Amata Welcomes $434,632 ASCJPA Byrne Grant from DOJ

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming Monday's notice of a $434,632 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency.

"This grant is based on the efforts of Director Mariana Timu-Faiai and her team at the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency," said Aumua Amata. "Thank you to all involved in American Samoa's justice and law enforcement communities, and those working with this grant."

Specifically, this grant is a BJA FY 2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). The DOJ operations are funded by Congress through a yearly appropriations act, and if necessary, funding extensions of that act.

Named for Officer Edward R. Byrne, each year, the Byrne Grant program, established by Congress in drug prevention legislation, is a regular source of federal funding for the justice programs of states and territories. The JAG Program provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution, indigent defense, courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation, technology improvement, crime victim and witness initiatives, mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams, and implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings or initiatives including mental health courts, drug courts, veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.

The OJP, created by Congress in 1984 and extended since, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation's capacity to prevent and reduce crime; advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice; assist victims; and uphold the rule of law.

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