FY 2009 Recovery Act BJA JAG 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 Delaware Criminal Justice Council (CJC) will use their FY 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Justice Assistance Grant award in the amount of $6,617,020 to jump-start its comprehensive five-year crime control and prevention strategy. The funds will be used to preserve and create law enforcement and public safety jobs in the core areas of CJC's statewide strategy: law enforcement, criminal court case processing, and parole/probation and corrections. The funds will be used by state, county, and local agencies to maximize public safety by quickly investing in technology, forensics, and computer and communications equipment. The grant will underwrite development of innovative new projects to counter threats to the safety of Delaware's citizens, such as funding for gang enforcement and gun trafficking initiatives, police/parole and probation partnerships, witness protection, and multi-agency initiatives to locate and incarcerate fugitives. The funds will be invested in technology and personnel to accelerate the adjudication of criminal cases, for sex offender monitoring, to increase the capacity of drug/mental health courts, and to target violent adult and juvenile offenders. Upgrading officer safety equipment, retaining correctional officers, and expanding the successful Operation Safe Streets will also be supported with this grant. Funds will be disbursed among law enforcement (17 percent), prosecution/courts (53 percent), prevention and education (3 percent), technology and research (10 percent), and corrections and community corrections (17 percent). The CJC will issue thorough, comprehensive written progress and fiscal reports on a quarterly basis to keep all interested parties apprised of its efforts of moving forward toward the goal of reducing crime and violence in the state of Delaware.

NCA/NCF