The First Timers Resource Project for Young Adults

This program is funded under both the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), the Byrne Competitive Program helps local communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program authorization also states that the Attorney General may reserve not more than 5 percent, to be granted to 1 or more States or units of local government, for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 3751 of this title, pursuant to his determination that the same is necessary:(1) to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime (42 U.S.C. 3756). The National Initiative: Encouraging Innovation: Field-Initiated Programs is designed to strengthen the criminal justice system by challenging those in the field to identify and define emerging or chronic systemic issues faced by one or more components of the criminal justice continuum (includes but not limited to law enforcement, corrections, courts, and community collaborations) and to propose innovative solutions to address these issues.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) will implement the First Timers Resource Project. NCPC seeks to target young adults living and facing challenges that arise within the college campus environment. To accomplish this, NCPC will improve the capacity of educators to instruct young adults on how they can reduce their risk of becoming victims of campus crime. A Safe Campus curriculum will serve as a tool for freshman seminar/orientation courses. Four colleges/universities will pilot the curriculum with training, technical assistance, and funding support from NCPC. NCPC will develop a Web-based campus policy and practice guide that includes recommendations for universities.

CA/NCF