Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration recently terminated approximately 365 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grants that were previously awarded through its Office of Justice Programs (OJP)— which totaled approximately $811 million when awarded. The abruptness of these cuts resulted in the immediate loss of federal funding that is essential to maintaining and improving public safety in the communities nationwide. As a result, many awardees will be forced to reduce or cease providing critical programs and services that help with crime solving; gun violence prevention; victim services; mental health and substance use services; and reentry.
In a new column, CAP lays out how the sweeping cuts to OJP grants threaten to undo years of important progress making our communities safer. The impact of these grant terminations is compounded by the fact that other federal agencies that have established programs to address many of the drivers of crime and violence—such as lack of access to stable housing, employment, education, or health care—have already been scaled back or eliminated. In the absence of this federal funding, successful programs, many of which are already improving public safety in communities large and small, urban and rural, across the country, will be in jeopardy.
“The Trump administration is saying they care about reducing crime and supporting victims while—in the same breath—announcing sweeping cuts to programs actively working to achieve those goals,” said Akua Amaning, director of criminal justice reform at CAP. “Additionally, DOJ has created an environment of fear that will make it increasingly difficult for awardees’ to continue delivering the lifesaving services that keep everyone safe where they live, work, and take their kids to school. While some efforts have been made by the Senate to restore this important funding, Congress must continue to use their power to ensure that the terminated funding is restored, that grant opportunities for 2025 are released, and that funding for these critical programs is included in the fiscal year 2026 budget.”
Read the column: “The Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Cuts to DOJ Grants Undermine Public Safety” by Akua Amaning and Allie Preston.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Rafael Medina at [email protected].