THE PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC PLAN:
CONTROLLING VIOLENT CRIME
The President proposes to expand his vigorous fight against
violent crime, providing a $6.7 billion increase a year by 2002 for
grants to States and localities; more resources for Federal
investigations, prosecutions, and imprisonment; and more support for
the Federal Judiciary to try and convict violent offenders. The
President would spend $7.5 billion more in 2002 than House Republicans
and $200 million more than Senate Republicans.
- The President proposes to fully fund the Violent Crime Reduction
Trust Fund (VCRTF), providing the full $30.2 billion authorized by the
VCRTF from 1995-2000. In addition, for 2001-02 the President would
add $8.5 billion, bringing total VCRTF funding to $38.7 billion for
1995-2002.
- House Republicans would cut programs authorized by the VCRTF
from 1995-2000.
- The President's proposal for the VCRTF would finance:
- 100,000 cops for State and local police forces, fulfilling a
major promise of the President and adding almost 20 percent to
State and local police forces;
- reimbursements to States which have paid to incarcerate
criminal illegal aliens; and
- State and local grants to:
- bring new prison cells into service;
- confront the problems of violence against women; and
- finance "drug courts" which provide cost-effective ways to
deal with first-time, non-violent drug offenders.
- The President would provide an increase of $1.7 billion by 2002
for Justice Department crime fighting programs, including heightened
border enforcement, increased FBI and DEA funding to address drug
abuse, street crime, and terrorism; and increased resources for the
Federal Prison System for new prisons and costs tied to a growing
population of violent criminals.
- Republicans would not provide specific increases for these
programs.
- The President would increase funding by $500 million a year by
2002 for the Federal court system to adjudicate violent criminal
cases.
- Republicans would not provide any increases for the Federal
Judiciary.
- The President would terminate several unnecessary or redundant
programs, such as the State Justice Institute, the Administrative
Conference of the U.S., and the U.S. Parole Commission.
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