Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has awarded more than $11.3 million in grants for criminal justice initiatives in Michigan with funding from the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program. State and local governmental entities will receive this competitive funding for a one-year period beginning October 1, 2005.

The listing of grant awards, by region

"These grants help to ensure that communities across Michigan continue to run programs that combat drug abuse and violence," Granholm said. "With these competitive grants, many agencies are able to treat addiction, run drug courts, counsel juveniles, and build stronger communities."

Grants fund programs statewide, such as:

• Community Policing
• Juvenile Intervention
• Family and Domestic Violence Strategies
• Local Correctional Resources
• Multijurisdictional Drug Task Forces
• Drug Treatment Courts
• Criminal Justice Records Improvement

The Byrne JAG Program allows states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and to improve the criminal justice system. In Michigan, the program is administered by the Office of Drug Control Policy, located within the Michigan Department of Community Health.

In addition, $1.8 million of Byrne JAG funding was transferred to the State Court Administrative Office for the purpose of funding 11 priority population drug courts throughout the state. Priority population drug courts serve those offenders who are high risk and/or likely to be prison bound based upon their sentencing guideline scores and local sentencing practices.