FY2009 JAG Grant

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.

Angelina County will utilize the FY 09 JAG Recovery local allocation to fund law enforcement and court security projects. The county will allocate funds to various county entities in order to enhance various communication capabilities and provide courtroom security.

Grant funds will be distributed to the following county entities: (1) Constable Offices, which will purchase digital video systems and a mobile data terminal; (2) District and County Courts, which will procure video arraignment equipment (video conferencing system), allowing prisoners to be arraigned from the jail facility instead of the courthouse for protection and security purposes, modern evidence presenting equipment (projectors, screens, etc.) that will be portable between both courts, and microphones for district courtroom; (3) Family Crisis Court, which will fund a part-time coordinator for the family crisis court (the program is available to qualified offenders who voluntarily request to be enrolled in the program in lieu of more severe court sentencing); and (4) County Dispatch Room, which will purchase workstations for the county dispatch room to provide a better ergonomic and organized workspace for dispatchers who remain at said workstations for long periods of time.

NCA/NCF