Responsive, Accountable Local Government Grant Program

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is dedicated to advancing initiatives that champion civil rights, promote racial equity, enhance access to justice, and provide support for crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system. A core tenet of OJP's mission is to strengthen community safety, protect the public from both existing and emerging criminal threats, and foster trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. This overarching commitment forms the foundational alignment for the grant program detailed in this solicitation, ensuring that funding efforts contribute directly to OJP's strategic priorities. This specific solicitation from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is designed to provide critical funding to states and local government units that currently operate crime laboratories capable of conducting DNA analysis. The primary target beneficiaries are these existing crime laboratories and, by extension, the communities they serve. The overarching impact goal is to enhance public safety by maximizing the effective utilization of DNA technology. This directly contributes to solving crimes more efficiently and accurately, thereby protecting citizens and bringing justice to victims. The program's key priority and focus is the processing of DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). This emphasis ensures that the funded laboratories contribute to a national database that is instrumental in identifying suspects, linking cold cases, and exonerating the wrongly accused. By focusing on CODIS entry, the grant aims to bolster the investigative capabilities of law enforcement across jurisdictions, leading to a more integrated and effective justice system. Expected outcomes include an increased volume of DNA samples successfully processed and uploaded to CODIS, a higher solve rate for crimes utilizing DNA evidence, and improved collaboration among law enforcement agencies through shared DNA data. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of samples processed, the number of CODIS hits generated, and the percentage increase in cases solved due to DNA evidence. The foundation's strategic priority, in this context, is to leverage scientific advancements, specifically DNA technology, as a powerful tool for crime fighting and justice administration, thereby contributing to a safer society and building community trust in the justice system.