Violent Crime Reduction Act of 1993

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Increase in the Number of Trained Law Enforcement

Personnel

Subtitle A: Rapid Deployment Strike Force

Subtitle B: Federal-State Anti-Drug and Anti-Violence

Task Forces

Subtitle C: Police Corps Program

Subtitle D: Law Enforcement Scholarship and Employment

Program

Subtitle E: Job Training and Placement for Separated

Members of the Armed Forces

Title II: Studies

Subtitle A: Commission on Crime and Violence

Subtitle B: Use of Antiloitering Laws to Fight Crime

Title III: Violent and Habitual Offenders

Subtitle A: Serious Habitual Offender Comprehensive

Action Program

Subtitle B: Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Grants

Title IV: Prisons

Subtitle A: Prison for Violent Drug Offenders

Subtitle B: Task Force on Prison Construction

Standardization and Techniques

Title V: Violent Crime and Drug Emergency Areas

Violent Crime Reduction Act of 1993 - Title I: Increase in the Number of Trained Law Enforcement Personnel - Subtitle A: Rapid Deployment Strike Force - Directs the Attorney General to establish in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) a Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), which shall be made available to assist units of local government in combatting crime. Requires the RDF to be headed by a Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI and comprised of approximately 2,500 Federal law enforcement officers with training and experience in the investigation of violent and drug-related crime, criminal gangs, and juvenile delinquency and in community action to prevent crime.

(Sec. 102) Authorizes the Deputy Assistant Director, upon application of the Governor of a State and the chief executive officer of the affected local government and upon finding that criminal activity in a particular jurisdiction is being exacerbated by the interstate flow of drugs, guns, and criminals, to deploy on a temporary basis an RDF unit to assist State and local law enforcement agencies in the investigation of criminal activity. Sets forth provisions regarding application requirements, conditions of deployment, and deputization of RDF members.

(Sec. 104) Authorizes appropriations.

Subtitle B: Federal-State Anti-Drug and Anti-Violence Task Forces - Authorizes appropriations for the support and expansion of Federal-State anti-drug and anti-violence task forces participated in by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and U.S. Attorneys Offices with State and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for the purposes of: (1) enhancing interagency coordination of activities in the provision of intelligence information; (2) facilitating multijurisdictional investigations; and (3) aiding in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of drug traffickers and violent criminals.

Subtitle C: Police Corps Program - Requires a State that desires to participate in the Police Corps program (established pursuant to this Act) to designate a lead agency and submit a State plan containing assurances with respect to: (1) lead agency cooperation with other State and local agencies; (2) the State advertising of the assistance available; (3) State screening and selection of law enforcement personnel for participation in the program; and (4) compliance with other specified requirements.

(Sec. 124) Establishes within the Department of Justice (DOJ) an Office of the Police Corps to be headed by a Director.

(Sec. 125) Authorizes the Director to award scholarships to participants who agree to work for four years in a State or local police force after completion of a baccalaureate program and police corps training. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) scholarship assistance for dependent children of law enforcement officers; (2) the selection of participants; (3) minority recruitment; and (4) leaves of absence.

(Sec. 127) Requires the Director to establish up to three training centers to provide basic law enforcement training to State Police Corps program participants. Requires participants to attend two eight-week training sessions at such centers and to meet certain performance standards in order to remain in the program. Requires the Director to pay participants a weekly stipend during training.

(Sec. 129) Requires a State, in order to participate in the Police Corps program, to submit a plan for implementing such program to the Director for approval. Requires such plan to: (1) include assurances that participants will receive additional State or local training after completing Federal training which shall count toward the four-year service obligation; and (2) provide that program participants shall be assigned to community and preventive patrol in geographic areas with the greatest need for additional law enforcement personnel.

(Sec. 129A) Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) assistance to States and localities employing Police Corps officers; (2) the swearing in of participants and members of the police force to which they are assigned after completing Federal training and meeting the requirements of that police force; and (3) layoffs.

(Sec. 129C) Authorizes appropriations.

Subtitle D: Law Enforcement Scholarship and Employment Program - Sets forth requirements regarding designation of a lead agency and submission of a State plan which are analogous to those under the Police Corps program.

(Sec. 135) Directs each State to pay from funds under this Act the Federal share (not more than 60 percent) of the costs of: (1) awarding scholarships to in-service law enforcement personnel for further education; and (2) providing full-time employment in the summer or part-time employment for a period not to exceed one year.

