Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968

Long title	An Act to assist State and local governments in reducing the incidence of crime, to increase the effectiveness, fairness, and coordination of law enforcement and criminal justice systems at all levels of government, and for other purposes.
Nicknames	Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Assistance Act of 1967
Enacted by	the 90th United States Congress
Effective	June 19, 1968
Citations
Public law	90-351
Statutes at Large	82 Stat. 197
Codification
Titles amended	42 U.S.C.: Public Health and Social Welfare
U.S.C. sections created	42 U.S.C. ch. 46 § 3701 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 5037 by Emanuel Celler (D-NY) on July 17, 1967 Committee consideration by House Judiciary, Senate Judiciary Passed the House on August 8, 1967 (378–23) Passed the Senate on May 23, 1968 (72-4, in lieu of S. 917) with amendment House agreed to Senate amendment on June 6, 1968 (369-17) Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 19, 1968

The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Pub.L. 90–351, 82 Stat. 197, enacted June 19, 1968, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 3711) was legislation passed by the Congress of the United States and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson that established the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). Title III of the Act set rules for obtaining wiretap orders in the United States. It had been started shortly after November 22, 1963 when evidence in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy increased public alertness to the relative lack of control over the sale and possession of guns in the United States.

The LEAA, which was superseded by the Office of Justice Programs, provided federal grant funding for criminology and criminal justice research, much of which focused on social aspects of crime. Research grants were also provided to develop alternative sanctions for punishment of young offenders. Block grants were provided to the states, with $100 million in funding. Within that amount, $50 million was earmarked for assistance to local law enforcement agencies, which included funds to deal with riot control and organized crime.

The Omnibus Crime Bill also prohibited interstate trade in handguns and increased the minimum age to 21 for buying handguns. This legislation was soon followed by the Gun Control Act of 1968, which set forth additional gun control restrictions.

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