Reducing Mortgage Fraud and Crime Related to Vacant Properties

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 3, Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office will use the grant award to combat mortgage fraud by developing criminal cases, eliminating the backlog of current cases, collecting and analyzing data, providing training, and working in collaboration with external agencies, including law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the banking and mortgage communities. The grant funds will retain five assistant state attorneys, two trial coordinators, and two paralegals who will be assigned to the Mortgage Fraud Unit. In addition, full-time positions will be created for one investigator and one network administrator. The project will contract for a research partner to develop an overall plan for tracking and mapping cases, managing case files, developing reports, and providing information and intelligence.

CA/NCF