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 city of Fort Worth is disparate with Tarrant County and 20 cities within the county. Fort Worth will serve as the fiscal agent to administer the Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $4,140,165. Each jurisdiction will utilize the JAG Recovery funds for various projects that fall within different JAG purpose areas. For example, funds will be used for personnel hiring, various types of law enforcement equipment, communication enhancement devices, firearms and ammunition, and computer hardware/software. A majority of the cities included in this application have worked on collaborative projects in the past that include: intelligence sharing, crime analysis, juvenile and adult treatment, and through projects funded under past JAG awards.

NCA/NCF