Policy & Politics
Congress Cuts Crime Victim Aid, Tracks Police Misconduct
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Federal aid to programs that help crime victims would drop by nearly one-third under an appropriations bill approved by congressional leaders on Sunday.
Policy & Politics
First Step Act Funding Hiked to $409M in Trump Budget Plan
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The White House’s $31.7 billion budget proposal for the Justice Department includes large sums to fight violent crime, counter mass violence and combat the opioid crisis. But it would also cut many programs, including a 20 percent drop in aid to crime victims.
Juvenile Justice
Fed Juvenile Justice Chief Promises Less Red Tape for Youth Protection Programs
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Caren Harp, head of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Protection, says the government hopes to “roll back” the bureaucratic requirements that have led to states dropping out of a program aimed at ensuring core protections for youths in custody.
Reforming the System
White House Pledges Hard Work on First Step Act
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The pledge was made Thursday by Ja’Ron Smith of the White House’s Office of American Innovation at the inaugural “leadership summit” of the Council on Criminal Justice, a new national organization devoted to studying problems in the criminal justice system.
Reforming the System
Senators Revive Effort to Create Criminal Justice Commission
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Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) reintroduced a proposal to create a 14-member bipartisan commission. An early backer is presidential candidate Kamala Harris (D-CA).
Policy & Politics
DOJ Budget Aims at Opioids, Immigration, Cybersecurity
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Under the budget sent by the White House to Congress Monday, the Justice Department will be hit with a small decrease. But it would still fare better than many other federal agencies, which could lose more than 10 percent. One agency targeted for the chopping block: the Community Oriented Policing Services program (COPS).
Washington Report
DOJ Backs Down on Justice Reinvestment
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The Justice Department had announced a new direction for the justice reinvestment program that encourages states to cut prison populations. The proposal has been withdrawn after advocates of reinvestment sought support from key members of Congress.
Reforming the System
Civil Rights Advocates Say Risk Assessment May ‘Worsen Racial Disparities’ in Bail Decisions
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More than 100 civil rights, “digital justice” and community groups issued a statement expressing concerns about the expanding use of risk assessment instruments as a substitute for basing bail releases on money. The groups said risk assessment tools may not only exacerbate racial bias but “allow further incarceration.”
Washington Report
Criminal Justice Research Expands in NIJ’s 50th Year
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David Muhlhausen, director of the Justice Department’s research agency, predicted at a Washington, D.C., meeting that research will play “an ever more important role in how the criminal justice field operates.” The National Institute of Justice gave $221 million in grants last year.
Washington Report
Will Trump End Federal Support for Justice Reinvestment?
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The Trump administration wants to change the direction of a longstanding partnership with nonprofits aimed at reducing prison populations. Thirty-five states have taken part in the program.