State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

  

Grants and Programs

The Policy, Planning and Grants Unit is involved in planning, policy development, and funding of criminal justice initiatives provided through federal grant dollars from the U.S. Department of Justice and/or state appropriated resources. Most of the programs focus on criminal justice issues within the adult population and many involve collaborations between state agencies, local governments and community-based organizations.

Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Procedure for Grants Funded by DOJ
The purpose of these policies is to establish (1) procedures regarding complaints of discrimination by clients, customers, program participants or consumers against a sub-recipient funded by a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant and (2) procedures regarding complaints of discrimination by employees against a sub-recipient funded by a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant.

 

Policy for Responding to Discrimination Complaints from Clients, Customers, Program Participants, or Consumers of OPM/CJPPD's sub-recipients funded by U.S. Department of Justice Grant Programs  of OPM/CJPPD's sub-recipients funded by U.S. Department of Justice Grant Programs. 

Federal Grant Programs Administered by OPM CJPPD

 

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program: In general, JAG funds may be used to provide additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice, including for any one or more of the following: Law enforcement programs; Prosecution and court programs; Prevention and education programs; Corrections and community corrections programs; Drug treatment and enforcement programs; Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs; Crime victim and witness  programs (other than compensation); Mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs - including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams.  Approximately 60% of the annual JAG Formula Grant Program allocation can be reserved for statewide grant projects.

 

Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Local Pass-Through Grant Program: Approximately 40% of the annual JAG Formula Grant Program allocation must be provided to units of local government in Connecticut.  Generally these allocations are made to the 93 organized police departments in Connecticut on a biennial or triennial basis.

 

National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP): The NCHIP grant program aims to improve the nation’s safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems.

 

Stop Violence Against Women (STOP VAW): The STOP Formula Grant Program provides funding to enhance the capacity of local communities to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent for law enforcement, 25 percent for prosecutors, 30 percent for victim services (of which at least 10 percent must be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations), 5 percent to state and local courts, and 15 percent for discretionary distribution.

 

Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP): The Sexual Assault Services Program funding is solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The SASP Formula Grant Program directs grant dollars to assist states in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations or tribal programs that provide services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault.  Funds provided through SASP are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state level.

 

Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT): The purpose of the RSAT for State Prisoners Program is to break the cycle of drug addiction and violence by reducing the demand for, use, and trafficking of illegal drugs. RSAT’s objectives are to enhance the capabilities of states to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates; prepare inmates for their reintegration into a community by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; and assist these offenders and their communities through the reentry process by delivering community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services.  Given Connecticut's "unified" correctional system, 100% of these funds are awarded to the CT Department of Correction.

 

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Compliance Grants: The goal of Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) is to eradicate prisoner rape in all types of correctional facilities in this country.  States must certify to DOJ that their jurisdiction is in full compliance with the PREA Standards.  If the governor is not able to certify to DOJ that the jurisdiction is in full compliance with the Standards and elects not to submit an assurance to DOJ, the jurisdiction will be subject to the loss of five percent of certain DOJ grant funds that it would otherwise receive including.  (1) BJA’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, and (2) the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) Formula Grant Program and (3) The Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program.  PREA penalty funds are then reallocated to those affected states to bring the state into compliance.

 

Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) Compliance Grants:  State jurisdictions that fail to substantially implement SORNA are subject to a 10 percent penalty reduction in its Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) formula funds.  SORNA penalty funds are then reallocated to those affected states to bring the state into compliance with Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).  All SORNA penalty funds are allocated to the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection - the administrative manager of the CT Sex Offeneder Registry.

 

Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funds (CESF): The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program will provide funding to assist eligible states, local units of government, and tribes in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus.

 

State Funded Programs

 

The Body Worn Camera and Dashboard Camera Grant Program:  Pursuant to Public Act 20-1 Section 19, beginning July 1, 2022 all sworn members of law enforcement units and members of those units who perform police duties are required to use body cameras while interacting with the public in their law enforcement capacity and to use dashboard cameras in each police patrol vehicle used by any of the officers it employs.  Public Act 20-1 Section 20, authorizes the State Bond Commission to issue $4,000,000.00 in general obligation bonds to the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) for providing grants-in-aid to municipalities for related equipment and service purchases by municipalities.  The section also requires OPM to distribute grants-in-aid during Fiscal years 2021 and 2022.