Criminal Justice Issues on Capitol Hill: Funding and Legislation

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Criminal Justice Issues on Capitol Hill Funding
and Legislation

• National Association of
• Justice Information Systems
• National Conference
• September 2009

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Agenda and Overview

• Current landscape
• Trends in justice funding
• Recovery Act funding
• DOJ and DHS programs
• FY10 funding bills
• Criminal justice legislation on the horizon
• How to be involved

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Current Landscape

• Frenetic post-election activity
• Recovery Act implementation all-consuming
• Appropriations bills on time so far
• Administration sympathetic to justice funding
• DOJ reaching out to field
• Awaiting key DOJ appointees
• Significant new legislation on the horizon

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• Trends in Justice Program Funding

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Trends in Justice Funding

• Funding for state/local programs steady again,
  after downward fall since FY03
• Recovery Act provided jolt to key programs, after
  Byrne JAG cut but
• Discretionary funding tighter than ever
• New programs will compete for funding

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Trends in Justice Funding
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New programs compete for funding

• Recent legislation competing for funding
• Second Chance Act
• COPS Hiring program
• Targeted VAWA programs
• New legislation will compete too
• Youth PROMISE Act/Gangs bills
• Sen. Webbs CJ commission bill

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• Recovery Act Funding of Justice Assistance
  Programs

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Success!

• Large coalition worked for restoration
• Unprecedented support on the Hill
• Messages
• Jobs creation/retention
• Interruption of services (e.g. task forces)

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Funding in Recovery Act

• 2 billion for Byrne JAG formula
• 1 billion for COPS hiring
• 225 million for VAWA grants
• 100 million for VOCA programs
• New competitive grant programs
• Byrne Competitive (225 million)
• Rural law enforcement (125 million)
• Tribal prison construction (225 million)
• Southern border and HIDTAs (40 million)

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Unique Features of Recovery Act

• Regular purpose areas with focus on job
  creation and retention
• Pressure to spend quickly
• Accountability and transparency
• Reporting may be complicated
• Public reporting on www.recovery.gov

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www.recovery.gov
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• Trends in Other Justice Program Funding

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Trends in Byrne JAG Funding

• Level funding in FY10 proposed bills

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Trends in COPS Funding

• Strong brand name and support on Hill
• Earmarked
• Obama and Hill restarting hiring program

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Trends in SCAAP Funding

• Reimburses cost of incarcerating illegal
  immigrants
• Regional issue
• WH requested 0
• Congress trying to restore

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Trends in JJ Funding

• Stable funding
• Most expect funding to rise under Obama
• OJJDP mandates increasing
• Youth PROMISE may pass

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Trends in RSAT Funding

• Funding way down far short of need
• Obama/Hill seeking increases in FY10

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Trends in VAWA Funding

• Funding steady many small grant programs

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Trends in Drug Court Funding

• Funded by Byrne JAG and separate account
• Growing interest in specialty courts

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Trends in SHSGP Funding

• Funding level formulas shift to urban areas
• 25 for LE terrorism prevention purposes

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Trends in UASI Funding

• Strong support in Congress
• 25 for local law enforcement

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• Prospects for Funding in Fiscal Year 2010

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Prospects for FY10

• Where are we in the process?
• Obama budget released early May
• Level or increased funding
• Added COPS/hiring eliminated SCAAP
• House passed CJS bill
• Senate expects to pass CJS after recess
• DHS bills in conference

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Prospects for FY10, cont

• What is in the pending funding bills?
• Bills track Administrations budget request
• Structure similar to previous years
• Byrne JAG carve outs differ between bills
• SCAAP funding differs between bills
• Conference committee will have to find new money
  or cut some programs

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Prospects for FY10, cont

• What do we expect to happen?
• Administration and Congress ready to invest in
  state/local justice programs again
• Butdiscretionary funding tighter than ever
• Need to find the money to fund SCAAP, COPS
  hiring, OJP/COPS admin account
• Expect roughly level funding in FY10

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• Key Legislation
• on the Horizon

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Key Legislation on the Horizon

• Thematic priorities
• Reducing prison population
• Alternatives to incarceration
• Reentry and reducing recidivism
• Evidence-based prevention programs
• Select enforcement issues

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Key Legislation, cont

• Reducing prison population
• Crack/powder sentencing reform
• Pre-trial services support and funding
• Drug, mental health and other specialty courts
• Alternatives to incarceration
• Community corrections / specialty courts
• Reentry and reducing recidivism
• Second Chance Act reauthorization
• 40-hour work week bill

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Key Legislation, cont

• Prevention
• JJJDPA and JABG reauthorizations
• Youth PROMISE Act
• Expands prevention programs
• Creates YOPS corps focused on kids and gangs
• Creates local coordinating councils
• Gangs bills
• Increases federal penalties
• HIDTA-like program for gangs

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Key Legislation, cont

• Select enforcement issues
• Hate crimes bill
• COPS reauthorization bill
• Child Internet exploitation
• Adam Walsh amendments?
• Other
• Sen. Webbs criminal justice commission
• DOJ reauthorization bill

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• Final Thoughts

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How Can I Get Involved?

• Educate members of Congress and their staffs
• Tour local projects
• Introduce them to people who benefit by a program
• Meet their district office staff
• EXPLAIN how programs impact families
• Expand local stakeholder coalitions
• THANK them for the Recovery Act funding
• Use the media to tell the good story
• Join NCJA!

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Why NCJA?

• Be the first to know! Stay up to date on the Hill
  and grants opportunities
• Access to national leaders and networking
• Help shape national policies and funding

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Final Thoughts

• Remember
• Grant programs are not entitlements
• Collaboration is key
• Results matter communicate with decision
  makers, elected officials
• The real goal is crime prevention

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Contact Information

• Cabell Cropper Elizabeth Pyke
• Executive Director Director of Government
  Affairs
• ccropper_at_ncja.org epyke_at_ncja.org
• 202-628-8550 main 202-448-1715 direct
• National Criminal Justice Association
• www.ncja.org