NCJ Number
195907
Date Published
August 2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This report briefly describes the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program administered under the Bureau of Justice Assistance awarding both discretionary and formula grant funds to State and local governments to aid in making communities safer and improving criminal justice systems.
Abstract
Created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program or Byrne Program is administered and grant funds awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice through two types of grant programs: (1) discretionary funds and (2) formula funds. Discretionary funds are awarded to public and private agencies and private nonprofit organizations and formula funds are awarded to the States and subgrants are than awarded to State and local units of government. The intent of these grant funds is to reduce violence and drug-related crimes and encourage cooperative efforts to support national drug control priorities thereby creating safer communities and improving criminal justice systems. Twenty-nine legislatively authorized purposes are presented and discussed in using both discretionary and formula grant funds to implement programs. Once funds have been awarded and programs developed, comprehensive evaluations are mandated under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. These evaluations identify and disseminate information about effective programs. Both the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Assistance have developed evaluation guidelines and conducted selected program evaluations.