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• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding [June 2, 2011]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the '94 Crime Act). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire and train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies. COPS grants are managed by the COPS Office, which was created in 1994 by Department of Justice (DOJ) to oversee the COPS program. […] Legislation to reauthorize the COPS program was introduced in both the 110th and 111th Congresses and has been reintroduced in the current Congress (see below). There are several issues Congress might consider as it debates legislation to reauthorize the program. These issues are the subject of another CRS report. Another issue Congress might consider is the appropriate funding level for COPS, especially in light of concerns about federal spending and possible reductions to appropriations for DOJ."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-06-02
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Current Legislative Issues [June 1, 2011]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the '94 Crime Act). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire and train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies. COPS grants are managed by the COPS Office, which was created in 1994 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to oversee the COPS program. […] The COPS program was originally authorized as a multiple-grant program, and appropriations for the program were authorized through FY2000. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009. Along with reauthorizing the COPS program, the act amended current law to change the COPS program into a single-grant program. Authorized appropriations for the COPS program expired in FY2009. As such, Congress could consider legislation to reauthorize the COPS program. Debate about reauthorization of the program could be contentious because the COPS program is one of the primary means for providing federal assistance to state and local law enforcement, but at the same time, Congress is considering ways to reduce discretionary spending in order to shrink the federal budget deficit. This report provides an overview and analysis of issues Congress might consider if it chooses to take up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-06-01
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background, Legislation, and Funding [January 4, 2011]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed the COPS program from a multigrant program to a single-grant program. For the first eight fiscal years that Congress funded the COPS program, the average annual appropriation was more than $1 billion. Starting in FY2003, annual appropriations for the program, in general, started to decrease. The average annual appropriation for the COPS program over the past eight fiscal years (excluding the $1 billion in funding COPS received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; P.L. 111-5) is $658 million."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-01-04
• DNA Testing in Criminal Justice: Background, Current Law, Grants, and Issues [May 2, 2011]

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  "Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the fundamental building block for an individual's entire genetic makeup. DNA is a powerful tool for law enforcement investigations because each person's DNA is different from that of every other individual (except for identical twins). DNA can be extracted from a number of sources, such as hair, bone, teeth, saliva, and blood. As early as the 1980s, states began enacting laws that required collecting DNA samples from offenders convicted of certain sexual and other violent crimes. The samples were then analyzed and their profiles entered into state databases. Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory convened a working group of federal, state, and local forensic scientists to establish guidelines for the use of forensic DNA analysis in laboratories. The group proposed guidelines that are the basis of current national quality assurance standards, and it urged the creation of a national DNA database. [...] This report provides an overview of how DNA is used to investigate crimes and help protect the innocent.5 It also reviews current statutory law on collecting DNA samples, sharing DNA profiles generated from those samples, and providing access to post-conviction DNA testing. The report also includes a summary of grant programs authorized by Congress to assist state and local governments with reducing DNA backlogs, provide post-conviction DNA testing, and promote new technology in the field. It also reviews select issues Congress might consider should it legislate or conduct oversight in this area."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-05-02
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background, Legislation, and Funding [July 14, 2009]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed the COPS program from a multigrant program to a single-grant program. Several bills have been introduced in the 111th Congress that would modify the COPS program, reauthorize appropriations for the program, or both. Three of these bills--H.R. 1139, S. 167, and H.R. 1568--would reauthorize appropriations for the COPS program. In addition, H.R. 1139 and S. 167 would, among other things, change COPS from a single-grant to a multi-grant program and make the COPS Office an exclusive component of the Department of Justice (DOJ). H.R. 3154 and S. 1424 would require the Attorney General to award grants to units of local government with high violent crime rates so they could increase the size of their police forces. Appropriations for the COPS program were more than $1 billion for each of fiscal year (FY) FY1995-FY2002, with the exception of FY2000 ($595 million). Appropriations for the program decreased each fiscal year for FY2002-FY2006, increased for FY2007 and FY2008, and decreased again for FY2009. In addition to the annual appropriation for COPS included in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8), Congress included a $1 billion appropriation for COPS hiring grants in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2009-07-14
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Current Legislative Issues [December 6, 2011]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the '94 Crime Act). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The COPS program awards grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States so they can hire and train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, purchase and deploy new crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test new and innovative policing strategies. COPS grants are managed by the COPS Office, which was created in 1994 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to oversee the COPS program. The COPS program was originally authorized as a multiple-grant program, and appropriations for the program were authorized through FY2000. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009. Along with reauthorizing the COPS program, the act amended current law to change the COPS program into a single-grant program. Authorized appropriations for the COPS program expired in FY2009. As such, Congress could consider legislation to reauthorize the COPS program. Debate about reauthorization of the program could be contentious because the COPS program is one of the primary means for providing federal assistance to state and local law enforcement, but at the same time, Congress is considering ways to reduce discretionary spending in order to shrink the federal budget deficit. This report provides an overview and analysis of issues Congress might consider if it chooses to take up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-12-06
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding [December 6, 2011]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed it from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program. Between FY1995 and FY1996, the annual appropriation for the COPS program averaged more than $1.4 billion. The relatively high levels of funding during this time period were largely the result of Congress's and the Clinton Administration's efforts to place 100,000 new law enforcement officers on the street. Appropriations for the program started to wane in FY2002 before increasing again for the four-year period between FY2007 and FY2010. Congress started to reduce funding for the COPS program as it moved away from providing funding for hiring new law enforcement officers and changed COPS into a conduit for providing federal assistance to support local law enforcement agencies. Starting in FY1998, an increasing portion of the annual appropriation for COPS was dedicated to programs to help law enforcement agencies purchase new equipment, combat methamphetamine production, upgrade criminal records, and improve forensic sciences. Funding for the COPS program decreased in both FY2011 and FY2012, which can be attributed to reduced funding for hiring programs and Congress moving appropriations for programs that were traditionally funded under the COPS account to other accounts. One issue Congress might consider is the appropriate funding level for COPS, especially in light of concerns about federal spending and possible reductions to appropriations for the Department of Justice."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-12-06
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY 2011 Appropriations [July 25, 2011]

