2019 Byrne / JAG Strategic Plan for Florida
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Grants/Documents/JAGC/SFY2020/2019_JAG-Strategic-Plan_FINAL.aspx(Links to an external site.)
The above link contains Florida's strategic plan for Byrne / JAG funds.
Read Florida's plan. Identify two ethical issues/topics discussed in Chapter 9 and link these topic to proposed Byrne/Jag 2019 spending requests. Then, deliberate on the ethical issues in relation to the proposed spending in terms of dollar amount, purpose and priority of needs (as you perceive them).
2019 Byrne / JAG Strategic Plan for Florida http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Grants/Documents/JAGC/SFY2020/2019_JAG-Strategic-Plan_FINAL.aspx (Links to an external site.) The above link contains Florida's strategic plan for Byrne / JAG funds. Read Florida's plan. Identify two ethical issues/topics discussed in Chapter 9 and link these topic to proposed Byrne/Jag 2019 spending requests. Then, deliberate on the ethical issues in relation to the proposed spending in terms of dollar amount, purpose and priority of needs (as you perceive them). Prepared by: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Office of Criminal Justice Grants 2019 Byrne / JAG Strategic Plan for Florida Introduction The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was created in 1967 with the goal of merging the duties of several statewide criminal justice entities into one central agency. The mission of FDLE is, “To promote public safety and strengthen domestic security by providing services in partnership with local, state and federal criminal justice agencies to prevent, investigate, and solve crimes while protecting Florida’s citizens and visitors.” FDLE is headed by a Commissioner who is appointed by the Governor, with approval from the Cabinet and confirmed by the Florida Senate. FDLE employs approximately 1,900 members statewide who work at headquarters located in Tallahassee or one of the agency’s Regional Operation Centers in Pensacola, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Fort Myers, or Miami. FDLE’s duties, responsibilities and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 11, Florida Administrative Code. FDLE has earned accreditation from the National Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, and the American Society for Crime Lab Directors. FDLE serves as the State Administering Agency (SAA) for various federal grant programs authorized by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and is the designated pass-through entity for Florida’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG). In addition to federal award management, FDLE’s grant administration activities include developing subgrant solicitation(s), reviewing and processing subgrant applications, performing risk assessments, conducting monitoring activities, coordinating and submitting progress and financial reports, processing and managing grant and subgrant adjustments, providing training and technical support to subrecipients, performing the accounting/auditing functions associated with subawards, and processing fund disbursements. These processes ensure all projects comply with the applicable federal and state regulations governing DOJ program awards. Statewide Priorities Florida’s State Comprehensive Plan1, as required by statute, is updated by the Florida Legislature biennially, and covers a wide variety of issues including public safety. In addition, each state agency is statutorily2 required to develop a Long Range Program Plan. Long Range Program Plans are in effect for five years and updated annually. FDLE reviewed the strategic or long range program plans for various state agencies, associations, and councils in the criminal justice sector to identify a common set of priorities. Plans examined include those published by the Office of the Attorney General, the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems (CJJIS) Council, the Florida Commission on Offender Review, the Florida Department of Corrections, the Department of Children and Families, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Florida Department of Health, the Florida Defense Support Task Force, the Domestic Security Oversight Council, the Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 1 Florida Statutes, §186 2 Florida Statutes, §216.013 https://www.flrules.org/gateway/Department.asp?DeptID=11 Byrne/JAG Strategic Plan for Florida - 2019 Page 2 of 15 Commission, the Office of the Governor, the Department of Military Affairs, the Supreme Court, and the Florida Bar. From this review, FDLE identified the following common priorities: • Improve communication and collaboration • Talent creation and development • Improve service delivery • Public safety Improving communication and collaboration between various government agencies, non- government organizations, and communities is a complex issue. Through better communication and collaboration, duplication of effort is reduced and decision making processes are improved. Florida’s JAG program supports this priority by funding projects which improve information sharing and collaboration, such as multi-jurisdictional task forces, community policing, and technology improvements. Drug treatment programs involving law enforcement, the courts, corrections, and treatment providers are also an example of collaborative projects. Talent creation and development is a challenge experienced across all sectors of government, not just within the criminal justice community.3 Hiring and retaining qualified personnel requires an investment of both time and money4 which is often limited in the public sector. Furthermore, the higher salaries offered by many public sector employers lead to