Bill Overview
Title: Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods Act of 2022
Description: This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a grant program for state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies or prosecuting offices (or groups of tribal agencies or offices) to establish, implement, and administer violent incident clearance and technological investigative methods.
Sponsors: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals living in regions impacted by state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The bill focuses on law enforcement agencies, prosecuting offices, and related personnel who will be directly impacted as the primary beneficiaries of the grant program.
- The technological investigative methods aim to improve strategies for clearing violent incidents, impacting fields related to criminal justice and public safety.
- Communities where state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies are operational will be indirectly impacted, as changes in investigative strategies may affect public safety and crime resolution rates.
Reasoning
- The policy is designed to enhance the capability of law enforcement across multiple levels to resolve violent incidents. Those directly involved in the implementation, such as police departments and prosecuting offices, will experience the most significant direct impacts. Meanwhile, the general public may benefit indirectly through potential improvements in public safety and crime resolution.
- Budget constraints mean that not all communities will receive funding, and the distribution of funds will likely focus on areas with greater needs or higher levels of violent incidents, possibly leaving some areas unaffected.
- The policy's impact will likely vary significantly between different communities, and some individuals, especially those in relatively safe areas, may notice little to no change in their wellbeing.
- Given the large American population and budget constraints, it is important to simulate interviews from various demographics to understand a broad range of potential impacts.
Simulated Interviews
Police Officer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The VICTIM Act looks promising as it could provide much-needed resources to resolve violent cases more efficiently. If we get the grants, it could mean better technology and training for us.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Prosecutor (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We struggle with a backlog of cases due to limited resources. This policy could significantly improve our clearance rates and reduce case backlogs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Data Analyst in Criminal Justice Department (Sacramento, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The potential for technology to improve policing is immense. With grants, we could explore many innovations that might otherwise be too costly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
College Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It sounds like the kind of policy that could make neighborhoods like mine safer. However, I'm skeptical about whether the funds would reach here.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired (Rural Oklahoma)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I doubt this policy will change much here. We rarely have violent incidents, and we're not a priority for such grants.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Police Chief (Miami, FL)
Age: 54 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This initiative could alleviate some pressure by improving our investigative capabilities. We could definitely use the support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Community Organizer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help in some areas, but resources could be better spent on prevention and community programs, which are underfunded.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Victim of a Violent Crime (Houston, TX)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this leads to better accountability and faster resolutions. No one should have to wait so long for their case to be addressed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Public Defender (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While intended to solve violent crimes, there's a risk of increasing surveillance and disproportionately targeting minority communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Community Watch Group Leader (Cleveland, OH)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If our police department receives this grant, it might make neighborhoods safer, but I also wonder about the long-term commitment after funds run out.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $700000000 (Low: $650000000, High: $750000000)
Year 2: $700000000 (Low: $650000000, High: $750000000)
Year 3: $600000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $650000000)
Year 5: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $600000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring equitable distribution of grants across diverse regions with varying levels of need and capacity.
- Training and retention of law enforcement personnel to utilize new technologies effectively.
- Potential privacy concerns or civil liberties issues associated with new technological investigative methods.