The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform our Nation’s criminal justice system. 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. BJA works with communities, governments, and nonprofit organizations to reduce crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement, and promote a safe and fair criminal justice system.
The grant program under the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks to improve outcomes for adults on community supervision by providing jurisdictions with funding. This initiative is part of the broader Second Chance Act (SCA) of 2007, reauthorized by the First Step Act of 2018, aimed at supporting the successful transition of individuals from incarceration back into the community. The program focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to address reentry and recidivism reduction challenges, as part of its efforts to enhance public safety. This is encapsulated within the Smart Supervision Program offerings for fiscal year 2024.