Excerpt from the 1994 Crime Bill

Calling for the establishment of a commission to study the drug problem. This clause was inserted into the Crime Bill as a result of the Resolution for a Federal Commission on Drug Policy (Hoover Resolution).

TlTLE XXVII PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT ON VIOLENCE AND NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL

8EC. 27000L PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT.

Congress calls on the President to convene a national summit on violence in America prior to convening the Commission established under this title.

8EC 270002. ESTABLISHMENT; COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS.--There is established a

commission to be known as the "National Commission on Crime Control and Prevention". The Commission shall be composed of 28 members appointed as follows:

(1) 10 persons by the President, not more than 6 of whom shall be of the same major political party.

(2) 9 persons by the President pro tempore of the Senate, of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate and the chairman of the Committeeon the Judiciary of the Senate, and 4 of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate and the ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.

(3) 9 persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, and 4 of whom shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the ranking member of the Committee on the Judiciary.

(b) COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES.--The Commission shall establish committees or task forces from among its members for the examination of specific subject areas and the carrying out of other functions or responsibilities of the Commission, including committees or task forces

for the examination of the subject areas of crime and violence generally, the causes of the demand for drugs, violence in schools, and violence against women, as descrIbed in subsections (b) through (e) of section 270004.

(c) REPRESENTATION.~1) At least 1 member of the Commission appointed by the President, at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be persons well-qualified to participate in the Commission's examination of the subject area of crime and violence generally, with education, training, expertise, or experzence in such areas as law enforcement, law, sociology, psychology, social work, and ethnography and urban poverty (including health care, housing, education, and employment).

(2) At least 1 member of the Commission appointed by the President, at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be persons well-qualified to participate in the Commission's examination of the subject area of the causes of the demand for drugs, with education, training, expertise, or experience in such areas as addiction, biomedicine, sociology, psychology, law, and ethnography and urban poverty (including health care, housing, education, and employment).

(3) At least 1 member of the Commission appointed by the President, at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be persons well-qualified to participate in the Commtssion's examination of the subject area of violence in schools, with education, training, expertise, or experience in such areas as law nforcement, education, school governance policy and teaching, law, sociology, psychology, and ethnography and urban poverty (including health care, housing, education, and employment).

(4) At least 1 member of the Commission appointed by the President, at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, and at least 2 members of the Commission appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be persons well-qualified to participate in the Commission's examination of the subject area of violence against women, as surviuors of violence, or as persons with education, training, expertise, or experience in such areas as law enforcement, law, judicial administration, prosecution, defense, victim services or advocacy in sexual assault or domestic violence cases (including medical services an counseling), and protection of victims' rights.

SEC. 270003. PURPOSES.

The purposes of the Commission are as follows:

(1) To develop a comprehensive proposal for preventing and controlling crime and violence in the United States, including for implementing any recommendations made by

(2) To bring attention to successful models and programs crime prevention and crime control.

community for ideas for controlling and preventing criminal justice to recommend improvements in the coordination of local, State, Federal, and international crime control and prevention efforts, including efforts relating to crime near international borders.

(5) To make a comprehensive study of the economic and social factors leading to or contributing to crime and violence, including the causes of illicit drug use and other substance abuse and to develop specific proposals for legislative and administrative taibtlons to reduce crime and violence and the factors that

(6) To recommend means of utilizing criminal justice resources as effectively as possible, including targeting finite correctional facility space to the most serious and violent offenders and considering increased use of intermediate sanctions for offenders who can be dealt with adequately by such means

(?) To examine distinctive crime problems and the impact of crime on members of minority groups, Indians living on res ervations, and other groups defined by race, ethnicity, religion age, disability, or other characteristics, and to recommend specific responses to the distinctive crime problems of such groups

(9) To examine the treatment of victims in Federal, State and local criminal justice systems, and to develop recommendaions to enhance and protect the rights of victims

(10) To examine the ability of Federal, State, and local criminal Justice systems to administer criminal law and criminal sanct~ons impartially without discrimination on the basis of race, et nicity, religion, gender, or other legally proscribed grounds, and to make recommendations for correcting any deficiencies in the impartial administration of justice on these

(11) To examine the nature, scope, causes, and complexities of vlolence

in schools and to recommend a comprehensive ret at problem.

C. a70004. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION

(a) IN GENERAL.--The responsibilities of the Commission shall be such study and consultation as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes set forth in section 270003, including the specific measures described in subsections (b) through (e) in relation to the subject areas addressed in those subsections.

(b) CRIME AND VIOLENCE GENERALLY.--In addressing the subject of crime and violence generally, the activities of the Commission shall include the following

(1) Reviewing the effectiveness of traditional criminal justice approaches in preventing and controlling crime and violence.

(2) Examining the impact that changes in Federal and State law have had in controlling crime and violence.

(3) Examining the impact of changes in Federal immigration laws and policies and increased development and growth along United States international borders on crime and violence in the United States, particularly among the Nation's youth.

(4) Examining the problem of youth gangs and providing recommendations as to how to reduce youth involvement in violent crime.

(5) Examining the extent to which the use of dangerous weapons in the commission of crime has contributed to violence and murder in the United States.

(6) Convening field hearings in various regions of the country to receive testimony from a cross section of criminal justice professionals, business leaders, elected officials, medical doctors, and other persons who wish to participate.

(7) Reviewing all segments of the Nation's criminal justice systems, including the law enforcement, prosecution, defense, judicial, and corrections components in developing the crime control and prevention proposal.

(c) CAUSES OF THE DEMAND FOR DRUGS.--In addressing the subject of the causes of the demand for drugs, the activities of the Commission shall include the following:

(1) Examining the root causes of illicit drug use and abuse in the United States, including by compiling existing research regarding those root causes, and including consideration of the following factors:

(A) The characteristics of potential illicit drug users and abusers or drug traffickers, including age and social, economic, and educational backgrounds.

(B) Environmental factors that contribute to illicit drug use and abuse, including the correlation between unemployment, poverty, and homelessness and drug experimentation and abuse.

(C) The effects of substance use and abuse by a relative or friend in contributing to the likelihood and desire of an individual to experiment with illicit drugs.

(D) Aspects of, and changes in cultural values, attitudes and traditions that contribute to illicit drug use and abuse.

(E) The physiological and psychological factors that contribute to the desire for illicit drugs.

(2) Evaluating Federal, State, and local laws and policies on the prevention of drug abuse, control of unlawful production, distribution and use of controlled substances, and the efficacy of sentencing policies with regard to those laws.

(3) Analyzing the allocation of resources among interdiction of controlled substances entering the United States, enforcement of Federal laws relating to the unlawful production, distribution, and use of controlled substances, education with regard to and the prevention of the unlawful use of controlled substances, and treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers.

(4) Analyzing current treatment and rehabilitation methods and making recommendations for improvements.

(5) Identifying any existing gaps in drug abuse policy that result from the lack of attention to the root causes of drug abuse.

(6) Assessing the needs of government at all levels for resources and policies for reducing the overall desire of individuals to experiment with and abuse illicit drugs.

Making recommendations regarding necessary improvements in policies for reducing the use of illicit drugs in the United States.

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