Issue Brief 17-01
January 12, 2017
 Summary 

Last month, the president signed the Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-324). The bill amends several laws, programs, and provisions, as follows:

  • It amends the Justice for All Act of 2004, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2004, and the Innocence Protection Act of 2004, to reauthorize several grants; gives preference to some grant applicants; and directs the National Institute of Justice to establish best practices for evidence retention.
  • It also specifies that certain funds be allocated for testing and auditing backlogged rape kits; amends the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA); and requires applications for Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG) funds to include a strategic plan to improve administration of criminal justice.

This Issue Brief focuses on the provisions that affect state grant programs.

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