Bill Overview
Title: Restoring Law and Order Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to support their workforce and their ability to address specified criminal activities (e.g., child trafficking). The Government Accountability Office must also study law enforcement deficiencies with respect to processing rape kits.
Sponsors: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Target Audience
Population: People involved with or impacted by criminal activities such as child trafficking and rape and law enforcement officers
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill involves grant distribution to state and local law enforcement agencies.
- The focus is on supporting law enforcement's workforce and addressing criminal activities like child trafficking.
- The Government Accountability Office will study law enforcement deficiencies in processing rape kits.
- Persons involved in or affected by criminal activities such as child trafficking and rape are directly impacted.
- Law enforcement officers will be impacted due to potential changes in resources and processes.
Reasoning
- The policy is designed to enhance law enforcement abilities, specifically targeting issues like child trafficking and rape kit processing, which affects both victims and the law enforcement community.
- The budget constraints imply a gradual rollout with significant limitations on the immediate comprehensive coverage of all potential beneficiaries.
- Different segments of the population will feel varying levels of impact, from law enforcement officers seeing improvements in resources to victims expecting more timely justice or support.
- A significant portion of the population might not feel a direct impact, as the focus is on specific criminal activities.
Simulated Interviews
Police Officer (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome any support that helps us crack down on trafficking. It's a serious problem and we need all the help we can get.
- Processing rape kits faster is crucial for justice and can prevent repeat offenses.
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 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
NGO Worker (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful that this will lead to real improvements for our clients, particularly in how quickly their cases are processed.
- Funding law enforcement is one thing, but I hope they collaborate with NGOs for comprehensive solutions.
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 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Community Advocate (New York, New York)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The backlog of rape kits is an issue I've been shouting about for years. This policy could finally bring attention and resources needed.
- I'm cautiously optimistic. Implementation is key, so I hope this isn't just another empty promise.
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 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
District Attorney (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The additional resources could potentially improve the efficiency and success rate of prosecutions.
- It's important that the execution isn't bogged down in bureaucracy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Student (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's great if this policy helps bring justice faster for victims. The trauma is only compounded by delays.
- I wish there was more focus on prevention too, not just punishment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Private Investigator (Miami, Florida)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Law enforcement needs resources, but what's truly necessary is better training and inter-agency cooperation.
- The policy could be a step in the right direction if executed properly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Survivor Advocate (San Francisco, California)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support anything that makes it harder for traffickers. More funding for law enforcement could help.
- Survivors also need more support services, so I hope this isn't the only focus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Retired Officer (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Back in my day, more resources meant we could take faster action. I hope this does the same for the current folks on the ground.
- Rape kit backlog was a problem when I started and it shouldn't still be one now.
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 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
State Senator (Houston, Texas)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Ensuring safety and quicker justice through this policy is crucial, especially for heinous acts like trafficking.
- Must ensure funds are used effectively and transparently.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Rape Survivor (Detroit, Michigan)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Processing rape kits faster can make all the difference in delivering justice and closure.
- This has been a long time coming and I really hope it makes a difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $20500000 (Low: $15500000, High: $25500000)
Year 3: $21000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $26000000)
Year 5: $22000000 (Low: $17500000, High: $27000000)
Year 10: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $60000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy will require careful monitoring to ensure funds are efficiently used by state and local agencies.
- Ensuring state and local law enforcement has adequate training and resources to utilize the funding effectively is crucial.
- GAO's findings on rape kit processing could influence future legislation and funding allocations.