NCJ Number
55095
Date Published
1978
Length
132 pages
Annotation
FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF CONGRESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME CONTROL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT, EACH OF LEAA'S PROGRAMS IS REVIEWED, FINDINGS OF EVALUATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED, AND ALTERNATIVES ARE RECOMMENDED.
Abstract
THE INTRODUCTION TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT OF 1968 AND ITS AMENDMENTS, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION (LEAA), AND PIONEERING EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CRIME CONTROL AND THE OPERATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THEN EACH COMPONENT OF THE LEAA PROGRAM IS EXAMINED: THE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, SUPPORT OF THE STATE PLANNING AGENCIES, AND THE EIGHT SPECIFIC CATEGORICAL GRANT PROGRAMS (DISCRETIONARY, PARTS C AND E; JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION; RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION; SYSTEMS AND STATISTICS; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; TRAINING; INTERNSHIPS; AND COMMUNITY ANTICRIME PROGRAMS). THESE DISCUSSIONS CONTAIN BUDGET DATA, STATISTICS ON COMMUNITIES SERVED, DATA ON TYPES OF PROGRAMS FUNDED, AND AN OVERVIEW OF VARIOUS EVALUATIONS PERFORMED BY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS. A MAJOR EVALUATION EFFORT WAS A STUDY BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, WHICH DEVELOPED NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE REORGANIZATIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE AS THE RESULT OF THIS STUDY ARE DESCRIBED. EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION EXAMINES POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO THE FEDERAL ROLE IN CRIME CONTROL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT. THESE DISCUSSIONS COVER RETAINING THE BLOCK GRANT APPROACH, CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF REVENUE SHARING WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCREASED RESEARCH EFFORTS, AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A SUMMARY OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RECOMMENDATIONS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (GLR)