Northeast Iowa Community Corrections Enrichment Project

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, the First Judicial District's Department of Correctional Services will use its award to develop the Northeast Iowa Community Corrections Enrichment Project. The goals of this project are to create jobs in Northeast Iowa, increase treatment options for correctional clients with mental illness or substance abuse problems, and expand the capacity of community corrections in the area. Additional community corrections and treatment service employees will be hired to enhance the identification of mentally ill and substance addicted correctional clients and assist them in accessing appropriate treatment as needed.

This project will take place within the 1st Judicial District of Iowa. The 1st District covers 11 counties; however the Northeast Iowa Community Enrichment Project will only service seven counties including, Allamakee, Buchanan, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, and Winneshiek.

Award funds will be used to hire one Community Treatment Coordinator and two Probation/Parole officers. The Community Treatment Coordinator will act as a liaison between the Department of Correctional Services, area law enforcement agencies, and community treatment providers to aggressively pursue the best possible options available for assistance and supervision in the community. The two additional Probation/Parole Officers will decrease overall caseloads in the region and allow agents more time to focus on moderate to high-risk clients with substance abuse and mental health issues. Finally, an additional staff person will provide direct services to the contracting substance abuse agency, Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, to increase opportunities for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

CA/CF