increased turnover rates in some professions. One way governments can help reduce this issue is through providing ongoing training to keep their work force engaged and productive. Specialized training in crisis intervention, digital evidence recovery, intelligence analysis, and critical incident response are examples of activities funded under Florida’s JAG program which support talent creation and development. The positive impact of improved service delivery cannot be overstated. Florida’s JAG program funds technology upgrades, such as computer aided dispatch systems, to help improve response times and allow multiple agencies (police, fire, EMS) to be dispatched through a central point. Additionally, programs providing counseling and support services to individuals re-entering communities from state or local correctional facilities increase the opportunity for a successful, productive transition to society. Keeping Florida safe for the people who live, work, and play in the state is paramount. Florida is the third most populous state in the nation5 and a large sector of its economy is dependent upon tourism6. Florida’s JAG program supports public safety throughout the state by funding projects that help make communities safer for Florida’s citizens and visitors. 3 https://www.cgma.org/resources/reports/improving-government-performance-through-talent- management.html 4 https://www.policefoundation.org/recruiting-selecting-and-retaining-law-enforcement-officers/ 5 http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/ 6 https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011316/floridas-economy-6-industries-driving-gdp-growth.asp https://www.cgma.org/resources/reports/improving-government-performance-through-talent-management.html https://www.cgma.org/resources/reports/improving-government-performance-through-talent-management.html https://www.policefoundation.org/recruiting-selecting-and-retaining-law-enforcement-officers/ http://worldpopulationreview.com/states/ https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011316/floridas-economy-6-industries-driving-gdp-growth.asp Byrne/JAG Strategic Plan for Florida - 2019 Page 3 of 15 Florida’s Historic JAG Funding Strategy While Florida has a robust strategic planning process at the state level, it does not drive funding decisions for the local share of JAG funding. As prescribed by Florida Administrative Rule11D- 9,7 allocations to Florida’s 67 counties are formula driven based on population and crime statistics. This process has several advantages. First, it allocates funding in a manner allowing all counties to benefit from JAG funding. Second, it compels community-based planning as cities and counties must identify the most significant needs of their jurisdictions. Third, it creates buy-in among subrecipients as they are able to fund their identified priorities. Finally, it involves a wide spectrum of stakeholders in communities across the state including law enforcement agencies, correctional institutions, courts, non-profit organizations, and faith-based and community groups. Rule 11D-9, Florida Administrative Code addresses the local planning process required for participation in Florida’s JAG Countywide program. Planning at the county level requires identification of criminal justice priorities for the county, strategies to address the priorities, and evaluation of revenue sources to ensure funds are directed to the programs or issues needing them most. FDLE’s sub-solicitation encourages units of government to request funding for projects which support the priorities of DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, such as violent crime reduction, border enforcement, responding to the opioid crisis, and officer safety and wellness. Although subrecipients are encouraged to support these priorities, FDLE does not mandate the types of programs to be funded, as long as projects and activities are allowable under the federal JAG guidelines. Program Areas and Previous Funding The Crime Control and Safe Streets Act authorizes activities in eight program areas for the Justice Assistance Grant. These areas include: • Law Enforcement Programs are implemented by law enforcement agencies for a variety of purposes including: salaries for law enforcement officers, overtime for targeted enforcement initiatives, community policing, training, and equipment purchases. • Prevention and Education Programs include drug and gang prevention and education, community crime prevention, case management services for at-risk youth, firearm safety education for children in public schools, and community crime prevention and education initiatives. • Prosecution and Court Programs support teen courts, community courts, and family or dependency courts, and diversion programs. • Corrections and Community Corrections Programs include intensive post-release supervision, drug suppression in correctional facilities, prison industry programs, halfway houses, and other projects which support the priority of recidivism reduction. 7 https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=11D-9 https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=11D-9 Byrne/JAG Strategic Plan for Florida - 2019 Page 4 of 15 • Drug Treatment and Enforcement Programs include projects related to substance abuse, drug treatment, drug courts, and targeted investigation and enforcement. • Planning, Evaluation and Technology Improvement Programs include projects that support purchasing technology equipment (body-worn cameras, license plate readers), computer hardware and software, and funding positions to plan, evaluate, oversee, and coordinate the subrecipient’s grant program. • Crime Victim and Witness Programs provide assistance to victims and witnesses by