NCJ Number
153913
Date Published
1988
Length
544 pages
Annotation
Representatives of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Justice Department, the American Bar Association, law enforcement associations, and State and local agencies testify on various aspects of the reauthorization of the Federal Justice Assistance Act.
Abstract
The hearings encompass 2 days of testimony on the reauthorization of the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the National Institute of Justice. These agencies are the source of almost all of the Federal assistance to State and local law enforcement efforts. The statement by Charles Schumer, congressman from a New York State district, testifies on his bill, H.R. 2834, which would establish a new grant program within the Bureau of Justice Statistics. It would establish a 5-year program of grants to State and local law enforcement agencies to improve the quality of criminal justice information, specifically, criminal history records information on arrest warrants and records on stolen vehicles. Representatives of the Justice Department offer a proposal that would restructure the Office of Justice Programs and its various components to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its administration. The proposal would create a unified Office of Justice Programs. Other witnesses support Federal assistance to States and localities in the areas of innovative and progressive law enforcement and present various recommendations for improving such assistance. A panel of local law enforcement representatives comments on some problems they have experienced in receiving funding for local programs through State block grants.