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2. Prosecution and court programs.
<br /> 3. Prevention and education programs.
<br /> 4. Corrections and community corrections programs.
<br /> 5. Drug treatment and enforcement programs.
<br /> 6. Planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.
<br /> 7. Crime victim and witness programs (other than compensation).
<br /> 8. Mental health programs and related law enforcement and corrections programs,
<br /> including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams.
<br /> 9. Implementation of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs
<br /> or initiatives, including, but not limited to, mental health courts, drug courts,
<br /> veterans courts, and extreme risk protection order programs.
<br /> In connection with all of the above purposes, it should be noted that the statute defines
<br /> "criminal justice" as "activities pertaining to crime prevention, control, or reduction, or the
<br /> enforcement of the criminal law, including, but not limited to, police efforts to prevent,
<br /> control, or reduce crime or to apprehend criminals, including juveniles, activities of courts
<br /> having criminal jurisdiction, and related agencies (including but not limited to
<br /> prosecutorial and defender services, juvenile delinquency agencies and pretrial service
<br /> or release agencies), activities of corrections, probation, or parole authorities and related
<br /> agencies assisting in the rehabilitation, supervision, and care of criminal offenders, and
<br /> programs relating to the prevention, control, or reduction of narcotic addiction and
<br /> juvenile delinquency."
<br /> BJA Areas of Emphasis
<br /> BJA recognizes that many state and local justice systems currently face challenging
<br /> fiscal environments and an important, cost-effective way to relieve those pressures is to
<br /> share or leverage resources through cooperation among federal, state, and local law
<br /> enforcement. Key areas of priority for BJA include advancing justice system reform
<br /> efforts, advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities, preventing and
<br /> combating hate crimes, crime and violence reduction strategies, and community violence
<br /> intervention (CVI) approaches. BJA encourages recipients of FY 2023 JAG funds to
<br /> consider coordination with federal law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders,
<br /> including communities most impacted by crime and violence, in addressing these
<br /> challenges. Additional details on the BJA areas of emphasis can be found below:
<br /> Advancing Justice System Reform Efforts
<br /> The justice system serves an important role in protecting communities and seeking
<br /> justice for victims. For the justice system to serve that role effectively, it must be
<br /> fair, open, and equitable; utilize evidence-based approaches; and promote
<br /> restorative practices and rehabilitation. For far too long, however, the justice
<br /> system has not lived up to its promise. Racial bias and injustice and overly harsh
<br /> sentences have swelled correctional populations which not only exacerbates
<br /> distrust in the justice system, but also destabilizes the wellbeing of communities. To
<br /> build strong, safe, and healthy communities, it is critical to address the underlying,
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<br /> O-BJA-2023-171790
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