Justice Assistance Grant Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following purpose areas: 1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).

The disparate jurisdictions, consisting of the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, will share the JAG funds. The city, serving as the fiscal agent for the grant, will use their share of the JAG funds ($153,927) to pay for a Shot Spotter System to be used in a high gun crime area and to purchase equipment for the police department. Hamilton County will use their share of the JAG funds ($74,825) to purchase 17 in-car digital video systems to be used to document actions at crime scenes.

NCA/NCF