The Justice Department has released an update to its Equity Action Plan, which aims to further advance racial equity and support underserved communities through the federal government. The plan, finalized in December 2023, will guide the department's equity strategies in Fiscal Year 2024.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the department's commitment to ensuring that its programs and services reach every community in need. He stated, "The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that our programs and services reach every community that needs them... The five strategies in this Plan seek to advance the Department’s broader mission to uphold the rule of law, keep people safe, and protect civil rights by working to remove the barriers that prevent vulnerable communities from accessing critical resources."
The Justice Department has outlined five equity strategies for Fiscal Year 2024. These strategies include removing barriers to grant funding and resources for organizations that primarily serve historically marginalized communities, supporting corrections and reentry programs to reduce recidivism rates, promoting diversity within law enforcement agencies, improving the response to crimes that disproportionately affect marginalized groups, and ensuring underserved communities have access to legal services to address environmental hazards.
The department's equity strategies aim to adhere to the mandates set forth in Executive Order 14091 and build upon the priorities outlined in the Justice Department's 2022 Equity Action Plan.
Updates on this critical work will be posted on the Justice Department's website, www.justice.gov/equity. More information about the Biden-Harris Administration's equity agenda and related initiatives can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/equity, and all other Federal Equity Action Plans can be reviewed at www.performance.gov/equity.