Comparison of Outcomes Associated with Two Key Law-Enforcement Grant Programs

• NCJ Number: 224877
• Journal: Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2008 Pages: 438-465
• Author(s): David Lilley; Rachel Boba
• Date Published: December 2008
• Length: 28 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined data from jurisdictions throughout the United States to identify outcomes that were associated with the Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG).

Abstract

The findings suggest that substantial differences in outcomes were associated with each grant program; the results raise further questions about whether differential outcomes were more related to grant distribution, focus, or purpose area. Results indicate that LLEBGs were associated with reductions in every Uniform Crime Report (UCR) index category and that crime-reduction effect sizes were equal to or greater than those associated with the Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring program. These relationships persisted after controlling for general downward national and local crime trends as well as the effects of other Justice programs. These findings are consistent with recent work by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2005), which conducted an analysis of COPS funds using LLEBG as a control variable. Other key grant outcomes associated with each grant program differed substantially. This study provides some insight into possible mechanisms of crime reduction, such as changes in drug and disorder arrests as well as the number of officers per capita. However, a number of other contributing outcomes, such as changes in policing strategies, implementation of place-and problem-oriented tactics, and organization efficiencies may also be important. This was clearly evidenced by the fact that LLEBG and COPS grant variables retained their significant negative relationship with crime even when per capita officers, drug arrests, and disorder arrests were included as control variables. Data were collected from 11,559 jurisdictions using UCR data collected from the FBI, 2 FBI databases, Office of Justice Programs grants, U.S. Census, National Center for Health Statistics (2006), and 6 Federal programs. Tables, figures, appendices, notes, references