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.

Yavapai County will use its Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG award for projects for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office and the Adult Probation Department. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office will purchase radio repeaters to enhance their communications and thus improve officer safety. The sheriff's office will also purchase firearms and pay for renting a training facility site. Training with firearms was reduced due to scheduling conflicts, but the sheriff's office found a training site that will allow them to schedule their training events in advance. With the purchase of the firearms and rental of the training site, the sheriff's office will be able to train its deputies and detention officers on firearms.

The Yavapai County Adult Probation Department will purchase ballistic vests, as many of their current vests are in need of replacement, and printer/copiers for use in their interview rooms. They will also pay for drug testing supplies that Probation Officers can use in the field and for contracts with local drug testing facilities. The final project will be to fund the addition of video cameras, panic alarms, lighting, and controlled access for buildings of the Adult Probation Department.

NCA/NCF