Rural Economic Stability Unit

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 1, the State of Oklahoma will receive a $1,064,657 grant to create a program to provide services to Southwest Oklahoma crime victims by providing a multijurisdictional cooperative investigative unit specializing in the complex economic crimes surrounding the unique cultural and geographic characteristics of rural Southwest Oklahoma.

The State of Oklahoma will use the funds to hire two investigators, one attorney, and one administrative assistant, and retain one attorney position. The funds will also be used to purchase two sport utility vehicles, three laptop computers, office supplies, and cell phones. As a result of this program, complex economic crimes will become easily adjudicated while minimizing collateral damage to the victims. Key outcome measures will be the amount of restitution paid to the victims of financial scams and the regression of criminal activity in the target area and subsequent enhanced quality of life for residents of these Southwest Oklahoma communities. Moreover, key output measures will include increased apprehension, arrests, adjudication, and dispositions as a result of multijurisdictional cooperative investigations.

CA/CF