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  "This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2011 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS). It also provides an overview of FY2010 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), included a total of $68.705 billion in new budget authority for CJS. Of the $68.705 billion appropriated for FY2010, $14.035 billion was for the Department of Commerce, $28.078 billion was for the Department of Justice, $25.658 billion was for the Science Agencies, and $934.8 million was for the related agencies. […] On February 11, 2011, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (H.R. 1) was introduced in the House. The bill passed the House on February 19, 2011. The House-passed version of H.R. 1 would have provided a total of $60.065 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS. This included $7.38 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.123 billion for the Department of Justice, $24.697 billion for the Science Agencies, and $864.8 million for the related agencies. On April 15, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). The act provides a total of $61.202 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS. The $61.202 provided by the act includes $7.581 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.389 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.314 billion for the Science Agencies, and $917.9 million for the related agencies."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Williams, Jennifer Dingledine, 1945-; Gonzales, Oscar R.; James, Nathan

  2011-07-25
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations [November 3, 2011]

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  "This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2012 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. On November 1, 2011, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 2112, which included the Senate's proposed funding for the agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual CJS appropriations bill. H.R. 2112, as passed by the Senate, would provide $60.664 billion for CJS. This includes $8.192 billion for the Department of Commerce, $26.925 billion for the Department of Justice, $24.643 billion for the science agencies, and $903.9 million for the related agencies. On October 5, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-36). The act continues appropriations for the agencies and bureaus funded under the annual CJS bill at 1.503% below the FY2011-enacted levels until November 18, 2011, or until the FY2011 CJS bill is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. […] On April 15, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). The act provided a total of $61.092 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS for FY2011. The $61.092 billion provided by the act includes $7.578 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.281 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.315 billion for the science agencies, and $917.9 million for the related agencies. The source for the FY2011-enacted amounts, the FY2012-requested amounts, and the House Committee on Appropriations-recommended amounts is H.Rept. 112-169. The Senate-passed amounts were taken from H.R. 2112, as passed by the Senate."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Williams, Jennifer Dingledine, 1945-; Sargent, John F.

