Project Rope - Released on Pretrial Evaluation

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) solicits applications for initiatives which assist law enforcement in rural states and rural areas. The program helps rural states and rural areas to prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs.

The Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs Program, administered by BJA, helps rural states and rural areas prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs. In addition, priority consideration will be given to local law enforcement agencies in rural areas where the unit of local government is not eligible to receive a direct allocation from the Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program or received a direct allocation that was $50,000 or less. Applicants were invited to submit a proposal under any one of the following categories to: (1) combat rural crime; (2) improve rural law enforcement investigations; (3) enhance rural detention and jail operations; (4) facilitate rural justice information sharing; or (5) develop a national training and technical assistance program.

Under Category 3, Gila County will hire two Certified Probation Officers to supervise pre-trial offenders who are released to community supervision. Gila County does not currently have a pre-trial release and supervision program, and the County is separated by approximately 80 miles of federal land. This means that nearly half of the offenders are detained 80 miles away from family, support groups, and treatment services. Traditionally, offenders with mental health and substance abuse disorders may not have qualified for release because they cannot post a bond and may not have stable employment or family relationships. The County, however, estimates that 50 percent of their offenders with mental health or substance abuse disorders would be eligible for a supervised release program if one were available. In implementing a pre-trial release and supervision program, Gila County may experience cost savings, as the cost for housing an inmate is $68 per day, while the cost for inmates in the program is estimated to be $11 per day.

In addition to paying for the salary and fringe benefits of the two Certified Probation Officers who will run the program, this grant award will also pay for computers for their use and some standard operating costs for the officers, including fuel and cell phone plans. Gila County will also use funds to pay a laboratory to confirm results of the clients' drug tests and to pay for travel to Department of Justice-sponsored grant meetings.

CA/CF