Policy - National Criminal Justice Association

Advocating for effective criminal justice policy and funding for justice assistance programs.

Key Issues and Legislation

The NCJA advocates for effective criminal justice policy and funding for state, local, and tribal justice assistance programs. Because our members are engaged across all aspects of the criminal justice system, we engage in a wide range of policy issues in Washington, DC on our members’ behalf. The NCJA staff supports our members by providing up-to-the-minute information about pending legislation and the federal appropriations process and by communicating with federal officials on Capitol Hill and in the Administration about how federal policy affects the delivery of services to the field. Recognizing that little gets done in Washington, DC by acting alone, the NCJA works in coalition with dozens of other stakeholder organizations which share common interests and policy goals.

Legislation

At any one time, the NCJA is tracking dozens of pieces of federal legislation which, if enacted, could impact state and local criminal justice policy and practice. NCJA members also have access to Congressional outreach and education resources, charts tracking justice assistance funding and the status of key legislation, and newsletters providing weekly recaps on activity on the Hill. Finally, members have access to Connect2Grants, a library of solicitations from public and private funders.

Click below to view information about:

Current legislation and appropriations
Byrne Justice Assistance Program
Letters to Congress
Congressional outreach (includes funding and legislation charts)*
Justice Bulletin*
Funding Opportunities*
State of the State Addresses

*Requires a member login to view. Login instructions can be found in the Members Only section.

Key Issues

Click below to learn more about our priority issues and work in these areas:

Policy Statements

The National Criminal Justice Association's policy statements address major interests and concerns of the organization's membership on contemporary crime and criminal justice issues, such as fear and violence in communities, prison overcrowding, juvenile justice and the prevention of juvenile crime and delinquency, federal funding strategies, racial disparity, reentry, information sharing, mentally ill, and evidence-based programs and practices.

The term state, as used in these policy statements, includes the District of Columbia; the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and the commonwealths of the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico.

The NCJA Policy Committee reviews these statements on a rotating basis. For questions about these policy statements, please contact David Steingraber, dsteingraber@ncja.org.

View policy statements for the following issues:

Criminal justice coordinating efforts;
Drugs and substance abuse;
Evidence-based programs and practices;
Fear and violence in communities;
Federal funding strategies;
Improving public safety and ensuring justice;
Information sharing and the justice system;
Juvenile justice and the prevention of juvenile crime and delinquency;
Managing incarcerated populations;
Mentally ill persons in the criminal justice system;
Pretrial justice;
Prisoner reentry;
Racial disparity in the criminal justice system;
Role of the state administering agency;
Tribal nations and the criminal justice system; and
Victim assistance.