Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
Mission
The CJCC financially and programmatically supports innovative programs and services to improve criminal justice and empower victims in the state of Georgia.
Innovating Criminal Justice—Empowering Victims
Vision
A Georgia where criminal justice and victims’ service programs are just, accessible, and compassionate.
About
Created by the Georgia General Assembly in 1981 as an executive branch agency, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is a statewide body established to build consensus and unity among the State's diverse and interdependent criminal justice system components. CJCC is legislatively charged with twelve areas of criminal justice coordination. Among those responsibilities is to serve as the statewide clearinghouse for criminal justice information and research, develop criminal justice legislative and executive policy proposals, and serve in an advisory capacity to the governor on issues impacting the criminal justice system.
The CJCC envisions a Georgia where criminal justice and victim service programs are just, accessible, and compassionate, and the agency’s mission is Innovating Criminal Justice—Empowering Victims.
One of the CJCC’s core functions, grants management and administration, plays an integral role in both innovating criminal justice and empowering victims by administering competitive, formula, and state funded criminal justice and victim services grants in the state of Georgia. Grant-funded programs include, but are not limited to, the Juvenile Justice Incentive Grants, Accountability Courts, Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces, Domestic Violence Programs, Sexual Assault Centers, the Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force, Child Abuse Prevention Grants, Elder Abuse, Sexual Assault Response Teams, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and Child Advocacy Centers.
The CJCC’s second core function, administration of the Crime Victims Emergency Fund, supports the Crime Victims Compensation Program (CVCP), Officers Initiative, Unclaimed Restitution, DUI Memorial Sign Program, Forensic Medical Examinations, and Forensic Interviews. Established by the State Legislature in 1988, the CVCP offers financial support to innocent victims of violent crimes and encourages greater victim participation in the criminal justice process.
Another agency core function is to “serve as a state-wide clearinghouse for criminal justice information and research.” The CJCC Statistical Analysis Center maintains 11 internal operational and grant data collections.