Occasionally, Bush will talk a good game about gang violence. In 2001, he touted ATF programs aimed at “youth violence reduction.” In fact, just a week after his inauguration, Bush highlighted gang violence as a problem that persists “in the shadow of America’s affluence.”
That, of course, was before Bush needed more money for wars and tax cuts. Now the White House wants to cut anti-gang funding — but his GOP allies are standing in the way.
A U.S. House subcommittee yesterday restored more than $100 million in funds for gang prevention programs nationwide, which the White House had sought to cut, and added $18 million to pay for additional federal agents and to launch a National Gang Intelligence Center.
In particular, the White House had targeted nearly $60 million in Juvenile Accountability Block Grants for elimination. The House Appropriations commerce and justice subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), yesterday restored all $60 million to the program. A new program proposed by the White House to replace the block grants was erased.
Apparently, congressional Republicans aren’t the only ones rejecting the White House approach. Bush’s policies aren’t popular at the community level either.
A national group of police chiefs, prosecutors and crime victims had criticized the White House this month for slashing money to programs that reduced gang-related homicides and other violence in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Baton Rouge, La. The group, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, released a study showing that targeting at-risk youths and their families has had tangible effects on crime.
My friend Phil emailed me this morning to note that Fight Crime’s data and overall report is quite compelling.
Despite the increase in gang violence, Congress will be voting on a White House proposed 40 percent cut in federal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention funding, which supports anti-gang programs in communities across the country. That’s on top of a 44 percent overall reduction in delinquency-fighting and anti-gang funds since 2002.
“Serious violent criminals need to be locked up, but to curb gang violence we must intervene to keep these kids from becoming criminals in the first place,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton. “Research shows there are proven strategies to cut gang-related homicides almost immediately and shut off the pipeline delivering new kids into gangs.”
Bratton added, “The proposed budget cuts will force many of the anti-gang programs to close shop, raising the risk of more violence and higher taxes to pay for criminal justice and prison costs. And sadly, more children will be caught in the crossfire.”
I’m glad congressional Republicans didn’t want to jump off this cliff with Bush.