Virginia Receives Grants to Improve Criminal Justice System

According to a recently published Official Site of the Governor of Virginia press release, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine has announced generous grants that total exactly $761,000 that will go to help support programs that generally improve the criminal justice system throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. The $761,000 is being awarded in nine different grants. All of the money comes from federal grants awarded to Virginia. The money also comes from grants given out by the Virginia General Assembly and local funds that matched previous ones.

Governor Kaine said of the generous local, state, and federal grants, "These grants help localities continue their efforts to keep schools safe and reduce truancy. The funding will provide needed services for young people, and provide alternatives to juvenile detention in situations when that is appropriate."

The grant funded programs are all administered under the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. The Criminal Justice Services Board is the policy board that is completely appointed by Governor Kaine to act and decide on matters that affect the criminal justice system within Virginia. The Criminal Justice Services Board also reviews and approves all of the local, state, and federal grants.

More information about the grants and the improvements to the Virginia criminal justice system is available at the Department of Criminal Justice web site at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/grants. For information on specific programs listed below, feel free to get into contact with Eileen Guertler at Department of Criminal Justice Services at (804) 225-4111.

The following are a list of the places, programs, and total grants awarded for September of 2007. All of the funds are combined local, state, and federal grants.

Bland County- School Resource Officer- $41,970

Giles County- School Resource Officer- $35,464

Hampton, City- Detention Alternative Program- $21,173

Loudoun Co.- Detention Alternative Program- $34,686

Orange Co.- School Resource Officer- $39,760

Richmond, City- Truancy Intervention Program- $49,853