Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program

Stored: Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program

Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program

Type	Program
Sponsor Organization	Bureau of Justice Assistance
Top Organization	Department of Justice
Creation Legislation	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108-447)
Website	Website
Purpose	Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program funds state, local, and tribal governments to boost criminal justice, safety, and crime reduction through law enforcement, courts, and tech sharing.
Program Start	2005
Initial Funding	$400 million
Duration	Ongoing
Historic	No

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG), established in 2005 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005, is administered by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to provide formula-based grants to states, territories, and tribes, allocating over $8 billion since inception to support approximately 3,000 projects annually by 2025. Initially funded with $400 million, it has grown to distribute $1.1 billion in FY 2023 across 56 awards, funding initiatives like multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, body-worn cameras, and mental health courts in communities nationwide. Despite its impact, challenges like funding delays and reporting burdens persist (web ID: 3), but it remains the largest source of federal justice funding under DOJ’s public safety mandate.

Official Site

Goals

• Enhance public safety and reduce crime through comprehensive criminal justice improvements.
• Support law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, prevention, and technology initiatives.
• Foster collaboration among state, local, and tribal justice systems to address community-specific needs.

Organization

The Byrne JAG Program is managed by BJA within the Department of Justice, overseen by Director Karhlton Moore since 2022, with state and local grantees implementing projects under federal oversight. It operates via annual appropriations, guided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act and subsequent funding acts like Public Law 117-328 (2022).

Partners

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• National Sheriffs’ Association
• Indiana Criminal Justice Institute

History

Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 (Public Law 108-447) and launched in 2005 with $400 million, the Byrne JAG Program replaced the Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grants, consolidating funding streams. It grew from supporting 1,000 projects annually in 2006 to 3,000 by 2025, addressing diverse needs like opioid response and community policing, with over $8 billion distributed (web ID: 0). GAO notes implementation challenges, including reporting delays (web ID: 3).

Funding

Initial funding of $400 million in 2005 supported the program’s launch, with over $8 billion appropriated by 2025 via annual DOJ budgets—e.g., $1.1 billion in FY 2023. Ongoing appropriations under DOJ sustain its operations, with no fixed end as it addresses ongoing public safety needs.

Implementation

Byrne JAG distributes formula grants annually, requiring grantees to prioritize areas like law enforcement and prevention, tracked via BJA’s Performance Measurement Tool (PMT). It progresses through local partnerships—e.g., 3,000 projects yearly—and technology upgrades, adapting to justice needs with no set end, though reporting burdens remain a challenge (web ID: 3).

Related

• STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program
• School Violence Prevention Program

External links

• https://bja.ojp.gov/program/byrne-jag/overview
• https://www.nacdl.org
• wikipedia:Byrne Justice Assistance Grant

Social media

• https://twitter.com/BJA_Gov
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-department-of-justice