Workshop to Help Tennessee Communities Learn About Criminal Justice Grant Opportunities
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Local governments can enhance efforts to reduce criminal activity, provide services for victims of crime and more by simply learning about available federal funds and how to access them. The Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP) in the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration and the federal Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will host a virtual workshop this month to talk with local law enforcement, civic leaders, non-profit organizations and others about possible uses for available funds.
“We work to help our local communities get assistance not only for crime prevention and crime victims, but also to promote enhancement of the criminal justice system,” OCJP Director Jennifer Brinkman said. “Communities should take advantage of this opportunity to find out about upcoming grants because these can be used to create greater safety and services for citizens.”
In Tennessee, BJA grants have been used to create programs such as:
- Tennessee’s Family Justice Centers: Where victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse and other forms of interpersonal violence can get coordinated services, eliminating the requirement to navigate the maze of service locations. Tennessee has 13 Family Justice Centers created by leveraging BJA and other funding. In 2022, the centers served 7,354 victims.
- Drug task forces: BJA funding is used by 16 Multijurisdictional drug task forces working across the state to dismantle and disrupt drug trafficking. In 2022, the task forces initiated 3,191 investigations resulting in the confiscation of 94,621 illegal prescription pills, arrest of 147 gang members, seizure of 791 firearms, and dissolving ten organized gangs as well as shutting down drug labs.
The 2023 BJA Funding Opportunities and Resources virtual workshop will provide information on grant funding for criminal justice and community safety programs.
1 p.m. CDT / 2 p.m. EDT
April 21, 2023
LINK: https://bit.ly/BJAgrants
The BJA was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform the nation’s criminal justice system, helping state, local, and tribal jurisdictions reduce and prevent crime, reduce recidivism, and promote a fair and safe criminal justice system.
The OCJP functions as a strategic planning agency that secures, distributes, and manages federal and state funds related to criminal justice and victim services.