NCJ Number
79785
Date Published
1981
Length
378 pages
Annotation
Representatives of Federal agencies testify before the Attorney General's Task Force on Violent Crime. Their testimony describes the extent of current Federal involvement in combating violent crime to help the task force determine what the Attorney General should be doing in this area.
Abstract
This volume contains testimony given in Washington, D.C., and provides baseline data for the task force's two-part assignment: (1) to contemplate how the Attorney General can be more effective in combating violent crime within the present budgetary and statutory framework and (2) to determine what changes, if any, should be made in the existing law or availability of resources. Dr. Harry Scarr, Assistant to the Associate Attorney General and past director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, presented an overview of crime statistics and discussed reporting methodology for the National Crime Surveys. William H. Webster, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, described the FBI's programs in fighting such personal crimes as bank robberies, kidnappings, and Congressional assassinations and in apprehending fugitives who cross State lines. Peter B. Bensinger, Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, told of that agency's efforts in coordinating the drug-law enforcement activities of State, local, and international agencies. Norman A. Carlson, Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, spoke of the agency's service of incarcerating violent and difficult-to-manage inmates under contract with requesting States. William P. Tyson, Acting Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, described the expansion of that group's role to include that of coordinating the prosecutorial activities of Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials. Robert J. Diegelman, Acting Director of OJARS (Office of Justice Assistance Research and Statistics), talked about Federal programs to assist State and local governments, such as the LEAA-funded career-criminal and victim-witness assistance/programs. William T. Archey, Acting Commissioner, Customs Service, told how the Customs Service devotes a third of its resources to enforcement of laws against drug smuggling. D. Lowell Jensen, Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Criminal Division, described how that division, in essence, picks up on the work product of the investigative agencies since it functions as the prosecutorial arm of the Federal Government. Other testimony was given by John J. Twomey, Deputy Director, Marshals Service; G.R. Dickerson, Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and Allen F. Breed, Director of the National Institute of Corrections. In a luncheon address, David Nurco, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, gave findings of a longitudinal study of narcotic addicts.