The Recovery Act will inject $787 billion into the economy, providing jobs and much needed resources for states and local communities. Among these resources is more than $4 billion for state and local law enforcement and other criminal and juvenile justice activities. The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) which provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administering justice, and assisting victims, will administer $2.76 billion of this funding. Among the assistance programs offered by OJP is the following:
The Edward Byrne Competitive Grant Program - $225 million total available. Byrne Competitive Grants are similar to JAG grants and are focused on ensuring job growth and job retention. However, instead of providing grants based on a formula, BJA administers these funds based on a competitive application process. These grants help state and local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and may be used for national efforts such as training and technical assistance. Applicants may be national, regional, state, or local public and private entities, including for-profit (commercial) and nonprofit organizations, faith-based and community organizations, institutions of higher education, tribal jurisdictions, and units of local government that support the functioning of the criminal justice system. Information will be coming soon about how to apply for Byrne Competitive grants.
Local Youth Mentoring Initiative awards to support local organizations that develop, implement, or expand local mentoring programs leading to measurable, positive outcomes for at-risk youth. This program furthers the Department’s mission by enhancing the capacity of local mentoring programs to develop and implement mentoring strategies to reduce juvenile delinquency and prevent violence.
Task Force Training & Technical Assistance Grants furthers the Department’s mission to provide training and support in this area of constantly evolving technology and technical assistance to new and established task force agencies by increasing the training available through a cadre of training providers. OJJDP is particularly interested in proposals for training programs focused on: (1) Computer Forensics, (2) Prosecution of Child Sexual Exploitation and Technology Facilitated Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses, (3) Specialized Techniques for Investigating Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses (for example, cell phone technologies or file encryption), and (4) Wellness for Law Enforcement and Other Professionals Exposed to Child Exploitation Images at Work. This program furthers the Department’s mission to provide training and support to Internet Crimes Against Children task forces as they develop effective responses to online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases. This program furthers the purpose of the Recovery Act by providing funding for hiring and retaining trained experts to provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, forensic analysts, and other related professionals to increase their skills sets and make them more employable in child exploitation units.
