Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 ( P.L. 109-162 ) combined the Byrne Grant programs and LLEBG into the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (JAG). Under the current JAG formula, the total funding allocated to a state is based on the state's population and reported violent crimes. The other half is based on the state's respective share of the average number of reported violent crimes in the United States for the three most recent years for which data are available. After each state's allocation is calculated, 40% of the state's allocation is directly awarded to units of local government. JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and criminal justice information systems to improve or enhance such areas as
law enforcement programs; prosecution and court programs; prevention and education programs; corrections and community corrections programs; drug treatment programs; planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation). Appropriations for the Byrne Formula Grant, LLEBG, and JAG Programs

Funding for JAG has averaged $440 million per fiscal year since Congress started appropriating funding for the program in FY2005. However, as shown in Table 1 , funding for the program fluctuated over that time period. The appropriations data also show that there has been a general downward trend in providing assistance to state and local law enforcement through these formula grant programs.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program was created by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162), which collapsed both the Edward Byrne Memorial Formula (Byrne Formula) Grant and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) into a single program. This report provides a brief overview of JAG and its funding.
JAG funds are awarded to state and local governments based on a statutorily defined formula. Each state's allocation is based on its proportion of the country's population and the state's proportion of the average total number of reported violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) for the last three years. After a state's allocation is calculated, 60% goes directly to the state government and the remaining 40% is awarded directly to units of local government in the state. State and local governments can use their JAG funding for programs or projects in one of seven purpose areas: (1) law enforcement programs; (2) prosecution and court programs; (3) prevention and education programs; (4) corrections and community corrections programs; (5) drug treatment programs; (6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and (7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).
Funding for JAG has averaged $440 million per fiscal year since Congress started appropriating funding for the program in FY2005. However, funding for the program fluctuated over that time period. The appropriations data also show that since FY1998 there has been a general downward trend in providing assistance to state and local law enforcement through the LLEBG, Byrne Formula, and JAG grant programs.