Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
U.S. Department of Justice
Fact Sheet
The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 represents
the bipartisan product of six years of hard work. It is the largest crime bill
in the history of the country and will provide for 100,000 new police
officers, $9.7 billion in funding for prisons and $6.1 billion in funding for
prevention programs which were designed with significant input from
experienced police officers. The Act also significantly expands the
government's ability to deal with problems caused by criminal aliens.
The Crime Bill provides $2.6 billion in additional funding for the FBI, DEA,
INS, United States Attorneys, and other Justice Department components,
as well as the Federal courts and the Treasury Department. Some of the
most significant provisions of the bill are summarized below:
Substantive Criminal Provisions
Assault Weapons
Bans the manufacture of 19 military-style assault weapons, assault
weapons with specific combat features, "copy-cat" models, and certain
high-capacity ammunition magazines of more than ten rounds.
Death Penalty
Expands the Federal death penalty to cover about 60 offenses, including
terrorist homicides, murder of a Federal law enforcement officer,
large-scale drug trafficking, drive-by-shootings resulting in death and
carjackings resulting in death.
Domestic Abusers and Firearms
Prohibits firearms sales to and possession by persons subject to family
violence restraining orders.
Firearms Licensing
Strengthens Federal licensing standards for firearms dealers.
Fraud
Creates new insurance and telemarketing fraud categories. Expands
Federal jurisdiction to cases that do not involve the use of delivery
services to commit a fraud. Provides special sentencing enhancements
for fraud crimes committed against the elderly.
Gang Crimes
Provides new and stiffer penalties for violent and drug trafficking crimes
committed by gang members.
Immigration
Provides for enhanced penalties for alien smuggling, illegal reentry after
deportation and other immigration-related crimes. (See Part II).
Juveniles
Authorizes adult prosecution of those 13 and older charged with certain
serious violent crimes. Prohibits the sale or transfer of a firearm to or
possession of certain firearms by juveniles. Triples the maximum
penalties for using children to distribute drugs in or near a protected
zone, i.e., schools, playgrounds, video arcades and youth centers.
Registration of Sexually Violent Offenders
Requires states to enact statutes or regulations which require those
determined to be sexually violent predators or who are convicted of
sexually violent offenses to register with appropriate state law
enforcement agencies for ten years after release from prison. Requires
state prison officials to notify appropriate agencies of the release of such
individuals. Requires states to criminally punish those who fail to
register. States which fail to establish registration systems may have
Federal grant money reduced.
Repeat Sex Offenders
Doubles the maximum term of imprisonment for repeat sex offenders
convicted of Federal sex crimes.
Three Strikes
Mandatory life imprisonment without possibility of parole for Federal
offenders with three or more convictions for serious violent felonies or
drug trafficking crimes.
Victims of Crime
Allows victims of Federal violent and sex crimes to speak at the
sentencing of their assailants. Strengthens requirements for sex
offenders and child molesters to pay restitution to their victims. Improves
the Federal Crime Victims' Fund and the victim-related programs it
supports.
Other
Creates new crimes or enhances penalties for: drive-by-shootings, use of
semi-automatic weapons, sex offenses, crimes against the
elderly, interstate firearms trafficking, firearms theft and smuggling,
arson, hate crimes and interstate domestic violence.
Immigration Initiatives
The Crime Bill contains specialized enforcement provisions respecting
immigration and criminal aliens. Those programs are highlighted here:
$1.2 billion for border control, criminal alien depor.tations, asylum reform
and a criminal alien tracking center.
$1.8 billion to reimburse states for incarceration of illegal criminal aliens.
(See State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) Grants in Section
III).
Enhanced penalties for failure to depart the United States after a
deportation order or reentry after deportation.
Expedited deportation for aliens who are not lawful permanent residents
and who are convicted of aggravated felonies.
Statutory authority for abused spouses and spouses with abused children
to petition for permanent residency or suspension of deportation.
Grant Programs For 1995
Most of these programs are authorized for six years beginning October 1,
1994. Some are formula grants, awarded to states or localities based on
population, crime rate or some other combination of factors. Many are
competitive grants. All grants will require an application process and are
administered by the Department of Justice unless otherwise noted. As
always, all funds for the years 1996-2000 are subject to appropriation by
the Congress.
Brady Implementation
Competitive grant program for states to upgrade criminal history records
keeping so as to permit compliance with the Brady Act. $ 1 00 million
appropriated in 1995. In addition, the Brady Act authorizes $1 00 million
for FY 1996. $50 million of this amount is authorized to be expended from
the Violent Crime Control Act Trust Fund.
Byrne Grants
Formula grant program for states for use in more than 20 law
enforcement purposes, including state and local drug task force efforts.
$450 million appropriated for the formula grant program in 1995. $550
million authorized in 1996-2000 for both formula and discretionary.
Community Policing
Competitive grant program (COPS Program) to put 100,000 police officers
on the streets in community policing programs. $1.3 billion available in
1995. $7.5 billion authorized in 1996-2000.
Community Schools
Formula grant program administered by the Department of Health and
Human Services for supervised afterschool, weekend, and summer
programs for at-risk youth. $25.9 million available in 1995. $567 million
authorized in 1995-2000.