  2011-11-03
• Department of Justice (DOJ) Appropriations for FY2008 and FY2009

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  "Congress established the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 1870 (28 U.S.C. 501), with the Attorney General at its head. DOJ provides counsel for citizens in federal cases and protects them through law enforcement; represents the federal government in all proceedings, civil and criminal, before the Supreme Court; and provides legal advice and opinions, upon request, to the President and executive branch department heads. This report provides coverage of the FY2009 appropriations cycle for DOJ, including FY2008 supplemental appropriations. […] For FY2009, the Administration's budget request for DOJ was $23,088.9 million. This amount is $503 million less than the FY2008 enacted budget. In light of the House and Senate action on FY2008 supplemental funding, the FY2009 DOJ budget request may well be between $910.3 million and $1,633.6 million below the total level of funding that Congress might provide for FY2008. Several issues with funding implications that have arisen during FY2009 appropriations hearings include (1) continued oversight of the FBI's greater emphasis on national security investigations as opposed to traditional crime, (2) reported spikes in violent crime in medium-sized and small cities, (3) the Administration's proposal to further cut funding for state and local law enforcement assistance and consolidate related grant programs, (4) reported increases in drug trafficking and related violent crime on the Southwest border, (5) funding shortfalls for the Federal Prison System, and (6) the reentry of several waves of offenders whose prison sentences will soon end. This report will be updated as necessary."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Franco, Celinda; Krouse, William J.

  2008-06-10
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2012 Appropriations [August 29, 2011]

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  "This report provides an overview of actions taken by Congress to provide FY2012 appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) accounts. On July 13, 2011, the House Committee on Appropriations marked up and reported the FY2012 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 2596). The bill was introduced in the House on July 20, 2011. The bill would provide a total of $57.949 billion for CJS. The amount recommended by the committee is 10.9% less than the Administration's FY2012 request for CJS and 5.3% below the FY2011-enacted level. The bill includes $7.161 billion for the Department of Commerce, $26.323 billion for the Department of Justice, $23.649 billion for the science agencies, and $814.8 million for the related agencies. […] On April 15, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). The act provided a total of $61.092 billion for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS for FY2011. The $61.092 billion provided by the act includes $7.578 billion for the Department of Commerce, $27.281 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.315 billion for the science agencies, and $917.9 million for the related agencies. The source for the FY2011-enacted amounts, the FY2012-requested amounts, and the House Committee on Appropriations-recommended amounts is H.Rept. 112-169."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Williams, Jennifer Dingledine, 1945-; Sargent, John F.

  2011-08-29
• Federal Prison Population Buildup: Overview, Policy Changes, Issues, and Options [January 22, 2013]

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  "Since the early 1980s, there has been a historically unprecedented increase in the federal prison population. Some of the growth is attributable to changes in federal criminal justice policy during the previous three decades. An issue before Congress is whether policymakers consider the rate of growth in the federal prison population sustainable, and if not, what changes could be made to federal criminal justice policy to reduce the prison population while maintaining public safety. This report explores the issues related to the growing federal prison population. […] Should Congress choose to consider policy options to address the issues resulting from the growth in the federal prison population, policymakers could choose options such as increasing the capacity of the federal prison system by building more prisons, investing in rehabilitative programming, or placing more inmates in private prisons."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2013-01-22
• Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program [January 3, 2013]

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  "Historically, crime control has been the responsibility of local and state governments, with little involvement from the federal government. However, as crime became more rampant in the United States, the federal government increased its support for domestic crime control by creating a series of grant programs designed to assist state and local law enforcement. In the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, Congress created the Edward Byrne Memorial Formula Grant (Byrne Formula Grant) program and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG) program, along with other grant programs, to assist state and local law enforcement in their efforts to control domestic crime. In 2005, however, legislation was enacted that combined the Byrne Formula Grant and LLEBG programs into the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This report provides background information on the JAG program. It begins with a discussion of the programs that were combined to form the JAG program: the Byrne Formula Grant and LLEBG programs. The report then provides an overview of the JAG program. This is followed by a review of appropriations for JAG and its predecessor programs going back to FY1998. The report concludes with a discussion of some of the issues Congress might consider as it debates the future of the JAG program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2013-01-03
• DNA Testing in Criminal Justice: Background, Current Law, Grants, and Issues [December 6, 2012]

