National Assessment of the Byrne Formula Grant Program

The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program makes Federal aid available to State and local criminal justice agencies. Established by the 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, the Byrne Program is designed to help these agencies control violent and drug-related crime, improve operations, and build coordination and cooperation among the components of the criminal justice system. In 1991, 2 years after the first grants were awarded, an assessment of the Program's effectiveness began. The goals of the national assessment were to examine both the way that Federal, State, and local activities have been shaped by the Act and the effectiveness of those activities. The findings of that assessment are summarized in this Research in Brief.