Heritage Foundation Leadership for America

Location: The Heritage Foundation's Allison Auditorium

Ten years ago, the American Bar Association Task Force on the Federalization of Crime published its final report documenting the enormous size and scope of federal criminal law.  During congressional hearings, former Attorney General Edwin Meese, the chairman of the Task Force, testified to the numerous damaging consequences that “flow from the inappropriate federalization of crime.”

Leading members of Congress are increasingly concerned about the ramifications of this over-federalization.  Professor John Baker, a member of the original Task Force, has updated the Task Force’s work and concludes that there are now at least 4,450 federal crimes.  In addition, his data indicate that Congress enacts more criminal offenses in election years than in non-election years. 

The purpose of this program is to analyze how Congress can renew its commitment to constitutional and prudential limits on the federal criminal power.