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1 1 (February 5, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveccu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Service tean eW14 Updated February 5, 2021 The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) programis a Department ofJustice (DOJ) formula grant program. The JAGprogramallocates funds to the 50 s tates, the Dis trict of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, America Samoa, and theNorthern Mariana Islands (collectively referred to as states hereinafter) for a variety of state and local criminal justice initiatives. The programis administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Calculating Allocations Under the JAGformula, each state's allocationis based on its population and the number ofreported violent crimes in the state. Specifically, halfofa state's allocation is based on the state's respective share of the U.S. population, using the most recent population figures publishedby the Census Bureau. The otherhalfis basedon the state's respective share of the average number of violent crimes reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the three mos t recent years for which dataare available. Under current law, each stateis guaranteed to receive noless than 0.25% of the amount appropriated for the JAGprogramin a given fiscalyear (i.e., the minimum allocation). Therefore, after each state's initial allocation is calculated using the JAG formula, states that would have received less than 0.25% of the total amount appropriated for the JAGprogramare funded at the minimum allocation. If a state's initial allocation is greater than the minimumamount, then the state receives theminimum allocation plus a share of the remaining funds based on the state's proportionof the country's populationandthereportednumber of violent crimes. Both population and violent crime data for the states that receivedthe minimumallocation as their award are excluded when allocating the remaining funds for the states that receive more than the minimum allocation. Aftereach state's allocationis determined, 40% of it is directly awarded to units oflocalgovernment in the state (this does not occur in the District of Columbia or the territories). Awards to units of local government, which includes Indian tribes that have law enforcement responsibilities, are basedon the jurisdiction's proportionof the three-year average number of violent crimes committed in its respective state. Only units oflocalgovernment that would receive $10,000 or more are eligible for a direct allocation. The balance of funds not awarded directly to units oflocal governmentis administeredby the state and must be distributed to the statepolice department or to units of local government that were not eligible to receive a direct award from BJA. Also, each state is requiredto pass through to units oflocal government a certainpercentage of the funds directly awarded to the state. The pass-through percentage is calculatedusing data oncriminaljustice expenditures collectedby theBureau of Justice Statistics; it is the ratio, for the most recentfiscalyear, ofthe total amount of stateexpenditures on criminaljustice to the total amount of expenditures on criminaljustice by both the state and all units oflocal government. Disparate Allocation In some instances, a unit of local government or multiple units of local government are required to collaborate on a single joint award with the county. This happens when BJA certifiesthat there is a disparate allocation, meaning that one city qualifies for an amount that is one-and-a-half times more than the amount for the county with concurrent jurisdiction, or when the total amount for which cities in a single county qualify is four-times more than the amount for the county. The unit or units of local govern ment and county representatives must sign and submit a memorandum of understanding stating that they all agree on how the joint award, which is the sum of all of the individual awards, will be allocated and used. Program Purpose Areas Grant recipients can use their JAGfunds for state andlocal initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and criminal justice information systems for law enforcement; prosecution and courts; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; drug treatment; planning, evaluation, andtechnology improvement; crime victim and witness as sistance (other than compensation); and mentalhealth and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams. JAG's eight broad programpurpose areas are intended to give states and localunits of government flexibility in creating programs to address local needs. Appropriations There are two numbers to consider whenevaluating changes in appropriations for the JAGprogram the total (or top-line) appropriation, and the amount available to be https://crsrepc 9

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