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, Hamilton County, through the county juvenile court, will use the grant award to establish a probation reentry program for juvenile offenders. This project will retain two probation officers and create a third probation officer position to provide enhanced probation services to 250 felony adjudicated youth. The overall goal of the program is to improve the criminal justice system by providing enhanced, comprehensive reentry services and reducing further risk of offending. Evidence-based treatment models of functional family and multidimensional family therapy will be incorporated in the specialized services for identified youth. Anticipated outcomes are a reduction in recidivism and reduced admissions to state correctional facilities. The addition of the third probation officer will result in a smaller caseload, so each youth and family will receive more intensive community-based services to build a strong network of traditional and non-traditional supports for successful reintegration with family, school, peers, and community life.

CA/NCF