§ 3716. Support for criminal investigations and prosecutions by State, local, and tribal law enforcement officials

(a) Assistance other than financial assistance

(1) In general At the request of a State, local, or tribal law enforcement agency, the Attorney General may provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any crime that—

(A) constitutes a crime of violence;

(B) constitutes a felony under the State, local, or tribal laws; and

(C) is motivated by prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim, or is a violation of the State, local, or tribal hate crime laws.

(2) Priority

In providing assistance under paragraph (1), the Attorney General shall give priority to crimes committed by offenders who have committed crimes in more than one State and to rural jurisdictions that have difficulty covering the extraordinary expenses relating to the investigation or prosecution of the crime.

(b) Grants

(1) In general

The Attorney General may award grants to State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies for extraordinary expenses associated with the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

(2) Office of Justice Programs

In implementing the grant program under this subsection, the Office of Justice Programs shall work closely with grantees to ensure that the concerns and needs of all affected parties, including community groups and schools, colleges, and universities, are addressed through the local infrastructure developed under the grants.

(3) Application

(A) In general

Each State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency that desires a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by or containing such information as the Attorney General shall reasonably require.

(B) Date for submission

Applications submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted during the 60-day period beginning on a date that the Attorney General shall prescribe.

(C) Requirements A State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency applying for a grant under this subsection shall—

(i) describe the extraordinary purposes for which the grant is needed;

(ii) certify that the State, local government, or Indian tribe lacks the resources necessary to investigate or prosecute the hate crime;

(iii) demonstrate that, in developing a plan to implement the grant, the State, local, and tribal law enforcement agency has consulted and coordinated with nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services programs that have experience in providing services to victims of hate crimes; and

(iv) certify that any Federal funds received under this subsection will be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this subsection.

(4) Deadline

An application for a grant under this subsection shall be approved or denied by the Attorney General not later than 180 business days after the date on which the Attorney General receives the application.

(5) Grant amount

A grant under this subsection shall not exceed $100,000 for any single jurisdiction in any 1-year period.

(6) Report

Not later than December 31, 2011, the Attorney General shall submit to Congress a report describing the applications submitted for grants under this subsection, the award of such grants, and the purposes for which the grant amounts were expended.

(7) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

(Pub. L. 111–84, div. E, § 4704, Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2837.)

Codification

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and also as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, and not as part of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 which comprises this chapter.

Definitions

Definitions

Pub. L. 111–84, div. E, § 4703(b), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2836, provided that: “In this division [enacting this section and section 3716a of this title and sections 249 and 1389 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, amending section 249 of Title 18, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1 and 249 of Title 18, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 534 and provisions listed in a table relating to sentencing guidelines set out under section 994, of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure]—

“(1) the term ‘crime of violence’ has the meaning given that term in section 16 of title 18, United States Code;

“(2) the term ‘hate crime’ has the meaning given that term in section 280003(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–322; 108 Stat. 2096), as amended by this Act [enacting provisions listed in a table relating to sentencing guidelines set out under section 994 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure];

“(3) the term ‘local’ means a county, city, town, township, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State; and

“(4) the term ‘State’ includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other territory or possession of the United States.”