NCJ Number
145154
Date Published
1993
Length
43 pages
Annotation
This report reviews Federal funding and oversight of multijurisdictional task forces (MJTF), which are local entities created to integrate Federal, State, and local drug law enforcement efforts.
Abstract
Under the provisions of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, the Federal government provides funding for MJTF's through the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program. The Bureau of Justice Assistance administers the program. The analysis revealed that about one-third of the $1.4 billion in Byrne program formula grants awarded over the past 4 years was used to fund MJTF's, which made this effort the largest of the programs for which Byrne funds were used. In fiscal year 1991, State officials reported spending about $139 million to fund 881 MJTF's. They used the funds for personnel costs, equipment purchases, and rental of vehicles and building space. Fifty-two localities had both an MJTF and a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) State and local task force. Generally, MJTF's funded by the Byrne program targeted investigations toward local drug problems, while DEA State and local task forces investigated cases with interstate and international implications. However, the task forces sometimes undertook joint investigations. The weaknesses in the Byrne program implementing are inadequate monitoring and reporting. Reporting forms and instructions have been revised for the 1993 grant year. Figures, footnotes, and appended background information and questionnaire