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  "Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the fundamental building block for an individual's entire genetic makeup. DNA is a powerful tool for law enforcement investigations because each person's DNA is different from that of every other individual (except for identical twins). By analyzing selected DNA sequences (called loci), a crime laboratory can develop a profile to be used in identifying a suspect. DNA can be extracted from a number of sources, such as hair, bone, teeth, saliva, and blood. Because the human body contains so many copies of DNA, even a minuscule amount of bodily fluid or tissue can yield useful information. Obtaining a DNA sample is not necessarily invasive; it can be as simple as a swab of the inside of the mouth to obtain saliva. State and federal DNA databases have proved instrumental in solving crimes, reducing the risk of convicting the wrong person, and establishing the innocence of those wrongly convicted. […] This report provides an overview of how DNA is used to investigate crimes and help protect the innocent. It also reviews current statutory law on collecting DNA samples, sharing DNA profiles generated from those samples, and providing access to post-conviction DNA testing. The report also includes a summary of grant programs authorized by Congress to assist state and local governments with reducing DNA backlogs, provide post-conviction DNA testing, and promote new technology in the field. It also reviews select issues Congress might consider should it legislate or conduct oversight in this area."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2012-12-06
• Federal Prison Industries: Overview and Legislative History [January 9, 2013]

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  "The Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), is a government-owned corporation that employs offenders incarcerated in correctional facilities under the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The FPI manufactures products and provides services that are primarily sold to executive agencies in the federal government. Although the FPI's industries are located within various federal prisons, they operate independently from the prison. The FPI was created to serve as a means for managing, training and rehabilitating inmates in the federal prison system through employment in one of its six industries. The FPI's enabling legislation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) require federal agencies to procure products offered by the FPI, unless authorized by the FPI to solicit bids from the private sector. This is commonly referred to as the 'mandatory source clause.' Such waivers can be granted by the FPI to executive agencies if its price exceeds the current market price for comparable products. Federal agencies, however, are not required to procure services provided by the FPI. Instead, agencies are encouraged to do so pursuant to FAR. It is the mandatory source clause, and its effect on private businesses, that has drawn controversy over the years. This report provides background on the FPI's operations and statutory authority; it does not address the related debates on inmate labor, criminal rehabilitation, or competitive versus noncompetitive federal government contracting."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2013-01-09
• DNA Testing in Criminal Justice: Background, Current Law, Grants, and Issues [December 7, 2011]

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  "Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the fundamental building block for an individual's entire genetic makeup. DNA is a powerful tool for law enforcement investigations because each person's DNA is different from that of every other individual (except for identical twins). DNA can be extracted from a number of sources, such as hair, bone, teeth, saliva, and blood. As early as the 1980s, states began enacting laws that required collecting DNA samples from offenders convicted of certain sexual and other violent crimes. The samples were then analyzed and their profiles entered into state databases. Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory convened a working group of federal, state, and local forensic scientists to establish guidelines for the use of forensic DNA analysis in laboratories. The group proposed guidelines that are the basis of current national quality assurance standards, and it urged the creation of a national DNA database. The criminal justice community began to utilize DNA analyses more often in criminal investigations and trials, and in 1994 Congress enacted legislation to authorize the creation of a national DNA database."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2011-12-07
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background, Legislation, and Issues [Updated January 15, 2008]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103- 322). The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed the COPS program from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program. Three bills introduced in the 110th Congress, H.R. 1700, S. 368, and Subtitle A of Title I of S. 2237, would, among other things, expand the scope of COPS grant programs, make COPS an exclusive component of the Department of Justice (DOJ), and authorize additional funding for COPS. Congress is considering the legislation in order to assist local law enforcement with investigating and combating violent crime, which, according to Congress, has recently increased [...] As the COPS program continues to evolve, several questions may concern lawmakers, including (1) will COPS become a program that solely funds technology efforts for state and local law enforcement, (2) can COPS funding continue to contribute to the decreasing crime rate if it only funds technology programs, and (3) in order to prevent an overlap in the structure of the programs administered by the COPS Office and OJP, should the COPS Office be responsible for managing all of the funding appropriated to it rather than transferring some of its activities to OJP? This report will be updated as warranted."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2008-01-15
• Judicial Security: Comparison of Legislation in the 110th Congress [Updated January 23, 2008]