Correctional Facilities/Boot Camps
Formula and competitive grant program for state corrections agencies to
build and operate correctional facilities, including boot camps and other
alternatives to incarceration, to insure that additional space will be
available to put - and keep - violent offenders incarcerated. Fifty percent
of money to be set aside for those states which adopt truth-in-sentencing
laws (violent offenders must serve at least 85% of their sentence) or which
meet other conditions. $24.5 million in competitive funds available for
boot camps in 1995. $7.9 billion authorized in 1996.2000.
Drug Courts
Competitive grant program to support state and local drug courts which
provide supervision and specialized services to offenders with
rehabilitation potential. $29 million available in 1995. $971 million
authorized in 1996-2000.
Family and Community Endeavor Schools
Competitive grants program administered by the Department of
Education for localities and community organizations to help improve
the overall development of at-risk youth living in poor and high-crime
communities. This program is for both in-school and after-school
activities. $11 million available in 1995. $232 million authorized in
1996-2000.
Hotline
Competitive grant program administered by the Department of Health
and Human Services to establish a National Domestic Violence Hotline.
$1 million authorized in 1995. $2 million authorized in 1996-2000.
Prevention Council
Provides funding for the President's Prevention Council to coordinate
new and existing crime prevention programs. $1.5 million available in
1995. $88.5 million authorized for competitive grants in 1996-2000.
SCAAP Grants
Formula grant program to reimburse states for the cost of incarcerating
criminal aliens. $130 million available in 1995. $1.67 billion authorized in
1996-2000.
Violence Against Women
Formula grant program to support police and prosecutor efforts and
victims services in cases involving sexual violence or domestic
abuse, and for other programs which strengthen enforcement and
provide services to victims in such cases. $26 million available in
1995. $774 million for formula grants and over $200 million for
competitive grants authorized in 1996-2000.
Grant Programs For 1996-2000
All programs available in 1995 are continued. All programs are
administered by the Department of Justice unless otherwise noted.
Funding for 1996-2000 is, as always, subject to appropriation by the
Congress.
Battered Women's Shelters
Competitive grant program administered by the Department of Health
and Human Services for battered women's shelters and other domestic
violence prevention activities. $325 million authorized.
Capital Improvements to Prevent Crime in Public Parks
Competitive grant program administered by the Department of Interior
for states and localities for crime prevention programs in national and
public parks. $15 million authorized.
Community Economic Partnership
Competitive program administered by the Department of Health and
Human Services for lines of credit to community development
corporations to stimulate business and employment opportunities for
low-income, unemployed and underemployed individuals. $270 million
authorized.
Crime Prevention Block Grants
$377 million authorized for a new Local Crime Prevention Block Grant
program to be distributed to local governments to be used as
local needs dictates. Authorized programs include: anti-gang programs,
sports leagues, boys and girls clubs, partnerships (triads) between the
elderly and law enforcement, police partnerships for children and youth
skills programs.
Delinquent and At-Risk-Youth
Competitive grant program for public or private non profit organizations
to support the development and operation of projects to provide
residential services to youth, aged 11 to 19, who have dropped out
of school, have come into contact with the juvenile justice system or are
at risk of either. $36 million authorized.
DNA Analysis
Competitive grant program for states and localities to develop or
improve DNA identification capabilities. $40 million authorized. An
additional $25 million is authorized to the FBI for DNA identification
programs.
Drug Treatment
$383 million for prison drug treatment programs, including $270 million
in formula grants for states.
Education and Prevention to Reduce Sexual Assaults Against Women
Competitive grant program administered by the Department of Health
and Human Services to fund rape prevention and education programs in
the form of educational seminars, hotlines, training programs for
professionals and the preparation of informational materials. $205 million
authorized.
Local Partnership Act
Formula grant program administered by the Department of Housing and
Urban Development for localities to enhance education, provide
substance abuse treatment and fund job programs to prevent crimes.
$1.6 billion authorized.
Model Intensive Grants
Competitive grant program for model crime prevention programs
targeted at high-crime neighborhoods. Up to 15 cities will be selected.
$625 million authorized.
Police Corps
Competitive funding for the Police Corps (college scholarships for
students who agree to serve as police officers), and formula grants to
states for scholarships to in-service law enforcement officers. $100
million authorized for Police Corps, and $ 1 00 million authorized for
in-service law enforcement scholarships.
Prosecutors
Competitive grant program for state and local courts, prosecutors and
public defenders. $150 million authorized.
Rural Law Enforcement
Formula grant program for rural anti-crime and drug enforcement efforts,
including task forces. $240 million authorized.
Technical Automation
Competitive grant program to support technological improvements for
law enforcement agencies and other activities to improve law
enforcement training and information systems. $130 million authorized.
Urban Recreation For At-Risk-youth
Competitive grant program administered by the Department of Interior
for localities to provide recreation facilities and services in areas with
high crime rates and to provide such services in other areas to
at-risk-youth. $4.5 million authorized.
For More Information
For further information about the Violent Crime and law Enforcement Act
of 1994, contact the:
Department of Justice
Response Center
1-800-421-6770
In the Washington, DC metropolitan area:
202-307-1480
October 24,1994
NCJ FS000067
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