Byrne/JAG Program Accountability Act

Bill: 113-hr-3908
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2014-01-16
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Law enforcement administration and funding

Racial and ethnic relations
Latest action: action_date: 2014-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-01-16
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Byrne/JAG Program Accountability Act - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require states and local governments receiving grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to implement policy, practice, and system improvement strategies to identify and reduce racial and ethnic disparities among individuals who come into contact with or are under the supervision of the criminal justice system, without establishing or requiring numerical standards or quotas.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 3908 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 16, 2014 Mr. Cohen introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide for improvements under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Byrne/JAG Program Accountability Act . 2. Improvements under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system Section 501 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3751 ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (h) Racial disparities practices For years beginning after the date of the enactment of the Byrne/JAG Program Accountability Act, States and units of local government receiving funds under this subpart shall implement policy, practice, and system improvement strategies at the State, local, and tribal levels, as applicable, to identify and reduce racial and ethnic disparities among individuals who come into contact with or are under the supervision of the criminal justice system, without establishing or requiring numerical standards or quotas, through each of the following methods: (1) Establishing coordinating bodies, composed of criminal justice stakeholders at the State, local, or tribal levels, as applicable, to oversee and monitor efforts by such States, unit of local government, or Indian tribe to reduce racial and ethnic disparities. (2) Identifying and analyzing key decision points in the criminal justice system of the State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe, as applicable, to determine which points create racial and ethnic disparities among those who come into contact with the justice system. (3) Developing and implementing data collection and analysis systems to identify where racial and ethnic disparities exist in the criminal justice system and to track and analyze such disparities. (4) Developing and implementing a work plan that includes measurable objectives for policy practice or other system changes, based on the needs identified in the data collection and analysis under paragraphs (2) and (3). (5) Publicly reporting, on an annual basis, the efforts made in accordance with paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) during the previous year. .