The Criminal Justice Program plans, develops and implements a wide range of local and regional projects and initiatives that serve to improve the Panhandle’s criminal justice systems. Under this program the Planning Commission oversees the distribution of grant funds allocated by the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office for the purpose of supporting local and regional criminal justice system improvement projects. These juvenile and non-juvenile oriented programs are intended to help combat violent crime, drug-related and gang-related crime; deploy remedial services to crime victims; maintain safe and drug-free schools and neighborhoods; and provide law enforcement training to the Panhandle's peace officers. The Criminal Justice division provides services to the region in the areas of Criminal Justice Planning & Grants, the Panhandle Regional Law Enforcement Academy, the Purchase of Juvenile Justice Alternatives Program and Juvenile Service Providers Training.

The Panhandle Regional Community Criminal Justice Plan focuses primarily on the criminal justice needs identified for the Potter/Randall County area and generally describes some of the problems universally felt across the region. This document, which is updated annually, is used to direct some of the grant-seeking activities of agencies within the planning area that are involved with providing solutions to these identified problems. The FY07 Regional Community Plan is now open for public comment. To review the Plan click here (PDF). If you have questions, comments or suggestions you’d like to make regarding the current year plan, please send those to the PRPC’s Criminal Justice Program Coordinator, Sean Hardman, at 806-372-3381 or 800-477-4562; or by e-mail shardman@theprpc.org..