WHERE HAVE ALL THE DOLLARS GONE - IMPLICATIONS OF GENERAL REVENUE SHARING FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION

• NCJ Number: 39039
• Author(s): R P NATHAN; D CRIPPEN; A JUNEAU
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 83 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-0282-76
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Brookings Institution
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION OF WHETHER GENERAL REVENUE SHARING FUNDS HAVE REALLY BEEN USED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO THE EXTENT INDICATED BY OFFICIAL TREASURY DEPARTMENT STATISTICS.

Abstract

THIS STUDY USES DATA DEVELOPED BY THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION IN ITS RESEARCH ON THE REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM. THE BASIC METHODOLOGY IS TO COMPARE WHAT THE SAMPLE JURISDICTIONS REPORTED TO THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT AS THEIR USES OF SHARED REVENUE AND OUR FIELD RESEARCH ASSESSMENT OF THE NET FISCAL EFFECTS OF SHARED REVENUE IN THE SAME JURISDICTIONS. DATA FOR 1973 AND 1974 ARE USED IN THIS STUDY FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE BROOKINGS SAMPLE. THE ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENCES IS RELATED TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND FISCAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE JURISDICATIONS. IN SUM, THE RESULTS OF THIS ANALYSIS SHOW: OFFICIALLY REPORTED EXPENDITURES OF SHARED REVENUE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPILED BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF REVENUE SHARING WERE SIX TIMES GREATER THAN THE NEW SPENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE OUT OF REVENUE SHARING IDENTIFIED IN THE BROOKINGS FIELD RESEARCH IN 1973 AND FOUR TIMES GREATER IN 1974. DIFFERENCES ARE GREATEST FOR LARGER UNITS, THOSE UNDER THE GREATEST FISCAL PRESSURE, THOSE LOCATED IN THE NORTHEAST AND FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS GENERALLY. THE PRINCIPAL REASON FOR THIS PATTERN OF VARIATION IS THE HIGH SUBSTITUTION USES OF SHARED REVENUE IN THE BROOKINGS NET-EFFECS ANALYSIS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...PO