About the Bureau of Justice Assistance
Meet BJA's Director, Denise E. O'Donnell
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking.
BJA Mission
BJA's mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. BJA supports programs and initiatives in the areas of law enforcement, justice information sharing, countering terrorism, managing offenders, combating drug crime and abuse, adjudication, advancing tribal justice, crime prevention, protecting vulnerable populations, and capacity building. Driving BJA's work in the field are the following principles:
Emphasizing local control.
Building relationships in the field.
Provide training and technical assistance in support of efforts to prevent crime, drug abuse, and violence at the national, state, and local levels.
Developing collaborations and partnerships.
Promoting capacity building through planning.
Streamlining the administration of grants.
Increasing training and technical assistance.
Creating accountability of projects.
Encouraging innovation.
Communicating the value of justice efforts to decision makers at every level.
BJA has three primary components: Policy, Programs, and Planning. The Policy Office provides national leadership in criminal justice policy, training, and technical assistance to further the administration of justice. It also acts as a liaison to national organizations that partner with BJA to set policy and help disseminate information on best and promising practices. The Programs Office coordinates and administers all state and local grant programs and acts as BJA's direct line of communication to states, territories, and tribal governments by providing assistance and coordinating resources. The Planning Office coordinates the planning, communications, and budget formulation and execution; provides overall BJA-wide coordination; and supports streamlining efforts.
How To Contact BJA
Bureau of Justice Assistance
810 Seventh Street NW.
Fourth Floor
Washington, DC 20531
202-616-6500
Fax: 202-305-1367
Online email form: http://bja.ncjrs.gov/app/contactus/contactus.aspx
