FY 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant 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.

Oneida County and the cities of Utica and Rome will apply for Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG funding towards separate initiatives aimed at increasing public safety in the community. Through the grant, the city of Utica will use funds to support officer overtime earned through quality of life and problem oriented policing patrols, training for firearm instructors, ammunition for training, and low profile digital light bars for enhanced visibility and safety of patrol cruisers. The city of Rome will use its share to purchase a new marked cruiser that will replace an aging vehicle in its fleet and support officer overtime for details designed to enhance routine patrols for added police safety. Oneida County will use remaining funds to purchase in-car computers and video cameras for its Sheriff's Department. Funds will also support the salary of a probation officer tasked with supervising offenders sentenced to electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration. Because of the current economic environment within each jurisdiction, the funding for the essential services proposed would not have been available if not for the Recovery Act. It is anticipated grant work will begin immediately upon receipt of the award in order to maximize the economic benefits of the Act. For administration purposes, the city of Utica will serve as the fiscal agent for this award.

NCA/NCF