September 21, 2001 Friday

US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COPS OFFICE AWARDS $600,000 IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Indianapolis IN, Minneapolis MN, Portland OR, Lawrence MA, Kansas City MI, Stamford CT, and the National Association of Police Athletic Leagues to Receive
$600,000

Washington, D.C. -Attorney General, John Ashcroft, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) today announced $600,000 in grants to encourage police agencies to develop high quality after-school programs, with a focus on high-crime neighborhoods, nationwide. 

"As we have seen with the popular COPS in Schools program, when officers get to know kids, and kids get to know officers, everyone benefits. Kids benefit from having regular interaction with positive adult role-models and mentors," said COPS' Director Carl R. Peed. "Research indicates that youth are most vulnerable to victimization between the hours that school ends and before their parents come home from work. The JBAS program will engage students in positive activities during this crucial time of the day."

JBAS funds will be used to supplement existing after-school programs to help establish models that can become resources for other law enforcement agencies wishing to implement after-school programs in their own communities. COPS is also funding the development of a youth-based curriculum to train law enforcement officers in the topics and skills essential for working with children in an educational and recreational after-school program. These grant funds awarded by COPS will support a national evaluation of the JBAS program.

To date, COPS has provided $3 million in funding to support the development of the nation's after school programs.