NCJ Number
60624
Date Published
1979
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY OF JUVENILE JUSTICE GRANTS REVEALS THAT A PROPOSED REDUCTION IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT FUNDING IS UNREASONABLE AND THAT CUTS IN STATE BUDGETS ARE UNCALLED FOR.
Abstract
THIS SURVEY OF FORMULA GRANT FUND FLOWS REPORTS ON THE REASONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSED REDUCTION IN FUNDING (A 52.4 PERCENT REDUCTION IN THE STATE-ADMINISTERED FORMULA GRANT PROGRAM) AND ON THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY SPONSORED BY THE LEAA OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER AND THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING ADMINISTRATORS. THE ADMINISTRATION JUSTIFIED THE REDUCTION ON THE GROUNDS THAT STATES WERE NOT SPENDING THEIR FORMULA FUNDS FAST ENOUGH AND THAT THE LEFTOVER FUNDS, WITH THE REDUCED ADMINISTRATION BUDGET ALLOCATION, SHOULD CARRY THE STATES THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 1980. HOWEVER, THE PRESENT SURVEY DID NOT SUPPORT THESE CONCLUSIONS, FINDING INSTEAD THAT THERE WAS NO BASIS FOR ASSERTING THAT FORMULA FUNDS WERE MOVING SLOWLY WITHIN STATES AND TERRITORIES AND IN FACT THAT NO WAY OF ASSESSING THE APPROPRIATE COMMITMENT RATE (THE RATE AT WHICH STATES AND TERRITORIES COMMIT FUNDS TO JUVENILE JUSTICE PROJECTS) EXISTS. EARLIER NATIONAL CONFERENCE STUDIES SHOWED THAT STATES WERE SPENDING ABOVE THE MINIMUM AND THAT THE RATE OF EXPENDITURE OF FORMULA FUNDS WAS ACCELERATING. THEREFORE, THE ASSUMPTION THAT STATES AND TERRITORIES WILL NOT REQUIRE A FORMULA FUND ALLOCATION EQUAL TO THAT OF FISCAL YEAR 1979 TO CONTINUE THEIR 1980 PROGRAMS OR TO MEET PREVIOUS FUNDING COMMITMENTS IS SO FAR UNSUPPORTED. APPENDIX CHARTS SHOW GRANT FLOW TOTALS BY STATE AND TERRITORY FOR 1975-1978. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--AOP)