PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey Frank today announced that Brunswick-based Volunteers of America, Northern New England has received a federal grant of $749,586 to help assist offenders reenter their communities after confinement.
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) awarded grants to jurisdictions, research institutions and other organizations in support of proven science-based approaches to reintegrate offenders into communities.
In 2018, President Trump signed into law the First Step Act, including reauthorization of the Second Chance Act, the biggest piece of criminal justice reform legislation to be enacted in more than a decade.
“Former offenders are ultimately responsible for their own successes and failures, but our criminal and juvenile justice systems have an important role to play in preparing them for the obstacles that lie before them," said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “I’m very pleased to make these resources available to help offenders get back on their feet and contribute to the prosperity of their communities and the betterment of our nation."
“This grant to Volunteers of America, Northern New England will be of tremendous benefit to the organization and the communities it serves," U.S. Attorney Frank said. “Too often, those who have been incarcerated lack the resources they need to succeed once they reenter society. It’s in everyone’s best interests to make sure these individuals have what they need to be productive members of society."
Fiscal Year 2020 reentry and recidivism reduction grants awarded include the following:
* More than $71.4 million under BJA’s grant programs designed to help communities develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies to address the challenges posed by reentry and recidivism.
* More than $11.2 million under OJJDP’s Second Chance Act suite of grant programs to support reentry services for detained juveniles and incarcerated parents with children under the age of 18.
* More than $9.3 million under NIJ’s reentry research and evaluation programs, which support rigorous research to advance understanding about reoffending and the success of reentry strategies, programs and practices. This includes evaluating innovative reentry initiatives that specifically focus on juveniles, young adults and adults with a moderate-to-high risk of reoffending.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, amounts to be awarded and the jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit:
Additional information about FY 2020 grant awards made by the Office of Justice Programs can be found online at the OJP Awards Data Webpage.
OJP, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
