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Drug, Gang & Violent Crime

Enhanced Drug and Gang Enforcement Reports

Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) §41-2405(A)11 requires the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission to submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives an annual report on law enforcement activities funded by the Drug and Gang Enforcement Account (Account) or the Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund (CJEF) as they relate to illicit drugs and drug-related gang activity. This annual report requirement was established in 1990.”

The Drug and Gang Enforcement Account, established in 1987 by A.R.S. §41-2402, is used to enhance efforts to deter, investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and punish drug offenders. Funds in the Drug and Gang Enforcement Account are from the following sources:

1) Federal monies made available to states by grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program; 2) Mandatory fines collected for felony drug offense convictions as authorized by A.R.S., Title 13, Chapter 34; 3) Appropriations to the account by the Legislature; and 4) Local cash match funds furnished by grantees.

In 1987, the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) developed and implemented a Statewide Enhanced Drug Enforcement Strategy, as required to qualify for federal formula grant assistance monies for drug control. The strategy was designed to be compatible with the statutory requirements that created the Drug and Gang Enforcement Account. The current four-year strategy was developed in 2016 and is the framework within which the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission allots and distributes all monies in the account. A formal application system and extensive open meeting process are utilized by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission for awarding grant funds from the account.

The Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund (CJEF) was established by A.R.S. §41-2401. This statute details those entities that shall receive monies from the CJEF by percentage amounts and the purposes for utilization of the monies.

This report provides summary information on projects receiving funds from the Drug and Gang Enforcement Account and on projects funded by the Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund during FY 2021 (July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021), relating to drug activity or drug-related street gang activity. The data in this report are only those data generated from funded projects. Many other valuable and productive drug and gang enforcement and prevention activities are conducted throughout the state-funded entirely by federal, state, local, and county authorities, without enhancement monies, and are therefore not reported to ACJC.