The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) is pleased to support the John R. Justice Program (JRJ Program) in Arizona. Please take a moment to review the materials below to see if you qualify for student loan assistance through the JRJ Program.
WHAT IS THE JRJ STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM?
One pressing challenge facing our criminal justice system today is the retention of those who serve every day to ensure that our communities are protected and the rule of law is upheld—including our prosecutors and public defenders. In the current economy, both prosecutor and public defender offices find it difficult to attract and retain talented attorneys. Driven by student debt, attorneys interested in public interest law often forgo opportunities to work in these offices to pursue more lucrative private-sector positions. Attorney shortages in these offices can result in overworked attorneys handling unmanageable caseloads, potentially affecting public safety, the administration of justice, and ultimately the public's confidence in our justice system.
Student loan debt is consistently cited as the overwhelming reason why attorneys decline or leave positions as prosecutors and public defenders. The vast majority of law students borrow to finance their legal education, and rising costs have imposed staggering debt burdens. Furthermore, public defender and prosecutor salaries have failed to keep pace with the escalating cost of education. As a result, talented lawyers are often unwilling to accept attorney positions as prosecutors or public defenders, creating real challenges for those offices in their quest to hire and retain capable attorneys.
Acknowledging this challenge, Congress enacted the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (42 U.S.C. § 3797cc-21), named for the late John Reid, Justice of South Carolina, to encourage qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders and to continue in that service. The John R. Justice (JRJ) Program provides loan repayment assistance to local, state, and federal public defenders and local and state prosecutors who commit to continued employment as public defenders or prosecutors for at least 3 years. The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) is the new Governor-designated entity administering the JRJ Program in Arizona.
Congress first provided funding for the John R. Justice (JRJ) Program in fiscal year 2010. At this time, the federal funding allocation for the FY2027 JRJ Program has not been determined. The amount of funding available for awards, if any, will depend on the final federal allocation received by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission.
Award funds are paid directly to the loan's lender or servicer upon execution of the service agreement required for participation in the JRJ Program. As required by the grant, the award money is intended to supplement, not substitute, the recipient’s personal student loan obligation. Current Secondary Term Service applicants who submit a complete application will be considered for funding; however, eligibility for consideration does not guarantee funding. All awards are contingent upon the availability of federal funds, the amount of funding awarded to Arizona, and the applicant meeting all program requirements. Awards remain subject to federal funding and applicable program requirements.
Application Packet
Frequently Asked Questions
The application period for the FY27 program year will reopen August 10, 2026.
Deadline to submit applications will be November 13, 2026.
Your completed application packet must include:
You can also print and mail your application to:
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about the application process or would like more information, please email Ashley Mully at AMully@azcjc.gov.