Blockand Categorical Grants
Based on your readings for this week, compare and contrast a Block Grant and a CategoricalGrant. Evaluate which grant is most useful in terms of law enforcementoperations? Why?
Today there are more than 1,100different federal aid programs for the states, with each program having its ownrules and regulations. The system is a complicated mess, and it is gettingworse all the time.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.Under the U.S. Constitution, the federal government was assigned specific,limited powers and most government functions were left to the states. To ensurethat people understood the limits on federal power, the nation’s founders addedthe Constitution’s Tenth Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the UnitedStates by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved tothe States respectively, or to the people.”
The Tenth Amendment embodiesfederalism, the idea that federal and state governments have separate areas ofactivity and that federal responsibilities were “few and defined,” as JamesMadison noted. Historically, federalism acted as a safeguard of Americanfreedoms. President Ronald Reagan noted in a 1987 executive order, “Federalismis rooted in the knowledge that our political liberties are best assured bylimiting the size and scope of the national government.”1
– See more at:http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/fiscal-federalism#sthash.ulhRJS91.dpuf
Money plays akey role when it comes to I the federal government and it’s relationship withthe state. The one who finds the statesis congress, and they stipulate how the funds can be used. This is to make surethe states cooperate with federal polices. The states have relied on federalmoney since World War II. “The national government has also relied on thestates to administer some federal policies, a practice called fiscal federalism” (Sparknotes, 2015). Theterm used for giving money to the states for a particular purpose is calledgrants-in-aid.
Grants are funds which arenon-repayable usually paid out by a grant maker often the government to a recipientwhich is usually a nonprofit entity for example educational institution. Thereare usually two types of grants which are block grants and categorical grants.Block grants given by the government usually are discreet since the localgovernment is at free will on how they would want to use the grants provided.These grants usually are not given for a specific purpose since the partyreceiving the grants has the choice of how to use the grants.
Block grants are usually notcompetitive which hence give the local government an opportunity to choose onthe projects which will be funded with the money. In another case, categoricalgrants are only used for specific purposes which are usually stated by thefederal government. These type of grants are used to fund on specific projectsand the local government has no option of choice. Due to this fact, thecategorical grants are usually very competitive. Local governments andorganizations usually must apply for the grants and there after the federalgovernment will choose on were to allocate the grants (Frekos, 2011).
Block grants aremore advantageous since they will usually allow local governments to have achoice on where they would like to allocate the grants. The local governmentsare at a better position to identify were they would like the grants to bespent.
In another case categorical grants might be advantageous since thefederal government gets to allocate the grants in consideration of the meritshence choose worthy applicants. When the local government is given blockgrants, it might also lead to the waste of the grants since there is noregulation (National Center for Early Defibrillation, 2010).
Categorical grants may also be disadvantageoussince the federal government may not always have an idea as to how much eachproject should consume. I think that thecategorical grant is more useful in law enforcement. This is due to the factthat the grants that are been provided each will be accounted for hence therewill be no waste nor will the grants be mismanaged in any way since the federalgovernment gives out their specifications.
Inseveral nations, there are strict processes and procedures inplace that make it attainableto audit the utilization of thegrant cash, and confirm it’s really going on to those approved.
Dilger, R. J., & Boyd, E. (2014, July15). Block Grants: Perspectives and Controversies. Retrieved fromfas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40486.pdf
Frekos, B. (2011). Law enforcement officials eyebudget cuts. Star-News. Document ID: 2307287991.
National Center for Early Defibrillation, (2010).Funding Your AED Program. Retrieved from: http://www.early-defib.org/03_06_05.html
SparkNotes: Federalism: Federalismin Practice. (2015). Retrieved from www.sparknotes.com › … › Home ›SparkNotes › Federalism – Similar
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