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• 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): 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
• Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Program: In Brief [January 23, 2017]

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  "The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program provides three different types of benefits to public safety officers and their survivors: death, disability, and education benefits. The PSOB program is administered by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA's), PSOB Office. The PSOB death benefit is a mandatory program, and the disability and education benefits are discretionary programs. As such, Congress appropriates 'such sums as are necessary' each fiscal year to fund the PSOB death benefit program while appropriating separate amounts for both the disability and education benefits programs. The PSOB program provides a one-time lump sum death benefit to eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty or from certain line-of-duty heart attacks, strokes, and vascular ruptures. The PSOB program provides a one-time lump sum disability benefit to public safety officers who have been permanently and totally disabled by a catastrophic injury sustained in the line of duty, if the injury permanently prevents the officer from performing any gainful work. The PSOB program also provides assistance for higher education expenses (e.g., tuition and fees, books, supplies, and room and board) to spouses and children of public safety officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. Educational assistance is available to the spouse and children of a public safety officer after the PSOB death or disability claim has been approved and awarded."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2017-01-23
• FY2018 Appropriations for Department of Justice Grant Programs [July 18, 2017]

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  "Each year, Congress provides funding for a variety of grant programs through the Department of Justice (DOJ). These programs are used to fund state, local, and tribal governments and nonprofit organizations for a variety of criminal justice-related purposes, such as efforts to combat violence against women, reduce backlogs of DNA evidence, support community policing, assist crime victims, promote prisoner reentry, and improve the functioning of the juvenile justice system. Congress funds these programs through five accounts in the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations act: Violence Against Women Programs; Research, Evaluation, and Statistics; State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance; Juvenile Justice Programs; and Community Oriented Policing Services."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2017-07-18
• Public Trust and Law Enforcement - A Brief Discussion for Policymakers [March 22, 2016]

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  "Events over the past several years involving conflict between the police and citizens have generated interest in what role Congress could play in facilitating efforts to build trust between law enforcement and the people they serve while promoting effective crime reduction. This report provides a brief overview of police-community relations and how the federal government might be able to promote more accountability and better relationships between citizens and law enforcement. Gallup poll data show that, overall, Americans are confident in the police; but, confidence in the police varies according to race, place of residence, and other factors. In 2014, less than 50% of Americans favorably rated the honesty and ethics of police, the lowest percentage since 1998. If they conclude that low public ratings of the police are at least partially attributable to police policies, Congress may decide to address state and local law enforcement policies and practices they believe erode public trust in law enforcement. Federalism limits the amount of influence Congress can have over state and local law enforcement policy. Regardless, the federal government might choose to promote better law enforcement-community relations and accountability through (1) federal efforts to collect and disseminate data on the use of force by law enforcement, (2) statutes that allow the federal government to investigate instances of alleged police misconduct, and (3) the influence the Department of Justice (DOJ) has on state and local policing through its role as an enforcer, policy leader, convener, and funder of law enforcement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Bjelopera, Jerome P.; Finklea, Kristin M.; Keegan, Natalie; Lister, Sarah A.; Sacco, Lisa N.; Thompson, Richard M., II

  2016-03-22
• Police Shootings and Federal Support for Law Enforcement Safety [July 19, 2016]

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  "The recent shooting deaths of police officers in Dallas, TX, and Baton Rouge, LA, have served as a reminder of the danger law enforcement officers can face while serving the public. While these attacks have heightened attention on deaths suffered by police officers in the line of duty, data indicate that the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty has generally decreased over the past three decades. However, the number of officers killed in ambush situations has remained fairly steady. Annually, on average, nine law enforcement officers have died in ambush situations between 1979 and 2014."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2016-07-19
• Apparent First in U.S. Law Enforcement Use of Unmanned Ground Vehicles [July 26, 2016]

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  "On the night of July 7, 2016, Micah Johnson opened fire on law enforcement officers who were observing a protest against police-involved shootings in Dallas, TX. Johnson killed five officers and wounded seven. Johnson was later killed by an explosive device deployed by a bomb disposal robot (also known as an 'unmanned ground vehicle,' or 'UGV'). While the tactic is being hailed by some as an innovative way to tackle a dangerous threat and a way to save officers' lives, the Dallas Police Department (DPD) use of a robot to kill an active shooter has raised questions about what this might mean for how police use force in the future."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2016-07-26
• Can Body Worn Cameras Serve as a Deterrent to Police Misconduct? [August 28, 2014]

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  "Conflicting accounts about what transpired before Michael Brown was shot by Ferguson (MO) Police Officer Darren Wilson on August 9 have raised questions about police accountability and transparency. Requiring law enforcement officers to use body worn cameras (BWCs) has emerged as one idea to deter officer misconduct and reduce the inappropriate use of force, among other things. BWCs are mobile cameras that allow law enforcement officers to record what they see and hear. They can be attached to a helmet, a pair of glasses, or an officer's shirt or badge."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-08-28
• 'Militarization' of Law Enforcement and the Department of Defense's '1033 Program' [August 20, 2014]

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  "Recent clashes between police and protesters in Ferguson, MO, have raised questions about the 'militarization' of law enforcement. Such concerns have focused almost exclusively on the expanding role ofSpecial Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams. Congress has also turned its attention to the Department of Defense's (DOD) '1033 Program' and what role it might play in the militarization of law enforcement."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Else, Daniel H.

