Pennsylvania State Police vehicle in Harrisburg in 2018

In our third installment of the 2021-22 budget breakdown, the Capital-Star dissects funding the Pennsylvania State Police, Judiciary, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and criminal justice measures.

Let’s take a look.

State Police

$258 million increase for General Government Operations

A portion of this increase is needed to replace federal funding received in 2020/21 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The state police received $226 million in 2020/21 in Federal CARES Coronavirus Relief Funds.

After accounting for the 2020/21 Coronavirus Relief Funds, General Government Operations are increasing $32.1 million.

This increase offsets the legislated annual decrease in the Motor License Fund, which was created to fund road and infrastructure repairs.

Law Enforcement Information Technology, Municipal Police Training, and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System are all flat funded
$5 million, or 42%, decrease in funding for the Statewide Public Safety Radio System due to nonrecurring system implementation costs
The Pennsylvania Instant Check System is level funded at 2020/21 levels

In total, this is $1.3 million less than requested in the governor’s executive budget proposal.

Criminal Justice

$2 million decrease from 2020/21 in General Government Operations
$2.78 million for the Office of Victim Advocate funded out of General Government Operations
$99 million increase for Medical Care

This increase replaces $99 million in federal funding received in 2020/21 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

$1.147 billion increase for State Correctional Institutions

This increase replaces $1.157 billion in federal funding received in 2020/21 under the CARES Act.

After accounting for 2020/21 Coronavirus Relief Funds:

Medical Care is funded at 2020/21 levels.

State Correctional Institutions are essentially funded at 2020/21 levels with a 0.5% decrease, or approximately $10 million decrease in funding.

$4.8 million increase for State Field Supervision
$262,000 increase for the Parole Board

Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

Funded at 2020/21 levels
The Office of Safe Schools Advocate is flat-funded in 2021/22
$30 million for Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs to be used for Community Violence reduction programs
Support for grants to local criminal justice agencies and nonprofits — including programs to divert low level offenders from incarceration, support drug courts, and provide for victim services — are all level funded

Judiciary

Flat funded at 2020/21 levels
The Fiscal Code, a bill that dictates how each state department and agency can spend their funding, temporarily eliminates the $15 million transfer from the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account to the School Safety and Security Fund