Office of Justice Programs Releases API of Grant Award Data

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In keeping with President Obama's Digital Government Strategy, the Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) recently published an application programming interface (API) that provides access to twenty years of OJP Grant Awards Data (1993 - 2013) in open, machine-readable formats, including current-year grant awards data that is updated daily.

"With OJP's second API release this year, we are re-affirming our commitment to implementing the President's Digital Strategy and ensuring that the American public has open access to information about how taxpayer dollars are being invested to keep American communities safe," said OJP's Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason. "As the Department's largest grant making agency, we have a duty and responsibility to be transparent. We are continuously striving to keep the public aware of what we are doing and how we can best serve the needs of our communities." 

OJP's Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Operations and Management, James H. Burch, II said, "This API, and the launch of OJP's Developer Page, are part of OJP's strategy for improving digital access and information sharing with the justice community and its partner organizations.  This data allows justice officials to leverage existing funding to implement and enhance innovative strategies and to avoid duplication."

The OJP Grant Awards Data API is a dynamic feed that allows developers and researchers to retrieve information efficiently, in the manner that best suits their needs. The data can automatically feed into mobile applications, websites, or other formats, allowing grant information to be readily accessible to the American people.         

This web service provides information on OJP Grant Data, such as the amount, awardee, location and other grant award details. The OJP Grant Award API page provides developers with end-points in XML, JSON, and CSV formats along with related codebooks, methodology, metadata and usage instructions. 

"This OJP API is the second in a series that responds to the federal government's initiative to provide open access to information," said DOJ Chief Information Officer Luke J. McCormack.

The API follows the Bureau of Justice Statistics' publication of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) API in May, which allows developers and researchers to retrieve crime victimization statistics efficiently and to incorporate these data into their applications. OJP's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) was instrumental in developing both APIs.

Learn more about the Administration's data- and customer-centric approaches to sharing information in the recently released Federal Digital Strategy and Open Data Policy.

The Justice Department will continue to provide API access to some of OJP's most sought after data sets. Developers are able to use these APIs, and to provide feedback on this service as well as suggestions for additional data sets that may be of interest or benefit to developers. The APIs are free of charge, do not require registration, and allow unlimited access. The complete catalog of OJP API's, including the OJP Grant Awards Data API and the NCVS API, can be found at: http://data.ojp.gov.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Karol V. Mason, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at http://www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs

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