NCJ Number
155191
Date Published
1979
Length
646 pages
Annotation
This transcript and supplementary materials pertains to hearings on H.R. 2061, the reauthorization for the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA), held on March 15, 22, and April 3, 1979.
Abstract
The hearing on March 15, 1979, focuses on those provisions of H.R. 2061 and H.R. 2108, both of which are LEAA reauthorization bills, that involve the creation of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (Bureau of Criminal Justice Statistics) and the National Institute of Justice (National Institute for Research). Under H.R. 2061, the Bureau of Justice Statistics would be established in the Department of Justice to provide for and encourage the collection and analysis of statistical information on crime and criminal justice operations. The National Institute of Justice would be created in the Department of Justice to provide for and encourage research and demonstration efforts for the purpose of improving Federal, State, and local criminal, civil, and juvenile justice systems; prevent and reduce crimes and unnecessary civil disputes; and ensure citizen-access to appropriate dispute-resolution forums. Testimony on these provisions generally supports the creation of these two bodies. Recommendations of the witnesses focus on the amount of funding, the structure, and purposes of the agencies, as well as grant procedures. The hearing on March 22, 1979, addresses those provisions of LEAA reauthorization bills that deal with juvenile justice. Issues discussed include juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, policy toward juvenile status offenders, deinstitutionalization of status offenders, and the incarceration of juveniles. The hearing on April 3, 1979, focuses on the criminal justice program emphases of H.R. 2108: neighborhood-based community anticrime efforts, alternatives to traditional incarceration, programs to prevent juvenile delinquency, and efforts to combat white-collar crime. Written statements, a copy of H.R. 2061, and a description and evaluation of Vision Quest (a juvenile treatment program) are included.