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  "The 2005 murders of the husband and mother of United States District Judge Joan Lefkow by a disgruntled litigant and the murders of Judge Rowland Barton, his court reporter, a deputy sheriff, and a federal officer in Atlanta, Georgia, focused national attention on the need for increased court security. Data from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Pennsylvania's survey of judicial safety, and the New York Office of Court Administration demonstrate that judges are the targets of threats and other aggressive actions. In addition, congressional testimony and a report by the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) raise questions about the abilities of the USMS to protect the federal judiciary. The USMS is the primary agency responsible for the security of the federal judiciary. According to a March 2004 OIG report, USMS routinely failed to assess the threats against federal judges in a timely manner and it has limited ability to collect and share intelligence on threats to the judiciary to appropriate entities. The concerns noted by the OIG may be due, in part, to funding and staffing issues highlighted in recent congressional testimony [...] This report discusses the state of judicial security in the United States and the legislation introduced in the 110th Congress that would enhance judicial security. This report will be updated as needed."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2008-01-23
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2013 Appropriations [March 26, 2012]

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  "On February 13, 2012, President Obama submitted his FY2013 budget to Congress. The Administration requests a total of $62.076 billion for the agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill. The Administration's request includes $7.978 billion for the Department of Commerce, $28.079 billion for the Department of Justice, $25.090 billion for the science agencies, and $929.2 million for the related agencies. The FY2013 request for CJS is 1.9% greater than the FY2012 appropriation of $60.910 billion. On November 18, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-55), which included the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division B). The act included $60.910 billion for CJS, of which $7.808 billion was for the Department of Commerce, $27.408 billion was for the Department of Justice, $24.838 billion was for the science agencies, and $856.6 million was for the related agencies. This report will track and describe actions taken by the Administration and Congress to provide FY2013 appropriations for CJS accounts. It also provides an overview of FY2012 appropriations for agencies and bureaus funded as a part of the annual appropriation for CJS."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Sargent, John F.; Williams, Jennifer Dingledine, 1945-; James, Nathan

  2012-03-26
• Federal Prison Industries [Updated July 13, 2007]

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  "UNICOR, the trade name for Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), is a government-owned corporation that employs offenders incarcerated in correctional facilities under the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). UNICOR manufactures products and provides services that are sold to executive agencies in the federal government. FPI was created to serve as a means for managing, training, and rehabilitating inmates in the federal prison system through employment in one of its industries. The question of whether UNICOR is unfairly competing with private businesses, particularly small businesses, in the federal market has been and continues to be an issue of debate. The debate has been affected by tensions between competing interests that represent two social goods -- the employment and rehabilitation of offenders and the need to protect jobs of law abiding citizens. At the core of the debate is UNICOR's preferential treatment over the private sector. UNICOR's enabling legislation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation require federal agencies, with the exception of the Department of Defense (DOD), to procure products offered by UNICOR, unless authorized by UNICOR to solicit bids from the private sector. While federal agencies are not required to procure services provided by UNICOR they are encouraged to do so. It is this 'mandatory source clause' that has drawn controversy over the years and is the subject of current legislation."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2007-07-13
• Judicial Security: Comparison of Legislation in the 110th Congress [Updated July 11, 2007]

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  "The 2005 murders of the husband and mother of United States District Judge Joan Lefkow by a disgruntled litigant and the murders of Judge Rowland Barton, his court reporter, a deputy sheriff, and a federal officer in Atlanta, Georgia, focused national attention on the need for increased court security. Data from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Pennsylvania's survey of judicial safety, and the New York Office of Court Administration demonstrate that judges are the targets of threats and other aggressive actions. In addition, congressional testimony and a report by the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) raise questions about the abilities of the USMS to protect the federal judiciary. The USMS is the primary agency responsible for the security of the federal judiciary. According to a March 2004 OIG report, USMS routinely failed to assess the threats against federal judges in a timely manner and it has limited ability to collect and share intelligence on threats to the judiciary to appropriate entities. The concerns noted by the OIG may be due, in part, to funding and staffing issues highlighted in recent congressional testimony. In an effort to strengthen court security, the 109th Congress responded with a number of measures that would have affected both the federal and state judicial systems."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2007-07-11
• Overview and Funding History of Select Department of Justice (DOJ) Grant Programs [June 23, 2006]

