The Department of Justice is offering the BJA FY 14 John R. Justice Program to address the challenge of recruiting and retaining qualified prosecutors and public defenders. This grant aims to provide loan repayment assistance for lawyers working in these critical roles, who often face high student debt and lower salaries compared to private sector positions. The program, named after John Reid Justice, encourages attorneys to pursue careers in public service to uphold the rule of law and protect community interests. State and local agencies can apply for funding to administer this program and support the retention of talented legal professionals in the criminal justice system.
Opportunity ID: 251479
General Information
| Document Type: | Grants Notice |
| Funding Opportunity Number: | BJA-2014-3802 |
| Funding Opportunity Title: | BJA FY 14 John R. Justice Program |
| Opportunity Category: | Discretionary |
| Opportunity Category Explanation: | – |
| Funding Instrument Type: | Grant |
| Category of Funding Activity: | Law, Justice and Legal Services |
| Category Explanation: | – |
| Expected Number of Awards: | – |
| Assistance Listings: | 16.816 — John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act |
| Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: | No |
| Version: | Synopsis 1 |
| Posted Date: | Feb 18, 2014 |
| Last Updated Date: | – |
| Original Closing Date for Applications: | Apr 14, 2014 |
| Current Closing Date for Applications: | Apr 14, 2014 |
| Archive Date: | May 14, 2014 |
| Estimated Total Program Funding: | – |
| Award Ceiling: | $60,000 |
| Award Floor: | $0 |
Eligibility
| Eligible Applicants: | Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) |
| Additional Information on Eligibility: | Eligible applicants are agencies, as designated by the Governor of the state, territory, or the Mayor of Washington, D.C., to serve as the JRJ-specific administering agency and to which BJA will award funds to serve eligible recipients working within the respective state’s, territory’s, or District’s jurisdiction. |
Additional Information
| Agency Name: | Bureau of Justice Assistance |
| Description: | One pressing challenge facing our criminal justice system today is the recruitment and retention of qualified prosecutors and public defenders, who serve everyday to ensure that our communities are protected, the rule of law is upheld, and the rights of the citizenry are safeguarded. Both prosecutor and public defender offices consistently find it difficult to attract and retain talented attorneys. Driven by educational debt, attorneys interested in public interest law often forego opportunities to work in these offices in order to seek more lucrative private sector positions. Attorney shortages in these offices can result in overworked attorneys handling unmanageable caseloads, potentially affecting public safety, the administration of justice, and ultimately the publics confidence in our justice system. Student loan debt is consistently cited as the overwhelming reason why many attorneys decline or leave positions as prosecutors and public defenders. The vast majority of law students borrow to finance their legal education and the rising costs have imposed staggering debt. Furthermore, public defender and prosecutor salaries have failed to keep pace with the escalating cost of education. As a result, talented lawyers who would otherwise consider a career in this critical public service are often unwilling to accept or remain in attorney positions as prosecutors or public defenders, creating real challenges for those offices in their quest to hire and retain capable attorneys. Acknowledging this challenge, the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act), codified at 42 U.S.C. §3797cc-21, and named for the late John Reid Justice of South Carolina, was enacted to encourage qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders and to continue in that service. The JRJ Grant Program (also referred to as the John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program or JRJSLRP) provides loan repayment assistance for local, state, and federal public defenders and local and state prosecutors who commit to continued employment as public defenders and prosecutors. To administer this program, BJA will fund the designated JRJ administering agency for each of the 56 states and territories to serve eligible recipients (beneficiaries). For each state and territory that is eligible for funding under the JRJ Grant Program, BJA will make awards to agencies designated by the Governor of those states or territories (or in the case of the District of Columbia, by the Mayor) to administer the JRJ Grant Program within the state or territory. These Governor-designated agencies shall establish and maintain a statewide JRJ Grant Program consistent with the guidance contained in this document and the Act. |
| Link to Additional Information: | Full Announcement |
| Grantor Contact Information: | If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
For technical assistance with submitting the application, call the Grants Management System Support Hotline at 1-888-549-9901, option 3, or via e-mail to GMSHelpDesk@usdoj.gov. The GMS Support Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 12 midnight eastern time, except federal holidays.
Email:GMSHelpDesk@usdoj.gov |
Version History
| Version | Modification Description | Updated Date |
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Related Documents
Folder 251479 Full Announcement-1 -> 14jrjguidance.pdf
Folder 251479 Full Announcement-1 -> 14jrjfaq.pdf
Packages
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