FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1998

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS 4.4 PERCENT INCREASE IN FY 1999 BUDGET

TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT AGAINST YOUTH VIOLENCE, ILLEGAL DRUGS,

CYBERCRIME, AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Reno:" We Must Prepare for the Law Enforcement Challenges of the 21st Century"

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice today announced that it is

seeking a 4.4 percent increase to enhance its fight against youth violence,
cybercrime, illegal drugs, and illegal immigration. The Department is requesting a
total of $20.9 billion in Fiscal Year 1999.

Since President Clinton took office, the Justice Department's budget has
increased more than 87 percent.

"Over the past several years, we have witnessed a decrease in violent juvenile
crime, a drop in drug related crime, a concerted effort to protect against computer
crime, and an increased emphasis on protecting our borders," said Attorney General
Janet Reno. "We are moving in the right direction, we cannot stop now. Today's
budget request will enable us to build on our past successes and prepare us for the
challenges of the 21st Century."

Highlights of the requested resources will help pay for:

$481 million in new and redirected grants to fight youth violence and to
support additional community prosecutors, who will interact more
closely with the people they serve;

16,000 more community oriented police officers on the street, bringing

the total to 99,000 by the end of FY 99;

75 FBI agents and 24 attorneys to defend against cybercrime;

257 new DEA agents and 64 U.S. Attorneys to continue the

government's comprehensive attack on drug trafficking; and,

1,000 new Border Patrol agents.

 FIGHTING CRIME AND YOUTH VIOLENCE

"Although juvenile crime, like all violent crime, has declined, we must not let
up," said Reno. "These funds will make it possible for prosecutors across the
country to begin working together with community residents to identify and solve
specific crime problems in their neighborhoods. Our COPS grants have helped
spread community policing across America. Now we want to support community
prosecutors to help revolutionize how communities come together to fight crime."

Highlights include:

Developing Community Prosecutors: $50 million in new funds to support

community prosecutors across the country, who will interact directly with
police officers and community residents. The program complements the
community oriented policing approach;

Targeting Youth Violence: $100 million in new grants to state and local
prosecutors offices to hire new prosecutors and pay for technology,
equipment and training to assist in reducing the rate of youthful violent crime.
The funds will also be used to increase successful identification and rapid
prosecution of young, violent offenders and promote collaborative efforts
between prosecutors and public and private agencies;

Establishing Intervention Programs: $95 million for an At-Risk Children's

grant program to support juvenile crime intervention programs, such as anti-truancy, school violence, and curfew initiat

Creating a New Youth Violence Court Program: $50 million for a new
youth violence court program to increase the speed, efficiency, and
effectiveness with which youth are processed and adjudicated within
the justice system;

Funding Anti-Gang Programs: $175.9 million in restructured juvenile

justice grants for anti-gang and youth violence programs;

Putting More Police on the Beat: $1.4 billion to fund an estimated

16,000 community oriented police officers, bringing the total to 99,000
officers funded by 1999. The President's 1994 Crime Bill promises to
fund 100,000 officers by the year 2000;

Combatting Violence Against Women: $270.8 million for programs to

combat violence against women, including continued civil legal assistance
and research programs and a new $10 million program aimed at reducing the
impact of family, school and community violence on young children; and,

Upgrading Technology: $65.3 million in added funding to upgrade crime

technology, such as DNA testing and identification, and criminal records and
history programs.
 "With the right resources, the Administration's juvenile justice legislation, and
new relationships between prosecutors and the people they serve, we can build on
our success in fighting crime," Reno added.

PREVENTING CYBERCRIME

"Every day, more Americans and more businesses are using the information
superhighway," said Reno. "We need to ensure that the superhighway remains a
safe and secure place to do business," said Reno.

Increased funding in this area will go towards:

Adding 75 FBI Agents: 75 FBI agents to expand the number of

computer investigations and infrastructure threat assessment squads
that operate throughout the country;

Developing Early Warnings: $10.4 million in increased funding for

infrastructure threat assessment efforts, including designing,
developing and implementing a comprehensive and secure early
warning system;

Defending Against Cybercrime: $1.5 million in added funds for the

Criminal Division to provide federal, state, local and foreign agencies
with guidance on how to develop legally sound responses to computer
crime and on how to address potential and suspected abuses and
infiltrations;

Hiring 24 Attorneys: 24 attorneys to enable U.S. Attorneys' offices to

identify, prosecute, and convict those persons and entities responsible
for committing cybercrime; and,

Protecting the Critical Infrastructure: $36.7 million in increased

funding to be used in part to implement the recommendations of the
President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection and to
ensure the continuance of essential Justice Department functions
during an emergency.

"These funds will enable us to keep pace with the cybercriminals of the

21st Century," added Reno.

