Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
President-Elect Obama's stimulus package calls for $3 billion in new Byrne Grants, and $1 billion in COPS grants--both are federal block grant programs for local police departments. For some reason, Democrats seem to love these grants. The Bush administration and Republicans in Congress, oddly enough, had begun phasing them out.
As I explained in a piece for Slate last October, studies have shown both programs to be ineffective at fighting crime. Worse, there's good evidence that they actually cause harm. While designated for community policing efforts (generally a good aim), COPS grants have actually been used by many departments to start or outfit SWAT teams, a point I explicitly made in July 2007 to Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), when I testified before the House Subcommittee on Crime he chairs. Scott seemed surprised when I told him. But apparently, it didn't affect him enough to prevent him from restarting the program.
Byrne Grants, meanwhile, are often tied directly to drug arrests, warping police department priorities by encouraging low-level drug busts to juke up department arrest statistics . . . so they can apply for more grants. We have Byrne grants to thank for the civil rights disasters in Tulia and Hearne, Texas, and for the continuing problem of out of control multijurisdictional drug task forces.
I guess the important thing is that individual congressmen can once again send out self-congratulatory press releases announcing the big pile of pork they've just procured for the local police department.
Comments
How is funding law enforcement supposed to stimulate the economy?
If all you want to do is distract and befuddle taxpayers while you rob them blind, strippers and loud music would probably be cheaper.
Posted by: DaveL | January 16, 2009 4:25 PM
More fun too.
If you're going for a Keynesian stimulus spending on law enforcement will stimulate the economy, but so would spending the money on literally anything. Of course, as with anything macroeconomic, there is a dispute as to whether Keynesian stimulus has much of an effect.
Posted by: James K | January 16, 2009 10:10 PM
I think those grants will actually help the cities make payroll.
Posted by: Hathor | January 17, 2009 12:10 AM
How is funding law enforcement supposed to stimulate the economy?
Oh, 'cmawn! Don't be naive. The US has the highest per capita rate of incarceration in the WORLD. Private prisons are being built at alarming rates. The arrest rate ahas RISEN since 9/11. The prison-industrial complex is one of the GROWTH industries. Prison guards comprise the MOST powerful union in California. Prison building far out-strips either school or college construction.
The Bidness of Murka is Prison...
Posted by: woody | January 17, 2009 10:04 AM
IMO DaveL asked exactly the right question, one I'd raised in a post on my own blog in reaction to Radley's piece. Law enforcement spending has an extremely low mulitiplier effect compared to other types of government spending, so there's a lot less economic bang for the buck.
Posted by: Gritsforbreakfast | January 18, 2009 8:44 AM