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• Health Care for Federal Prisoners [August 26, 2020]

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  From the Document: "This In Focus provides a brief overview of how the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) provides medical care to prisoners in its custody. BOP operates 122 prisons across the country, and at of the end of FY2019 there were approximately 177,000 prisoners under BOP's jurisdiction, making BOP one of the largest correctional systems in the country. Under 18 U.S.C. Section 4042(a), BOP is required to 'provide for the safekeeping, care, and subsistence of all persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States, or held as witnesses or otherwise.' 18 U.S.C. Section 4048 governs fees for health care services provided to prisoners. However, the manner in which BOP provides health care services to prisoners is largely dictated by regulations and policy statements rather than statutory law. The relevant regulations can be found in Title 28, Part 549 of the 'Code of Federal Regulations', and the relevant BOP policy statements are PS 6010.05, Health Services Administration, and PS 6031.04, Patient Care."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2020-08-26
• Department of Justice's Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program [April 16, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136) provided $850 million to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to be awarded to state and local governments to help them 'prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.' DOJ is awarding this funding under its Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) program, which is being administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2020-04-16
• Policing Reform Legislation: Conditions on Funding and New Authorizations [June 25, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, while in the custody of law enforcement, along with several other high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands of the police (including Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY; Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, MN; and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, KY), have served as the catalyst for protests against police violence in cities across the country. These deaths and the resulting protests have spurred interest in policing reform legislation in Congress. On June 8, 2020, Representative Karen Bass introduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 (H.R. 7120). Ten days later, Senator Tim Scott introduced the Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere Act of 2020 (JUSTICE Act; S. 3985). [...] This report provides an overview of the new conditions that would be placed on existing grant programs and the authorizations for new grant programs contained in both pieces of legislation. The report does not discuss provisions of either bill that do not establish new requirements for state and local governments or authorize new funding (e.g., proposals to make lynching a federal crime or to make the use of chokeholds a federal civil rights violation)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2020-06-25
• Proposals for Systems of Records on 'Wandering Officers' [June 25, 2020]

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  From the Document: "Two major policing reform bills before Congress would attempt to reform law enforcement practices, especially practices that are considered to be biased against people of color. The two bills, H.R. 7120 and S. 3985, would, among other things, require state and local governments to report data on the use of force, promote the use of body-worn cameras, expand de-escalation training, and reduce racial profiling. Both pieces of legislation would also attempt to curb so-called 'wandering officers' (i.e., law enforcement officers who are fired or resign under threat of termination but are later hired by another law enforcement agency, often in another state)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2020-06-25
• Public Trust and Law Enforcement-- A Discussion for Policymakers [Updated July 13, 2020]

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  From the Summary: "Several high-profile incidents where there have been complaints of the use of excessive force against individuals and subsequent backlash in the form of civil unrest have generated interest in what role Congress could play in facilitating efforts to build trust between the police and the people they serve. This report provides an overview of the federal government's role in local police-community relations."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Finklea, Kristin; Novak, Whitney K. . . .

  2020-07-13
• Criminal Records Expungement and the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 [September 18, 2020]

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  From the Document: "The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of 2019 (H.R. 3884; S. 2227) would expunge the criminal records of convictions for qualifying federal marijuana offenses and all related arrests for individuals no longer serving a criminal justice sentence. Most of these offenses fall under the Controlled Substances Act, but Section 2 of both the House and Senate bills references other federal marijuana offenses in Title 16 and Title 18 of the U.S. Code. The bills would require each federal district court, within one year of enactment of the bill, to issue an order expunging records of convictions or adjudications for juvenile delinquency and related arrests for federal marijuana offenses entered into, on, or after May 1, 1971, up until the day the bill is enacted. Also, the bills would allow anyone who has been convicted or adjudicated delinquent for a marijuana offense and is not currently serving a sentence to petition the court for expungement, which would allow for convictions and associated arrests to be expunged before the end of the one-year review period. [...] The MORE Act would allow those currently serving a sentence for a federal marijuana offense to petition a court for resentencing as if the penalty for their marijuana offense was not in effect at the time of their initial sentencing."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan; Sacco, Lisa N.