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  "The Department of Justice (DOJ) was created in June 1870, with the Attorney General as its head. Since its establishment, DOJ has expanded to include 40 agencies. The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Community Oriented Policing Services Office (COPS), and the Office of Violence Against Women, provide grant funds to state, local, and tribal governments for crime prevention and intervention programs as well as funding for criminal justice system improvement programs. This report discusses several DOJ grant programs administered through OJP and COPS, including the Weed and Seed program, Drug Courts, Prisoner Re-entry Initiative, the DNA Initiative, the Paul Coverdell Grant Program, Assistance to Indian Tribes, the Tribal Resource Grant Program, and the Tribal Youth Program. In recent years, Congress has questioned the effectiveness of many DOJ grant programs. As Congress continues to cut appropriations for many discretionary grant programs, there may be greater scrutiny of these programs. This report discusses this issue as well as issues concerning the effective management and accounting of DOJ grant programs."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2006-06-23
• Judicial Security: Comparison of Legislation in the 109th Congress [June 15, 2006]

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  "Recently, the murders of the husband and mother of United States District Judge Joan Lefkow by a disgruntled litigant and the murders of Judge Rowland Barton, his court reporter, a deputy sheriff, and a federal officer in Atlanta, Georgia, focused national attention on the need for increased court security. Data from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Pennsylvania's survey of judicial safety, and the New York Office of Court Administration demonstrate that judges are the targets of threats and other aggressive actions. In addition, recent congressional testimony and a report by the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) raise questions about the abilities of the USMS to protect the federal judiciary. The USMS is the primary agency responsible for the security of the federal judiciary. According to a March 2004 OIG report, USMS routinely failed to assess the threats against federal judges in a timely manner and it has limited ability to collect and share intelligence on threats to the judiciary to appropriate entities. The concerns noted by the OIG may be due, in part, to funding and staffing issues highlighted in recent congressional testimony."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2006-06-15
• How Crime in the United States Is Measured [January 3, 2008]

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  "Crime data collected through the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) are used by Congress to inform policy decisions and allocate federal criminal justice funding to states. As such, it is important to understand how each program collects and reports crime data, and the limitations associated with the data. This report reviews the history of the UCR, the NIBRS, and the NCVS; the methods each program uses to collect crime data; and the limitations of the data collected by each program. The report then compares the similarities and differences of UCR and NCVS data. It concludes by reviewing issues related to the NIBRS and the NCVS. The UCR represents the first effort to create a national, standardized measure of the incidence of crime. It was conceived as a way to measure the effectiveness of local law enforcement and to provide law enforcement with data that could be used to help fight crime. UCR data are now used extensively by researchers, government officials, and the media for research, policy, and planning purposes. The UCR also provides some of the most commonly cited crime statistics in the United States. The UCR reports offense and arrest data for 8 different Part I offenses and arrest data for 21 different Part II offenses. The NIBRS was developed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to respond to the law enforcement community's belief that the UCR needed to be updated to provide more in-depth data to meet the needs of law enforcement into the 21st century."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Council, Logan Rishard

  2008-01-03
• Federal Habeas Corpus Relief: Background, Legislation, and Issues [Updated January 12, 2007]

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  "Federal habeas corpus is the statutory procedure under which state and federal prisoners may petition the federal courts to review their convictions and sentences to determine whether they are being held contrary to the laws or the Constitution of the United States. In 1996, Congress passed legislation that restricted a prisoner's ability to seek relief through the writ of habeas corpus. The 109th Congress considered legislation that would have further restricted a state prisoner's access to federal habeas relief, and would have provided for expeditious habeas review of cases where a child, public safety officer, or state judge was killed. The 110th Congress may consider similar issues. At issue for Congress is whether it should further restrict state prisoners' access to federal habeas relief by limiting the federal role in policing constitutional violations in the states' criminal justice systems. Two issues have emerged as Congress considers such legislation - trial finality and adequate representation. Proponents contend that restricting state prisoners' access to federal habeas relief is necessary due to many prisoners filing excessive and frivolous claims that result in a backlog in the system and substantial delays in the processing of these cases. Critics contend, however, that many states' criminal justice systems are flawed, with many indigent defendants lacking proper representation throughout all stages of the criminal justice system. They argue that for many defendants, the writ of habeas corpus plays a key role in restoring justice when the system fails."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Seghetti, Lisa M.; James, Nathan

