NCJ Number
90178
Date Published
1983
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This statement presents the Justice Department's 1984 budget requests as well as its legislative agenda for the 98th Congress.
Abstract
The budget request is for $3.4 billion for 55,431 positions and 58,249 full-time equivalent work years, an increase of 1,346 full-time equivalent work years over that allocated to the Justice Department in fiscal 1983; the dollar amount of the budget is a 15.3 percent increase over that expected for the current fiscal year. The proposed budget includes funding for an additional 500 investigators and support staff, primarily for the expanded number of drug task forces. Funding is also included for an increase in the number of prosecutors to help deal with the increased number of cases generated by the drug task forces. Further, the budget addresses the shortage of Federal prison space by requesting $96 million for expanding Federal prison capacity, as well as $10.5 million for the support of the U.S. Prisoners program. Other budget requests address (1) the need for improved technology for the Federal justice system, (2) support for worthy State and local assistance initiatives, (3) improvement of record keeping by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, (4) an increased foreign counterintelligence capability, and (5) the need for 500 new positions in key areas. The legislative agenda includes S. 829, which provides for sentencing reform, modification of the exclusionary rule, and amendments to the law of forfeiture and the insanity defense. Other legislation proposes changes in habeas corpus procedures and a strengthening of penalties for drug offenses. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1983 also has priority for the Justice Department.