POTENTIAL IMPACT OF REDUCED FISCAL YEAR 1980 FUNDING OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION'S JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAM

• NCJ Number: 65799
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Legislative/Regulatory Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S PROPOSED 50-PERCENT REDUCTION IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION (JJDP) FUNDS COULD IRREPARABLY HARM THE PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO THIS CONGRESSIONAL STAFF REPORT.

Abstract

AFTER VARIOUS OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS DIFFERED WITH ASSERTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGARDING THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF REDUCED FUNDING, A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIVE STAFF VISITED NINE STATES WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST HALF OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS TO STATES AND TERRITORIES IN FISCAL YEAR 1979. OFFICIALS OF THE LEAA, GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, AND THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING ADMINISTRATORS WERE INTERVIEWED, AND VARIOUS AGENCY AND CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS WERE REVIEWED. ALL STATES CONTACTED BELIEVED THAT, DESPITE INITIAL DELAYS AND PROBLEMS, THEY WERE ADMINISTERING SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS AND MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD COMPLETE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND NONOFFENDERS. ACCORDING TO MOST OFFICIALS, THE FUNDING REDUCTION WOULD PROBABLY PRECLUDE THEM FROM ACHIEVING COMPLETE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION WITHIN THE 5-YEAR TIME LIMIT REQUIRED BY THE JJDP GRANTS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TEXAS, ALL STATES SURVEYED SAID THAT THE REDUCTION COULD NOT HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME BECAUSE A SYSTEMATIC AND COORDINATED PROGRAM WITH PARTICIPATION FROM LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WAS JUST GETTING UNDERWAY. WITHOUT THE EXPECTED FUNDS, NEW PROGRAMS COULD NOT BE INITIATED AND SOME EXISTING PROJECTS WOULD BE TERMINATED. THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM FELT THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS HAD NOT ADEQUATELY CONSIDERED THE NEWNESS OF THE JJDP ACT AND THE BINDING NATURE OF FUNDING COMMITMENTS MADE BY THE STATES. ALTHOUGH THE INVESTIGATORS WERE NOT ABLE TO EXAMINE STATE PROJECTS INDIVIDUALLY, THEY CONCURRED THAT A FUNDING CUT WOULD PROHIBIT STATES FROM COMPLYING WITH THE 5-YEAR MANDATE. A 25-PERCENT REDUCTION IN GRANTS WOULD ENABLE MOST STATES TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO OF THEIR PROGRAMS. INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS COULD PROBABLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH REPROGRAMMING FUNDS FROM SPECIAL EMPHASIS AND OTHER JJDP PROGRAMS, SUCH AS WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN FISCAL YEAR 1978, TABLES ARE INCLUDED. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS SUMMARIES OF JJDP OPERATIONS IN ALABAMA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, AND TEXAS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJM)