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 Artesia, through the police department, will use its Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award in the amount of $16,670 to purchase a polygraph machine and chair and to pay for travel and training expenses for an officer to learn how to conduct and interpret polygraph examinations for suspects and prospective employees. The objectives of this project are to further the police department's ability to meet their service commitment by providing effective and efficient truth detection testing for applicants and for use during criminal investigations. Also, the expanded use of forensic testing to review convictions obtained, based on witness information, in years past has shown that the testimony of witnesses can be misleading. The department's desire to utilize the polygraph, when applicable, to enhance their ability to determine the truth is essential in their quest for justice.

NCA/NCF