FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OJP
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2001 202/307-0703
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS VIRGINIA OVER $152
MILLION IN 2001
WASHINGTON, DC -- In Fiscal Year 2001, the Department
of Justice (DOJ) awarded more than $152 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia
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).
Virginia’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 $152 million demonstrates our solid
commitment to Virginia’s significant local efforts.”
More
than $98 million awarded to Virginia went to law enforcement, by far the
largest funding category. $35.4 million
went to juvenile justice programs, $9.8 million to victims’ programs, $5.4
million to substance abuse programs and $3.4 million to community-based
initiatives. The summary includes both
large grants awarded by formula to Virginia 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.”
Virginia’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
Virginia’s funding contact the Virginia 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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