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Criminal Justice Planning Agency receives additional grant

Dept of Justice logo
Sources: Media release from Cong. Aumua Amata's office

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tuesday, September 22, 2020 — Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed $391,947 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)  to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency. This is the second grant for this agency this month.

BJA, a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), helps to make American communities safer by strengthening the nation's criminal justice system through grants, training, technical assistance, and policy development services.

“Good work to American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency upon this funding,” said Amata. “Congratulations to Director Lesei'au T. Laumoli, and thank you for the public safety project that these funds will support.”

BJA is led by Acting Director Tracey Trautman, OJP by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine Sullivan, and the DOJ by Attorney General William Barr.

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program allows state and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own needs and conditions.

Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice. These can include any of the following program areas:

1) law enforcement programs; 2) prosecution and court programs; 3) prevention and education programs; 4) corrections and community corrections programs; 5) drug treatment and enforcement programs; 6) planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; and 7) crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation) and 8) mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs.

This State/Territory JAG award will be used to support criminal justice initiatives that fall under one or more of these.

Funded programs or initiatives may include multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces, crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, justice information sharing initiatives, or other programs aimed at reducing crime and/or enhancing public/officer safety.