  2020-09-18
• Risk and Needs Assessment in the Criminal Justice System [October 13, 2015]

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  "The number of people incarcerated in the United States has increased significantly over the past three decades from approximately 419,000 inmates in 1983 to approximately 1.5 million inmates in 2013. Concerns about both the economic and social consequences of the country's growing reliance on incarceration have led to calls for reforms to the nation's criminal justice system. There have been legislative proposals to implement a risk and needs assessment system in federal prisons. The system would be used to place inmates in rehabilitative programs. Under the proposed system some inmates would be eligible to earn additional time credits for participating in rehabilitative programs that reduce their risk of recidivism. Such credits would allow inmates to be placed on pre-release custody earlier. The proposed system would exclude inmates convicted of certain offenses from being eligible to earn additional time credits. […] However, the wide-scale adoption of risk and needs assessment in the criminal justice system is not without controversy. Several critiques have been raised against the use of risk and needs assessment, including that it could have discriminatory effects because some risk factors are correlated with race; that it uses group base rates for recidivism to make determinations about an individual's propensity for re-offending; and that risk and needs assessment are two distinct procedures and should be conducted separately."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2015-10-13
• Risk and Needs Assessment in the Criminal Justice System [July 24, 2015]

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  "The number of people incarcerated in the United States has increased significantly over the past three decades from approximately 419,000 inmates in 1983 to approximately 1.5 million inmates in 2013. Concerns about both the economic and social consequences of the country's growing reliance on incarceration have led to calls for reforms to the nation's criminal justice system. […] Risk and needs assessment instruments typically consist of a series of items used to collect data on behaviors and attitudes that research indicates are related to the risk of recidivism. Generally, inmates are classified as being high, moderate, or low risk. Assessment instruments are comprised of static and dynamic risk factors. Static risk factors do not change, while dynamic risk factors can either change on their own or be changed through an intervention. In general, research suggests that the most commonly used assessment instruments can, with a moderate level of accuracy, predict who is at risk for violent recidivism. It also suggests that no single instrument is superior to any other when it comes to predictive validity. The Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) model has become the dominant paradigm in risk and needs assessment. The risk principle states that high-risk offenders need to be placed in programs that provide more intensive treatment and services while low-risk offenders should receive minimal or even no intervention. The need principle states that effective treatment should focus on addressing needs that contribute to criminal behavior. The responsivity principle states that rehabilitative programming should be delivered in a style and mode that is consistent with the ability and learning style of the offender."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2015-07-24
• Risk and Needs Assessment in the Criminal Justice System [June 22, 2015]

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  "The number of people incarcerated in the United States has increased significantly over the past three decades from approximately 419,000 inmates in 1983 to approximately 1.5 million inmates in 2013. Concerns about both the economic and social consequences of the country's growing reliance on incarceration have led to calls for reforms to the nation's criminal justice system. There have been legislative proposals to implement a risk and needs assessment system in federal prisons. The system would be used to place inmates in rehabilitative programs. Under the proposed system some inmates would be eligible to earn additional time credits for participating in rehabilitative programs that reduce their risk of recidivism. Such credits would allow inmates to be placed on prerelease custody earlier. The proposed system would exclude inmates convicted of certain offenses from being eligible to earn additional time credits. Risk and needs assessment instruments typically consist of a series of items used to collect data on behaviors and attitudes that research indicates are related to the risk of recidivism. Generally, inmates are classified as being high, moderate, or low risk. Assessment instruments are comprised of static and dynamic risk factors. Static risk factors do not change, while dynamic risk factors can either change on their own or be changed through an intervention. In general, research suggests that the most commonly used assessment instruments can, with a moderate level of accuracy, predict who is at risk for violent recidivism. It also suggests that no single instrument is superior to any other when it comes to predictive validity."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2015-06-22
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program [Updated February 5, 2021]

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  From the Background: "Under the initial authorization for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program (Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, P.L. 103-322, 'the 1994 Crime Act'), grants could be awarded for (1) hiring new police officers or rehiring police officers who have been laid off to engage in community policing, (2) hiring former members of the armed services to serve as career law enforcement officers engaged in community policing, and (3) supporting nonhiring initiatives, such as training law enforcement officers in crime prevention and community policing techniques or developing technologies that support crime prevention strategies. The COPS program was reauthorized by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162). The act reauthorized appropriations for the COPS program from FY2006 to FY2009. Under that authorization, the COPS program changed from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program under which DOJ [Department of Justice] can make grants to state, local, and tribal governments, and other public and private entities for a variety of enumerated purposes, including hiring or rehiring community policing officers; procuring law enforcement equipment, technology, or support systems; or establishing school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems (see 34 U.S.C. §10381(b)). Congress has continued to appropriate funding for the COPS program even though authorized appropriations for the program expired in FY2009."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2021-02-05
• Public Trust and Law Enforcement-A Brief Discussion for Policy Makers [February 9, 2015]

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  "Recent events 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. . . .

