NCJ Number
79900
Date Published
1980
Length
392 pages
Annotation
These hearings before a Senate subcommittee examine the Federal responsibility to State and local law enforcement in the field of criminal justice, with attention to the problems of LEAA and the current status of and future trends in criminal justice.
Abstract
Persons testifying include Government and law enforcement representatives with expertise in crime statistics and the law. The Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics notes that to meet the crime problem, it is necessary to account for the country's changing demography, the temporary nature of demands for new correctional institutions, the need for approaches to crime prevention that are cost effective and realistic, and the need for shifts in the nature of law enforcement that meet shifts in the nature of crime. Others testifying attempt to explain the factors behind the demise of LEAA and to offer alternatives to an important contribution of LEAA -- cooperation and coordination among police, prosecutors, courts, and corrections. Support is offered for Senator Dole's bill which is intended to provide technical and financial assistance to the State and local governments to undertake comprehensive criminal justice construction programs to improve criminal justice facilities. Legal experts suggest that the Federal Government support States and local communities in the areas of research and technical assistance, in data collection and dissemination, and in the education and training of criminal justice personnel. Some of the prepared statements include graphs, tables, and references. Additional testimony and prepared statements and letters are appended.