Sonoma County's 2009 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 Sonoma County and the city of Santa Rosa will use its Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $704,302 to support projects for the Sonoma County Sheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, Health Services, Probation, and the Santa Rosa Police Department. Sonoma County, serving as the fiscal agent, will use $279,090 to fund projects that include alcohol and drug treatment beds, juvenile hall recreation yard resurfacing, laptop computers for Deputy District Attorneys, District Attorney front lobby security cameras, District Attorney investigations equipment, graffiti abatement, adult detention facility security cameras, a coroner digital X-ray machine, and crime scene investigation technology improvements. The city of Santa Rosa will use $425,212 to fund training for sworn and support personnel in the Santa Rosa Police Department, as well as fund a contract with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services for sexual assault victim exams.

NCA/NCF