Recovery Act Grant Program

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 2, San Joaquin County, through the probation department, will use the grant award to implement "Project Reconnect." The three major program goals of Project Reconnect are: 1) create jobs by increasing or adding neighborhood-based probation officers and other non-sworn civilian positions; 2) provide a comprehensive alternative to detention by establishing a day and evening reporting center; and 3) reduce recidivism by providing targeted cognitive-based programming to a high-risk population. The probation department's key strategies and deliverables include: immediately filling the neighborhood-based probation officer positions with positions that are being eliminated due to budget cuts; job creation will occur with a community based school that will utilize Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funds for a teacher position; work with community based partner to recruit and hire a coordinator position; meet with probation officers and stakeholders to review goals and objectives, explain program criteria and the referral process so the program will maximize the alternative to detention option. Evidence based programming has already been identified based on the results of a validated risk assessment for youth residing in the target area; and 5) provide staff with training on effective case management techniques before starting the program.

CA/NCF