Cantwell Leads Bipartisan Group of 39 Senators to Support Critical Crime-Fighting Program
WA law enforcement relies on Byrne JAG funding to fight gangs and meth - but program could face cuts in budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) led a bipartisan letter signed by 39 Senators encouraging Appropriators to continue to provide robust funding in fiscal year 2012 for a critical crime-fighting program. The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program helps states and communities across the country reduce crime, prevent juvenile delinquency, and reduce recidivism.
“Byrne JAG is considered the cornerstone federal crime-fighting program because it supports the federal government’s crucial role in spurring innovation, as well as testing and replicating evidence-based practices nationwide,” wrote the Senators in a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. “As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, we ask that you continue this support by providing funding for this critical program that is the leading source of federal justice assistance to state and local jurisdictions.”
In Washington state, Byrne JAG funds have been used to keep vital gang and drug treatment and law enforcement programs going during a tough state budget cycle, among other things. In fiscal year 2010, Washington state received $8,431,040 in total Byrne JAG allocations, including direct awards of $496,463 to Pierce County/Tacoma, $679,846 to King County/Seattle, $243,065 to Spokane County/Spokane, and $93,165 to Yakima County/Yakima to support local efforts to address crime and prevention. These funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and criminal justice information systems.
“I applaud Senator Cantwell's efforts to preserve strong Byrne JAG funding,” said Mark Lindquist, Pierce County Prosecutor. “This funding provides needed resources for the Prosecutor's Office to vigorously prosecute violent criminals and gang members and help make our community safer.”
The Byrne JAG program is a partnership among federal, state and local governments that tailors federal law enforcement grants to the needs of different communities. It supports a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system that include: law enforcement programs; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections and community corrections programs; drug treatment programs; and planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.
“The Law Enforcement Against Drugs task force members, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Yakima County Prosecutor, Washington State Patrol, Grandview Police Department, Sunnyside Police Department, Wapato Police Department, and the Selah Police Department all depend on support and cooperation with the federal government to help dismantle and disrupt illegal drug trafficking in and around Yakima Valley,” said Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin. “In these tough economic times, every dollar counts and we make sure to use it wisely to the best of our ability. We have a long history of good, productive work and we want it to continue.”
“In Snohomish County we are privileged to enjoy the financial assistance of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program to support the multi-agency Snohomish Regional Drug & Gang Task Force (SRDGTF),” said Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick. “The SRDGTF’s primary focus is to target drug violators and criminal organizations involved in the supply and trafficking of drugs in Washington State and Snohomish County. Without Byrne JAG funding, the successful impact of our area’s sole drug enforcement presence would be severely hampered.”
“Aside from employing traditional drug enforcement strategies, the SRDGTF uses Byrne JAG funds in their prevention efforts, both through education and voluntary medicine interdictions,” Sheriff Lovick continued. “Our detectives work collaboratively with federal agents, other task forces, environmental health officers, and social services to accomplish their mission of improving the quality of life in our communities.”
The procedure for allocating Byrne JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding. Sixty percent of Byrne JAG funds are allocated to states which then provide it to innovative programs in local communities. The remaining 40 percent is provided directly to communities via a state-wide competitive grant process.
The letter was signed by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Charles E. Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), John F. Kerry (D-MA), Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Carl Levin (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-PA), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Max Baucus (D-MT), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Tom Udall (D-NM), Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jim Webb (D-VA), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Jon Tester (D-MT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), James M. Inhofe (R-OK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ).
Cantwell has long fought for federal programs that provide support to local law enforcement to fight crime. In 2005 she called on then Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to launch an investigation into gang related meth trafficking in the Washington state area. In 2006 Cantwell led the charge to pass the Combat Meth Act and secured $99 million for state and local law enforcement agencies to combat the problem.
The full letter is available below.
The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Senate Committee on Appropriations
142 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Senate Committee on Appropriations
125 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairwoman Mikulski and Ranking Member Hutchison:
Thank you for your leadership over the years in providing strong federal support for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program. Byrne JAG is considered the cornerstone federal crime-fighting program because it supports the federal government’s crucial role in spurring innovation, as well as testing and replicating evidence-based practices nationwide. This year, given the significant financial constraints the federal government faces, as you prepare the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, we ask that you continue this support by providing funding for this critical program that is the leading source of federal justice assistance to state and local jurisdictions.
One of the keys to the Byrne JAG program’s continuing success is its flexibility: federal dollars can be used in a wide variety of capacities at the local level in the way most appropriate to address local community needs across the criminal justice spectrum, and allows localities to balance resources and react to urgent challenges or changing circumstances.
Byrne JAG funds are used for law enforcement, prosecution and courts, prevention, drug treatment and enforcement, gang prevention, planning, evaluation, training, technology, and crime and victim witness programs. Guided by statewide strategic planning, Byrne JAG funds are able to test and measure innovative methods for reducing crime, preventing juvenile delinquency, and reducing recidivism, while at the same time saving taxpayer dollars.
Sixty percent of Byrne JAG funds are provided to the states to pass through for innovative programming in local communities. The remaining forty percent is provided to local communities directly. In Fiscal Year 2010, over 1,500 local jurisdictions across the country were awarded direct grants, and many more were awarded funds passed through by the state criminal justice planning agencies. These funds are helping to alleviate funding shortfalls and allowing continued emphasis on drug and gang violence, recidivism reduction, drug treatment and enforcement, corrections, prosecution and court programs, and prevention and education.
As you move forward in deliberations over this funding, we ask that you continue Congress’ commitment to supporting local efforts to address crime and prevention. We appreciate your recognition of the importance of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, and thank you for continuing to provide funding to states and communities around the country.
Sincerely,
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