WASHINGTON — Last week, the Office of Justice Programs announced awards of more than $143.7 million in grant funding to enhance state, local and tribal jurisdictions’ capabilities to protect children and respond to juvenile victimization.
OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Office for Victims of Crime awarded grants to more than 120 sites, jurisdictions and task forces throughout the United States. The funds will help communities find missing children, support law enforcement investigations and increase overall public safety through aggressive prosecution of those who seek to abuse or exploit children.
Protecting youth and increasing public safety are central to OJJDP’s work,” said OJJDP Administrator Caren Harp. “These grants provide crucial resources to combat child abuse and exploitation, offer much-needed services to victims and their families, and help stop those who would do harm to our children.”
Of the $143.7 million awarded, more than $48.2 million will support missing and exploited children programs and services; $36.1 million will help combat and prevent internet crimes against children; nearly $30 million will fund services for child and youth victims of human trafficking; more than $22 million will fund multidisciplinary efforts to improve the community response to child abuse; and $7.1 million will help communities address youth violence and victimization through a comprehensive school-based approach.
Funding also includes a $300,000 award to provide culturally relevant training and technical assistance to support Alaska Native youth.
About the OJP
The Office of Justice Programs, 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 justice and juvenile justice systems.
