NCJ Number
134188
Date Published
1971
Length
467 pages
Annotation
Testimony by Federal and State officials before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Legal and Monetary Affairs concerns the financial management of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration's (LEAA) block grant program which is designed to provide money to State planning agencies; these agencies funnel grant money to localities for law enforcement improvements in accordance with State plans.
Abstract
In introducing the hearings, the subcommittee chairman notes that in a span of 4 years there has been a 1,600-percent increase in the amount for block action grants and an overall increase of 1,100 percent in total LEAA appropriations. This information has prompted the subcommittee to call the hearings for the purpose of determining whether or not LEAA's block grant program is being operated efficiently. Federal officials testify on the block grant program from the grantor's perspective, and State officials testify on the program from the grantee's perspective. Representatives from the U.S. General Accounting Office testify on their agency's audit of LEAA's block grant program. Some of the findings from the testimony are that only a fraction of the block grant money appropriated has been spent, and a significant portion of the funds allocated for law enforcement projects are sitting idle at the State and local levels, resulting in interest losses to the U.S. Treasury. Of the funds that have been spent, a large part has been allocated to projects that are in program areas administered by other Federal agencies and departments. Funds have also been spent on projects of questionable value. Overall, the testimony focuses on the inadequacy of monitoring and evaluation designed to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the block grant program. Letters and written statements are included.