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Justice System Improvement Act of 1978 - Message to the Congress on the Proposed Legislation, July 10, 1978

NCJ Number
76101
Journal
Weekly Compelation of Presidential Documents Volume: 14 Dated: (July 10, 1978) Pages: 1246-1249
Author(s)
J Carter
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The text of President Carter's message to Congress on the proposed Justice System Improvement Act of 1978 describes the weaknesses in Law Enforcement Assistance Adminstration (LEAA) programs and explains how the proposed legislation will correct them.
Abstract
The current statute authorizing LEAA imposes 25 broad planning requirements, which result in lengthy annual State plans of uncertain value. Planning requirements under the proposed legislation will be reduced from 25 to 8 and plans will be submitted once every 3 years instead of every year. LEAA funds, which are distributed to States solely on the basis of population, will be targeted to areas with the greatest crime problems. To impose more meaningful limits on the use of LEAA funds, strict limitations will be placed on the use of funds for equipment, hardware, administrative expenses, and general salary expense. To eliminate uncertainty over funding levels, municipalities over 100,000 in population and counties over 250,000 in population will receive a fixed allocation of LEAA funds each year under the proposed new law. Greater neighborhood and community group participation will be assured through required local hearings and representation on State and local advisory boards. Finally, the proposed legislation will consolidate within civil and criminal research efforts in a new National Institute of Justice and civil and criminal statistical programs in a new Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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