NCJ Number
63388
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS 1978 ADVANCE REPORT DOCUMENTS EXPENDITURE AND EMPLOYMENT DATA IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCLUDING INCREASES IN STATE AND FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT AND IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES.
Abstract
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR FISCAL YEAR 1978 INCREASED $2.5 MILLION TO $24 BILLION, OR 11.7 PERCENT OVER 1977. THE LARGEST INCREASE WAS IN STATE GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE (15.1 PERCENT INCREASE), FOLLOWED BY FEDERAL EXPENDITURE (11.2 PERCENT INCREASE) AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (UP 10.2 PERCENT). OVER HALF, OR $13 BILLION, WAS FOR POLICE PROTECTION AND ALMOST ONE-FOURTH, $5.5 BILLION, WAS FOR CORRECTIONS. OF THE FIVE MAJOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE FUNCTIONS, PUBLIC DEFENSE LED IN SPENDING INCREASES (29.8 PERCENT), FOLLOWED BY LEGAL SERVICES AND PROSECUTION, JUDICIAL, CORRECTIONS, AND POLICE PROTECTION. DECREASES OCCURRED IN A SIXTH RESIDUAL CATEGORY, 'OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE.' OVERALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPENDITURE IN THE UNITED STATES ROSE 129.1 PERCENT FROM 1971 TO 1978, WITH INCREASES OF 154.3 PERCENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, 149.5 BY STATE GOVERNMENTS, AND 116.3 BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IN OCTOBER 1978, THERE WERE 1,157,335 CRIMINAL JUSTICE EMPLOYEES ON A FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT BASIS, A 2.3 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1977. OF THE NATION'S $24 BILLION EXPENDITURE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PURPOSES, 59.4 PERCENT WAS EXPENDED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS; 62.4 PERCENT OF TOTAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYMENT WAS IN LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES. DATA WERE GATHERED USING FIELD COMPILATION AND MAIL CANVASS METHODS WITH RESPONSE RATES OF 100 AND 93.0 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AOP)