NCJ Number
38267
Date Published
1976
Length
52 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE FEASIBILITY OF PLANNING FOR THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY A CENTRALIZED AGENCY, INDEPENDENT OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM.
Abstract
THE REPORT BEGINS WITH AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND RESULTING FROM THE PASSAGE OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL ACT. AFTER A DISCUSSION OF TRADITIONAL PLANNING IN STATE GOVERNMENT, THE REPORT DRAWS SEVERAL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN GRANTS MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC PLANNING. THE THESIS ADVANCED IN THIS REPORT IS THAT THERE IS, IN GOVERNMENT, A FUNDAMENTAL CHAIN OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PLANNING, DECISION MAKING, AND IMPLEMENTING AUTHORITY. IT IS ARGUED, THEREFORE, THAT FOR PLANNING STRATEGIES TO BE UTILIZED, THEY MUST BE CIRCUMSCRIBED BY THE RANGE OR SCOPE OF AUTHORITY OF THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL FOR WHOM THE PLANNING IS INTENDED. THE REPORT FINDS THAT THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING IS NOT THAT SUCH EFFORTS ARE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THAT THERE IS A LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE DECISION MAKERS TO CARRY OUT CENTRALLY PLANNED DECISIONS. A SEARCH OF STATE AGENCIES IS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS ANY NATURAL PLACEMENT FOR A CENTRALIZED CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY WHICH WOULD PERMIT CENTRALLY PLANNED CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONS TO BE IMPLEMENTED. THE CONCLUSION IS REACHED THAT FOR FEDERAL GRANT-IN-AID PROGRAM, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS THE NATURAL LOCATION FOR SUCH AGENCIES. HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE IS NO PLACE IN STATE GOVERNMENT WITH SUFFICIENT LEGAL AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT CENTRALIZED PLANNING DECISIONS WITHIN THE MORE GENERALIZED CONTEXT OF REGULAR GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. IT IS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT ATTEMPTS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE A CENTRALIZED APPROACH TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING MAY BE UNDESIRABLE. INSTEAD, IT IS ARGUED THAT PROBLEMS OF COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS, IMBALANCES OF RESOURCES, AND DIFFERING POLICIES CAN BE SOLVED THROUGH CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATION RATHER THAN CENTRALIZED PLANNING. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)