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.

The city of New Orleans has been allocated $1,349,100 through the Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Act JAG Program and will use funds for comprehensive law enforcement strategies to address criminal justice issues within the city. Grant funds will be used to fund projects for the following agencies: 1) New Orleans Police Department will equip 500 Patrol and Special Unit officers with tasers, thatwill protect officers and offer a non-lethal mean of apprehending suspects and promoting safety; 2) Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff will use overtime to increase patrol during weekends and peak seasons such as Mardi Gras, Carnival season, and other city-wide events; 3) Orleans Parish Office of the City Attorney will fund one additional City Attorney I position and purchase equipment to aid in developing a technology database to link information with the police department and criminal, municipal, traffic, and civil courts; 4) New Orleans Municipal Court will hire four caseworkers who will provide post and pre-sentencing monitoring and serve as a direct link between the defendant and outside service providers; 5) New Orleans Criminal District Court will hire an additional case manager for the Domestic Violence Monitoring Court and purchase equipment and supplies; 6) Orleans Parish District Attorney will implement a comprehensive diversion and treatment initiative that builds upon a shifting of priorities toward evidence-based prevention and early intervention alternatives and departs from traditional jailing as a strategy to manage crime through the hiring of a diversion counselor; 7) Orleans Public Defenders Office will hire a part-time programmer and data-entry professional and purchase equipment aimed at improving information sharing through the purchase of new computers, a fax machine, and hardware/software; and 8) Orleans Parish Juvenile Court will support the need for intensive case management services through preserving two positions within the Behavioral Health Liaison Services Program to track, monitor, and deliver substance abuse and behavioral/mental health intervention services to juveniles/family units.

NCA/NCF