96TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H.R. 2061

To restructure the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, to assist State and local governments in improving the quality of their justice systems, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 8, 1979

Mr. RODINO (for himself, Mr. MAZZOLI, and Mr. McCLORY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To restructure the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, to assist State and local governments in improving the quality of their justice systems, and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, S That this Act may be cited as the "Justice System Improve4 ment Act of 1979".

5

SEC. 2. Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe

6 Streets Act of 1968, as amended, is amended to read as fol

7 lows:

2

1

"TITLE I-JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT

2

"The Congress finds and declares that the high inci3 dence of crime in the United States is detrimental to the 4 general welfare of the Nation and its citizens, and that crimi5 nal justice efforts must be better coordinated, intensified, and 6 made more effective and equitable at all levels of govern7 ment.

8

"Congress further finds that juvenile delinquency consti9 tutes a growing threat to the national welfare requiring im10 mediate and comprehensive action by the Federal Govern11 ment to reduce and prevent delinquency by developing and 12 implementing effective programs to improve the quality of 13 juvenile justice in the United States.

14 "Congress further finds that there is an urgent need to 15 encourage basic and applied research, to gather and dissemi16 nate accurate and comprehensive justice statistics, and to 17 evaluate methods of preventing and reducing crime.

18

"Congress further finds that although crime is essential19 ly a local problem that must be dealt with by State and local 20 governments, the financial and technical resources of the 21 Federal Government should be made available to support 22 such State and local efforts.

23

"Congress further finds that the future welfare of the

24 Nation and the well-being of its citizens depend on the estab25 lishment and maintenance of viable and effective justice sys

LEP'

3

1 tems which require: (1) systematic and sustained action by 2 Federal, State, and local governments; (2) greater continuity 3 in the scope and level of Federal assistance; and (3) continu4 ing efforts at all levels of government to streamline programs 5 and upgrade the functioning of agencies responsible for plan6 ning, implementing and evaluating efforts to improve justice 7 systems.

8 "It is therefore the declared policy of the Congress to 9 aid State and local governments in strengthening and im10 proving their systems of criminal justice by providing finan11 cial and technical assistance with maximum certainty and 12 minimum delay. It is the purpose of this title to (1) authorize 13 funds for the benefit of States and units of general local gov14 ernment to be used to strengthen their criminal justice and 15 juvenile justice systems; (2) develop and fund new methods. 16 and programs to enhance the effectiveness of criminal justice 17 agencies; (3) support the development of city, county, and 18 statewide priorities and programs to meet the problems con19 fronting the justice system; (4) reduce court congestion and 20 trial delay; (5) support community anticrime efforts; (6) im21 prove and modernize the correctional system; (7) encourage 22 the undertaking of innovative projects of recognized impor23 tance and effectiveness; (8) encourage the development of 24 basic and applied research directed toward the improvement 23 of civil, criminal, and juvenile justice systems and new meth

4

1 ods for the prevention and reduction of crime and the detec2 tion, apprehension, and rehabilitation of criminals; (9) encour3 age the collection and analysis of statistical information con4 cerning crime, juvenile delinquency, civil disputes, and the 5 operation of justice systems; and (10) support manpower de6 velopment and training efforts. It is further the policy of the 7 Congress that the Federal assistance made available under 8 this title not be utilized to reduce the amount of State and 9 local financial support for criminal justice activities below the 10 level of such support prior to the availability of such assist

11 ance.

12

13

14

"PART A-LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE

ADMINISTRATION

"SEC. 101. There is hereby established within the De15 partment of Justice under the direct authority of the Attor16 ney General, a Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. 17 (hereinafter referred to in this title as the 'Administration'). 18 The Administration shall be under the direction of an Admin19 istrator, who shall be appointed by the President, by and 20 with the advice and consent of the Senate, and such other 21 Deputy Administrators as may be designated by the Attorney 22 General. The Administrator shall have final authority over 23 all grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts awarded by 24 the Administration. The Administrator shall report to the Di

5

rector of the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Sta

2 tistics established under section 801 of this title.

"SEC. 102. The Administrator shall

"(a) provide funds to eligible States and units of

local government pursuant to part D of this title in

order to finance programs approved in accordance with the provisions of this title;

"(b) recognize national criminal justice priorities established by the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics in accordance with parts E and

F of this title, inform States and units of local government concerning such priorities and award and allocate

funds among the eligible States, units of local government, and public and private nonprofit organizations according to the criteria and on the terms and conditions determined by the Administration to be consistent with parts E and F of this title;

"(c) publish and disseminate information on the condition and progress of the criminal justice system and establish and carry on a specific and continuing program of cooperation with the States and units of local government designed to encourage and promote consultation and coordination concerning decisions made by the Administration affecting State and local criminal justice priorities;