Press Release

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES $19 MILLION IN AWARDS TO ENFORCE UNDERAGE DRINKING LAWS

            WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced block grant awards of more than $19 million to 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia to enforce state and local underage drinking laws. The awards are made through the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) program, which supports activities in law enforcement, public education programs, and innovative methods for reaching youth.

          “We need to do everything in our power to protect the futures of our nation’s best and brightest,” said Jeffrey L. Sedgwick, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. “This funding will support law enforcement and community efforts to curb underage drinking and save lives.”

          The EUDL program, administered by OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), is the only federal initiative directed exclusively toward preventing underage drinking. As part of this initiative, each state, territory, and the District of Columbia received $350,000 in the form of block grants.

         The awards support a wide range of activities including a strong emphasis on compliance checks of retail alcohol outlets to reduce sales to minors, crackdowns on false identification, programs to reduce older youth or adults from providing alcohol to minors, "party patrols" to prevent access to alcohol at large youth gatherings, and "cops in shops" to deter minors' attempts to purchase alcohol.

         OJJDP is sponsoring the 10th Annual National Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws Program Conference in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 21-23, which will highlight the notable accomplishments of community and enforcement leaders who have successfully sought to reduce youth access to alcohol.

         The conference, “A Notable History: Forging the Future,” will unite nearly 2,000 state EUDL coordinators, law enforcement officers, executives, government officials, military leaders, judges, community members, youth and prevention advocates, and focus on evidence-based strategies to reduce youth access to alcohol.  

         The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey L. Sedgwick, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has five component bureaus: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime. Additionally, OJP has two program offices: the Community Capacity Development Office, which incorporates the Weed and Seed strategy, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART).  More information can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

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Contacts:

Joshua Heath                                                                        Craig Steinburg
Policy Impact Communications                                              Policy Impact Communications
(703) 303-7839                                                                       (703) 839-5883
jheath@policyimpact.com                                                      dhiatt@policyimpact.com

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