2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant

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 Justice Assistance Grant (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 Oklahoma District Attorneys Council will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery by expanding programs designed to: reduce the trafficking, importation, manufacturing, distribution, and possession of illegal drugs and controlled substances throughout the state through the funding of multi-jurisdictional drug task forces; reduce violence related to gangs and enhance public safety through prevention, enforcement, and prosecution of gang-related crime; assist local law enforcement through the procurement of equipment; promote technology improvement and/or projects that enhance the integration of criminal history records between criminal justice agencies that advance the functioning of the criminal justice system; reduce prison recidivism by providing effective drug and alcohol treatment for incarcerated juvenile and/or adult offenders; and ensure the quality and timeliness of the prosecution of capital crime cases within Oklahoma by establishing a Capital Litigation Resource Prosecution Team. The District Attorneys Council will also fund projects that disrupt the local drug market through multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, integrate criminal justice systems in the state, create alternative sentencing programs to address prison overcrowding and treatment needs of adult and juvenile drug and alcohol offenders, support local law enforcement, respond to gang related crimes, and enhance forensic labs to assist the criminal justice system in responding to drug and violent crimes. Administrative funds will be used by the District Attorneys Council for salaries, travel, supplies, and other items necessary for grant administration of the JAG funds.

NCA/NCF