Byrne Justice Assistance Grant

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 program 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 Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement will use JAG funds to assist units of local government in carrying out specific programs that help prevent, fight and prosecute crime and offer a high probability of improving the functioning of the criminal justice system. The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement staff and the eight regional law enforcement planning councils have established the following strategies to address the areas of greatest need in an effort to enhance anti-crime and drug control law enforcement services in Louisiana. The first priority is to establish and/or continue programs to impact drug control and violent or non-violent crime and related prosecution problems of the local jurisdictions across the state. The second priority is to address recidivism by strengthening those areas of the criminal justice system where emphasis on prevention of crime and drug abuse intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation has been deficient. The third priority is to respond to the need for specialized law enforcement and prosecutorial/judicial systems training and improvement, for implementation of the PREA standards, and for enhancement of forensics laboratories. Collectively, these strategies meet unfunded needs and will serve to reduce area crime and violence.

NCA/NCF