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.

Bolivar County and the cities of Cleveland and Shelby will apply Recovery Act JAG funding towards essential equipment aimed at enhancing law enforcement services provided to the community. The county will use its share to purchase a computerized fingerprint machine that will eliminate smudged prints, and enable the sheriff's department to link with other criminal justice fingerprint databases. The city of Cleveland will purchase speed detection equipment for traffic enforcement and equipment that will analyze latent finger and palm prints. The city of Shelby will use remaining funds to purchase video cameras for its police department's patrol vehicles to provide video evidence for court purposes. A copy machine that will enable the police department to file and maintain records and receive fax transmissions will also be funded. In an effort to stimulate the economy, all purchases will be made from local and national vendors when possible. For administrative purposes, the city of Cleveland will serve as the fiscal agent for this award.

NCA/NCF