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 disparate jurisdictions of Maricopa County and the cities of Avondale, Buckeye, Chandler, El Mirage, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Tempe, Tolleson, and Youngtown will use their Recovery Act JAG award to fund criminal justice programs. The fiscal agent, Maricopa County, will use their share of JAG funds to support the Gun Violence Prosecution Program, hire a contracted administrator to oversee the Recovery Act JAG award, retain police officers, and fund a narcotics task force. The city of Phoenix will use their funds to support the Community Prosecution Program, hire software analysts, buy an E-citation system, and the fund the Prosecutor Records Organization Project. The city of Avondale will use their funds to join with the city of Goodyear and the town of Buckeye for a crime victims facility. The town of Buckeye will also use a portion of their funds to purchase a license plate recognition system. The city of Chandler will use their funds to buy a records management system. The city of El Mirage will use their funds to support a Property Crimes Reduction Program. The town of Gilbert will use their funds for communications equipment. The city of Glendale will use their funds for communications software. The city of Goodyear will use their share to fund an Assistant City Prosecutor. The city of Mesa will use their funds to purchase law enforcement equipment. The city of Peoria will use their funds for police overtime and software. The city of Scottsdale will use their funds to purchase and install a telephone messaging system for the city police department. The city of Surprise will use their funds to purchase video equipment and a license plate reader. The city of Tempe will use their funds to retain 26 sworn law enforcement positions. The city of Tolleson will use their funds to pay for a report writing system. The city of Youngtown will use their JAG funds to purchase digital recording equipment.

NCA/NCF