FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? OJP
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2001??????????????????????????????????????????? ????????? ????????????? ??????????? 202/307-0703
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS VIRGIN ISLANDS OVER $7
MILLION? IN 2001
WASHINGTON, DC -- In Fiscal Year 2001, the Department
of Justice (DOJ) awarded more than $7 million to the Virgin Islands 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).????? The
Virgin Islands? 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 $7 million demonstrates our solid
commitment to the Virgin Islands? significant local efforts.?
More than $4 million awarded to the Virgin Islands
went to law enforcement, by far the largest funding category.? $1.5 million went to juvenile justice programs,
$720,000 to victims? programs, $450,000 to community-based initiatives and
$240,000 to substance abuse programs.
The summary includes both large grants awarded by formula to the Virgin
Islands 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.?
The Virgin Islands? Fiscal Year 2001 funding report
and the reports for other states and territories are available only on OJP?s
Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fy2001grants/.? For more information about the Virgin
Islands? funding contact the Virgin Islands 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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