Number: RL32824
Title: Federal Crime Control: Background, Legislation, and Issues
Authors: Kristin M. Finklea and Lisa M. Seghetti, Domestic Social Policy Division 
Abstract: The 110th Congress is considering a variety of crime-related legislation, some of which has either been enacted, reported out of committee, and/or passed one or the other Chamber. For example, the following Acts were enacted during the 110th Congress: the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-177); the Second Chance Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-199); the Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-326); the Effective Child Pornography Prosecution Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-358); the Drug-Endangered Children Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-345); the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-360); the Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-415); and the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-416). The House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R. 1592) and the COPS Improvement Act of 2007 (H.R. 1700). The Senate passed the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007 (S. 456), and the Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported the COPS Improvement Act of 2007 (S. 368), the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2008 (S. 3155), and the Fugitive Information Networked Database Act of 2008 (S. 3136). In addition to the aforementioned legislation, other crime-related issues have surfaced during the 110th Congress that could warrant congressional action, such as the U.S. Sentencing Commission amending the federal sentencing guidelines by lowering the recommended penalties for crack cocaine offenses in an effort to alleviate some of the issues associated with the sentencing disparity in current law between crack and powder cocaine; reforming the Federal Prison Industries; reforming the federal sentencing system; and providing oversight of the various Department of Justice grant programs.
Pages: 24
Date: October 27, 2008