Crapo: Idaho Counties Eligible For Reimbursement

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has alerted County Sheriffs throughout Idaho to a program that can help recoup incarceration expenses associated with certain prisoners, but the application deadline is fast approaching. More than $290 million in federal grants is available through the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). SCAAP provides federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens for at least four consecutive days. â??As our law enforcement personnel face shrinking budgets and increasing demands on limited resources, the SCAAP program can provide some badly needed assistance,â?? Crapo said. â??Control of illegal immigration is a federal responsibility, and state and local taxpayers should not have to foot the bill when the federal government fails to adequately protect its borders. While SCAAP is certainly not a fix-all, it is a start to an equitable resolution to a pressing problem. And it can certainly provide a resource for Idahoâ??s counties that face additional legal costs due to such enforcement."Crapo sent a letter to 44 county sheriffs in Idaho, encouraging each to learn more about the program and determine if their counties would be eligible. The application process occurs entirely over the Internet. Applications are being accepted until March 15, 2004, on the Office of Justice Programâ??s website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/scaap.html. Applicants must begin the online registration process prior to March 8, 2004.In fiscal year 2003, Idaho received $604,530 from the SCAAP program. This represents 2.5% of the total awards given by the program. Idaho law enforcement personnel requested reimbursement for nearly 1400 qualified incarcerations that year. ###