|
LIVABLE COMMUNITIES:
PROMOTING TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP COMMUNITIES FIGHT CRIME
While the Administration has already funded over 100,000 additional police
officers on the street, and proposed to fund up to an additional 50,000, it
is also important that State and local law enforcement are equipped with effective
crime-solving technologies. These technologies improve our law enforcement officials'
ability to protect public safety.
The Administration's FY 2001 Budget provides $125 million to:
- Facilitate the exchange of criminal history records. The FY2001 Budget
will provide $70 million for states to improve the quality and immediate accessibility
of these records and ensure that offenders cannot escape the efforts of police
between states due to gaps in technology. These funds also will assist states
in integrating their systems with those operated by the Justice Department's
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This will help ensure that the most accurate
information is available to contribute to the national sex offender registry
and facilitate presale checks on prospective handgun purchasers and employment
checks on child and elder care workers.
- Improve the capabilities of State and local crime labs. The Budget provides
$35 million in grants to State and local government agencies to improve their
investigative and analytic capabilities in the area of forensic science. Funding
will also be used to provide research, technical assistance, and training to
help inform agencies about what lab capabilities are available nationwide and
to provide guidance on what types of equipment to purchase. Of this total, $5
million is targeted to Indian Country.
- Reduce the DNA Sample Backlog. $15 million is requested to reduce the
DNA sample backlog of one million convicted offenders at State and local crime
labs. This will improve the ability of law enforcement to match crime scene
DNA to the FBI's national database (CODIS). The Budget includes an additional
$5 million for DNA technology research and development, to develop technology
tools that make DNA testing faster, cheaper, and better.
Click here to return to the Overview of the President's
Livability Initiative.
|