  2014-08-20
• Is This the First Step in Undoing Mass Incarceration? 6,000 Federal Drug Offenders Set to be Released [October 22, 2015]

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  "In early November, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is scheduled to release approximately 6,000 federal inmates convicted of drug trafficking offenses. While some have cheered the releases as a sign of efforts to 'right size' drug sentences or reduce mass incarceration, others are concerned about what effect it might have on public safety. […] In April 2014, the U.S. Sentencing Commission (Commission) submitted to Congress proposed amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (Guidelines) that would reduce by two levels the base offense levels assigned to drug offenses, thereby lowering the Guideline ranges for most federal drug trafficking offenses. In July 2014, the Commission voted to apply the amendment retroactively (with the condition that no prisoners who receive reduced drug sentences may be released before November 1, 2015). The amendment went into effect on November 1, 2014, in the absence of disapproval by an act of Congress."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Yeh, Brian T.

  2015-10-22
• FY2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice [May 30, 2017]

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  "The Obama Administration's FY2017 DOJ [Department of Justice] budget request included proposals to increase funding for existing programs and fund new programs that sought to address several issues that rose to national prominence recently, such as concerns about gun violence in cities across the country, the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve, violent extremism and 'home-grown' terrorism, preparing inmates to return to society after incarceration, cybersecurity, and an increase in heroin abuse and overdose-related deaths. The FY2017 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations (S. 2837) would have provided a total of $29.246 billion for DOJ, while the House committee-reported CJS appropriations bill (H.R. 5393) would have provided a total of $29.437 billion for DOJ. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriates $28.962 billion for DOJ, an amount that is 0.4% less than the FY2016 appropriation and 2.9% less than what the Obama Administration requested. The act includes $2.713 billion for the U.S. Marshals, $9.006 billion for the FBI, $2.103 billion for the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration], $1.259 billion for the ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives], and $7.142 billion for the BOP [Bureau of Prisons]. The remaining funding (approximately $6.793 billion) would be for DOJ's other offices, such as the U.S. Attorneys offices, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the Attorney General's office, along with supporting the other functions noted above."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2017-05-30
• FY2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice Grant Programs [May 30, 2017]

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  "The Obama Administration's FY2017 request for DOJ's [Department of Justice] grant accounts included proposals to change the funding levels of several DOJ grant programs. First, the Obama Administration proposed to transfer $326 million from the Crime Victims Fund to the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). It also proposed to eliminate funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (-$210 million), and reduce funding for other programs, such as the National Criminal History Improvement program (-$23 million), and DNA backlog reduction initiatives (-$20 million). However, the Obama Administration proposed increases for grants to encourage arrests in domestic violence cases and enforcement of protection orders (+$11 million), grants authorized under the Second Chance Act (+$32 million), and programs for children exposed to violence (+$15 million). It also proposed funding a variety of new programs and initiatives, such as the Byrne Incentive Grant program ($10 million), the Byrne Competitive Grant program ($15 million), and the Violence Reduction Network ($5 million). Finally, it proposed restoring funding to the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (+$30 million), which was eliminated in FY2014. Congress provided a total of $2.320 billion for DOJ's five grant accounts, an amount that is 6.7% less than the FY2016 appropriation and 1.8% less than the Administration's request. Funding for three of the five grant accounts decreased for FY2017, the exceptions being Violence Against Women Programs (+$2 million) and the Community Oriented Policing Services (+$10 million). However, the increase in funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services account is largely attributable to Congress moving funding for the Regional Information Sharing System from the Research, Evaluation, and Statistics account to the Community Oriented Policing Services account."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2017-05-30
• FY2018 Appropriations for the Department of Justice [October 12, 2017]

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  "The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31) appropriated $28.962 billion for DOJ [Department of Justice]. The act provided $2.713 billion for the U.S. Marshals [USMS], $9.006 billion for the FBI, $2.103 billion for the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration], $1.259 billion for the ATF [ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives], and $7.142 billion for the BOP [Bureau of Prisons]. The remaining funding (approximately $6.739 billion) was for DOJ's other offices, such as the U.S. Attorneys offices, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and the Attorney General's office. The Trump Administration requests $28.205 billion for DOJ for FY2018. This amount is 2.6% less than the FY2017-enacted appropriation. The Administration proposes reductions for several DOJ accounts, including a $232 million (-2.6%) reduction for the FBI, a $340 million (-26.6%) reduction for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance, and a $21 million (-8.3%) reduction for Juvenile Justice Programs. While the Administration's FY2018 budget request includes several reductions for DOJ accounts, it also includes several increases, including an additional $22 million (1.1%) for the Office of the United States Attorneys, an $82 million (5.6%) increase for the USMS's Federal Prisoner Detention account, a $76 million (1.1%) increase for BOP's Salaries and Expenses account, and a $61 million (2.9%) increase for the DEA."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2017-10-12
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding [May 14, 2013]

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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 the COPS Hiring Program, the congressional earmark ban, and Congress moving appropriations for programs that were traditionally funded under the COPS account to other accounts. Funding for the COPS program did increase slightly in FY2013, even after sequestration. One issue Congress might consider is whether the federal government should continue to provide grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to hire additional officers at a time of historically low crime rates."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2013-05-14
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding [February 6, 2014]

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  "Between FY1995 and FY1996, the annual appropriation for the COPS [Community Oriented Policing Services] 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 the COPS Hiring Program, the congressional earmark ban, and Congress moving appropriations for programs that were traditionally funded under the COPS account to other accounts. Funding for the COPS program has been fairly stable (around $200 million) since FY2012 now that Congress has started to consistently fund the same programs through the COPS account. One issue Congress might consider is whether the federal government should continue to provide grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to hire additional officers at a time of historically low crime rates."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-02-06
• 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
• 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): 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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