Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act

This bill, titled the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act, would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to deny Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) to states or units of local government that limit the use of cash bail. Specifically, it creates an “ineligibility” rule: if a jurisdiction has a policy or law that substantially limits cash bail as a condition for every person charged with certain offenses, the Attorney General may not award, renew, or extend a JAG grant to that jurisdiction for the relevant fiscal year. The bill defines “covered offenses” as crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety, including violent or sexual offenses (e.g., murder, rape, robbery, assault) and offenses that promote public disorder (e.g., looting, rioting, fleeing from law enforcement). The prohibition would take effect for the fiscal year starting after enactment and apply annually thereafter. In short, the bill uses federal grant funding as an incentive for jurisdictions to maintain cash bail requirements for individuals charged with serious offenses. Jurisdictions that adopt or maintain policies limiting cash bail for these offenses would become ineligible for JAG funding.