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The 1994 Crime Bill was a hot topic in the presidential election, and a vulnerability for President-Elect Biden. Critics blame it for mass incarceration. But the story of the Bill’s true impact on our criminal justice system is far more complicated. https://bit.ly/2IrQ6HM 1/x
With 33 separate titles and over $30 billion in authorized funding, it's the largest piece of criminal justice legislation in history. Our research series explores its legacy, beginning with a scene-setting piece that provides context for its passage. https://bit.ly/2IrQ6HM 2/x
In one key chapter, authors Bill Sabol and @docthadjohnson examine how the Crime Bill influenced state prison growth. The takeaway? The rate of growth slowed from about 7% annually in the years preceding the Bill to less than 3% annually. https://bit.ly/3ndTyED 3/x
Nearly 1/3 of the Crime Bill’s funding went to state & local law enforcement agencies to hire police officers and increasing community policing. Rick Rosenfeld @UMSL_CCJ explores the impact of these investments on crime rates. The results? Mixed. https://bit.ly/3eNDQNz 4/x
Crime rates had reached their peak in 1991, three years before the passage of the Crime Bill, and have declined significantly since. Some experts say putting more officers on the streets was decisive in reducing crime. Others are less convinced. https://bit.ly/3eNDQNz 5/x
The Crime Bill also authorized @TheJusticeDept to initiate and litigate pattern-or-practice investigations of law enforcement agencies, creating an accountability mechanism for police misconduct. 6/x
Dig into these key findings and lessons learned from the Crime Bill in our research series here: https://bit.ly/2IrQ6HM 7/x
