FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? OJP
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2001??????????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ????????????? ??????????? 202/307-0703
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS ALASKA OVER $32 MILLION? IN 2001
WASHINGTON, DC -- In Fiscal Year 2001, the Department
of Justice (DOJ) awarded more than $32 million to the State of Alaska to fight
crime, promote public safety, prevent juvenile delinquency, equip and train
emergency responders and assist crime victims.
DOJ?s first annual funding report highlights the funds provided to the
state through the Department?s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office
of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).????? Alaska?s
funding was part of a total of more than $5 billion that the Justice Department
awarded to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five territories.?
? ?The Justice
Department is an active partner with state and local governments and non-profit
agencies in making communities safe places to live and work,? said Attorney
General John Ashcroft.? ?This $32
million demonstrates our solid commitment to Alaska?s significant local
efforts.?
More than $23 million awarded to Alaska went to law
enforcement, by far the largest funding category.? Nearly $7 million went to juvenile justice programs, $2 million
to victims?
programs,
$340,000 to substance abuse programs and $300,000 to community-based
initiatives.? The summary includes both
large grants awarded by formula to Alaska and discretionary grants that are
most often awarded on a competitive basis to non-profit or community
agencies.? Because many of the formula
programs use population as a determining factor, heavily populated states
received larger awards than less populated states.
? ????????? The
law enforcement category includes funding for a range of needs, from hiring
police officers to training emergency first responders to purchasing
equipment.? Juvenile justice funds
include money for improving states? juvenile justice systems, promoting
delinquency prevention through programs such as mentoring and funding in areas
as diverse as preventing child abuse and reducing gang violence.? The majority of funding for victims?
programs goes directly to the states to provide compensation and assistance for
crime victims or to combat domestic violence.
Substance abuse funds are used for prevention and drug treatment
programs, including drug courts, while a large portion of community-based
funding is provided through the neighborhood-focused Weed and Seed initiative.
?This report is a useful tool that allows state and
local policymakers to see what federal resources are available within their
states to promote public safety,? continued Ashcroft.? ?They can then determine additional needs or tap into existing
programs.?
?Alaska?s
Fiscal Year 2001 funding report and the reports for other states are?
available
only on OJP?s Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fy2001grants.? For more information
about
Alaska?s funding contact the Alaska State Administering Agencies located on
OJP?s Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/state.htm.? Information about OJP and its programs is
available on OJP?s Website or by calling the National Criminal Justice
Reference Service at
1-800/851-3420.? Media should contact Linda Mansour in OJP?s
Office of Congressional and Public Affairs on 202/616-3534.
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