Justice awards nearly $1.5 million in criminal justice grants
(The Center Square) – West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice awarded nearly $1.5 million worth of grants for various projects intended to improve the criminal justice system and to prevent juvenile delinquency.
The funding includes more than $1.18 million for 42 projects through the Justice Assistance Grant. JAG funding will go to state agencies, local government units and private nonprofit agencies on projects the state thinks will improve how the criminal justice system functions.
“I’ve always said we always need to do everything in our power to help make our criminal justice system better and better,” Justice said in a statement. “This grant program is going to open up even more possibilities to the incredible men and women working in our justice system. I couldn’t be more proud to award this funding.”
According to the governor’s office, the funding emphasizes multi-jurisdictional projects and statewide projects that will create or retain criminal justice jobs in the state. It includes more than $215,000 for officer salaries to continue a drug and violent crime task force and $70,000 for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, along with a series of grants for various localities.
JAG grants are funded through the U.S. Department of Justice.
The governor awarded another $308,000 in Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grants. These grants were awarded to public and private nonprofit agencies to prevent juvenile delinquency, reduce racial and ethnic disparities, rehabilitate juvenile offenders and improve the juvenile justice system, according to the governor’s office.
“A lot of times, kids who end up in tough situations face a lot of challenges at a young age that most never have to worry about,” Justice said. “We need to try with everything in us to help make sure these kids are on the right path sooner rather than later because, at the end of the day, our children are our future, and we want that future to be as bright as possible. So I’m tickled to death that we’re able to provide funding to assist in the important mission of these programs that are so crucial for our youth.”
These grants are also awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice.
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