SAFE STREETS, 1968-1980 - WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WITH ALL THAT LEAA MONEY IN UTAH?

• NCJ Number: 68177
• Journal: Bellringer Issue: 17 Dated: (JUNE 1980) Pages: 7-19
• Author(s): S VOJTECKY
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 80-MU-AX-0002; 79-ET-AX-0049
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

UTAH'S LEAA-FUNDED PROGRAMS TO REDUCE CRIME AND IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS ARE EVALUATED; EFFECTS INCLUDE INCREASED COMMUNICATION AMONG CRIMINAL JUSTICE SEGMENTS, BETTER PLANNING, AND OTHERS.

Abstract

BY SEPTEMBER 1980, OVER $37 MILLION FROM LEAA WILL HAVE BEEN USED BY UTAH FOR PROGRAMS TO REDUCE CRIME AND IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. MONEY HAS GONE FOR IMPROVING AGENCIES, ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING, AND EDUCATION FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL. OVERALL, CRIME HAS NOT BEEN REDUCED, HAVING INCREASED 21.3 PERCENT FROM 1972 TO 1979; HOWEVER, SOME YEARS SHOW DECLINES. BUT IMPROVEMENTS IN GATHERING CRIME DATA MAY HAVE AFFECTED PERCENTAGES. ON THE OTHER HAND, LEAA-FUNDED PROGRAMS HAVE BROUGHT THE VARIOUS CRIMINAL JUSTICE BRANCHES INTO ONE SYSTEM, AND, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY OF PERSONNEL, THEY HAVE IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AMONG THE BRANCHES. FURTHER, AGENCIES ARE NOW PLANNING AHEAD MORE FOR SERVICES AND CRIME PREVENTION RATHER THAN MERELY REACTING TO NEEDS. THIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE AGENCIES' BEING REQUIRED TO SUBMIT PLANS TO GET LEAA FUNDS FOR THE PROGRAMS, AMONG OTHER REASONS. LEAA FUNDS HAVE ALSO HELPED ADMINISTRATORS MAKE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES BY PRODUCING A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE AND PROVIDING FUNDS FOR EXPERMENTS AND NEW IDEAS. RECENT REPORTS TO THE U.S. CONGRESS AND UTAH'S GOVERNOR ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRAMS ON 18 AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIME, REVEAL THAT THE EFFECT IS DIFFICULT TO MEASURE. HOWEVER, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CITIZEN CRIME PREVENTION HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED AND IMPROVED, EFFORTS AT COURT REFORM HAVE PRODUCED A NEW PLANNING DOCUMENT AND NEW DIVERSION PROGRAMS, AND PROSECUTORS ARE NOW BETTER TRAINED. OTHER PROGRAMS REPORTED INCLUDE PUBLIC DEFENSE, ANTI-ARSON AND ANTI-FENCING PROGRAMS; WHITE COLLAR CRIME; IMPROVED PRISON CONDITIONS, AND A REVISION OF SECTIONS OF UTAH'S PENAL CODE. FINALLY, ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE PROJECTS AND HALF OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES FUNDED BY LEAA HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.