2009 Byrne Formula Grant - ARRA

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 Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) is the state agency charged with coordinating all substance abuse prevention, education, treatment, and enforcement in Iowa. ODCP works collaboratively with other state and local agencies to develop, promote, and implement community strategies to control substance abuse and improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. ODCP will use Recovery Act JAG funds to target projects that will preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery in Iowa. Priority areas for funding include substance abuse prevention and treatment, youth development, drug enforcement task forces, offender treatment and supervision, transitional services for offenders, jail/prison diversion, and criminal justice system enhancements. ODCP anticipates that no less than 85 percent of the funding from this award will be used to support salary and benefits for law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, drug treatment/prevention, and evaluation staff. It is expected that 84 positions will be funded for a period of three years with the assistance of this grant.

NCA/NCF