U. S. Department of Justice Awards More Than $ 2.5 Million To Vermont Agencies And Programs Nine Vermont agencies and programs will receive thousands of dollars, totaling $2,737,618, to make Vermont communities safer. Grant money from a variety of U. S. Department of Justice programs will give Vermont’s prisons, police departments, drug-free programs, and state agencies the tools they need to be efficient and effective. "The network of organizations that brings fairness and efficiency to our criminal justice system does an outstanding job in Vermont," said Sen. Patrick Leahy. "These grants should help Vermont’s agencies in every step of the criminal justice process, including Vermont’s efforts to coordinate with the F.B.I., and community projects’ work to prevent substance abuse among young Vermonters." Senator Leahy chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Department of Justice and all federal law enforcement programs. ____________________________________________ The City of St. Albans will use its grant to enhance victim safety and offender accountability in cases of domestic violence. The Vermont Department of Corrections will use its Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth-In-Sentencing Incentive Formula Grant Program (VOI/TIS) grant (in conjunction with prior year funds) to construct a 350-bed medium security facility in Springfield, Vermont. It will also use a portion of these funds to create an opiate addiction treatment facility. The Vermont Department of Corrections has received approximately $13 million in VOI/TIS funds. The Vermont State Department of Public Safety will use its National Crime History Improvement Program (NCHIP) grant to enhance the quality, completeness and accessibility of the nation’s criminal history and sex offender record systems. This will facilitate its participation in the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The state Public Safety Department has received nearly $6 million to date from NCHIP grants. The Vermont State Department of Public Safety (Vermont Forensics Lab) will use its grant to replace and add laboratory instrumentation and equipment. The Greater Northfield Collaboration Council, Cabot Coalition, Chittenden Central Supervisory Union, Flood Brook Community Collaborative, and Health Unlimited, Inc. will use their grants to reduce substance abuse among youths. Three other northwest Vermont drug-free partnerships were awarded money in September. Vermont partnerships have received a total of $1,004,152 from the Drug-Free Communities Support Program for Fiscal Year 2001. DEPT. OF JUSTICE PROGRAM Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program   Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth-in-Sentencing Incentive Formula Grant Program (VOI/TIS)   National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) Replacement and Enhancement of Lab Instrumentation and Equipment Drug-Free Communities Support Program VT AGENCY AWARDED City of St. Albans     Vermont Dept. of Corrections (Springfield, Vermont)     Vermont State Dept. of Public Safety   Vermont State Dept. of Public Safety – VT Forensics Lab   Greater Northfield Collaboration Council Cabot Coalition Chittenden Central Supervisory Union Flood Brook Community Collaborative Health Unlimited, Inc. (Windsor) AMOUNT OF AWARD $148,632     $959,111     $683,459   $498,900   $84,840 $65,593 $99,083 $100,000 $100,000 # # # # #