States Received $5 Billion In 2002 From Justice Department
States and localities received more than $5.47 billion from the Justice Department in Fiscal Year 2002 to assist with criminal justice activities, according to a report released by the Department.
The largest category of funding was for law enforcement at $2.51 billion. The next largest category was for addressing substance abuse at $985.2 million. Subsequent funding categories included juvenile justice at $656 million, nearly $647 million for counterterrorism, almost $541 for victims and $129.38 million in the community-based category.
The Justice Department awarded states and territories $249.77 million more in Fiscal Year 2002 than in Fiscal Year 2001, with the majority of states getting increased funding.
Because many of the larger grants are awarded to states based on population, heavily populated states received more funding than less populated states.
The funding report also includes discretionary grants that are awarded competitively to communities or nonprofit agencies including faith-based organizations.
Fund distribution by program included:
–Almost 46 percent, or $2.51 billion, of the total amount awarded for initiatives such as hiring and training police officers, training emergency first responders and purchasing equipment. Funds awarded by the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) Office are included in this category as are the Bulletproof Vest Program grants, which are new to the report this year. The COPS Office provides grant funding to advance community policing in jurisdictions across the country.
–$985.2 million targeted at substance abuse. Funds were awarded for interdiction and enforcement efforts and prevention and drug treatment programs, including drug courts.
–Juvenile justice activities received $656 million. Juvenile justice funds include money for delinquency prevention programs such as mentoring and reducing gang violence.
–Nearly $647 million was dedicated to counterterrorism efforts, a new functional area added to the report this year. The counterterrorism category includes money for training emergency first responders and purchasing equipment, as well as research and development of counterterrorism technology.
–The majority of funding in the victims category (almost $541 million) went directly to states to provide compensation and assistance for crime victims and to combat domestic violence and sexual assault. This figure included money that was awarded to several states to compensate victims in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
–A large portion of the community-based category funding, $129.38 million last year, is provided through the Weed and Seed program. Weed and Seed is a strategy that aims to prevent, control and reduce violent crime, drug abuse and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods.
