The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

May 14, 2025 (IG10079)

Summary

The Edward Byrne Memorial

Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program is a Department of Justice (DOJ) formula grant

program. The JAG program allocates funds to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories (collectively

referred to as "states" hereinafter) for a variety of state and local criminal justice purposes. The program is administered

by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). JAG funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance,

training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems related to law enforcement,

prosecution and courts, correctional, crime prevention, drug treatment, and crime victim assistance programs.

Information as of May 14, 2025. Prepared by Nathan James, Analyst in Crime Policy and Jamie Bush, Visual Information Specialist.

Additional information can be found in CRS In Focus Report IF10691, The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program.

Under the JAG formula, each state's

allocation is based on the state's share of

the U.S. population and its respective share

of reported violent crimes.

Under current law, each state receives at

least 0.25% of the annual JAG

appropriation (i.e., the minimum

allocation). States whose formula allocation

would have been less than the minimum

only receive the minimum allocation.

After each state's allocation is determined,

40% is awarded directly to units of local

government in the state.

Each state is required to "pass-through" to

units of local government a certain

percentage of the funds directly awarded to

the state. The pass-through percentage is

calculated using data on criminal justice

expenditures collected by the Bureau of

Justice Statistics.

STATE

= 0.25% x appropriated amount

to local governments

directly from BJA

Grants to local

governments directly

from BJA

Disparate; must

apply together

for total amount.

State retains this

amount for its own use.

Grants to local

governments via

the state

Less than $10,000

jurisdictions. Funds

administered by the state.

pass through to

local governments

certain %

calculated using criminal

justice expenditures data

40%

awarded

Violent crimes = murder, rape, robbery and

aggravated assault.

STATE

Population

+

Violent Crime

60% to

the state

When BJA certies that there is a disparate

allocation—i.e., the award for one city is

1.5x more than the county in which it's

located or the total award for multiple cities in

the county is 4x more than the county's

award—the jurisdictions must apply together

for a single joint award. The city or cities and

county must agree how the joint award will

be allocated and used.

The remaining funds are allocated among

the non-minimum allocation states using

the JAG formula. Both the population and

violent crime data for the states that

received the minimum allocation are

excluded when allocating the remaining

funds.

Remaining funds

applies to all states

Population

+

Violent Crime

Non-minimum

State

Allocation

Total

State

Allocation

Allocations are based on each unit of local

government's share of reported violent

crimes in the state. Allocations of less than

$10,000 are given to the state for it to

administer.

Some local governments may overlap

(e.g., a city within a county).