Dear Colleague:

I’m pleased to present the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Fiscal Year 2012 Program Plan, continuing a tradition established by my predecessor, former Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson. This year’s Plan reflects OJP’s sustained commitment to promoting evidence-based approaches to addressing crime and delinquency, improving justice system operations, and serving crime victims.

The criminal and juvenile justice fields have made significant progress over the last three years in instituting smart-on-crime practices and in applying science to crime fighting. I’m proud that, under former AAG Robinson’s leadership, OJP has been a central part of the movement to align the latest research with community-based crime prevention and reduction strategies. The funding opportunities contained in the Program Plan seek to help move the field even closer to a day when evidence rather than tradition, and innovation rather than convention, characterize our efforts.

Again this year, the Program Plan is divided into thematically organized sections – nine in all – that cut across OJP bureaus and offices. My hope is that the programs and activities described here will serve as a means for practitioners and researchers to extend the reach of their knowledge and experience for the benefit of all who work to protect our communities.

Thank you for exploring these opportunities. I look forward to your proposals for making our systems of justice stronger and smarter.

Sincerely,