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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1521 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1521

To provide information, resources, recommendations, and funding to help 
State and local law enforcement enact crime prevention and intervention 
               strategies supported by rigorous evidence.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 24, 2007

  Mr. Feingold (for himself and Mr. Specter) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To provide information, resources, recommendations, and funding to help 
State and local law enforcement enact crime prevention and intervention 
               strategies supported by rigorous evidence.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Prevention 
Resources for Eliminating Criminal Activity Using Tailored 
Interventions in Our Neighborhoods Act of 2007'' or the ``PRECAUTION 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. National Commission on Public Safety Through Crime Prevention.
Sec. 5. Innovative crime prevention and intervention strategy grants.
Sec. 6. Elimination of the Red Planet Capital Venture Capital Program.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to--
            (1) establish a commitment on the part of the Federal 
        Government to provide leadership on successful crime prevention 
        and intervention strategies;
            (2) further the integration of crime prevention and 
        intervention strategies into traditional law enforcement 
        practices of State and local law enforcement offices around the 
        country;
            (3) develop a plain-language, implementation-focused 
        assessment of those current crime and delinquency prevention 
        and intervention strategies that are supported by rigorous 
        evidence;
            (4) provide additional resources to the National Institute 
        of Justice to administer research and development grants for 
        promising crime prevention and intervention strategies;
            (5) develop recommendations for Federal priorities for 
        crime and delinquency prevention and intervention research, 
        development, and funding that may augment important Federal 
        grant programs, including the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice 
        Assistance Grant Program under subpart 1 of part E of title I 
        of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 
        U.S.C. 3750 et seq.), grant programs administered by the Office 
        of Community Oriented Policing Services of the Department of 
        Justice, grant programs administered by the Office of Safe and 
        Drug-Free Schools of the Department of Education, and other 
        similar programs; and
            (6) reduce the costs that rising violent crime imposes on 
        interstate commerce.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions shall apply:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the National 
        Commission on Public Safety Through Crime Prevention 
        established under section 4(a).
            (2) Rigorous evidence.--The term ``rigorous evidence'' 
        means evidence generated by scientifically valid forms of 
        outcome evaluation, particularly randomized trials (where 
        practicable).
            (3) Subcategory.--The term ``subcategory'' means 1 of the 
        following categories:
                    (A) Family and community settings (including public 
                health-based strategies).
                    (B) Law enforcement settings (including probation-
                based strategies).
                    (C) School settings (including antigang and general 
                antiviolence strategies).
            (4) Top-tier.--The term ``top-tier'' means any strategy 
        supported by rigorous evidence of the sizable, sustained 
        benefits to participants in the strategy or to society.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH CRIME PREVENTION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the National Commission on Public Safety Through Crime Prevention.
    (b) Members.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 9 
        members, of whom--
                    (A) 3 shall be appointed by the President, 1 of 
                whom shall be the Assistant Attorney General for the 
                Office of Justice Programs or a representative of such 
                Assistant Attorney General;
                    (B) 2 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, unless the Speaker is of the 
                same party as the President, in which case 1 shall be 
                appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
                Representatives and 1 shall be appointed by the 
                minority leader of the House of Representatives;
                    (C) 1 shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
                the House of Representatives (in addition to any 
                appointment made under subparagraph (B));
                    (D) 2 shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
                the Senate, unless the majority leader is of the same 
                party as the President, in which case 1 shall be 
                appointed by the majority leader of the Senate and 1 
                shall be appointed by the minority leader of the 
                Senate; and
                    (E) 1 member appointed by the minority leader of 
                the Senate (in addition to any appointment made under 
                subparagraph (D)).
            (2) Persons eligible.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member of the Commission 
                shall be an individual who has knowledge or expertise 
                in matters to be studied by the Commission.
                    (B) Required representatives.--At least--
                            (i) 2 members of the Commission shall be 
                        respected social scientists with experience 
                        implementing or interpreting rigorous, outcome-
                        based trials; and
                            (ii) 2 members of the Commission shall be 
                        law enforcement practitioners.
            (3) Consultation required.--The President, the Speaker of 
        the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House 
        of Representatives, and the majority leader and minority leader 
        of the Senate shall consult prior to the appointment of the 
        members of the Commission to achieve, to the maximum extent 
        possible, fair and equitable representation of various points 
        of view with respect to the matters to be studied by the 
        Commission.
            (4) Term.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of 
        the Commission.
            (5) Time for initial appointments.--The appointment of the 
        members shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
            (6) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made, and 
        shall be made not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        the vacancy occurred.
