ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced $3.4 million in Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (BJAG) awards for local projects that support efforts to reduce crime in Maryland. Half of the funding will be allocated to the Maryland Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, led by the Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, for the expansion of Clubs in areas identified through the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) initiative.

“Keeping our citizens and communities safe has been a top priority of our administration since day one,” said Governor Hogan. “In addition to funding to help reduce crime in Maryland, this critical investment for the Boys and Girls Clubs will ensure that our young people have access to safe after-school learning environments and programs that encourage opportunities and growth.”

With this funding, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services continues to build upon its comprehensive crime reduction strategy, which is based on a three-pronged approach to support and enhance law enforcement, prevention, and victim services. This approach includes strategies for building a robust support system for victims of crime within the State of Maryland, prioritizing a system that reduces adverse childhood experiences in our youth population, and supporting collaborative enforcement efforts that target gangs, drug, firearms, and human trafficking organizations.

“Boys and Girls Clubs connect young people to caring adults and activities through mentoring and after school programs,” said Executive Director Glenn Fueston of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. “Making long-term investments in Maryland’s young people, prioritizing their well-being, and creating opportunities for positive community interaction are keys to creating conditions for them to succeed now, and long into the future.”

The $1.7 million awarded to the Maryland Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs will benefit an estimated 5,000 young people in Maryland, by supporting evidence-based and evidence-informed youth development programs at nearly 40 Club locations. The funding will also support expanded services, including virtual and mobile programming developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, new Club locations, and the delivery of youth development programs in Anne Arundel County, Allegany County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Cecil County, Calvert County, Carroll County, Dorchester County, Frederick County, Harford County, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, and Washington County. Additionally, the expansion will create more opportunities for positive interaction between young people and members of law enforcement who work, live, and volunteer in their communities.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of America is thrilled to support our Maryland Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and affiliates across the state, and to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore as a lead agent,” said Jim Clark, President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “We appreciate Governor Larry Hogan’s strong commitment to our mission and expansion efforts, and look forward to working closely with his administration to implement quality, evidenced-based programs across the state, in MCIN communities, and helping to create a safer Maryland.”

The remainder of the BJAG funding will be awarded to government agencies for a range of initiatives to benefit communities across the state including evidence-based law enforcement crime reduction strategies, agency transitions to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) by January 2021, and law enforcement officer wellness initiatives: