(INDIANAPOLIS) -United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that agencies in the Southern District of Indiana were awarded more than $5.6 million in Department of Justice grants to fight and prevent violent crime.
The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, are part of more than $458 million in funding to support state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts to combat violent crime in jurisdictions across the United States.
“One of the fundamental missions of government is to protect its citizens and safeguard the rule of law,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to meet this critical responsibility by doing everything within its power to help our state, local and tribal law enforcement and criminal justice partners fight crime and deliver justice on behalf of all Americans.”
“Recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI suggests a drop in crime and serious victimization for the third straight year,” said Minkler. “But even with this encouraging news, we find cities like Indianapolis experiencing an unacceptable increase in homicides. These funds will help in the fight against violent crime and improve assistance to victims, community engagement, prevention, and reentry efforts.”
Of the more than $458 million awarded nationwide, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance made 1,094 grants totaling more than $369 million to support a broad range of initiatives, including efforts in enforcement, prosecution, adjudication, detention and rehabilitation.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded more than $10 million across 24 jurisdictions to intervene in and suppress youth gang activity as well as $1 million to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research to continue operating the National Gang Center. OJP’s National Institute of Justice awarded $7.8 million to fund research and evaluation on the prevention and reduction of violent crime. OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics provided more than $69 million to strengthen the quality and accessibility of records within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
The following organizations in Indiana received funding:
- County of Vanderburgh $587,726
Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Reducing Violent Crime by Improving Justice System Performance
- City of Indianapolis $250,000
Operation Legend
- Indiana Criminal Justice Institute/Indiana Supreme Court, Office of Technology $1,425,879
NICS Act Record Improvement Program
- Indiana Criminal Justice Institute/Indiana State Police $3,000,000
National Criminal History Improvement Program
- Indiana Criminal Justice Institute $364,038
Project Safe Neighborhoods
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, click here. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