            (7) Ex officio members.--The Director of the National 
        Institute of Justice, the Director of the Office of Juvenile 
        Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Director of the 
        Community Capacity Development Office, the Director of the 
        Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Director of the Bureau of 
        Justice Assistance, and the Director of Community Oriented 
        Policing Services (or a representative of each such director) 
        shall each serve in an ex officio capacity on the Commission to 
        provide advice and information to the Commission.
    (c) Operation.--
            (1) Chairperson.--At the initial meeting of the Commission, 
        the members of the Commission shall elect a chairperson from 
        among its voting members, by a vote of \2/3\ of the members of 
        the Commission. The chairperson shall retain this position for 
        the life of the Commission. If the chairperson leaves the 
        Commission, a new chairperson shall be selected, by a vote of 
        \2/3\ of the members of the Commission.
            (2) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
        chairperson. The initial meeting of the Commission shall take 
        place not later than 30 days after the date on which all the 
        members of the Commission have been appointed.
            (3) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
        shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, and the 
        Commission may establish a lesser quorum for conducting 
        hearings scheduled by the Commission.
            (4) Rules.--The Commission may establish by majority vote 
        any other rules for the conduct of Commission business, if such 
        rules are not inconsistent with this Act or other applicable 
        law.
    (d) Public Hearings.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall hold public hearings. 
        The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such 
        times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
        evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out its 
        duties under this section.
            (2) Focus of hearings.--The Commission shall hold at least 
        3 separate public hearings, each of which shall focus on 1 of 
        the subcategories.
            (3) Witness expenses.--Witnesses requested to appear before 
        the Commission shall be paid the same fees as are paid to 
        witnesses under section 1821 of title 28, United States Code. 
        The per diem and mileage allowances for witnesses shall be paid 
        from funds appropriated to the Commission.
    (e) Comprehensive Study of Evidence-Based Crime Prevention and 
Intervention Strategies.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall carry out a 
        comprehensive study of the effectiveness of crime and 
        delinquency prevention and intervention strategies, organized 
        around the 3 subcategories.
            (2) Matters included.--The study under paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) a review of research on the general 
                effectiveness of incorporating crime prevention and 
                intervention strategies into an overall law enforcement 
                plan;
                    (B) an evaluation of how to more effectively 
                communicate the wealth of social science research to 
                practitioners;
                    (C) a review of evidence regarding the 
                effectiveness of specific crime prevention and 
                intervention strategies, focusing on those strategies 
                supported by rigorous evidence;
                    (D) an identification of--
                            (i) promising areas for further research 
                        and development; and
                            (ii) other areas representing gaps in the 
                        body of knowledge that would benefit from 
                        additional research and development;
                    (E) an assessment of the best practices for 
                implementing prevention and intervention strategies;
                    (F) an assessment of the best practices for 
                gathering rigorous evidence regarding the 
                implementation of intervention and prevention 
                strategies; and
                    (G) an assessment of those top-tier strategies best 
                suited for duplication efforts in a range of settings 
                across the country.
            (3) Initial report on top-tier crime prevention and 
        intervention strategies.--
                    (A) Distribution.--Not later than 18 months after 
                the date on which all members of the Commission have 
                been appointed, the Commission shall submit a public 
                report on the study carried out under this subsection 
                to--
                            (i) the President;
                            (ii) Congress;
                            (iii) the Attorney General;
                            (iv) the Chief Federal Public Defender of 
                        each district;
                            (v) the chief executive of each State;
                            (vi) the Director of the Administrative 
                        Office of the Courts of each State;
                            (vii) the Director of the Administrative 
                        Office of the United States Courts; and
                            (viii) the attorney general of each State.
                    (B) Contents.--The report under subparagraph (A) 
                shall include--
                            (i) the findings and conclusions of the 
                        Commission;
                            (ii) a summary of the top-tier strategies, 
                        including--
                                    (I) a review of the rigorous 
                                evidence supporting the designation of 
                                each strategy as top-tier;
                                    (II) a brief outline of the keys to 
                                successful implementation for each 
                                strategy; and
                                    (III) a list of references and 
                                other information on where further 
                                information on each strategy can be 
                                found;
                            (iii) recommended protocols for 
                        implementing crime and delinquency prevention 
                        and intervention strategies generally;
                            (iv) recommended protocols for evaluating 
                        the effectiveness of crime and delinquency 
                        prevention and intervention strategies; and
                            (v) a summary of the materials relied upon 
                        by the Commission in preparation of the report.
