Thus, it can be helpful to track the share of funds. California ranks second highest in percentage of persons availing themselves of these assistance payments. Crime rates are sometimes used to distribute formula grant programs from the Department of Justice. California's crime rates tend to exceed the national average. In 1996, California had the fifth highest violent crime rate among the states, at 863 per 100,000 persons, compared to 634 per 100,000 nationwide.
Crime appears to be trending downward nationwide, and particularly so in California.
However, some funds are distributed based in whole or in part on counts of eligible individuals reported to the federal government by the entities who will ultimately receive the funds. Such situations can sometimes lead to charges of abuse of the system. A number of specific factors are commonly contained in or added to federal formulas to alter the distribution. Many work to the detriment of California. A few examples follow.