OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

d

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), established by the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 and reauthorized in 1988, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims. OJP strives to make the nation’s criminal and juvenile justice systems more responsive to the needs of state, local, and tribal governments and their citizens. OJP partners with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as national and community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, to develop, operate, and evaluate a wide range of criminal and juvenile justice programs. These partnerships also provide resources to fight crime and improve the quality of life and sense of safety in communities across the nation.

OJP’s Assistant Attorney General is responsible for the overall management and oversight of OJP. This includes setting policy; ensuring that OJP policies and programs reflect the priorities of the President, the Attorney General, and the Congress; and promoting coordination among the OJP offices and bureaus. OJP’s bureaus include the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Community Capacity Development Office, National Institute of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking.

OJP administers a mix of formula and discretionary grant programs and provides targeted training and technical assistance. Although some research and technical assistance is provided directly by OJP, most of the work is accomplished through federal financial assistance to scholars, practitioners, experts, and state and local governments and agencies. Many OJP components award formula grants to state agencies, which, in turn, sub-grant funds to units of state and local government. Formula grant programs, in such areas as drug control, criminal justice system improvement, juvenile justice, victims compensation, and victims assistance, are administered by state agencies designated by each state’s governor. Discretionary grant funds, which are announced on Grants.gov and the OJP website, are competitively awarded to a variety of state, local, private, and non-profit organizations.

OJP’s mission is to increase public safety and improve the fair administration of justice across America through innovative leadership and programs.

The major functions of the OJP are to:

• Implement national and multi-state programs, provide training and technical assistance, and establish demonstration programs to assist state, local, and tribal governments and community groups in reducing crime, enforcing state and local drug laws, and improving the function of the criminal justice system.
• Collect, analyze, publish, and disseminate statistical information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operations of justice systems at all levels of government. Enhance the quality, completeness, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal history records system.
• Sponsor research in crime and criminal justice and evaluations of justice programs. Disseminate research findings to practitioners and policymakers.
• Support the development, testing, evaluation, adoption, and implementation of new and innovative technologies and techniques to support and enhance law enforcement, courts, and/or corrections options.
• Provide national leadership, direction, coordination, and resources to prevent, treat, and control juvenile violence and delinquency, improve the effectiveness and fairness of the juvenile justice system, and combat the problem of missing and exploited children.
• Enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime.
• Provide targeted assistance to state, local, and tribal governments to advance and sustain public safety at the local level through the leveraging of both technical and financial resources and the development and implementation of community-based strategies, such as the Weed and Seed strategy.

Return to the table of contents