Bureau of Justice Assistance

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) within the U.S. Department of Justice. BJA's mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support state, local, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. The agency works to reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse while improving the functioning of the criminal justice system. BJA administers a wide range of grant programs that support law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, justice information sharing, and other criminal justice initiatives. Some of their major grant programs include the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP), the Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program, and the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. These grants support everything from equipment and technology for law enforcement to innovative criminal justice programs, training and technical assistance, and evidence-based initiatives that promote public safety and improve justice system outcomes.