Recovery Act-BJA FY 09 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act') and by 42 U.S.C. 3751(a). The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases. The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars. Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website ' Recovery.gov ' to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds.

The JAG Program funded under the Recovery Act is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Recovery JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. Recovery JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) will use their FY 2009 Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to support critical state and local government functions. The purpose of the CJCC in administering the Recovery Act Byrne JAG funds will center on restoration of capacity within criminal justice system agency and allied organizations at the state and local levels. An investment will be made in resources to improve their response to crime and safeguard their citizens. The goals of the Safe Georgia Initiative, which utilizes grant funds, will be to: (1) Promote safe communities and stable families where children can thrive; (2) Provide a safe environment where Georgians live, work, and play; (3) Provide a safe, secure state by effectively managing and rehabilitating offenders; (4) Promote homeland security and emergency preparedness for natural and man-made disasters or acts of terrorism; and, (5) Reduce loss of life and injury on Georgia's roads.

Allocation of funds for state-level programs are being made by criminal justice agency leadership and the Office of the Governor. Safer Georgia strategic priorities and critical budget shortfalls will be addressed, with a priority on job creation and preservation. Local pass-through funds will be allocated in two streams: (1) to support government-based victim witness assistance programs in a joint process with the distribution of VOCA and STOP VAWA Recovery Act funding for victim assistance programs, and (2) to support collaborative programs developed by judicial circuits addressing the Byrne-JAG purpose areas and the Recovery Act Priorities.

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will continue to apply its high standards for fiscal and programmatic monitoring to all federal grant funds received and disbursed under the Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) formula grant funds. Every sub-grant recipient, including both state and local government agencies, will receive a separate grant award and unique identifier that will distinguish grants made from Recovery Act Byrne JAG from other Recovery Act grants and from regular DOJ and state grant programs.

NCA/NCF