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What The LBJ Commission Meant For Law Enforcement

NPR
Published October 27, 2017 at 1:11 PM EDT
Top officials of President Lyndon Johnson’s newly-named Crime Commission announced goals for a crusade against lawlessness at a meeting on Feb. 16, 1967 in Washington. From left are: Executive Director James Vorenberg; Chairman Nicholas Katzenbach and Assistant Director Henry Ruth. (John Rous/AP)
Top officials of President Lyndon Johnson’s newly-named Crime Commission announced goals for a crusade against lawlessness at a meeting on Feb. 16, 1967 in Washington. From left are: Executive Director James Vorenberg; Chairman Nicholas Katzenbach and Assistant Director Henry Ruth. (John Rous/AP)

As the U.S. struggles with questions about violent crime and law enforcement, some are pushing Congress to review the country’s criminal justice system from top to bottom.

That actually happened 50 years ago when a wide-ranging group of experts studied every facet of crime and turned over a pivotal report to President Lyndon Johnson. The report called for sweeping changes, and remains influential today. NPR’s Cheryl Corley (@nprcherylcorley) reports.

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