The federal appropriation will allow for the purchase of a body scanner system in the sampson county detention center

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, through the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753), awarded a $220,000 project grant to the Sampson County Sheriff's Department located in Clinton, NC. The grant funding will be used to purchase a body scanner system for the Sampson County Detention Center. This system will allow detention officers to detect contraband and weapons hidden in inmates' body cavities, improving overall facility safety for both inmates and staff. The project will be carried out from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.

The Congressionally Recommended Awards program provides support for a range of criminal justice system improvements, juvenile delinquency prevention, and victim services initiatives across the United States. Grants in this program can vary significantly in size and scope, with typical project periods of 1-4 years.

The system will allow detention officers to discover contraband and weapons hidden in human cavities that would not normally be discovered due to prohibitions on body cavity searches by non-medical personnel. Preventing the smuggling of contraband and weapons into the detention facility will contribute to the overall safety of the inmates and the detention officers.