Information Sharing Technical Assistance for Rural America

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 5, the SEARCH Group Inc. (SEARCH) will use the award to provide information sharing technical assistance to recipients of the Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs Grant Program. SEARCH, in collaboration with BJA and other partners, will emphasize evidence and data-based strategies to assess the current state of justice information sharing in rural jurisdictions, and strategic technical assistance will be provided. Additionally, four regional conferences will be conducted targeting justice practitioners regarding the employment of technology for information sharing in rural communities.

CA/NCF