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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Puerto Rico Receives $4 Million in Federal Funds to Fight Crime

WASHINGTON, DC- The United States Department of Justice has awarded a federal grant to Puerto Rico of nearly $4 million, which will help the Island to further strengthen its justice system and to prevent and punish criminal activity, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi announced today.

The $3.9 million award is a formula-based grant made pursuant to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. The JAG Program allows states and territories to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions.  Grant funds can be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice and for crime victim and witness programs.

“It is important for Puerto Rico to take maximum advantage of every single dollar that the federal government provides to the Island, and these new funds will aid our fight against crime at a time when we need it most,” said the Resident Commissioner.

“The funds that Puerto Rico receives through the JAG program have been extraordinarily helpful with respect to improving the ability of law enforcement agencies on the Island to control and deter crime, improve our investigation system, including forensic and evidence analysis, provide alternatives to imprisonment for juveniles and drug users, and combat substance abuse,” added Pierluisi.

Since his election to Congress, the Resident Commissioner has made it of his highest priorities to obtain additional support from the federal government to help the Puerto Rico government combat violence on the Island.