating jobs and purchasing needed law enforcement equipment. The Cincinnati Police Department will add positions for a senior assistant city solicitor and a computer programmer analyst. Hamilton County will add six positions, including four jail intake assessment personnel and two electronic monitoring officers. Remaining funds will be dedicated to officer overtime associated with responding to, investigating, and prosecuting violent crime, officer training, and equipment to improve investigative and surveillance capacity, forensic capability, and technology assets. The key outcomes will be increased public safety, improved dissemination of relevant information through digital technology, and job creation.

NCA/NCF