State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP)
Under this program, states are reimbursed for costs they incur for incarcerating illegal criminal aliens. In spring 1998, 49 states and 200 localities received funds totaling over $492 million to help pay the costs of incarcerating undocumented aliens who have committed serious crimes in the United States and have been convicted of felony or misdemeanor offenses. Eligible applicants include states and localities that exercise authority with respect to the incarceration of an undocumented criminal alien. SCAAP funding is based on information provided by each applicant on the number and costs of housing criminal aliens for the fiscal year. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is the administering agency.
Section 206 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDP Act) of 1974, as amended, establishes the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention as an independent organization in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. The primary function of the Council is to coordinate all federal juvenile delinquency programs, all federal programs and activities that detain or care for unaccompanied juveniles, and all federal programs relating to missing and exploited children. The Council meets at least quarterly and is chaired by the Attorney General. The Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) serves as Vice-Chairman.
The Council is comprised of nine ex officio members (Attorney General, Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and Housing and Urban Development; Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the President of the Corporation for National Service; and the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization Service), any other officers of federal agencies who hold significant decision-making authority as the President may designate, and nine non-federal members who are practitioners in the field of juvenile justice.
The nine non-federal members are appointed without regard to political affiliation. Three members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, three by the Majority Leader of the Senate, and three by the President. Each appointing authority appoints members for one, two, and three year terms and has authority to fill vacancies arising during a term, only for the remainder of such term. Members can hold over after a term expires until a successor is appointed. The practitioner members of the Council make recommendations regarding the development of objectives, priorities, and the OJJDP Administrator’s long-term plan and the implementation of overall policy and strategy to carry out the plan.
Council Responsibilities