  2015-02-09
• 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
• Law Enforcement Reform Provisions in H.R. 4505 [August 5, 2021]

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  From the Document: "The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 (JIPA, H.R. 1280) was passed by the House on March 3, 2021; the bill has not been taken up by the Senate. The FY2022 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill (H.R. 4505), reported by the House Committee on Appropriations, would implement parts of JIPA by funding some of the new grant programs and placing conditions on existing grant programs that would be authorized by JIPA."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2021-08-05
• 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
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background and Funding [December 6, 2011]

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  From the Summary: "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. [Public Law] 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, 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
• 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
• Federal Habeas Corpus Relief: Background, Legislation, and Issues [Updated January 12, 2007]

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  From the Summary: "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): Background and Funding [May 14, 2013]

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  From the Summary: "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. [Public Law] 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
• Addressing Catalytic Converter Theft [July 6, 2021]

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  From the Document: "Thefts of catalytic converters, a key part of the emission control systems of internal combustion vehicles, are on the rise. The devices, which are installed not only on passenger vehicles but also on buses, motorcycles, and commercial trucks, use valuable metals to reduce pollutants emanating from the engine. Replacing a stolen catalytic converter can cost a passenger vehicle owner up to $3,000. These thefts have generated interest among policymakers in what role the federal government can play in addressing the issue. Some congressional offices are examining how existing federal motor vehicle theft statutes might be amended to address this issue."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Canis, Bill; James, Nathan

  2021-07-06
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS): Background, Legislation, and Funding [July 14, 2009]

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  From the Summary: "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 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 [January 13, 2014]

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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. 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. 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 of issues Congress may consider if it chooses to take up legislation to reauthorize the COPS program."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2014-01-13
• 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
• Prisoners' Eligibility for Pell Grants: Issues for Congress [May 20, 2019]

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  From the Summary: "Under Department of Education (ED) regulations, any student who is 'serving a criminal sentence in a federal or state penitentiary, prison, jail, reformatory, work farm, or other similar correctional institution' is not eligible to receive a Pell Grant. However, in 2015 ED used its authority under the Higher Education Act (HEA) to create the Second Chance Pell Experiment to determine if access to Pell Grants would increase the enrollment of incarcerated individuals in high-quality postsecondary correctional education programs. Under the experiment, participating institutions of higher education, in partnership with federal and/or state correctional institutions, award Pell Grants to students who are otherwise Pell-eligible except for being incarcerated in a federal or state institution. The experiment is expected to conclude in 2020."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Dortch, Cassandria; James, Nathan

  2019-05-20
• 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: 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
• 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
• School Safety and Target Hardening [June 10, 2022]

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  From the Document: "The May 2022 deaths of 19 students and 2 teachers in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, has led some Members of Congress to discuss a range of policy options to address gun violence in schools, several of which have been considered after previous mass shootings in schools. One option that has again gained the attention of policymakers is 'target hardening' of schools, which generally involves attempts to fortify schools against gun violence through their physical design and additional security measures."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2022-06-10
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program [Updated May 17, 2022]

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  From the Background: "Under the initial authorization for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program (Title I of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, P.L. 103-322, 'the 1994 Crime Act'), grants could be awarded for (1) hiring new police officers or rehiring police officers who have been laid off to engage in community policing, (2) hiring former members of the armed services to serve as career law enforcement officers engaged in community policing, and (3) supporting community policing nonhiring initiatives, such as training law enforcement officers in crime prevention and community policing techniques or developing technologies that support crime prevention strategies. The COPS program was reauthorized by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-162). The act changed the COPS program from a multi-grant program to a single-grant program under which DOJ [Department of Justice] can make grants to state, local, and tribal governments, and other public and private entities for a variety of enumerated purposes (see 34 U.S.C. §10381(b)). Congress has continued to appropriate funding for the COPS program even though authorized appropriations for the program expired in FY2009."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  James, Nathan

  2022-05-17
• Federal Support for School Safety and Security [Updated May 27, 2022]

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  From the Summary: "In the United States, more than 70 million students are enrolled in public elementary and secondary (K-12) schools or degree-granting postsecondary institutions. School and campus safety and security for these students encompasses many issues, including violence prevention and response, school climate, and the physical and mental health of the school community. Students' safety and security while in school is an area of concern for the federal government and state and local governments, as well as school districts, institutions of higher education, students' families, and Members of Congress. [...] State and local governments oversee K-12 education in public schools. Colleges and universities are a mix of public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit entities with varying governance structures. The federal government's main avenue for supporting schools in general and school and campus safety specifically is through grant programs. This report provides an overview of grant programs at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that provide direct or indirect funding for school and campus safety and security initiatives. The report also provides an overview of programs and initiatives administered by these departments that support school safety and security efforts in other ways, such as through data collection and reporting and technical assistance."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Dragoo, Kyrie E.; James, Nathan; Duff, Johnathan H. . . .

  2022-05-27