                    (C) Consultation with outside authorities.--In 
                developing the recommended protocols for implementation 
                and rigorous evaluation of top-tier crime and 
                delinquency prevention and intervention strategies 
                under this paragraph, the Commission shall consult with 
                the Committee on Law and Justice at the National 
                Academy of Science and with national associations 
                representing the law enforcement and social science 
                professions, including the National Sheriffs' 
                Association, the Police Executive Research Forum, the 
                International Association of Chiefs of Police, the 
                Consortium of Social Science Associations, and the 
                American Society of Criminology.
    (f) Recommendations Regarding Dissemination of the Innovative Crime 
Prevention and Intervention Strategy Grants.--
            (1) Submission.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the 
                date of the final hearing under subsection (d) relating 
                to a subcategory, the Commission shall provide the 
                Director of the National Institute of Justice with 
                recommendations on qualifying considerations relating 
                to that subcategory for selecting grant recipients 
                under section 5.
                    (B) Deadline.--Not later than 13 months after the 
                date on which all members of the Commission have been 
                appointed, the Commission shall provide all 
                recommendations required under this subsection.
            (2) Matters included.--The recommendations provided under 
        paragraph (1) shall include recommendations relating to--
                    (A) the types of strategies for the applicable 
                subcategory that would best benefit from additional 
                research and development;
                    (B) any geographic or demographic targets;
                    (C) the types of partnerships with other public or 
                private entities that might be pertinent and 
                prioritized; and
                    (D) any classes of crime and delinquency prevention 
                and intervention strategies that should not be given 
                priority because of a pre-existing base of knowledge 
                that would benefit less from additional research and 
                development.
    (g) Final Report on the Results of the Innovative Crime Prevention 
and Intervention Strategy Grants.--
            (1) In general.--Following the close of the 3-year 
        implementation period for each grant recipient under section 5, 
        the Commission shall collect the results of the study of the 
        effectiveness of that grant under section 5(b)(3) and shall 
        submit a public report to the President, the Attorney General, 
        Congress, the chief executive of each State, and the attorney 
        general of each State describing each strategy funded under 
        section 5 and its results. This report shall be submitted not 
        later than 5 years after the date of the selection of the 
        chairperson of the Commission.
            (2) Collection of information and evidence regarding grant 
        recipients.--The Commission's collection of information and 
        evidence regarding each grant recipient under section 5 shall 
        be carried out by--
                    (A) ongoing communications with the grant 
                administrator at the National Institute of Justice;
                    (B) visits by representatives of the Commission 
                (including at least 1 member of the Commission) to the 
                site where the grant recipient is carrying out the 
                strategy with a grant under section 5, at least once in 
                the second and once in the third year of that grant;
                    (C) a review of the data generated by the study 
                monitoring the effectiveness of the strategy; and
                    (D) other means as necessary.
            (3) Matters included.--The report submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include a review of each strategy carried out with a 
        grant under section 5, detailing--
                    (A) the type of crime or delinquency prevention or 
                intervention strategy;
                    (B) where the activities under the strategy were 
                carried out, including geographic and demographic 
                targets;
                    (C) any partnerships with public or private 
                entities through the course of the grant period;
                    (D) the type and design of the effectiveness study 
                conducted under section 5(b)(3) for that strategy;
                    (E) the results of the effectiveness study 
                conducted under section 5(b)(3) for that strategy;
                    (F) lessons learned regarding implementation of 
                that strategy or of the effectiveness study conducted 
                under section 5(b)(3), including recommendations 
                regarding which types of environments might best be 
                suited for successful replication; and
                    (G) recommendations regarding the need for further 
                research and development of the strategy.
    (h) Personnel Matters.--
            (1) Travel expenses.--The members of the Commission shall 
        be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
        under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
        Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business 
        in the performance of service for the Commission.
            (2) Compensation of members.--Members of the Commission 
        shall serve without compensation.
            (3) Staff.--
                    (A) In general.--The chairperson of the Commission 
                may, without regard to the civil service laws and 
                regulations, appoint and terminate an executive 
                director and such other additional personnel as may be 
                necessary to enable the Commission to perform its 
                duties. The employment of an executive director shall 
                be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
                    (B) Compensation.--The chairperson of the 
                Commission may fix the compensation of the executive 
                director and other personnel without regard to the 
                provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 
                53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
                classification of positions and General Schedule pay 
                rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive 
                director and other personnel may not exceed the rate 
                payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under 
                section 5316 of such title.
            (4) Detail of federal employees.--With the affirmative vote 
        of \2/3\ of the members of the Commission, any Federal 
        Government employee, with the approval of the head of the 
        appropriate Federal agency, may be detailed to the Commission 
        without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without 
        interruption or loss of civil service status, benefits, or 
        privileges.
