Justice Assistance Act of 1983

Justice Assistance Act of 1983 - Title I: Amendments to Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 - Eliminates the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration including the Office of Community Anti-Crime Programs and the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics. Retains the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Institute of Justice. Establishes a new Office of Justice Assistance (OJA), to be headed by a Director appointed by the President. Places the National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics within the new Office of Justice Assistance. Replaces the formula grant program with "national priority implementation and replication programs," under which grants are authorized for programs which address critical problems of violent and serious crime and for programs which have been certified to be successful. Enumerates 15 criteria for the awarding of these grants. Limits the amount of grants that may be awarded annually within any State. Limits the Federal share of the new priority grant programs to a period of four years and includes a cash match requirement. Eliminates the current national priority grant program. Retains the discretionary grant program. Limits the purposes of discretionary grants to: (1) educational and training programs for criminal justice personnel; (2) the provision of technical assistance; and (3) national demonstration programs which are likely to be successful but unlikely to be funded. Establishes a Justice Assistance Board to: (1) recommend to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Assistance funding and program priorities; (2) review and evaluate the activities of the OJA and Federal policies and priorities in justice assistance; and (3) coordinate its activities with the other justice advisory bodies. Retains the training and manpower development programs. Title II: Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance - Authorizes a State to apply for emergency Federal law enforcement assistance in the event that a crime problem of serious and epidemic proportions exists. Requires the Attorney General, in approving or disapproving such application, to consider: (1) the nature and extent of the crime problem; (2) the emergency or extraordinary circumstances; (3) the availability of State and local resources; (4) the need to avoid unnecessary Federal involvement in local concerns; and (5) alternative sources of assistance. Authorizes appropriations for law enforcement assistance.