  2007-01-12
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Current Legislative Issues [September 15, 2010]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed the COPS program from a multigrant program to a single-grant program. Legislation has been introduced in the 111th Congress that would reauthorize the program through FY2014 along with reestablishing COPS as a multi-grant program. This report provides an overview of issues Congress may consider when taking up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2010-09-15
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background, Legislation, and Funding [January 5, 2010]

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  "The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created by Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322). The mission of the COPS program is to advance community policing in all jurisdictions across the United States. The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162) reauthorized the COPS program through FY2009 and changed the COPS program from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program. Several bills have been introduced in the 111th Congress that would modify the COPS program, reauthorize appropriations for the program, or both. Three of these bills--H.R. 1139, S. 167, and H.R. 1568--would reauthorize appropriations for the COPS program. In addition, H.R. 1139 and S. 167 would, among other things, change COPS from a single-grant to a multi-grant program and make the COPS Office an exclusive component of the Department of Justice (DOJ). H.R. 3154 and S. 1424 would require the Attorney General to award grants to units of local government with high violent crime rates so they could increase the size of their police forces. Appropriations for the COPS program were more than $1 billion for each of fiscal year (FY) FY1995-FY2002, with the exception of FY2000 ($595 million). Appropriations for the program decreased each fiscal year for FY2002-FY2006, increased for FY2007 and FY2008 and decreased for FY2009 before increasing again for FY2010. In addition to the annual appropriation for COPS included in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8), Congress included a $1 billion appropriation for COPS hiring grants in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5). This report will be updated as warranted."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2010-01-05
• Body Armor for Law Enforcement Officers: In Brief [May 13, 2014]

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  "Firearms are one of the leading causes of deaths for law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the line of duty. According to data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), approximately 92% of the 535 non-federal law enforcement officers feloniously killed in the line of duty between 2003 and 2012 were killed by a firearm. Law enforcement officers who are shot in the torso are more likely to die as a result of their injury than if they are not wearing a vest. […] Congress is considering legislation that would reauthorize the program through FY2018. S. 933, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2013, would, among other things, reauthorize the BPV [Bulletproof Vest Partnership Initiative] program until FY2018. The bill was introduced on May 13, 2013, and was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on August, 1, 2013. This report provides an overview of the BPV program. It also provides a discussion of [1] data on law enforcement agencies that require their officers to wear armor vests while on duty, [2] research on why officers may choose to wear armor vests, [3] research on the life cycle for armor vests, [4] data on the use of body armor by law enforcement officers who were killed with a firearm, and [5] research on the effectiveness of armor vests. The report concludes with a survey of congressional issues policy makers might consider when debating legislation to reauthorize the BPV program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-05-13
• Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program: Fact Sheet [May 20, 2014]

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  "People with mental illness comprise a significant proportion of the population involved with the criminal justice system. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that at midyear 2005, over half of state prison and local jail inmates had a mental health problem. Mental health courts were developed to respond to the large number of people in the criminal justice systems with mental illness. The federal government provides funding to support mental health courts across the country through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration program. The purpose of the program is to increase public safety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, mental health treatment, and substance abuse systems to increase access to treatment for offenders with mental illness. Authorized funding for this program is set to expire at the end of FY2014. Congress is considering legislation that would both expand the scope of the program and reauthorize appropriations through FY2019."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-05-20
• FY2015 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations: Fact Sheet

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  "The annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations act provides funding for agencies such as the Census Bureau; the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Prisons; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the National Science Foundation; along with funding for a variety of criminal justice assistance grant programs for state, local, and tribal governments."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-05-22