CURBING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE

"By adding more drug enforcement agents and prosecutors and increasing
testing and intervention programs, we can further decrease drug use and help stem
the violence it brings into our communities," Reno said. The Justice

Department will seek a record $7.7 billion in its fight against drug trafficking and
abuse, representing a 2.6% increase over last year.

Highlights include:

Adding 257 DEA Agents: 257 DEA agents to continue implementing a

comprehensive strategy of attacking methamphetamine production,
trafficking and abuse; stemming the flow of drugs entering the U.S.
from Caribbean nations; and, intensifying enforcement efforts against
major heroin traffickers and reducing its availability;

Hiring 69 New Attorneys: 64 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 5 Criminal

Division attorneys to enhance prosecutorial efforts against drug
traffickers and improve coordination among intelligence and law
enforcement communities in narcotics efforts;

Funding Drug Testing and Treatment: $94 million in additional grants

to state and local agencies to conduct drug testing and intervention
programs and residential substance abuse treatment programs for
state prisons; and,

Adding DEA Resources: $2.5 million for additional DEA resources and
staffing to strengthen international intelligence gathering activities and
protect its operations from being compromised by electronic
eavesdropping devices.

PROTECTING OUR BORDERS AND PROVIDING BETTER SERVICE

"The Department's FY 1999 budget seeks to strengthen proven, existing

programs, guard against illegal immigration, and promote legal entry into the
country," Reno said. The record $4.2 billion budget request for INS, represents a
10.3% increase over last year.

The additional funding will provide resources for:

Hiring More Agents: $103 million to deploy 1,000 new Border Patrol
agents;

Upgrading Equipment: $14.6 million in added funding to purchase

strategic surveillance equipment, such as night vision goggles, infrared
scopes and a force-multiplying technology with a 360-degree field of
vision, allowing agents greater ability to cover the Southwest Border;

Monitoring Smuggling Transportation Corridors: $30.2 million in

added funding to combat alien smuggling by strategically placing INS
agents and investigators along major smuggling transportation
corridors;

Removing Criminal Aliens: $35.5 million in added funding to add more

detention space; hire additional investigative and deportation staff, and
provide for alien transportation and detention related costs;

Utilizing Immigration Fees: $68 million in additional immigration fee

initiatives to be used for such measures as increasing airport staffing to
more quickly inspect passengers, training international personnel in
anti-smuggling techniques, and enhancing document and benefit fraud
investigations; and,

Continuing to Overhaul the Naturalization System: More than $200 million

in funding to overhaul the naturalization system, which will increase its
integrity and begin to decrease the backlog and waiting time for individuals
seeking citizenship. This is the same level of funding that is available in FY
1998.

SUPPORTING OTHER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES

FIGHTING HATE CRIMES

$5.6 million for the Department's Hate Crimes Initiative, including the
formation of local working groups in which federal, state, and local law
enforcement officials, as well as local community leaders meet to
address hate crimes in a comprehensive manner. The Department
anticipates redirecting 50 FBI agents and prosecutors toward hate
crimes cases.

TARGETING CRIME IN INDIAN COUNTRY

$157 million in new and redirected funds as part of a joint $182 million
initiative with the Department of the Interior to address a public safety crisis
on Indian lands. Funds will be used to add 30 FBI agents and 26 attorneys to
enhance Indian Country investigations and prosecutions, reduce violent
crime, gang-related violence and juvenile crime on Indian reservations;
establish the Indian Tribal Courts Program; create a new Drug Testing and
Intervention Program on Indian lands; and to construct and expand
correctional facilities.

PROVIDING EFFECTIVE DEFENSIVE CIVIL LITIGATION

$16.6 million in added funds to provide the Department with the

litigation resources necessary to represent the interests of the United
States in its capacity as employer, regulator, administrator of federal
benefits, law enforcer, contractor, and property owner.
BUILDING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE

$753.5 million in added funds to address a wide variety of infrastruc-ture and technology needs to ensure that t
meet the law enforcement challenges of the 21st Century. These
include:

$72.5 million in new funds to ensure that federal law enforcement

personnel narrow the bandwidth they use to transmit radio signals, as
required by the National Telecommunication and Information
Administration Organization Act;

$32.7 million in added funds for the U.S. Marshals Service

to enhance courtroom and holding cell construc-tion, to
staff and support the automated prisoner and fugitive
information system, and to replace aging aircraft;

$50 million in additional funding to upgrade FBI computer

hardware and software to increase computer workstation
and server speed and capacity for investigative support
applications;

$317.2 million in increased funding for the Federal Bureau of

Prisons to absorb the D.C.-sentenced felon population; and,

$130.1 million in enhanced funding for the Border Patrol

to plan and construct additional detention facilities, new
office space at headquarters and regional offices to
support new agents.

"Law enforcement will face many new challenges in the next century," said
Reno. "Our 1999 budget request prepares us for the challenges that lie ahead."

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