The Department of Justice announced that the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the department’s Office of Justice Programs, has awarded almost $187 million to support state, local, and tribal public safety and community justice activities. The awards, from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, are going to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners are at the forefront of public safety in their communities, and their effectiveness depends on a justice system that is fair, equitable, and engages the communities they serve,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These awards will help support traditional crime reduction and violence prevention efforts across the country, as well as innovative community violence intervention strategies that increase trust and make communities a full partner in protecting public health and safety.”
“The crime and justice problems facing America today are unique to each community, and so are many of the solutions,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The awards we are announcing today, and many more to come, can be used by our state and local partners to support crime reduction efforts, diversion programs, reentry services, and a wide range of public safety activities that are vital in their efforts to keep communities safe and uphold the promise of equal justice to all citizens.”
The JAG program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. It provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding to support law enforcement, prosecutors, public defenders, courts and corrections, and community corrections agencies. JAG funding also supports crime prevention and education initiatives, drug treatment and enforcement activities, criminal justice planning and evaluation, technology improvements, crime victim and witness initiatives, and mental health programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams.
You can click this link to see the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant Program amounts awarded to organizations in Missouri for 2021. Grant amounts awarded to states other than Missouri may be accessed by clicking here.
