BJA FY 10 National Initiatives: Improving Criminal Courts

This FY 2010 grant announcement focuses on national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, in particular training for leader judges and improving court communications. This program is funded under both the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117), the Byrne Competitive Program, among other purposes, provides assistance in improving the functioning of criminal justice systems by helping states and local communities improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program authorization also states that “the Attorney General may reserve not more than 5 percent, to be granted to 1 or more States or units of local government, for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 3751 of this title, pursuant to his determination that the same is necessary—(1) to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime” (42 U.S.C. 3756).