The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced funding to develop national support for, and improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems addressing criminal intellectual property enforcement. The grants, totaling over $1.98 million fund investigation, prosecution, prevention, training, and technical assistance activities.
“This funding is important in identifying and stopping criminal activity associated with intellectual property piracy. These criminal activities are a threat to our national well being and insult to those who create and develop products, goods and services for the benefit of the general public,” said Laurie Robinson, Acting Assistant Attorney General, OJP.
The awards will be used to combat intellectual property crimes which have been shown to relate to and support other crimes, including violent crime. Funding will establish and maintain effective collaboration and coordination between state and local law enforcement, including prosecutors, multijurisdictional task forces, and the appropriate federal agencies. Partners will share information about the investigation, analysis, and prosecution of matters involving intellectual property laws and the infringement of copyrighted works as it relates to violations of state and local criminal statutes.
In the category for support to law enforcement, the grant can be used to reimburse expenses related to performing criminal enforcement operations; to educate the public to prevent, deter, and identify criminal violations of intellectual property laws; to establish task forces exclusively to conduct investigations and forensic analyses and prosecutions; and to assist in acquiring equipment to conduct investigations and forensic analysis of evidence. Grantees in this category are:
• Attorney General’s Office, MS ($200,000)
• Bronx County District Attorney, NY ($43,718)
• Chesterfield County, VA ($199,919)
• City of Los Angeles, CA ($199,995)
• Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, CA ($200,000)
• New York City, NY ($200,000)
• North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, NC ($44,485)
In the category for training and technical assistance the grant supports establishing or developing a training curriculum and educational classes nationwide. In addition, funding supports innovative delivery methods of the curricula to include, but not limited to electronic training, roll call training, and academy training of new recruits and experienced officers, prosecutors, and other justice system employees. Technical assistance to public safety agencies and identification of new crime trends in the area of intellectual property and assessing the needs of the field are additional activities. Grantees in this category are:
• National Association of Attorneys General, DC ($450,000)
• NW3C Inc. National White Collar Crime Center, VA ($450,000)
The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART). More information can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.
