Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $300,188)
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, the Seventh Judicial District Department of Corrections (District)will use the grant award to develop an offender reentry services enhancement project in the Davenport field office. Research indicates a major impediment to successful offender reintegration is unemployment. The goal of this project is to affect recidivism by enhancing employment services for offenders in conjunction with increased emphasis on collaboration with community agencies to provide services to offenders. The District will use grant funds to preserve two offender employment specialist positions targeted for lay-off for the purpose of employment development and employment skills training. In addition to collaborating with Scott Community College and Iowa Workforce Development to develop and implement this project, the Department will continue to develop an offender reentry task force comprising several social service nonprofits and faith-based organizations.
CA/NCF