The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control drug trafficking, drug related crime, and violent crime. Based on their own local needs and conditions, agencies are provided with the flexibility to prioritize and place justice funds where they are needed most.
JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice for any one of the following Program Purpose Areas:
- Law Enforcement Programs
- Crime Prevention Programs
- Adult and Juvenile Corrections, Community Corrections and Reentry Programs
- Courts, Specialty Dockets, Defense, Prosecution, and Victim Services Programs
- Cross-agency and Cross-system Collaboration, Training and Research Programs
OCJS prioritizes programs and practices that have been shown to be evidence-based. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, which oversees the federal Justice Assistance Grant Program, has placed strong emphasis on improving the quantity and quality of programs and strategies that are effective in the criminal justice system. They have defined ‘evidence-based' as those programs and practices whose effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome evaluations. The strength of causal evidence will influence the degree to which they consider a program or practice to be evidence-based.
In 2022, a total of 149 projects were funded across 57 counties.
2022 awardees can be seen at https://ocjs.ohio.gov/static/links/JAG-grants-funded-projects.pdf
2021 awardees can be seen at https://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/links/ocjs-jag-grant-awards-2021.pdf
2019 awardees can be seen at https://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/links/2019_JAG_Funding_Recommendations.pdf
Unallowable costs and descriptions can be accessed at https://ocjs.ohio.gov/grants-funding-monitoring/grants-administration/grants-forms-and-resources/unallowable-costs