    (i) Contracts for Research.--
            (1) National institute of justice.--With a \2/3\ 
        affirmative vote of the members of the Commission, the 
        Commission may select nongovernmental researchers and experts 
        to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties under this 
        Act. The National Institute of Justice shall contract with the 
        researchers and experts selected by the Commission to provide 
        funding in exchange for their services.
            (2) Other organizations.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
        be construed to limit the ability of the Commission to enter 
        into contracts with other entities or organizations for 
        research necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission 
        under this section.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section.
    (k) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date that 
is 30 days after the date on which the Commission submits the last 
report required by this section.
    (l) Exemption.--The Commission shall be exempt from the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act.

SEC. 5. INNOVATIVE CRIME PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGY GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Director of the National Institute of 
Justice may make grants to public and private entities to fund the 
implementation and evaluation of innovative crime or delinquency 
prevention or intervention strategies. The purpose of grants under this 
section shall be to provide funds for all expenses related to the 
implementation of such a strategy and to conduct a rigorous study on 
the effectiveness of that strategy.
    (b) Grant Distribution.--
            (1) Period.--A grant under this section shall be made for a 
        period of not more than 3 years.
            (2) Amount.--The amount of each grant under this section--
                    (A) shall be sufficient to ensure that rigorous 
                evaluations may be performed; and
                    (B) shall not exceed $2,000,000.
            (3) Evaluation set-aside.--
                    (A) In general.--A grantee shall use not less than 
                $300,000 and not more than $700,000 of the funds from a 
                grant under this section for a rigorous study of the 
                effectiveness of the strategy during the 3-year period 
                of the grant for that strategy.
                    (B) Methodology of study.--
                            (i) In general.--Each study conducted under 
                        subparagraph (A) shall use an evaluator and a 
                        study design approved by the employee of the 
                        National Institute of Justice hired or assigned 
                        under subsection (c).
                            (ii) Criteria.--The employee of the 
                        National Institute of Justice hired or assigned 
                        under subsection (c) shall approve--
                                    (I) an evaluator that has 
                                successfully carried out multiple 
                                studies producing rigorous evidence of 
                                effectiveness; and
                                    (II) a proposed study design that 
                                is likely to produce rigorous evidence 
                                of the effectiveness of the strategy.
                            (iii) Approval.--Before a grant is awarded 
                        under this section, the evaluator and study 
                        design of a grantee shall be approved by the 
                        employee of the National Institute of Justice 
                        hired or assigned under subsection (c).
            (4) Date of award.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of receiving recommendations relating to a subcategory from the 
        Commission under section 4(f), the Director of the National 
        Institute of Justice shall award all grants under this section 
        relating to that subcategory.
            (5) Type of grants.--One-third of the grants made under 
        this section shall be made in each subcategory. In distributing 
        grants, the recommendations of the Commission under section 
        4(f) shall be considered.
            (6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated $18,000,000 to carry out this subsection.
    (c) Dedicated Staff.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of 
        Justice shall hire or assign a full-time employee to oversee 
        the grants under this section.
            (2) Study oversight.--The employee of the National 
        Institute of Justice hired or assigned under paragraph (1) 
        shall be responsible for ensuring that grantees adhere to the 
        study design approved before the applicable grant was awarded.
            (3) Liaison.--The employee of the National Institute of 
        Justice hired or assigned under paragraph (1) may be used as a 
        liaison between the Commission and the recipients of a grant 
        under this section. That employee shall be responsible for 
        ensuring timely cooperation with Commission requests.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated $150,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
        through 2012 to carry out this subsection.
    (d) Applications.--A public or private entity desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit an application at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Director of the 
National Institute of Justice may reasonably require.
    (e) Cooperation With the Commission.--Grant recipients shall 
cooperate with the Commission in providing them with full information 
on the progress of the strategy being carried out with a grant under 
this section, including--
            (1) hosting visits by the members of the Commission to the 
        site where the activities under the strategy are being carried 
        out;
            (2) providing pertinent information on the logistics of 
        establishing the strategy for which the grant under this 
        section was received, including details on partnerships, 
        selection of participants, and any efforts to publicize the 
        strategy; and
            (3) responding to any specific inquiries that may be made 
        by the Commission.

SEC. 6. ELIMINATION OF THE RED PLANET CAPITAL VENTURE CAPITAL PROGRAM.

    (a) Reduction of NASA Budget.--Section 203 of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16632) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``$18,686,300,000'' and inserting ``$18,680,300,000''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$10,903,900,000'' and 
        inserting ``$10,897,900,000''.
    (b) Prohibition.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration may not carry out the Red Planet Capital Venture 
Capital Program established by the Administrator during the period of 
fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
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