|
(SLTT)law enforcement and prosecution agencies in their investigation and prosecution of hate crimes;
<br /> assist SLTT law enforcement with training in identifying and classifying hate crimes and update these
<br /> crimes in their entries in the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS);create state-run hate
<br /> crime reporting hotlines that direct individuals to law enforcement, if appropriate; and fund victim support
<br /> services. More information on BJA's hate crimes portfolio, including the Emmett Till Cold Case
<br /> Investigations and Matthew Shepard and James Byrd,Jr. Hate Crimes programs, can be found at Hate
<br /> Crime I Bureau of Justice Assistance(ojp.gov).
<br /> Promoting Public Trust between Communities and Criminal Justice Agencies: For many communities,
<br /> recent high profile incidences of excessive uses of force have contributed to strained relationships and a
<br /> lack of confidence in law enforcement,courts,and prosecutors.Justice system practitioners'ability to
<br /> address crime and collaborate with the public depends on having trust and legitimacy with the communities
<br /> they serve. Criminal justice agencies must work together to renew and strengthen relationships with
<br /> community members and leaders in order to elevate public confidence and trust in law enforcement,the
<br /> courts, prosecutors,defense counsel, and corrections; reduce crime; and ensure that the rights of all are
<br /> protected. In his January 21, 2022, remarks to the U.S. Conference of Mayors,Attorney General Garland
<br /> stated, "...promoting public trust between communities and law enforcement is essential to making both
<br /> communities and policing safer.The department will continue to fulfill its duty to ensure the constitutional
<br /> policing practices that promote the accountability necessary to build that public trust."As such, BJA
<br /> encourages SLTT jurisdictions to utilize JAG funding in support of projects that aim to partner police and
<br /> community organizations and advance constitutional policing practices that create the transparency and
<br /> accountability necessary to build public trust. The practices include, but are not limited to:eliminating racial
<br /> profiling and implicit bias, eliminating excessive force and chokeholds, eliminating"no-knock"warrants in
<br /> drug cases, eliminating contractual arrangements that prevent investigations of law enforcement
<br /> misconduct, and prohibiting sexual contact between police and persons in their custody. BJA also
<br /> encourages SLTT jurisdictions to utilize JAG funding in support of projects that aim to increase trust and
<br /> confidence in prosecutorial,defense, and court practices such as neighborhood-focused community courts
<br /> programs and building capacity and tools to protect constitutional rights under the Sixth Amendment.
<br /> Reducing Violent Crime:Although the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Uniform Crime Report(UCR)
<br /> Crime in the United States publications for 2020 and 2021 are not yet available,there are other indicators to
<br /> suggest that certain types of violent crime increased in many areas.According to an analysis of 27 cities
<br /> conducted by the Council on Criminal Justice, incidents of homicide increased 5 percent over 2020,which
<br /> had already seen a 44 percent increase in homicides over 2019.Also, preliminary data compiled by the
<br /> National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) indicates that as of December 31, 2021,458
<br /> federal, state,tribal, and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2021.This is an increase
<br /> of 55 percent from the 295 officers killed during the same period in 2020 and is the highest total line-of-duty
<br /> officer deaths since 1930 when there were 312 fatalities. In addition,the past year has seen an
<br /> unprecedented increase in threats of violence against Americans who administer the election process in our
<br /> country.
<br /> In June of 2021,the Biden-Harris Administration announced a Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and
<br /> Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety to stem the flow of firearms used to commit violence
<br /> including by holding rogue firearms dealers accountable for violating federal laws;supporting local law
<br /> enforcement with federal tools and resources to help address summer violent crime; investing in evidence-
<br /> based community violence interventions; expanding summer programming, employment opportunities,and
<br /> other services and supports for teenagers and young adults; and helping formerly incarcerated individuals
<br /> successfully reenter their communities.
<br /> Recognizing that violent crime and the drivers of that crime vary from community to community, BJA
<br /> encourages JAG grantees to invest funds to tailor programs and responses to state and local crime issues
<br /> through the use of data and analytics; coordinate with United States Attorneys and Project Safe
<br /> Neighborhoods grantees in order to leverage funding for violence reduction projects,and coordinate their
<br /> law enforcement activities with those of federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI,the Bureau of
<br /> Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms,and Explosives,the Drug Enforcement Administration,the United States
<br /> Marshals Service, and the Department of Homeland Security(DHS); and form partnerships with federal,
<br /> state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify persons who use guns in the commission of a
<br /> Page 7 of 23
<br /> O-BJA-2022-171368
<br />
|