[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 31 (Thursday, February 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANTS ACT OF 1995

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                               speech of

                          HON. MARTIN R. HOKE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 728) to 
     control crime by providing law enforcement block grants.

  Mr. HOKE. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is designed to address the 
problem of inaccurate reporting of crime statistics.
  We all know that many localities do not make crime data gathering a 
top priority. However, under this bill their financial award will be 
based on their reported data. I am sure we all agree on the importance 
of making sure accurate data is used when the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance calculates awards.
  My amendment states that if the director of the Bureau of Justice 
Assistance believes that the reported rate of violent crimes for a 
local unit of government is inaccurate, he must investigate the 
methodology used by the locality to determine the accuracy of the 
submitted data. If he determines that the submitted data is 
inaccurate--for whatever reason--he is to use the best comparable data 
available instead.
  The amendment places no additional burden on the localities and gives 
the director the discretion to determine which cases deserve 
investigation.
  Mr. Chairman, this is a common sense amendment. Local units of 
government should not benefit financially--at the expense of other 
localities--for inaccurately reported crime data.
  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to explain my amendment. I 
urge its adoption.
    Amendment to H.R. 728, as Reported, Offered by Mr. Hoke of Ohio

       Page 18, strike line 23 through ``poses'' on line 24, and 
     insert the following:
       ``(c) Unavailability and Inaccuracy of Information.--
       ``(1) Data for states.--For purposes''.
       Page 19, after line 4, add the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) Possible inaccuracy of data for units of local 
     government.--In addition to the provisions of paragraph (1), 
     if the Director believes that the reported rate of part 1 
     violent crimes for a unit of local government is inaccurate, 
     the Director shall--
       ``(A) investigate the methodology used by such unit to 
     determine the accuracy of the submitted data; and
       ``(B) when necessary, use the best available comparable 
     data regarding the number of violent crimes for such years 
     for such unit of local government.
     

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