(Sec. 138) Sets forth State and individual application requirements. Grants priority in awarding scholarships to persons who are members of underrepresented groups, are pursuing an undergraduate degree, and are not receiving financial assistance under the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(Sec. 139A) Requires each scholarship recipient to work in a law enforcement position in the State for a period of one month for each credit hour for which funds are received under the scholarship (with a six-month minimum and two-year maximum).

(Sec. 139C) Authorizes appropriations.

Subtitle E: Job Training and Placement for Separated Members of the Armed Forces - Amends the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an interagency agreement with the Directors of the FBI and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) under which the FBI and NIJ will develop and operate, on a reimbursable basis, a training program to assist eligible separated members of the armed forces in obtaining the training necessary to become law enforcement personnel. Sets forth provisions regarding the selection and number of participants, the content of the training program, and job placement assistance. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 142) Amends the JTPA to require the Secretary to offer to enter into a cooperative agreement with the National Center for Housing Management under which the Center will develop and operate a training program to assist eligible separated members of the armed forces in obtaining the training necessary to become managers and employees in public housing agencies and organizations that manage housing projects for such agencies. Sets forth provisions regarding the selection and number of participants, the content of the training program, the use of experts, evaluations, and job placement assistance. Authorizes appropriations.

Title II: Studies - Subtitle A: Commission on Crime and Violence - Establishes the National Commission on Crime and Violence in America to: (1) review all segments of the criminal justice system and the effectiveness of traditional criminal justice approaches in preventing and controlling crime and violence; (2) examine the impact that changes to Federal and State law during the past 25 years have had in controlling crime and violence; (3) convene hearings in various parts of the country to receive testimony from a cross-section of criminal justice professionals, victims of crime, and others; (4) bring to public attention successful models and programs in crime prevention, control, and antiviolence; and (5) develop a comprehensive and effective crime control and antiviolence strategy and recommend how to implement such a strategy in a coordinated fashion by Federal, State, and local authorities.

Subtitle B: Use of Antiloitering Laws to Fight Crime - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) study ways in which antiloitering laws can be used, without violating the constitutional rights of citizens, to eradicate open-air drug markets and other blatant criminal activity; (2) prepare a model antiloitering statute and guidelines for enforcing it to prevent, deter, and punish illegal drug and other criminal activity; and (3) make the results of the study and the model statute and guidelines available to Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities.

Title III: Violent and Habitual Offenders - Subtitle A: Serious Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program - Directs the Attorney General, using specified funds appropriated under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, to continue the funding of new demonstration projects in the Serious Habitual Offenders Comprehensive Action Program during FY 1995 through 1997.

Subtitle B: Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Grants - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) require States to impose a mandatory sentence of 20 years' imprisonment without possibility of probation, parole, or any other form of early release for a firearm offense committed by a career criminal (i.e., a person with three or more convictions under Federal or State law for crimes of violence) in order to avoid a 50 percent reduction of drug control and system improvement grant funds (to be reallocated equally among States in compliance); and (2) permit the use of such grants for programs designed to keep victims informed concerning the status of cases against offenders and to provide victims advance notification of the release of alleged offenders prior to conviction and of convicted offenders at the conclusion of their terms of imprisonment or on probation, parole, or any other form of release.

Title IV: Prisons - Subtitle A: Prison for Violent Drug Offenders - Directs the Attorney General to construct and operate ten regional prisons in which eligible prisoners shall participate in a drug treatment program under conditions established by the Director of National Drug Control Policy. Requires the Director to choose former military facilities as locations for such prisons.

Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) goals in prisoner selection; (2) postrelease treatment; (3) payment of costs; and (4) prisoner eligibility (including return of prisoners not in compliance with the conditions for participation in a drug treatment program). Authorizes appropriations.

Subtitle B: Task Force on Prison Construction Standardization and Techniques - Requires the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to establish a task force composed of experts in prison design and construction to: (1) establish and recommend standardized construction plans and techniques for prison construction and to evaluate and recommend new construction technologies, techniques, and materials to reduce prison construction costs and make such construction more efficient; (2) disseminate such information to State and local officials involved in prison construction; and (3) work to promote the implementation of, evaluate and advise on the results and effectiveness of, and certify the effectiveness of, cost-saving efforts at the Federal, State, and local levels.

Title V: Violent Crime and Drug Emergency Areas - Authorizes the President to declare a State or part of a State to be a violent crime or drug emergency area and to provide emergency Federal assistance to protect property, public health, and safety. Specifies that requests for declaration of an emergency must be made in writing by the chief executive officer of a State or local government and that the President must act on the request within 30 days. Authorizes the President to direct any Federal agency to utilize its resources in support of State and local assistance efforts and to provide technical and advisory assistance to meet any such emergency. Limits assistance under this title.