The purpose of the John R. Justice (JRJ) Grant Program is to encourage qualified individuals to enter and continue employment as local and state prosecutors and local, state, or federal public defenders.
Access the FY 2024 allocations. Past allocation details can be found on the Archives page.
For the purposes of the JRJ Program, the following beneficiaries shall be considered eligible:
A full-time federal defender attorney in a defender organization pursuant to subsection (g) of section 3006A of Title 18, United States Code, that provides legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases.
BJA does not provide legal advice on tax issues. The following is provided for informational purposes only. Beneficiaries of John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program benefits remain responsible for, and should consult with their tax advisors for advice on, any tax obligations resulting from benefits paid on their behalf.
In FY 2010, pursuant to a $10 million appropriation from Congress, BJA launched the JRJ Program.
BJA has determined that a partnership with the Governors across the country and their designated state agencies is the optimal method of administering this program. State agencies have experience in administering loan repayment programs, and Governors are most familiar with the condition of the prosecutor and public defender offices in their jurisdictions and the challenges that result from attorney shortages and unmanageable caseloads. To increase the efficiency with which the JRJ Program is administered and to ensure that the program funds reach the field expeditiously, BJA will work closely with Governors and their designated state agencies to establish statewide JRJ Programs consistent with the John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Act") as well as BJA program guidelines.
Funds will be available to states based on the total population of each state according to the latest available census data. The Bureau of Justice Statistics has calculated a minimum base allocation for each state and the District of Columbia in the amount of $100,000. This minimum base allocation will then be enhanced by an amount proportional to each state's share of the national population. By using these funds to provide student loan repayment assistance, Governors can encourage attorneys in their states to enter or continue employment as prosecutors and public defenders, and help strengthen state justice systems.
One pressing challenge facing our criminal justice system today is the retention of those who serve everyday to ensure that our communities are protected and the rule of law is upheld—including our prosecutors and public defenders. In the current economy, both prosecutor and public defender offices find it difficult to attract and retain talented attorneys. Driven by educational debt, attorneys interested in public interest law often forego opportunities to work in these offices in order to seek more lucrative private sector positions. Attorney shortages in these offices can result in overworked attorneys handling unmanageable caseloads, potentially affecting public safety, the administration of justice, and ultimately the public's confidence in our justice system.
Student loan debt is consistently cited as the overwhelming reason why attorneys decline or leave positions as prosecutors and public defenders. The vast majority of law students borrow to finance their legal education and the rising costs have imposed staggering debt. Furthermore, public defender and prosecutor salaries have failed to keep pace with the escalating cost of education. As a result, talented lawyers are often unwilling to accept attorney positions as prosecutors or public defenders, creating real challenges for those offices in their quest to hire and retain capable attorneys.
Acknowledging this challenge, Congress enacted the Act, named for the late John Reid Justice of South Carolina, to encourage qualified attorneys to choose careers as prosecutors and public defenders and to continue in that service. The John R. Justice Program provides loan repayment assistance for state and federal public defenders and state prosecutors who agree to remain employed as public defenders and prosecutors for at least three years.
Learn more about the specific provision of the Act.
Each Governor-designated state agency is eligible to apply for funding under the JRJ Program solicitation to administer the JRJ Program in their state.
BJA will make awards to each state that applies for funding under the JRJ Program solicitation to agencies designated by the Governor of each state to administer the JRJ Program within that state. These Governor-designated agencies shall establish a statewide John R. Justice Program consistent with the guidance contained in the solicitation the Act. Upon receiving an award, states should conduct outreach and education and begin soliciting applications from eligible recipients. States are encouraged to design their JRJ Program based on their experience in administering similar programs within the state and will be encouraged to consider the purpose of the Act in the planning and implementation phase.