Mississippi FY 2012 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 Mississippi Division of Public Safety Planning will use supplemental JAG funds to support a Wrongful Convictions Demonstration Project. Funds will be used to provide local agencies an avenue of funding to purchase recording equipment to implement programs to record custodial interrogations. These efforts are intended to reduce the number of false confessions and increase the reliability of confessions as evidence. NCA/NCF

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 Mississippi Department of Public Safety will provide four local law enforcement agencies with funds to purchase recording equipment or related technology, implement programs, record custodial interrogations with the goal of decreasing the wrongful conviction rate in the state of Mississippi. NCA/NCF