FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? OJP
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2001??????????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ????????????? ??????????? 202/307-0703
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS OKLAHOMA OVER $48
MILLION? IN 2001
WASHINGTON, DC -- In Fiscal Year 2001, the Department
of Justice (DOJ) awarded more than $48 million to the State of Oklahoma 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).????? Oklahoma?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 $48 million demonstrates our solid commitment
to Oklahoma?s significant local efforts.?
More than $32 million awarded to Oklahoma? went to law enforcement, by far the largest
funding category.? $8 million went to
juvenile justice programs, $5.5 million went to victims? programs, $2.3 million
to substance abuse programs and $200,000 to community-based initiatives.? The summary includes both large grants
awarded by formula to Oklahoma 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.?
Oklahoma?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 Oklahoma?s
funding contact the Oklahoma 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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