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Obama Issues 2014 DOJ Budget: More for Prisons and Drug War

Today President Obama released his 2014 proposed budget for the Department of Justice. It's very disappointing. It includes:

  • $8.6 billion, a 4.3 percent increase over the 2012 enacted level, for Federal prisons and detention facilities. These funds are provided to continue activation of newly completed or acquired prisons, and to provide additional
    contract beds to address growth by alleviating
    crowding in low security facilities and systemwide.

Translation: We're spending to build new prisons and give more money to private prisons, but when it comes to reducing prison time for non-violent offenders, that remains, according to the budget, "an option to be explored."

  • $2.6 billion for drug enforcement and organized crime targeting programs. This funding includes an increase of $3 million for the International Organized Crime Center to help further implement strategies to combat major drug trafficking organizations and transnational organized crime syndicates.

[More...]

Translation: More DEA adventures in Africa are on the horizon.

  • 3.5 billion to fight terrorism
  • 8 billion for the FBI
  • 2 billion for the DEA
  • Oodles more for state and local law enforcement

Prevention:

  • $15 million for the Bureau of Prisons to expand the Residential Drug Abuse Program and $6 million to expand alternatives to traditional incarceration, including home monitoring programs.
  • $44 million in Problem-Solving Grants, which support drug courts, mentally ill offender assistance.
  • $119 million for the Second Chance Act

Compare the paltry prevention amounts to the massive law enforcement amounts.

Translation: The Administration hasn't learned yet, "You get no bread with one meatball."

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  • Display: Sort:
    What a slap in the face, (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by kdog on Thu Apr 11, 2013 at 08:25:41 AM EST
    a stomp on the foot, a kick in the junk.

    Is this what we need more revenue and less safety net for?  We're being bamboozled.

    Can I take (none / 0) (#2)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Apr 11, 2013 at 05:47:37 PM EST
    my vote back. The longer Obama is in office, the less appealing as a "liberal" leader he is. This guys's record on civil rights and law enforcement is as bad any "lawn order" Republican.