This FY 2010 grant announcement focuses on national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system by addressing training and technical assistance needs for state and local law enforcement and crime prevention efforts.

These initiatives are funded under the Edward Byrne

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Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program), the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, and the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program.

Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L.

111-117), the Byrne Competitive Program helps local communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs.

P.L.

111-117, Division B, Title II, Section 215(1) authorizes use of up to 3 percent of funds made available to the Office of Justice Programs for grants or reimbursement may be used to provide training and technical assistance.

The JAG Program (42 U.S.C.

3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system.

The JAG Program authorization also states that “the Attorney General may reserve not more than 5 percent, to be granted to 1 or more States or units of local government, for 1 or more of the purposes specified in section 3751 of this title, pursuant to his determination that the same is necessary—(1) to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime” (42 U.S.C.

3756).

Finally, the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L.

111-117), supports locally based programs to protect and locate missing individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related demetias.