Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
BJA’s mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support state, local, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. BJA works with communities, governments, and nonprofit organizations to reduce crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement, and promote a safe and fair criminal justice system.
BJA focuses its programmatic and policy efforts on providing a wide range of resources, including training and technical assistance, to law enforcement and other stakeholders. BJA has five major strategic focus areas, including the reduction in violent crime, improvement in community safety, and support for public safety officers.
For more information about BJA, visit Home | Bureau of Justice Assistance (ojp.gov)
BJA Support of the Ashanti Alert Act
The Ashanti Alert Act authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General to establish a national communications network within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to assist regional and local jurisdictions establish or enhance a missing adult program that meets or exceeds the Ashanti criteria noted in the Act. The Attorney General is also authorized to designate an Ashanti Alert National Coordinator to help facilitate the program and support implementation efforts.
BJA, a component of OJP, has been identified as the DOJ entity responsible for coordinating Ashanti Alert-related activities, including the establishment of the National Ashanti Alert Network. The aim of this network is to enhance communications among participating states, territories, and tribes in locating missing adults throughout the United States.
Participating in this effort is voluntary; BJA provides, through technical assistance activities, various support to local stakeholders such as document development, guidance materials, stakeholder collaboration support, multijurisdictional communications solutions, technology support, logistics and planning, outreach, and other activities.
Learn more about the National Ashanti Alert Network, including the Ashanti Alert Activation Criteria, in the Fact Sheet below or by accessing Additional Resources:
National Ashanti Alert Network Fact Sheet
Additional Resources
Questions and Assistance
If this is an emergency, please contact your local authorities.
If you have a question about the Ashanti Alert Act and its related activities, please Contact Us.