[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWINE (for himself, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. 
        Specter):
  S. 1893. A Bill to establish a law enforcement block grant program; 
to the Committee on the Judiciary.


           the local law enforcement block grant act of 1998

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce the Local Law 
Enforcement Block Grants Act of 1998, which reauthorizes the very 
successful Local Law Enforcement Grant Program. This program gives 
local governments the resources to fight crime, without the 
``Washington knows best'' strings attached. I believe it is a mistake 
for Washington to try to micromanage how local communities spend their 
law enforcement dollars. Instead Washington should play the role of 
partner with local law enforcement to improve the tools they use to 
fight crime.
  My views on this issue are based on more than 20 years of experience 
in the criminal justice system: as a prosecutor in Greene County, Ohio; 
in the Ohio State Senate; as a United States Congressman on the 
Judiciary Committee; as Lieutenant Governor overseeing anti-crime and 
anti-drug efforts; and now, as a member on the Senate Judiciary 
Committee. I have had an opportunity to work on criminal justice issues 
from the local, state, and federal levels, and have been fortunate to 
see firsthand what Congress can do to help local communities be victors 
in the war on crime.
  Because 90 percent of all criminal prosecution is local, the fight 
against crime will be won or lost by local law enforcement, local 
prosecutors and courts, and concerned citizens in every community. I 
believe the best way for the federal government to help local 
communities fight crime is to return more money to those communities, 
because in the final analysis, it is they who will get the job done. 
For too long the Federal Government has had all the money--and local 
communities all the crime. Local communities know what works--and they 
should have the resources.
  From 1999-2003, this Act authorizes $750 million each year for direct 
grants to local law enforcement to reduce crime and improve public 
safety. Distributions are made by the Bureau of Justice Assistance on a 
formula basis, directly to local governments. Grants may include, but 
are not limited to, equipment and law enforcement personnel, enhancing 
school security measures, violent offender adjudication, drug courts, 
crime prevention programs and youth intervention programs.
  One of the most frequent uses of this grant money in Ohio, and by 
local law enforcement across the country, has been for crime fighting 
technology. I believe there is a critical need to modernize the crime 
fighting tools used by local law enforcement, who have been fighting 
increasingly sophisticated criminals with outmoded tools. That's why I 
am expressly providing that funds may also be used for information and 
identification technology, such as criminal history information, 
fingerprint dissemination, and DNA and ballistics tests.
  Let me underscore here that this Act leaves to local governments the 
decision regarding what their funding priorities should be, while at 
the same time requiring accountability as to how funds are ultimately 
used. Local advisory boards also have an opportunity to recommend how 
monies are spent as well. These funds will help local law enforcement 
meet the critical local needs, by letting them put the resources where 
they are needed most.

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